Coastal Georgia and other Jekyll Island, GA General Tips

Favorite Thing: Jekyll Island is the last place on the ICW to dock before you get to the Saint Mary's River and Florida. It seems to be a combination of a luxury resort (It originally was a as a winter retreat for America's wealthiest families Morgan, Pulitzer, Rockefeller, Gould etc.) and an eco-tourism destination.

They have tours (mini bus tours, walking tours, casino boat trips, dophin tours, air tours, ghost tours or nature walks). They have activities (scuba, sailing, horseback riding, soccer, minigolf, birding, fishing, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, tennis, golf (63 holes), dinner theatre, and a water park). They have 10 hotels, a convention center, and a historic district.

The dichotomy is illustrated for me by the fact that they have both a nature center and jet ski rental.
.

Fondest Memory: When we came by boat, we'd only been off the marina grounds once and that was to borrow a vehicle to go to the market. It seems like an nice vacation spot.

One of the main attractions for us is the restaurant at the marina (one of two marinas on the island. They have fast service and good food.

Their Brunswick Stew is really tasty.

Leave a Comment

Favorite Thing: There's a controversy as to whether the REAL Brunswick Stew comes from Brunswick GA or from Brunswick County VA.

I've had Brunswick Stew as a side dish in Edenton NC which I assume was the Virginia variety. But the best I've ever had was served by the SeaJay Cafe on Jekyll Island.

Fondest Memory: The following is the “official recipe” distributed by the Georgia visitors bureau.

Start with the following ingredients:
1 3-lb. chicken,
1 lb. lean pork,
1 lb. lean beef, and
3 medium onions, chopped.

Place meat in large, heavy pot. Season with salt, pepper. Add onions and cover with water. Cook slowly until meat falls from bones (several hours). Remove from heat and allow to cool. Tear meat into shreds and return to stock.

Add:
4 cans (16 oz.) tomatoes,
5 T. Worcestershire sauce,
1½ bottles (14 oz.) catsup,
1 T. Tabasco sauce,
2 bay leaves,
½ bottle (12 oz.) chili sauce,
½ t. dry mustard,
½ stick butter.

Cook 1 hour, occasionally stirring to prevent sticking.

Add:
3 T. vinegar,
2 cans (16 oz.) small limas or butter beans,
2 cans (16 oz.) creamstyle corn,
1 can small English peas
(3 small diced Irish potatoes and box of frozen, sliced okra—optional).

Cook slowly until thick.

Serve in a bowl with barbecue or fried shrimp.

Leave a Comment

Favorite Thing: Jekyll Island was bought for $125K by millionaires including Frank Henry Goodyear, the Goulds, J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulizer and William Rockefeller in 1886. They called themselves the Jekyll Island Club and built a large clubhouse and 'cottages' on the island, which they used as a hunting preserve and family getaway.

But by the early 20th century, the members of the Jekyll Island Club were said to represent 1/6th of the world's wealth. But by WWII, their descendants had lost interst and the island was sold to the state of Georgia.

Fondest Memory: Driving around the historic district looking at the 'cottages'

Leave a Comment