28 minute read
The Great Outdoors
Downtown Brunswick inspires movie magic in 2016's Live by Night.
Setting the Scene
The Golden Isles has provided filmmakers and authors with a rich backdrop.
CAMERA READY
Crime Scene.
Home to Silver Bluff Brewing and Richland Rum distillery, Brunswick’s Newcastle Street ironically passes for a Prohibition-era Ybor City, Florida in the 2016 crime flick Live By Night. Stop for a tipple and toast the bygone days of speakeasies and police raids.
Stay Classy, St. Simons. At Old Coast Guard Beach, Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy and the cast of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) gather for a seaside wedding. What could possibly go wrong?
Glory Days.
To navigate dunes and freshwater pools, the production crews of the 1989 Civil War drama Glory built the boardwalk at Glory Beach offering expansive views.
Clubbing. The on-set bar in Robert Redford’s gauzy, ghostly golf drama, The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) was such a hit, a permanent reproduction was built for guests of Jekyll Island Club.
BEACH READS
The Princess and the Crab. Commissioned by the owners of the King and Prince Beach Resort for their children, Grace Gore Sturdivant’s take on the princess and the frog fairytale incorporates local landmarks and history into the narrative.
St. Simons Trilogy. A literary homage to the Golden Isles, Eugenia Price’s historical series starts with Lighthouse and New Moon Rising, which span the preRevolutionary and Antebellum periods. The Beloved Invader takes up a new thread in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Coast Tales: True Historic Tales from Georgia’s Golden Isles. As a follow-up to his first collection, A Historical Crash Course on Coastal Georgia and the Golden Isles, Larry Hobbs introduces you to the area’s real-life characters in this compilation of his popular history columns from The Brunswick News. Tracking the Golden Isles: The Natural and Human Histories of the Georgia Coast. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate environmental scientist Anthony J. Martin’s essays detailing the plant and animal traces that contributed to coastal Georgia’s ecosystems.
Bress ’n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer. Best not to peruse Chef Matthew Raiford’s cookbook on an empty stomach! His recipes for Gullah Geechee classics like hot buttermilk biscuits and salmon cakes on pepper rice are sure to make you swoon!
Island Time: An Illustrated History of St. Simons Island, Georgia and Island Passages: An Illustrated History of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Evocative souvenirs of your visit to the Golden Isles are two coffee-table tomes by retired Atlanta Journal -Constitution journalist Jingle Davis and local photographer Benjamin Galland.
FOR ART’S SAKE
From concert stages to galleries, classes to summer camps, not to mention theatrical performances, the Golden Isles offers a wealth of cultural activities to feed your soul.
HIGH NOTES
Weekly live music performances: goldenisles.com/events/live-music
Coastal Symphony of Georgia coastalsymphonyofgeorgia.org
A Little Light Music (Coastal Georgia Historical Society’s summer concert series, St. Simons Lighthouse) coastalgeorgiahistory.org
Brunswick Music District Square dancing takes on new meaning with this series of live concerts held every Friday and Saturday evening in Brunswick’s downtown squares.
Outdoor Concerts in Neptune Park. Enjoy the sounds of summer with some (Nep)tunes, courtesy of Golden Isles Arts & Humanities. 912.262.6934 or goldenislesarts.org
HIGHLIGHTS
Glynn Visual Arts glynnvisualarts.org
Jekyll Artists Association jekyllartists.com
Tinted Tide Pottery & Art Studio thetintedtide.com
Anderson Fine Art Studio andersonfineartgallery.com
HOUSE LIGHTS
The Island Players theislandplayers.com
Brunswick’s Historic Ritz Theatre/ Golden Isles Arts & Humanities goldenislesarts.com
Uke Joint
The Golden Isles Strummers evoke the sounds of summer year-round.
What better accompaniment to ocean breezes than the light wafting sounds of a ukulele — or better yet, an ensemble of them playing classics such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “It’s a Wonderful World”? Pass by St. Simons Island’s Fort Frederica Presbyterian Church on a Wednesday afternoon (except in summer) and you might hear the dulcet tones of the Golden Isles Strummers practicing for their next gig. Feel free to join them. “We welcome anyone who wants to learn to play,” says GIS’s co-founder Sue Leeds. As she discovered in 2015, the four-stringed Portuguese instrument with simple chord fingerings, “was easy to pick up.” Leeds encouraged her friend Cathy Simprini to follow suit, with Simprini’s husband, Ron, lending his skill on six-string guitar. Others joined their jam sessions, which by 2021 moved outdoors to the Casino at the Village on St. Simons, drawing crowds. Today, with 50plus members, Golden Isles Strummers are popular on the assisted living circuit, at private parties, and community events like Brunswick’s Blessing of the Fleet. Membership dues pay for a sound system and as a registered 501(c) 3 the Strummers donate ticket sales to local charitable causes.
The greatest reward? “We’ve become like a family,” Leeds reflects. “We feel very fortunate to enjoy and contribute to this special community.”
Creative Attractions
CLASSES & MORE
Glynn Visual Arts 912.638.8770 St. Simons Island glynnvisualarts.org
PERFORMING ARTS
Coastal Symphony of Georgia 912.634.2006 Brunswick coastalsymphonyofgeorgia.org Golden Isles Youth Orchestra 912.634.3453 Brunswick goldenislesyouthorchestra.org Historic Ritz Theatre 912.262.6934 Brunswick goldenislesarts.org The Island Players 912.638.0338 St. Simons Island theislandplayers.com
ART GALLERIES
Anderson Fine Art Gallery 912.634.8414 St. Simons Island andersonfineartgallery.com Artist’s Annex Gallery 912.634.8414 St. Simons Island artistsannexgallery.com ArtTrends Gallery 912.268.4761 St. Simons Island arttrends.gallery Glynn Visual Arts 912.638.8770 St. Simons Island glynnvisualarts.org
MUSEUMS
Arthur J. Moore Methodist Museum 912.638.4050 St. Simons Island mooremethodistmuseum.com Historical Harrington School 912.634.0330 St. Simons Island ssiheritagecoalition.org Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum 912.635.4036 Jekyll Island jekyllisland.com St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum 912.638.4666 St. Simons Island coastalgeorgiahistory.org World War II Home Front Museum 912.634.7098 St. Simons Island coastalgeorgiahistory.org
Islands A-Hoppin’
With its rich history and longstanding traditions, the Golden Isles has plenty to celebrate year-round. Join in the fun at the following seasonal festivities.
ALL SHOOK UP. Turns out Elvis has not left the building. Discover who will be crowned King of Kings at the Georgia Tribute Festival, honoring the one and only Elvis Presley. (March)
HOUSE PARTY. After a two-year hiatus, the venerable Christ Church Frederica Annual Tour of Homes is back! Benefiting women and children in need, this year’s tour highlights the architecture, décor, and hospitality of six Sea Island homes. Tickets and info: christchurchtourofhomes.org (March)
SHELL GAME. Tortoise or hare, it’s your participation that matters in the 5K, 10K and 1-mile run races of Jekyll Island’s Turtle Crawl, benefiting Georgia Sea Turtle Center. (April)
BLESS THE MESS. Of shrimp‚ that is, or rather the shrimp boats decorated for Mayfair, Brunswick’s Portuguese tradition, Blessing of the Fleet. (May)
GOLDEN GALA. Tunes, crafts, and the ever-important eats take center stage at St. Simons Island’s Gascoigne Bluff for the Georgia Sea Islands Festival, an homage to local African-American culture. (June) OF THEE WE SING. Cheer for the red, white, and blue as rockets’ red glare fill the sky at Independence Day celebrations on St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island, and Brunswick. Info: goldenisles.com (July)
FALL
STEIN-MART. Beer rhymes with “cheer,” thanks to Brunswick’s Oktoberfest. Wash down some brats with a German-style frosty in the beer garden of Silver Bluff Brewing Co. (September)
THE COAST WITH THE MOST. Hence, Georgia Department of Natural Resource’s Coastfest in Brunswick, featuring touch tanks, history demos, science experiments, and more. (October)
’CUE FOR YOU. At Firebox, local pitmasters, chefs, and farmers serve healthy helpings of roasted pig and seafood, while brewers and distillers offer quaffs that quench. Ticket sales benefit Southern Soul Barbecue’s Firebox Initiative that helps restaurant workers in need. (October)
LOVE FEST. As in, Davis Love III, host of the RSM Classic at Sea Island, a highlight of the PGA TOUR in which top names on the pro circuit drive, chip, and putt on one of the most revered courses in the Southeast. (November)
STOOPS AND GROUPS. Local musical groups perform gratis at PorchFest on the front porches of Brunswick’s Old Town Historic District bounded by First Street, Bay Street, New Bay Street, H Street, and Cochran Street. (November).
THRILL OF THE CHILL. Take a ‘coldstunned’ plunge into the chilly Atlantic in support of sea turtles during this fun, after-Thanksgiving beach fundraiser for Georgia Sea Turtle Center. (November)
WINTER
MERRY AND BRIGHT. Get your nostalgia on with a light parade, fireworks, a winter carnival, and light displays at the enchanting Holly Jolly Jekyll. (November-January)
FESTIVE FLOTILLA. Is that Santa at the helm commanding a crew of elves? See for yourself at the Brunswick Christmas Parade held at Howard Coffin Park along Gloucester Street. (December)
TREASURE PLEASURE. A nod to glass fishermen’s floats of yore, Jekyll Island’s annual scavenger hunt, Island Treasures conceals facsimiles of handcrafted glass globes that are yours to keep, should you be lucky enough to find one. (January–February)
OYSTERS ROASTING ON AN
OPEN FIRE. Mollusk memories are yours, along with lowcountry boil, chefs’ signature dishes, and desserts at St. Simons Land Trust Oyster Roast, supporting the organization’s mission to preserve the scenic character of the area. (January)
HAPPY STEW YEAR! Who will win the People’s Choice and Judges’ Award for their take on Brunswick Stew? Find out at Brunswick Rockin’ Stewbilee, where motorcycle rides, canines on parade, and live music ramp up the fun quotient. (January)
BRIDGE (CALORIE) BURNER. After Eating Season, it’s no wonder the Southeast Georgia Health System Bridge Run is considered “the toughest 5K in Georgia.” But the views from Brunswick’s Sidney Lanier Bridge are worth it. (February)
LAUGH RIOT. Listen up as four nationally renowned raconteurs spin comical yarns and tall tales at the St. Simons Island Storytelling Festival, taking place at Epworth by the Sea. (February)
Scan for more events and festivals
JEKYLL ISLAND
Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum
Step into what once was. Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum guides you through the rich cultural and natural history of Georgia’s most intriguing barrier island. Travel back more than four centuries ago to the discovery of this coastal haven when Native Americans inhabited Jekyll Island. Or get behind the wheel of a classic Studebaker as if it were the 1950s and you’re an early visitor of the newly-established state park.
In-depth interactive exhibits draw you in, while stunning visuals and audio tell the tale of this magical island. jekyllisland.com/mosaic
GOLF
No matter your score — par, birdie, or even bogie — it’s always a good day when you finish a round in the Golden Isles.
Zach Johnson and author/radio host John Maginnes reflect on Golden Isles’ golf and community.
As United States Ryder Cup team captain, Zach Johnson will lead American golfers against European rivals in the 44th Ryder Cup on September 25–October 1, 2023 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome. Johnson has competed in five Ryder Cups since 2006 and served as U.S. Vice Captain for the last two contests.
Richard Sellers / Alamy
An Ordinary Guy’s Extraordinary Life
Zach Johnson will tell you he’s “just a boy from Iowa” — who happens to be the 2007 Masters Champion and the 2015 British Open Champion, two milestones in an impressive run on the PGA TOUR that has lasted nearly two decades. He has amassed 12 wins through hard work and tenacity while maintaining the faith and values that he brought to the TOUR as a rookie in 2004. I caught up with Zach by phone while he was strolling the aisles of the grocery store near his home in the Golden Isles. Like I said, he’s an ordinary guy with extraordinary accomplishments.
John Maginnes: How did you end up on Sea Island?
Zach Johnson: My wife and I were living in central Florida. She went to school down there and is actually from north Florida (Amelia Island), and we liked where we were. Obviously, the weather is great. My coach was there, but we wanted to find a place that was more “us.” A place where we could dig deep. The Golden Isles community had that, the schools and the churches, we knew it immediately. I had started coming up here to practice with Dr. Mo (Dr. Morris Pickens, sports psychologist based at Sea Island) and fell in love with the place. I brought my wife up here; we toured a couple of neighborhoods, and she said, “I think we could live here.” That was the summer of ’08; we moved in the fall and have never looked back.
JM: And the golf?
ZJ: The amenities at Sea Island are as good as anywhere in the world. From coaching to golf courses . . . everything we need, it’s second to none. I could live anywhere but I feel like I live in one of the best golf communities in the country, if not the very best.
JM: The community of professionals at Sea Island has grown considerably. What is that group like when you guys are home?
ZJ: It’s incredible. Obviously, Davis (Love III, U.S. team captain for the 2022 President’s Cup) was the first one here and shortly after Jonathon Byrd came down, and then there were a handful of others. I think that I was maybe the fifth or so but now we have like a dozen or more on the PGA TOUR, not to mention the group of guys on the Korn Ferry Tour. It’s really cool.
JM: Do you ever pick up a round when you’re not competing?
ZJ: I play with a lot of guys you’ve never heard of. I also play with the TOUR guys. I just ran into Brian Harmon in the store. We play with Hud (Hudson Swafford), Patton (Kizire), Harris (English), JT Poston, Keith Mitchel and all the others.... We all just tee it up and go. You’re not going to find that other places. That’s the beauty of it. We have a group of people who are all trying to get better in an incredible place.
Legendary Links
The Golden Isles is home to unparalleled courses that attract the golfing elite.
Standing on the driving range at the spectacular Sea Island Golf Performance Center you will hear the typical sounds of the driving range: the clatter of balls tumbling out of baskets and the crisp crack of well-struck iron shots. You will hear the whack of the modern driver and the hum of pre-round conversation. But if you listen carefully, you’re also likely to hear the horn of a nearby tugboat or the bell of a distant sea buoy, for the driving range sits right along the shore of the Intracoastal Waterway. If there is a finer backdrop for a driving range and learning center anywhere in the world, it exists in the realm of the imagination.
If you’re standing there for the first time, you know that you’re in for a treat no matter which of the three courses at Sea Island Resort you’re playing. The Seaside Course is the most famous and the most historic. It was originally designed by Harry S. Colt and Charles Alison in 1929. In 1999, renowned links architect Tom Fazio updated and redesigned the course, but in the minds of some, he accomplished considerably more. Golf great and Grand Slam champion Bobby Jones loved to play nine of the original 18 holes, but it took Fazio’s vision — combining those nine with nine holes of Sea Island’s old Marshside course — to create the championship golf course that PGA TOUR players rave about today. The Seaside Course has been home to the PGA TOUR’s RSM Classic since the tournament’s launch in 2010.
In 2015, the Plantation course was added to the RSM Classic. Davis Love III and his brother, Mark, paid homage to the original Walter Travis nine-hole course when they designed and expanded the Plantation course to 18 holes. Included are some of Travis’s signature features like the “Principal’s Nose” bunker similar to the original at St. Andrews and his “chocolate drops” (grass mounds) that dot the landscape and tend to be less forgiving than their sweet name suggests.
The third course on the property is also a Love brothers redesign but with a nod toward playability for all skill levels. The Retreat Course is just that: a fun respite from some of the island’s more difficult golf play.
There are two other courses on the island that require a member’s invitation, but if you’re fortunate enough to get one, don’t decline it. Ocean Forest Golf Club sits on the northern tip of Sea Island with ocean on one side and river marsh on the other. Rees Jones fashioned a masterpiece on shifting dunes and an impossibly beautiful landscape. Ocean Forest opened in 1995 and hosted a Walker Cup in 2001. That same year, it began hosting the Jones Cup Invitational, a prestigious amateur event. Major Champions Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed are among its past victors.
Not too far as the crow — or one hopes, birdie — flies, is St. Simons Island’s Frederica Golf Club, a pristine example of what modern technology and imagination can do to enhance a relatively flat piece of land. Tom Fazio collaborated on the design with Sir Michael Bonallack of Scotland’s illustrious Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. More than 7 million cubic yards of sand were moved in the construction. Additionally, more than 1,000 stately oak trees were transplanted along the property. The result is an incredible golf course that looks and feels like it’s been there for a century — almost as ancient as the royal and ancient game itself.
Golf Courses
NUMBER OF ST. SIMONS ISLAND HOLES YARDAGE PAR King and Prince Golf Course at the Hampton Club 912.634.0255 hamptonclub.com 18 6462 72 Sea Palms 912.638.3351 seapalms.com 18 6608 71 Frederica Golf Club (Private-Members only) 912.634.6900 fredericagolfclub.com 18 7217 72
SEA ISLAND
Seaside Course (Private-Hotel guests only) 855.473.6277 seaisland.com/golf 18 6657 70 Plantation Course (Private-Hotel guests only) 855.572.4975 seaisland.com/golf 18 6671 72 Retreat Course (Private-Hotel guests only) 855.572.4975 seaisland.com/golf 18 6735 72 Golf Performance Center 912.638.5119 seaisland.com
JEKYLL ISLAND
Oleander 912.635.2368 jekyllisland.com 18 6521 72 Pine Lakes 912.635.2368 jekyllisland.com 18 6700 72 Indian Mound 912.635.2368 jekyllisland.com 18 6408 72 Great Dunes 912.635.2368 jekyllisland.com 9 3229 36
BRUNSWICK
Heritage Oaks Golf Club 912.280.9525 heritageoaksgolfclub.com 18 5820 72 Brunswick Country Club (Members Only) 912.264.4377 brunswickcountryclub.com 18 6802 72
SEA ISLAND SEASIDE COURSE
Piper in Paradise
Meet one of Sea Island’s bagpipers who serenade golfers and guests every evening at sunset.
“Historically, golf courses and solo bagpipers have made a grand marriage,” says Scott Townley, one of Sea Island’s four tartan-clad musicians who signal to golfers the end of play. It’s a “beautiful tradition,” Townley continues, explaining that the resort’s sunset ritual started 20 years ago. A retired police officer hailing from upstate New York, Townley moved to the Golden Isles in 2020. As a child he’d taken up saxophone and clarinet and at 17 learned to play the bagpipes, “one of the most difficult instruments to learn and master,” Townley explains, mentioning the simultaneous actions of “controlled breathing, squeezing the bag, movement of your fingers and memorization of sheet music.”
Among his repertoire of 180 songs: various Scottish and Irish tunes, “America the Beautiful,” and “God Bless America,” any of which he might play for golfers at sunset, and Sea Island’s wedding and dinner guests — much to their delight. “Many share stories and wish to have pictures with me; children line up behind me as I march the grounds and we make our own parades,” Townley recounts. “Sea Island is a piper’s paradise.”
THE 19TH HOLE
When the last putt drops, grab another round at one of the Golden Isles’ convivial watering holes.
Sago at Sea Palms, with its poolside patio and modern bar, hosts a daily happy hour with great specials, plus live music on Fridays. In Historic Brunswick,
Silver Bluff Brewing Co.’s beer garden is modeled after traditional Bavarian spaces.
Pair a pint of Golden Isles IPA with a bite from the rotating food trucks. If convenience is key, Tortuga Jack’s is across the street from Jekyll Island Golf Club’s courses and is famous for its oceanfront tiki bar and fresh margaritas. Belly up to the sweeping bar at Halyards and order a refreshing Rosemary Paloma with house-squeezed grapefruit juice or pick and choose from the vast wine list. For guests at Sea Island,
the private Oak Room Bar in The Lodge is the ideal spot for a single-malt Scotch. Rather head home to kick up your feet? Swing by Porch and grab Frosé “to go” by the quart, half gallon, or gallon. Golf widows will find ‘pagne relief by raising flutes and indulging in retail therapy at the Bubble Bar inside
Two Friends boutique on St. Simons Island. Not to be left out, underaged athletes are sure to
enjoy St. Simons Crêpes, off Mallery Street near the Pier, following a rousing 18 holes of mini-golf at the
Neptune Park Fun Zone.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND
Topgolf Swing Suite
It’s immersive, exciting, and not just for golfers. The Topgolf Swing Suite at The Inn at Sea Island offers interactive games in a casual lounge setting. Try your hand at 84 virtual courses, including the Seaside Course at Sea Island, or have fun playing football, baseball, or zombie dodgeball. Open to the public daily from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. and perfect for all ages (children must be accompanied by an adult). Bar bites and cocktails served from 5 – 10 p.m. nightly. The Topgolf Swing Suite is also ideal for private events and parties.
innatseaisland.com 855.813.6582
SEA ISLAND
The RSM Classic
The RSM Classic, hosted by 21-time PGA TOUR Champion, World Golf Hall of Famer and winning U.S. Team Captain for the 2022 Presidents Cup, Davis Love III, has become a highly anticipated annual PGA TOUR event, drawing some of the world’s most elite golfers to the Golden Isles. Contested on both the Seaside and Plantation courses at Sea Island Golf Club, the event offers challenging play with beautiful ocean and marsh views and stunning amenities including access to the 17,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Golf Performance Center.
From seasoned PGA TOUR professionals like Love and Zach Johnson to PGA TOUR rookies Will Gordon and Davis Thompson, more than a dozen golfing professionals call Sea Island home.
“The RSM Classic showcases the absolute best of the Golden Isles. Not only do residents and visitors get to enjoy one of the most beautiful seaside settings and events but also through our partnership with RSM and the Golf Channel we share our amazing community with the world,” said Scott McQuade, President and CEO of the Golden Isles Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Since its inception in 2010, Love’s vision for the event in his hometown has been simple: Give players an enjoyable but demanding test at Sea Island Golf Club, and do it in a relaxed setting that offers a wonderful experience for pros, their families, caddies, sponsors, volunteers, media and spectators.
The RSM Classic quickly became a Seaside Tradition that focuses on raising charitable dollars for children and families in need. In 2022, the Davis Love Foundation, the tournament host organization, surpassed total charitable giving of $30 million since the tournament began. Many benefiting charities, including the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Georgia, are based here in the Golden Isles.
“We established our Foundation in 2005 to support local, regional, and national community-based programs that focus on children and families,” said Love. Five years later, Love, in collaboration with Zach Johnson, the PGA TOUR, RSM and Sea Island, brought The RSM Classic to the area. The tournament is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser. This is largely due to the incredible support of this community, local and national business partners, generous donors and RSM, the best title sponsor in golf.
“We are committed to positively impacting children and family charities through the dollars raised and donated through The RSM Classic,” said Love. “It is our privilege to continue the PGA TOUR’s rich tradition of giving back.” Learn more at RSMClassic.com.
ACTIVITIES & TOURS
Bring out your inner explorer on the golden sands, open waters and at countless historic sites of the Golden Isles
-Michael Gowen
Leading Lights
Native sons Michael and Zack Gowen define the Golden Isles experience with family, history, foodways, tradition — and an insatiable curiosity.
“I like to say, we have a huge trail system; it’s just all wet,” says Michael Gowen, (right) co-owner of SouthEast Adventure Outfitters, which, since 1994, has led guided kayaking, fishing, nature, and boating tours of the Golden Isles’ waterways. “The business dovetails with my interests,” Gowen adds, explaining that growing up in Glynn County, he spent a lot of time exploring the area’s marshes with family. “My youth was job training,” he quips.
Family includes younger brother, Zack, owner of St. Simons Island’s Georgia Sea Grill among other culinary-related concerns (See “The Good Earth,” page 66). With their sister, Lesli and her husband, John McQuigg, Michael’s wife, Stacy and their parents, they own and operate Village Creek Landing, a former fishing camp on St. Simons Island that SouthEast Adventure Outfitters had been using as a docking station. Its central location allows Michael and SEA’s guides to “go as far south as Cumberland Island and as far north as Sapelo and Blackbeard Island.” In 2018, the family bought the property, which now doubles as an event space appointed with salvaged wood benches made by patriarch Dr. Jim Gowen and Michael’s black-and-white photographs. Among its preferred food vendors? Zack’s Georgia Sea Grill and Three Little Birds Catering. Against the sweeping marshland views, Village Creek Landing is ideal for making memories, as Zack acknowledges. Mentioning standout events, such as a Drivin N Cryin concert and his favorite, weddings, he says, “It’s beautiful to see such happiness and be a part of it.” Making memories for his clients is paramount for Michael, as well. “I love sharing the outdoors and the beauty of the Golden Isles. I’m grateful to live in a place that other people want to come to,” he reflects. Whether a two-hour kayak tour on its creeks or up the Altahama River (see “Georgia’s Little Amazon,” page 56), or sunset cruises, “There’s almost always something different, whether it’s the tides or the animals,” the outdoorsman observes. “I love meshing the beauty of the area with layers and layers of history. You can explore as far as your curiosity takes you.”
Michael is currently applying his knowhow to another venture, Brunswick Rocks, a nonprofit climbing gym expected to open later this year as “an outlet for kids to grow physically and emotionally and offer opportunities to them.” A climber in his younger years, Michael affirms that “some of [his] most formative experiences were in these situations.” He views the project, like SEA, and his brother’s restaurants as “the least we could do” to enrich his native Golden Isles that has so enriched their lives. “We’ve learned from our folks who’ve worked so hard in this community,” he says. “I don’t know if we could have done this anyplace else.”
Georgia’s Little Amazon
The Altahama River is the state’s largest waterway and the third largest freshwater river in the United States.
Originating at the confluence of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers near the borders of Montgomery, Wheeler, and Jeff Davis counties, the Altahama river flows for 137 miles to Brunswick, emptying its vast store of fresh water— 100,000 gallons daily — into the Atlantic Ocean. SouthEast Adventure Outfitters co-founder Michael Gowen occasionally takes visitors up the river, which he explored as a youth.
“It’s true wilderness in our backyard,” he says, “still very wild and remote.”
Remote because the Nature Conservancy designated the Altamaha a bioreserve in 1991, limiting its access. Only five roadways, including I-95, intersect the waterway, a far cry from centuries of settlement, from prehistoric Timucua people to commercial loggers in the 19th century, with Spanish and French explorers, colonial war heroes, and prosperous planters in between.
Enjoying 30 years of seclusion, the river’s estuary as it approaches the Atlantic is home to some 120 rare or endangered plants and animals: old-growth longleaf pine and black oak, and cypress dating back 1,300 years. Atlantic sturgeon and West Indian manatees swim in the Altahama’s wa-ters, while shorebirds like American Oystercatchers nest on its sandbars, and owls, woodpeckers, and raptors soar overhead. Hence, the unofficial moniker, “Georgia’s Little Amazon,” and perhaps more appropriately, “Where God Comes to Think.”
ST. SIMONS ISLAND
St. Simons Trolley
Number one on your itinerary on a visit to the Island should be a trip on St. Simons Trolley, one of the South’s most acclaimed tours for 30 years. Rated #1 on TripAdvisor, St. Simons Trolley conducts the definitive historical tour of St. Simons Island. Riding in a classic white air-conditioned trolley, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this informative, highly entertaining tour, which takes you to all of the island’s historic sites. See the iconic lighthouse, Avenue of the Oaks, Bloody Marsh battle site, Fort Frederica, and all points of interest in between, including a walking tour at Christ Church. Join our guides for a funny and charming hour and a half experience in true southern fashion. Trolley tours leave every day at 11 a.m. from beneath the big oak tree by the Pier in the Village, at 117 Mallery Street.
stsimonstrolley.com 912.638.8954
ST. SIMONS ISLAND
The Stables at Frederica
Horses and a rich equestrian heritage have long been a part of Georgia’s barrier islands. The Stables at Frederica continues this tradition. St. Simons Island’s premier equestrian center offers a professional riding school, horse boarding, and recreation for experienced and novice riders alike. For the ultimate beach-riding adventure saddle up for a Sea Island Beach Ride. Riders 10 and older can experience the natural wonders of the coastline during a relaxing 90-minute horseback ride on a private beach on the south end of Sea Island. Marsh Rides are available for younger riders and those that want to explore the rarely-seen paths through the wetlands that dominate the Golden Isles’ vistas. The Stables at Frederica introduces children and those young at heart to horses at their main facility situated on the north end of St. Simons Island. Through pony rides, lessons, and special events, riders can begin a lifelong journey into the world of horses.
thestablesatfrederica.com 912.434.4760
JEKYLL ISLAND
Summer Waves Water Park
Amid the peace and serenity of Jekyll Island is an exciting family attraction – Summer Waves Water Park. Known for its cool, refreshing waters, pristine surroundings, and amazing views of the Jekyll River, Summer Waves offers a variety of ways to beat the heat this season.
From lazy laps around Turtle Creek to the highspeed, four-slide thrill of Man o’ War, there’s no limit to the special memories you’ll make. Whether it’s your family, friends or group, come on in. The water’s perfect.
summerwaves.com
ST. SIMONS ISLAND
Island Bicycle
Conveniently located in the Pier Village on St. Simons Island, Island Bicycle provides one of the best ways to explore the Golden Isles. Leave your car behind and opt for two wheels instead! Enjoy the fresh ocean air, take in the sights and sounds, and get a little exercise, too. With a fleet of more than 200 top-of-the line 3G bicycles, you’ll find the best quality bikes and customer service. Island Bicycle has years of experience and a vast knowledge not only of bicycles, but of the Golden Isles, too. The team at Island Bicycle will gladly provide you with top notch customer service, high quality equipment, and recommendations of the best routes and trails. Stop by Island Bicycle today to experience St. Simons Island in the best way possible, a 3G bike!
islandbicycle.co 912.268.2541
ST. SIMONS ISLAND
Island Carts
Cruise around the Golden Isles in an open air golf cart. Perfect for groups and families of all sizes, Island Carts on St. Simons Island offers the most reliable and economical island transportation service in the Golden Isles. Enjoy a scenic ride as you head to the beach for the day, or soak up a little nightlife on an after-dinner cruise. Island Carts provides eco-friendly and street legal golf carts to suit your transportation needs during your stay on Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island and Sea Island. Island Carts conveniently offers hourly, daily, weekly and monthly rates with free drop off and pick-up. Slow down and live like a local on your golf cart provided by Island Carts. You’re on island time after all!
