WANDERS
TRAVEL
NATURE’S PLAYGROUND BY BARBARA BARTON SLOANE
From sprawling beaches, marshes and maritime forests to historic ruins, Georgia’s Jekyll Island is a beautiful blend of serenity and discovery. Situated within the chain of the Golden Isles, it is just a few miles from St. Simons Island, Sea Island and Brunswick — and from the moment I spied the “turtle crossing” signs, I knew I’d arrived somewhere special. As I drove through a canopy of live oaks and lush lawns on this 5,700-acre island, something told me I was in for a unique experience — and so I was. GILDED AGE GLAMOUR Jekyll Island was purchased in 1886 by a group of wealthy families as a private retreat. By 1900, The Jekyll Island Club membership included the Rockefellers, Morgans, Cranes and Goulds and represented more than one-sixth of the world’s wealth. The Club closed in 1942 and Jekyll Island was purchased by the state of Georgia in 1947. Today its development is limited to just 1,609 acres to preserve the critical barrier island ecosystem. Since most of the island is protected, there’s plenty of nature, wildlife and familyfriendly amenities, including 10 miles of white sand beaches, 63 holes of golf, an outdoor tennis complex and the Summer
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WAGMAG.COM AUGUST 2020
Top: The Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Right: Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island. Bottom: A Jekyll Island wedding. Photographs courtesy Sloane Travel Photography.
