Free Things to Do in the Golden Isles: Brunswick, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, Georgia

If you enjoy history and nature, you'll find plenty of free things to do in the Golden Isles of Georgia. Here's what you can do in Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island, Georgia.

Brunswick, Georgia - Gateway to the Golden Isles

Brunswick, Georgia - known as the Gateway to the Golden Isles has a lot to see and do - no charge!

Tour the Historic Area and Main Street of Brunswick - Brunswick has one of the largest historic districts in Georgia. There are street after street of old homes - most built in the late 1800s. Many parts of the Newcastle Street, the main street of downtown Brunswick, are very picturesque as well. Don't miss the historic squares, particularly Hanover and Jekyll Squares, which have been revived by the local Signature Squares group. http://www.signaturesquares.org/Restorations.htm

Free self-guided tours for historic Brunswick can be found at the Golden Isles Welcome Centers off I-95 southbound between Exits 42 and 38 and also at US 17 near the Torras Causeway.

The First Friday of every month is usually the evening that many downtown stores stay open with light snacks and drinks available to their guests. So this would be a great time to plan a visit. http://it-it.facebook.com/pages/Brunswick-GA/Historic-Downtown-Brunswick/68162424792

Shrimp Boat Dock - in the heart of downtown Brunswick stands Mary Ross Waterfront Park. There you can look out on the river and view several of the shrimp boats that dock there. Brunswick is a port for much larger ships, too, and just down from the shrimp boat dock you might also see a large ship in to port.

Live Oaks and the Marshesof Glynn - make a quick visit to the Lover's Oak at the corner of Albany Street and Prince St. where you'll see a tree that is estimated to be approximately 900 years old. Read the story behind the Lover's Oak and have your picture made there.

Stop at the Marshes of Glynn Overlook Park and take in the view that inspired poet Sidney Lanier to pen The Marshes of Glynn in 1874.

Free Movies at the Library - still bored? Check the Brunswick News for a schedule of free movies at the Glynn County Library and at the College of Coastal Georgia. There is usually at least one a week with a couple of showings a day.

Local's Tip - the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia DNR (Division of Natural Resources) has a nice, short walking trail known as the Earth Day Nature Trail with towers, platforms, and interpretive signs. Turn into the DNR parking lot at the foot of the Sidney Lanier Bridge and look for the signs at the far edge of the parking area.

St. Simons Island

The Pier - hands down, the best place to while away a few hours and people watch is at the Pier on St. Simons Island. It is free to go out on to the pier and you have the choice of basking in the sunshine or sitting in the shade. You won't have to sit there very long until you see a fisherman bring up some crabs for dinner or catch a shark (they have to throw those back).

From the Pier, you can view the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, the grounds of the Casino Building, and the Right Whale statue. There are also live oaks and plenty of picnic tables in front of the Casino that all look out on to the St. Simons Sound. Watch dolphins play or shrimp boats and cargo ships pass by.

Search for the Tree Spirits - you can find tree spirits all over St. Simons Island. The art and imagination of Keith Jennings comes alive in trees throughout the island. The Pier Village and Redfern Village are just two of the places you might find a face peeking out at you from behind a leafy branch. More are being added. Learn about them at the Tree Spirit site on Facebook. It's definitely a fun and free activity to do when you are on St. Simons Island.

Hiking and Biking on St. Simons Island - you'll find plenty of free places to hike and bike on St. Simons Island. Follow the trails that can be found near the main roads, or get off the beaten path and spend some time at Christ Church. Eugenia Price is the author who made the history of St. Simons Island and the Golden Isles come alive with her books about the area. You can visit her grave as well as the graves of many of the people she wrote about by walking through the Christ Church graveyard. It is also free to visit the Epworth By-the-Sea Methodist Conference Center. You can spend an afternoon just walking the grounds or visiting the free museum.

Locals Tip: Visit the Casino to find a visitor's center, restrooms, water fountains, a public library, and best of all, rocking chairs that are free for your use.

Jekyll Island

While it does cost a $5 entrance free per vehicle to get on the island - Jekyll Island is a state park - once you are there you'll find plenty of free ways to spend an afternoon or even an entire day.

Driftwood Beach - this part of Jekyll Island is eroding and taking the old live oak trees away as it does. What you'll find is a boneyard of upended trees and roots, some even a few feet taller than you! It's like a natural playground for the kids and provides plenty of great photo opportunities. One entrance can be found at the Clam Creek Pier. You'll also see cars parked along the side of the road just past Clam Creek where you'll find more "natural" entrances to Driftwood Beach.

Biking Trails - bring your bike and you'll find that you can circle Jekyll Island, ride on the beach, into the woods, and through the Jekyll Island Club grounds. A great way to spend the day.

Drive Around the Island - if you aren't up to hiking or biking around Jekyll Island, you can certainly enjoy a drive in your car. There is a beautiful view of the water and bridge to Jekyll Island from Clam Creek Pier Parking lot. A stop to explore the ruins of the Horton House and to read about tabby construction is also worth your time.

Jekyll Island Club - this is easily my favorite spot in the Golden Isles of Georgia. While you can pay to take a tram tour of the Jekyll Island Club grounds and enter a couple of the houses, you'll also see a lot for free just by walking around the cottages. Most buildings are also identified with very informative display boards just outside the entrance. You can read most of what you'd want to know by looking for these information boards. The Jekyll Island Club Museum also have some exhibits that are free.

All of the shops on the Jekyll Island Club grounds are located in former cottages and maintenance buildings. Goodyear Cottage hosts the islands art gallery and is open for free.

The Beach - enjoy this natural and normally deserted beach while you still can. Plans for construction are underway that will increase the number of tourists who visit Jekyll Island each year. While some improvement isn't a bad thing, Jekyll Island will not be the same. So if you thought you couldn't walk for miles without bumping into someones ice chest or cluster of beach paraphernalia, you certainly can do so on Jekyll Island. At least for now.

The south end of Jekyll Island beach near the 4-H Center Soccer Fields is known as Glory Beach and is where the beach scenes from final minutes of the movie, Glory, were filmed.

Sources:
Signature Squares http://www.signaturesquares.org/Restorations.htm
First Friday in Downtown Brunswick http://it-it.facebook.com/pages/Brunswick-GA/Historic-Downtown-Brunswick/68162424792
Sidney Lanier, The Marshes of Glynn, http://www.bartleby.com/102/214.html
Tree Spirits, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tree-Spirits-of-St-Simons-Island/78352812805