Travel series 1: Jekyll Island Club Resort Getaway

July 20, 2018 by Drafts & Crafts

We recently had the pleasure of exploring Jekyll Island and spending two nights at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. It was truly the perfect getaway to hit our reset button so I am sharing all of the details on the blog today.

It has been on my heart to start a travel series for quite some time. As a North Florida blogger, I often get inquries about the best places to travel for the weekend. Jacksonville is centrally located to enjoy several great weekend trips that are ideal for families. The first spot I am highlighting is only ONE hour and TWENTY minutes away from Jacksonville, Jekyll Island! Let’s just say, I am kicking myself for not visiting Jekyll sooner!! Jason, the kids, and I enjoyed a trip to the beautiful Jekyll Island Club Resort. Our trip was the perfect blend of relaxation and exploring. So here are the details that you will want to know about the historic club of America-

Hotel highlights:

The Jekyll Island Club Resort is an historic hotel of America, with over 130 years of history. It feels as if you stepped back in time to old Georgia roots. The resort is lined with old photos of the club that my husband and I loved to study. It was originally a hunting club for the elite and was named the most exclusive club in the late 1800s. Over the early 1900s, Jekyll Island was a destination spot for wealthy families, like Crane, Morgan, and Vanderbilt. Many movies were filmed on site, most notably, the Legend of Bagger Vance, starring Will Smith. The history of the hotel does not disappoint!

Jason and I agreed that the best part about the Jekyll Club is that you do not have to leave to find anything. Once we parked our car, we did not have to get it until it was time to head home. There is also a free shuttle that will take you around the island and to the Jekyll Club’s new beachside resort that is oceanfront. There are several different buildings of the hotel where you can stay, which were originally built by several wealthy tycoons. We stayed in the Anex building where we enjoyed a lovely room with a large balcony with a beautiful view! My family and I walked around the entire property and loved exploreing the grounds. The entire place is kept immaculate and rich in architecture! I am happy there were little signs that gave the history of each building.

Most enjoyed family activities:

Riding bicycles around the resort and island was our favorite activity while visiting Jekyll! The club has the cutest bike rental shop right on site (you can see in the above photos). They have bikes that are suitable for all ages, baby seats, and child trailers. You can see some photos and videos on our bike ride on my Instagram saved under the “northeast travel” highlight, @thecoldcraftsman.

Secondly, relaxing was high on our wish list so the pool was another spot that was perfect for our family. We ordered lunch, smoothies, and cocktails along the poolside.. what more does a girl need? The pool and the pool house menu was what the doctor ordered!

Last, we walked over to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on our last day before heading home (again, located right next to the hotel so you can walk)!! The Sea Turtle Center was really neat experience that we all enjoyed just as much as our two year old son. The center is a hospital where injured or sickly turtles can get treatment and will be kept until they are strong enough to be released. It was eye opening to think about all of the polluting that hurts our oceans and turtles.

Where to eat:

There are four places that you can eat without having to leave the club grounds! This is SO convenient, especially with little kids! We ate at three of the four places on site. We kept it pretty simple since we had our young kids with us. We grabbed a quick (and reasonably priced) breakfast and lunch at The Pantry. The Pantry is an adorable cafe in the center of the club with breakfast, sandwiches, pastries, coffee, wine, and beer. We enjoyed pizza and burgers by the pool from the poolhouse- so yummy! And we had a nice seafood dinner overlooking the water at The Wharf. Next time, we definitely plan to eat in the upscale dining room, as we heard excellent things about the menu.

Pro tips:

1. Bring multiple bathing suits if you plan to check out the pool and beach so that you have plenty of time to let your wet suit dry.
2. Order a s’mores kit at the pool house and roast marshmallows at the fire pit while you watch the sunset.
3. Walk around the entire club and see all of the movie flyers and shows that have been filmed at the Jekyll Club.
4. Find the ice cream and candy shoppe and treat yourself to a Georgia made ice cream cone.
5. Ride bikes to Driftwood Beach to check out the beautiful beaches filled with Driftwood trees. A unique beach destination to see for yourself!

Needless to say, we had the best time! If you are a Jax local and are looking for a family friendly, relaxing, and exclusive destination- The Jekyll Island Club Resort is your place! It is a no brainer at an hour and twenty mins away from Jax. We are so grateful for the opportunity to visit the Jekyll Club as a family! We liked it so much that we plan to go back with my family in the spring. I would also like to go back with some friends and their kids and just kick back for a fun and relaxing weekend! Be sure to check out the club’s page on Instagram, @Jekyll_Club, to see more photos of the gorgeous resort.

Keep in touch,
Dani