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Georgia

Best of St. Simons, Sapelo, Jekyll: An Island-Hopping Adventure

Program No. 1384RJ

Discover Georgia’s Atlantic Coast islands from different perspectives as you explore a historic fort and grand homes while also learning about island ecology and Gullah Geechee culture.

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6 days

5 nights

12 meals

5B 3L 4D

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Jekyll History & Field Trip, Driftwood Beach, Sea Turtles

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Ft. Frederica, Christ Church, Lighthouse, Harrington School

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Shrimp Trawl, Free Afternoon

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Ferry to Sapelo Island Full Day Field Trip

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Program Concludes after breakfast.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

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At a Glance

In the late 1800s, the beautiful beaches and lush landscapes of Jekyll Island became a private playground for the elite. Today, relics of the Rockefellers, Morgans, Vanderbilts and Pulitzers still stand on this island-turned-state-park, and provide a fascinating window to the past. Explore the barrier island with an expert to gain insight into this world of wealth as well as the Gullah Geechee and their history in the region. On this educational adventure to three of Georgia’s barrier islands, explore historic homes, preserved forts, driftwood beaches and Gullah Geechee landmarks as you gain a well-rounded perspective of this region’s unique history.

Activity Level

On Your Feet

Walking up to one mile, including beach and marsh walks; ferry ride to Sapelo. School bus or park van for field trips on Sapelo.

Best of all, you’ll…

Explore the famed Jekyll Island Club hotel and learn how the island was made into a retreat for the Rockefellers and Pulitzers.
Venture to St. Simons’ battlegrounds, evocative churches and a lighthouse, and then board the Lady Jane shrimp vessel for a hands-on opportunity to study the catch of the day.
Enjoy a ferry ride to Sapelo Island and join a local expert to learn the unique history of this remote place.

General Notes

Select dates are designated for small groups and are limited to 24 participants or less.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Fred Collins

Fred Collins has lived full time on St. Simons Island since 1971 and has been leading cycling rides on the island for a half-dozen years. With his family roots an hour away in Baxley, Ga., where his family lineage goes back to the Revolutionary War and Civil Wars eras, Fred is passionate about sharing his knowledge of the history of the area. He made his living in the banking and finance industry.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Fred Collins View biography

Stephanie Chewning View biography

Stephanie works with One Hundred Miles as a coastal education coordinator. She is responsible for developing hands-on environmental education programs for all ages. Stephanie’s love for the ocean started at a very young age on the beaches of Stone Harbor, New Jersey. She earned her degree in marine science from the American University. After college, Stephanie spent time teaching grade school students environmental science in Florida, California and Georgia. Stephanie spends her free time running, reading and going on adventures with her husband Richard.

JoAnn Buisson View biography

JoAnn Buisson was born in Boston and moved to Georgia in 1990. Graduating from Boston State College with a degree in early childhood education and a minor in art, she taught elementary art for eleven years and second grade for nine years. After 20 years of teaching, she retired to Jekyll Island, where she is very active in the Jekyll Island Arts Association and the Jekyll Island Pottery Guild. She has worked with Road Scholar since 2015.

Edith Gross View biography

Edith Gross has been a lover and visitor to the Golden Isles for almost fifty years. In 2017 she and her husband became permanent residents on Jekyll Island and continues to marvel at the tranquility as she bikes around the island. Previously for 20 years, she traveled all over the world as a travel director for Burke Christian Tours. Edith earned her B.A. from Emory University and serves on the board of the Jekyll Island Arts Association.

Suggested Reading List (9 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

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Best of St. Simons, Sapelo, Jekyll: An Island-Hopping Adventure

Program Number: 1384

God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man: A Saltwater Geechee Talks About Life on Sapelo Island, Georgia

by Cornelia Walker Bailey

Equal parts cultural history and memoir, God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man recounts a traditional way of life that is threatened by change, with stories that speak to our deepest notions of family, community, and a connection to one’s homeland. Cornelia Walker Bailey models herself after the African griot, the tribal storytellers who keep the history of their people. Bailey’s people are the Geechee, whose cultural identity has been largely preserved due to the relative isolation of Sapelo, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. In this rich account, Bailey captures the experience of growing up in an island community that counted the spirits of its departed among its members, relied on pride and ingenuity in the face of hardship, and taught her firsthand how best to reap the bounty of the marshes, woods and ocean that surrounded her. The power of this memoir to evoke the life of Sapelo Island is remarkable, and the history it preserves is invaluable.

Sapelo's People: A Long Walk into Freedom

by William S. McFeely

In this moving and original work, William S. McFeely, one of this country's most distinguished historians, retells the history—and enters into the current-day lives—of the people who inhabit Sapelo's Island off the coast of Georgia, descendants of slaves who once worked its huge cotton plantations. It is at once a richly detailed work of historical reconstruction, a sensitive portrait of the lives of black Americans in this particular place and in our own time, and a moving meditation on race by a writer who has made its painful dilemmas his life's work as a historian.

New Moon Rising (St. Simons Trilogy) Book 2

by Eugenia Price

Horace Gould returns to St. Simons and wins the heart of lovely neighbor Deborah Abbott, who adores her Mr. Gould", despite the difference in their years. She is not concerned with his rumored past, but she is saddened by his lack of faith.

Lighthouse (St. Simons Trilogy) Book 1

by Eugenia Price

From the New York Times best-selling author Eugenia Price, Lighthouse is the saga of James Gould, a young man raised in the post-Revolution North who realizes his dream of designing and building a lighthouse on St. Simons Island in Georgia after much hardship and success.

St. Simons Island: A Summary of Its History [Paperback]

by R. Edwin Green

South of Savannah, along the picturesque and historic coastline of Georgia, lies a group of barrier islands known as the Golden Isles. This collection of coastal Sea Islands has attracted people—Native Americans, European settlers and vacationing sun-seekers—throughout history, for the islands’ bountiful resources and appealing climate. Perhaps the brightest jewel of these islands is St. Simons Island. The History Press is proud to release St. Simons Island: A Summary of its History, by local resident and historian Reverend Edwin Green. Green has compiled an informative volume, which highlights the unique and developing history of one of Georgia’s most popular Sea Islands.

A Guide to a Georgia Barrier Island: Featuring Jekyll Island With St. Simons & Sapelo Islands

by Taylor Schoettle

Testimonial: Ever wished, as you walked along a deserted stretch of beach or stared at the ruins of a stately old home, you had a naturalist/historian along with you? Buy A GUIDE TO A GEORGIA BARRIER ISLAND and you'll be in the company of both. His name is Taylor Schoettle. His informative, easy-going style and eager descriptions of what you're walking on, looking at, and interested in make this book a tremendous bargain.

A Guide to the Georgia Coast, The Georgia Conservancy

by Suzanne McIntosh

Natural, historical, cultural, and recreational sites along the Georgia coast are described in detail. Includes driving maps and directions.

The Beloved Invader (St. Simons Trilogy) Book 3

by Eugenia Price

In this masterful first novel by Eugenia Price, a wealthy young northerner, Anson Dodge, shares his heart with two very different women -- Ellen, who passionately adores him, and Anna, who comforts him in sorrow. They each surrender themselves to his dreams. Anson's story unfolds as a beautiful tale of honor when he rebuilds the war-torn Christ Church, Frederica, in memory of lost love.

Jekyll Island: The Nearest Faraway Place

by unknown

Jekyll Island's undisturbed beauty, combined with its pleasant year-round weather and refreshing ocean breezes, provides a breathtaking backdrop for a variety of wonderful experiences. Located midway between Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida, Jekyll Island is approximately 5,700 acres and the smallest of Georgia's barrier islands. As a tribute to the Island's allurement, the Jekyll Island Authority has published Jekyll Island The Nearest Faraway Place, a coffee table book recognizing the inspired talent of residents and guests and their ability to capture unique perspectives of our cherished Island. During the period of March through September 2010, a competition was conducted to discover photographs of, and poems about, Jekyll Island. Scenic images and inspiring narratives portraying Jekyll's beach and marsh, sunrise and sunsets, wildlife, nature, historic landmarks, and views from above were sought for inclusion in this project. Submissions included 70 from Georgia, 17 from different states, 4 from Canada and 1 from the United Kingdom. Results of the competition were announced and the winning selections are featured in the commemorative publication. Copyright of the selected works and all rights to publish became property of Jekyll Island Authority. Jekyll Island The Nearest Faraway Place is now currently available at the Visitor Information Center, the Commissary, the Jekyll Island Book Store, the Jekyll Island Museum Store, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Hattie's Books in Brunswick.

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Best of St. Simons, Sapelo, Jekyll: An Island-Hopping Adventure

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Protecting the Environment

At a Glance

Best of all, you’ll…

General Notes

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