If you’re looking for a relaxing family vacation, with great food and something for everyone, then look no further than the Sea Island resort, on the southeastern coast of Georgia. It’s truly the definition of Southern hospitality! We’ve vacationed at Sea Island for years, and this was our first time back since 2017. It felt like going home again. I’m so excited to share this five-star resort with all of you!
Getting to Sea Island
We traveled to Sea Island via a direct flight into the Jacksonville Airport. You can also fly into Savannah; both airports are about an hour away. (My son was coming from Oklahoma, and since he was making a connection, he flew through Atlanta to the smaller airport in Brunswick, GA, only 30 minutes away.) We always rent a car for our stay, but Sea Island does offer transportation to and from the airports if you’d prefer. We like having the car to leave the resort and venture into St Simons Island.
Where to Stay
Sea Island offers many options for accommodations, including The Lodge (perfect if you’re a golfer), The Cloister (including the Ocean Residences and Beach Club), or two to eight bedrooms “cottages,” including the Beach Club and Ocean Club condos. We love staying in the Beach Club condos and highly recommend Beach Club Garden South #452 (where we also stayed in 2014).
In the past, we’ve also stayed in the Beach Club (which is more like a hotel and different than the Beach Club condos) and the Ocean Residences (which was a nice place to stay when it was just my husband and I).
The Beach Club condos are convenient to all of the restaurants, gym, spa, tennis, pools and beach. We get a three bedroom condo, so everyone has plenty of space to be together (or apart!). I like to have a washer/dryer (seems like a must-have for a beach vacation) and a kitchen for snacks and drinks. The condos, like all Sea Island accommodations, are furnished beautifully in a Spanish Mediterranean decor. It’s a great place to get some design inspo (I have been known to check the back of a mirror or underneath a bowl to see if I can find out who made something!).
Every time we visit Sea Island, I come home with a some decorating inspiration. This time, it was the yellow gingham dining chairs! They were such a fresh burst of color in the neutral space. I’m trying to figure out how to get this same vibe in my own kitchen!
What to Do at Sea Island
Sea Island definitely offers something for everyone. From relaxation at the spa to tennis lessons to a day on the golf course, you can stay as busy as you’d like. (Or grab a good book and find a comfy lounge chair by the pool — where someone can bring you a drink! It’s your vacation — do what you love!)
If you’re an outdoorsman, you’re in the right place because Sea Island offers hunting, shooting, and fishing of all kinds (for all levels). There are lots of nature excursions to look at sea turtle nests, dolphins and other local wildlife.
You can rent bikes; a ride through Sea Island is always fun, checking out the architecture and scenery! You can go bowling, take a historic walking tour, go horseback riding on the beach, kayak to a private picnic lunch, reserve a private cabana by the pool, sail on a Hobie Cat sailboat, or go for pre-dinner cocktails on the Sea Island Explorer yacht.
They offer an online system for reserving your activities, but I think it’s easier to call the concierge (especially if this is new for you) and let them help with it. (Their online system could use a few improvements.)
This year, we took a salt marsh dolphin excursion, great fun to be out on the water looking for dolphins. In 2015, we went on a “sea turtle dawn patrol,” checking sea turtle nests — and we were lucky to see a nest hatching and all the babies scurrying to the water. Unforgettable family experiences!
Clickety Click, O-66! Any stay at Sea Island is not complete if you haven’t played Bingo. Guests dress up for a night of fun, playing everything from four corners to best (and worst!) card. It’s a Sea Island tradition, and if you’re lucky, you could walk away with the top prize of more than $1,000!
What to Eat at Sea Island
If you follow our lead, you will NOT go hungry on your vacation! I think we ate our way through this trip and every bite was better than the last! The restaurants at Sea Island do NOT disappoint! There are plenty of options so you can eat someplace new every night. Our favorites include the Italian cuisine at Tavola (they also have the best breakfast buffet every day); Southern Tide for southern cuisine, seafood and ocean views; burgers and pizzas at Sea Strike & Pub (the new bowling alley done Sea Island style); the Snack Shack (in the Beach Club) for poolside lunch; and Colt & Alison at The Lodge for the BEST steaks and five-star service! We also had “a few” after dinner desserts at Wonderland ice cream parlor.
As you can see, we definitely did not go hungry! Shown below — Colt & Alison wagyu beef appetizer (cook your own on a 500 degree salt block!), Sea Strike & Pub, and Wonderland ice cream and candy parlor.
PLENTY OF GREAT DINING IN ST. SIMON’S ISLAND, TOO!
When you’re planning your dining, don’t forget to check out the local restaurants in St Simon’s. There are many great ones you shouldn’t miss! It’s our tradition to head to Sal’s Pizza on every trip. At Sal’s you’ll find some of the BEST New York style pizza. Pro tip: Get there early because it’s a small place and it is definitely a local favorite!
And my guys love to stop at Southern Soul Barbeque for at least one lunch. It started after they saw it featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives — it’s some of the best BBQ they’ve had.
What to Wear
Sea Island is “beach casual” all day, but for the evenings, guests take their resort attire up a notch and dress for dinners. Generally, I paired my summer dresses with my favorite SCHUTZ sandals and my “formula” worked wherever we went. I packed six dresses (one for each night). The SCHUTZ sandals were the only shoes I wore besides my beach flip flops!
Pro tip: Sea Island Bingo and the Colt & Alison restaurant do require nicer attire — cocktail dresses for women and jackets for men.
Some of my dresses are no longer available to link for you, so I’m linking other similar styles that would be perfect for Sea Island. You can’t go wrong shopping for your trip at Lilly Pulitzer, Tuckernuck and J.Crew, as well as Saks and Nordstrom.
For the guys, collared shirts and nicer chino shorts or pants work well for almost everything. My guys wore their Tommy Bahama and Faherty clothes most of the time, and their suits when a jacket was required.
SHOP FOR SEA ISLAND DRESSES
SHOP FOR ACCESSORIES
Where will your next trip take you? I hope Sea Island resort is on your list because I know you will love it! It’s a perfect place for families, multi-generational reunions, empty nester getaways, girls’ trips, and guys’ trips. There really is something for everyone, no matter your age. And their Southern hospitality will leave you feeling so spoiled!
I hope the photos, tips and outfit ideas provide you with some inspiration to plan your next trip! If you already have a trip scheduled, then safe travels, friends!
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