8 Reasons You'll Fall In Love With St. Simons Island

The King and Prince is the only hotel in St. Simons, located right on the beach. This is your opportunity to throw open your doors and windows and take in the sea air and let the pounding of the surf lull you to sleep. First opening in 1935 as a seaside dance club, the main hotel was opened for guests on July 2, 1941. During the World War II years, the hotel served as a RADAR training and RADAR tracking facility for German U Boats prowling off the coast. It reopened to the public in 1947.

Whether you explore St. Simons by land or by sea with Lighthouse Trolley & Boat Tours, you’ll be transported back in time by Cap Fendig. Cap’s passion and enthusiasm for the history of St. Simons shines through in his storytelling. As a native of St. Simons, he is uniquely qualified to share the storied history of St. Simons. Fendig will enthrall you during the 90-minute tour.

With its seaside location and waters teeming with sealife, St. Simons' fantastic restaurants offer fresh seafood and other culinary delights. Our favorites include ECHO, at the King and Prince Resort, that serves fresh, classic coastal cuisine and handcrafted cocktails in a spectacular setting overlooking the ocean. Georgia Seagrill, located in Pier Village, offers a variety of fresh, locally sourced cuisine. A favorite, the low country crab soup is a perfect balance of creamy soup, filled with crab, with a delightful sherry finish. The escargot is an absolutely lovely dish. For more casual dining, try Gnat’s Landing. You’ll thank me later, but do try the Vidalia Onion Pie, made with creamy Swiss cheese, sun-dried tomato, and of course, Vadalia onions.

This jewel on St. Simons is a linchpin in the history of the Gullah Geechee. The history of the Geechee on the Golden Isles of Georgia goes back to the mid-1700s. An integral part of Georgia’s plantations, the Geechee brought their native culture and traditions to Georgia’s Golden Isles from their native West African homeland. The one-room schoolhouse was built in the 1920s to educate the descendants of the Geechee, who were slaves that were put to back-breaking work on the rice, indigo, sugar cane, and cotton plantations. The schoolhouse educated hundreds of children in first through seventh grades until desegregation in the 1960s. The schoolhouse has been preserved to look much like it did in the 1920s. Original furnishings include the floors, doors, and windows. Most intriguing are the blackboards which have been placed on the walls at varying heights for the various ages who attended the school.

Without a doubt, it is the St. Simons Lighthouse that is the most iconic landmark on the island. The current lighthouse, built in 1872, is 104 feet tall and has 129 steps. The climb to the top is worth it, you are rewarded by breathtaking sweeping coastal views.

The Homefront Museum heralds the stories of ordinary Americans doing their part to win the war. For a special treat, visit the museum on Tuesdays from 10 am to noon when volunteer storytellers share their personal experiences of working on the Liberty ships, share what it was like to serve stateside in Navy hospitals, working in the J.A. Jones Shipyard and more. The entrance fee of $12 is well worth it to learn the stories of the war years on St. Simons. The museum offers activities for all ages. Children will so love the many interactive exhibits that they will not want to leave.

“Freshness is Everything” at Golden Isles Olive Oil! Proprietress Donna MacPherson offers a tantalizing selection of olive oils and balsamic vinegar from around the world. Try a tasting of olive oils and open your palate and your eyes to a whole new experience. Who knew that olive oil and cheesecake would go together? MacPherson elevates olive oil to a new level with her culinary creations.