Sea Island is 85 miles south of Savannah GA, and 70 miles north of Jacksonville FL. Guests reach Sea Island via a causeway from the mainland to St. Simon's Island; Sea Island is a short drive beyond. Best times to visit are late spring, summer, early fall.
This cluster of islands off Georgia's coast had become a playground for the rich by the 1880's; and nearby Jekyll Island was for decades a retreat for Rockefellers and Vanderbilts.
Sea Island was the vision of an early automobile mogul, Howard Earl Coffin. While he built cars for the masses, he built Sea Island as a kind of club where the wealthy could relax in style. (See the current dress code for Bingo, below.)
Management has remained in the family, and four generations have held off commercialization in the area, and preserved the resort's "legendary ambiance".
Most guests stay at The Cloister-- built in 1928-- and from there enjoy Sea Island's 1235 acres of forest, lawn, and marshland, 5 miles of private beachfront, and many outdoor and indoor activities.
Sea Island prides itself on treating guests like family. Many guests return year after year; some families carry on for generations. Kids 15 and under stay free in parents' room.
Programs for kids include:
- kids programs, led by "Junior Staff", during summer, spring break, and holidays
- Children's Activity Center: ping pong, air hockey, etc.
- Playtime for Kids, ages 3 to 11
- Children's Dinners, ages 3 to 11
- Teen Bowling, Flicks for Teens outings*
- The Cloister: guest rooms, suites and villas; Cloister Beach Club Suites
Lodge at Sea Island: for golfers; in the style of a private manor; 24-hour butlers; social Evening Hour; and "a lone bagpiper closes the day from a shadowed fairway".
The Cottages: come with full resort privileges; 3 bedrooms to 9; many with private pools.
Packages: Check the Sea Island site for packages; off-season Jan. to March brings some steep price drops.
- See the Sea Island site
- check visitors' comments at TripAdvisor.com (-just enter "Sea Island" in the searchbox)
- Check prices
This brief profile is meant to introduce this resort to family vacationers; please note that the writer has not visited in person.
*Always check resort sites for updates.
