Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
Brunswick, a city that dates back to American colonial history of the 1700s, is located on the southeastern coast of Georgia. Brunswick celebrates its coastal heritage with festivals, and has many historic buildings in the Old Town section of town. St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Sea Island, known as The Golden Isles, are nearby, as are great beaches, golf courses, and fishing. Here are some things you might want to see if you visit this area of Georgia.
The mild climate of southeastern Georgia allows fishing to be good year round. You can fish in the rivers, the marsh, or go out on the Atlantic on a charter boat for some deep sea fishing. There are several charter fishing boat businesses in Brunswick and on the islands, and they will take you out to fish for speckled trout, bass, tarpon, flounder, shark, and more. Half day and whole day fishing trips are available around the islands, and you can also charter boats to take you on sightseeing tours, nature tours, and cruises at sunset. If smaller boats are more to your liking, you can rent a kayak or canoe and paddle through the tidal creeks and marshes.
There are many golf courses in Brunswick and the Golden Isles (more than 200 holes total), and the courses are well known for their lush greenery and year round great weather. You may have to pause mid-swing to let a flock of wild turkeys pass by, but the courses are spectacular. Weather-bent trees, tropical plants, and some of the greenest greens youll ever see are on these courses; youll want to return again and again once you play golf in the Golden Isles. Besides golf, other sports you may want to take up in the Brunswick area include bicycling, birding, tennis, jet skiing, horseback riding, fishing, or even miniature golf.
Brunswick has a downtown historic district, and the citys streets and squares were named to honor King George II and the House of Hanover. Brunswicks streets were designed in a grid pattern in 1771, and many of the names reflect the English heritage of the colonies. A special effort has been made in Brunswick to preserve and restore the downtown area, and walking tours of the Old Town National Register District are available. Many interesting homes can be seen in the district, and the Old City Hall, which dates from 1888, has recently been restored. The Ritz Theater, dating from 1898, has frequent exhibits and performances, and the historic downtown area is now filled with small shops, restaurants, art galleries, and bed-and-breakfast inns.
The Bloody Marsh Battle Site, located on St. Simons Island, was the site of a 1742 battle between British and Spanish troops. The British were able to turn back the Spanish invasion, and Georgia remained in British hands. The Fort Frederica National Monument, found near the battle site, commemorates Fort Frederica, built in 1736 by Gen. Ogelthorpe, and has a film that tells the story of the fort. The two sites are very interesting to buffs of pre-Revolutionary War history; tours are available and reenactments of life in the 1700s are held there in the summer.
Two ancient trees are found in Brunswick. The Lovers Oak is located at Albany and Prince Streets and is said to be 900 years old. A legend declares this tree to be the meeting place of Native American lovers in the past. The Lanier Oak is found near the intersection of Glynn Avenue and Gloucester Street, and is where Sidney Lanier, a well-known poet from Georgia, received inspiration to write his best poem, The Marshes of Glynn. If youve never seen the huge oaks of the South, dripping with Spanish moss, the trees of Brunswick are wonderful examples.
For great beaches, old mansions, and beautiful sunshine, you cant beat The Golden Isles. On St. Simons Island, you can catch a trolley and a guide will tell you about the history of the isle. Sea Island, which snuggles into the eastern side of St. Simons, is known for its fabulous resort hotel, The Cloisters. Built in 1928, The Cloisters is frequented by presidents, international guests, and celebrities, and the Mediterranean-style resort also sports a fabulous golf course. Jekyll Island, once a turn-of-the-century winter playground for Wall Street millionaires such as Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Morgan and Astor and home to the exclusive Jekyll Island Club, still has many homes of the early 20th century era; tours are available for some of the cottages.
Annual festivals held in the area include the Fort Frederica Festival on St. Simons Island in February, the Family Easter Festival on Jekyll Island in March or April, the Brunswick Seafood Festival and Blessing of the Fleet in May, Evening Sea Turtle Walks on Jekyll Island in June, 4th of July festivals on St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and in Brunswick, the Georgia Coast Birding and Nature Festival in October on Jekyll Island, and Holiday Island Light Displays on Jekyll Island in December.
If youd like a vacation where you can soak up the sun, relax in beautiful surroundings, and enjoy a taste of sophisticated Old South ambience, Brunswick and the Golden Isles would be ideal places to go. The area is easy to reach; I-95 and I-10, main interstates from the east coast and the western parts of the US, are very near, and the Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport has flights every day from Atlanta. Jacksonville, Florida and Savannah, Georgia have international airports, and are within an hours drive away from the area. There are many hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfast inns, and rentals available, whether you want to stay on the beach, golf course, or in the historic district. Brunswick and the Golden Isles are good choices for a vacation destination
Print article ||
Send to friend ||
Publish this Article ||
Author feedback ||
Add new Comment ||
Article Comments
