Cori Greenawalt-Bicknell

Go to Summer Waves, Globe Hunting during Jan and Feb, Christmas Lights and Tree Lighting, Shrimp and Grits Festival and 4th of July..

Tasha Oneal

summer waves..shrimp and grits festival..beach concerts…pier fishing….4th of july

Sara Roy

Too many great things to choose from! But, our favorite thing to do is cruise the island in our red bug!

Abby Naas

Bike riding, shopping the historical district, ice cream at the fudge shop, lunch at Crane Cottage, walks on the beach.

Missy Smith Mallick

three wheeled bike ride all over the island!

Janelle Will

I’ve only been once but we loved the driftwood beach! Also the Turtle Center and we did a nest excavation that was amazing! I’d like to do a turtle patrol or hatchling walk next time!

Lisa Kay Tatum Knight

shark fishing!

Michael Bagwell

Each year we take a bike ride around the entire island. It’s a family tradition we call the “ultimate”

Stephanie Derrick

Walk on Driftwood Beach, especially at dusk, walk out on the sandbar, and drive around at night looking for deer.

Mon at 8:36pm · Delete · Report

Rande Anmuth Simpson

riding around the island on a red bug

Kim Parks

Bird/nature watching

Pat Charland

I love that I can do absolutely NOTHING..:-) best place to relax at the ocean and read a good book. My favorite thing. Sleep late, eat late….no clocks at all.

Michele D’Andrea- Dicus

I love Geocaching, I love taking my dog on the beach and swimming with him in the ocean, I love summer wave, and the think I love the most of all is the Turtle hospital ..

Mary Elizabeth Burdette

wow, what we look forward to the most is the slow pace!! My favs are shrimp at the Rah Bar, visiting the shops in the village (love the IGA!), walking on the south beach, reading the day away in a beach chair, and the fifth is my husbands choice - fishing! We have been going to Jekyll for many years and I love the fact that we can pack the car at the last minute and always know what we are going to find when we get there! I do hope that will remain the same for the most part!

Creighton Dukes

I love the Dolphin Tours and then lunch at the Rah Bar! The Partyboat fishing at the wharf ain’t bad either!

Lynne Mulligan

Running on the beach, climbing amoung the trees at Driftwood Beach, eating at Latitude, exploring the shops, watching the dolphins

Becky Reese Rzepka

We have been going for many years and have our traditions that we must do each visit: Bike riding is our top favorite…all over the island!, Summer waves, Ice cream at the Sweet/Fudge shop near Jekyll Club, the Playground (and in the past few years, getting a pizza at Red Bug pizza while there) and minuture golf! There are so many things we LOVE to do there but those are our top five…well and of course the beach!! I can’t wait to go back in May!!!

Phil UpChurch

My wife and I love Driftwood Beach. So rare to find such a magnificent, unspoiled beach.

Robert Bradberry

We have been going to Jekyll since 1966 and still look forward to a return vacation. We love bike riding around the island, walking on south beach, eating lunch at the Jekyll Hotel (arriving by bike), walking through the marsh (including Driftwood Beach, and driving down to the ferry and going over to Cumberland Island.

Chris Moncus

My favorite thing to do on Jekyll Island is photography. But I guess you knew that.

Andrea Wade

Our family loves to just walk around the historic area; shop at all the shops; eat at the Crane (when its not booked to the hilt!); wandering through the historic areas and trying to discover neat little areas I haven’t seen before; and lastly, the peace and quiet and beauty of the area.

Lisa M. Furman

Having shrimp and dungeness crab at the Rah Bar, picnicing and spending the day at St. Andrews, the South Beach picnic area, fishing, the Tidelands 4H Center, checking out the marinas, love the reduce, reuse, recycle concept!! Looking forward to visiting the book store at the Infirmary, the Horton House, and The Sea Turtle Center. This is now my family’s FAVORITE place to go!!!!

Jason Baine Thompson

Rah Bar and crusing around in the little electric cars. My 3 year old gets a kick out it. JBT

Donna Willerson Foster

horse back riding……..the carriage ride..at night with all the light.walking the beach..eating low country boil @ sea rays..
nice and peacefull relaxing ……

Jeannie Reeves

I have many favorites.. I try to take all my clients to the historical area to photograph their family portraits… It is just so beautiful there.. the green grasses, the flowers, the building and the pebble and shell walkways are awesome… The beaches are nice too.. Me and my husbands last date night we sat on the beach at Driftwood beach.. Awesome! My kids love Summer waves that is for sure.. I want to some day do some horse back riding on the beach.

Warren Low

Been to Jekyll Island twice now from England and we love it, its a beautiful place. We especially love going round the historial area and imagining how it must have been when all the cottages were lived in. Jekyll is a little bit of unspoilt paradise. Its amazing that more people dont know about it but maybe thats part of the appeal ….

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Posted in Beach Bummin', Bird Watching, Camping, Diversions, Festivalgoer, Geocaching on Jekyll Island, Happenings, History comes Alive, Horseback Riding, Just for Kicks, Just for Kids, Kayaking & Canoeing, Nature Connection, On the Water, Serve it Up, Two Wheelin', Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff and volunteers invite all turtle enthusiasts to join in some non-scary Turtleween fun! Come dressed in your Halloween costume and receive $1 off admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! There will be arts and crafts, fun turtle-ish programs, and of course, you can visit our sea turtle patients! CALL US AT 912-635-4444

Tags: Georgia Sea Turtle Center, halloween, jekyll island, sea turtles, turtleween
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Get your 2009 Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival souvenir Poster Online!  Also, you can collect them all! Get the 2006, 2007, & 2008 posters for only $32! Maybe you forgot to buy yours at the festival. Maybe you couldn’t make it. Hurry and get yours while supplies last! Now only $15!

Tags: jekyll island, Jekyll Island Events, shrimp and grits, shrimp and grits: the wild georgia shrimp festival, shrimp festival, wild georgia shrimp
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All of Georgia’ Golden Isles have a lot to offer. Jekyll Island is a huge state-owned property with history, beauty and a slower, elegant-but-not-necessarily-expensive lifestyle. There’s something for just about everyone here - and fall lodging specials too. Just about five hours from Atlanta - but a world away. (see map.) Among the activities you don’t want to miss —

7. Croquet. Yes, that game you played in the backyard. There will be a tournament October 23 - 25 with nationally-known players and a clinic in the mornings to help you with your game. Bring your whites.

6.  Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival, October 8- 12. This includes a number of outings with experts to off-the-path places like Ossabaw, Blackbeard, Cumberland and Wassaw Islands as well as a canoe trip in the Okefenokee. There’s a dolphin kayak trip, raptor-watch and other nature walks. A great way to get traffic and city bosses out of your system.

5. Folklore, Rumor & Myth Ghost Tours. The Jekyll Island Museum is holding a special ghost tour Fridays in October for ages 10 and up. Call 912-635-4036 to make your reservations. This is a very old island, and it was developed by wealthy people - so the quality of ghosts you’re going to run into is, shall we say, a cut above the average ghost? See the Jekyll Island Museum Ghost Tour.

4. Golf. For many people, Jekyll Island is synonymous with great golf. This year the weather has been good for the courses, so the four courses are in great shape. And they have a special for the rest of September allowing you to golf all day for $38.

3. Fishing. There are good deep sea fishing guides, among them Capt. Mark Noble. (Check out the others on the CVB’s website.) Or just chill on the beach with a pole.

2.  The Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Yes turtles. Before you skip this, let me say that I went there last year on an assignment. My feelings about turtles weren’t really warm and fuzzy. I was glad they’re around and want them to stay, but I didn’t want to cuddle them. Just passing through the gift shop on the way in, though — I was struck with Cupid’s arrow. Those big, wet eyes and they are so vulnerable to humans on the planet. Go on into the hospital and look at these babies…big and little. Read some of their stories. You will come out of there a turtle hugger. You can adopt a turtle or just follow their stories on the blog. This is not a zoo. The turtles are here to be rehabilitated. On September 20, they plan to release three of the most popular -  Pumpkin, Nightwatch and Skidaway.

1.  The Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival. I just happened on this last year and I’m not going to miss it again. Amazingly, we have a shrimp industry in this state but except for a few stores, the shrimp you buy come from Thailand or somewhere else. You’ve got to taste these delicacies. This will turn you into a shrimp snob.  Lines are long but well worth it.  (Photos courtesy Jekyll Island Authority.)

Tags: georgia beach vacations, georgia coast, jekyll island activities, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island hotels, Jekyll Island vacations, things to do on jekyll island
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By LINDSEY ADKISON
Reposted from TheBrunswickNews.com

When the Foreback family heard about the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits festival, they knew it was something they couldn’t pass up. In fact, they made it a focal point of their fall vacation.

“We’re from the Atlanta area and our girls go to school year around and they have fall break now. When we called the Jekyll Island Club Hotel to register for our hotel, they told us about the festival,” Pam Foreback said.

“We thought it would be fun. So we brought our dogs down and we’re having a great time.”

The Forebacks weren’t the only ones drawn to the event. Hundreds of people descended on the tiny island for fun, music and, of course, the food.

On Friday night, vendors lined the pathways throughout the historic district, selling everything from candles to furniture.

But they weren’t just there to sell their wares.

Pam Foot and her husband work for Logan Turnpike Mill and drove eight hours from Blairsville to take part. They were hoping to combine a little business with pleasure.

“We were invited by the Jekyll Island Club. A lot of chefs use our grits for their recipes,” Foot said.

“There really is no down side to it. It’s like a vacation for us. I haven’t been to the beach in a really long time.”

Throughout the weekend, the mood was light. Events included shrimp eating contests, music and cooking contests.

On Saturday and Sunday, there were BMX Bike demonstrations. There were also shows by the Disc-Connected K9 Frisbee Dogs.

One of the weekend’s highlights was a release by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Hundreds of spectators hit the beach to watch three rehabilitated amphibians, Pumpkin, Skidaway and Nightwatch return to the ocean.

Camden County residents Erica Crews and her young daughters, Julie Ann and Andy, were on hand to wish them luck.

“We recently visited the turtle center, so I wanted the girls to see it,” Crews said.

As a whole, the expanded festival seemed a rousing success.

Jekyll Island spokesperson Eric Garvey said even though no numbers are in, this year’s event was likely the largest ever.

“It looks like this year’s event was up about 20 to 30 percent over last year and the weekend total will approach 15,000 to the festival,” he said.

“The additional activities were planned to give everyone a better festival experience with plenty to do and to bring people back for several days. We planned the additional activities because we anticipated a larger crowd this year. The festival has received tremendous publicity, so we were expecting large crowds.”

One of the new features of the weekend was a shuttle service that took patrons from the parking area of at the Jekyll Island Convention Center to the festival area in the Historic District.

Garvey said that it ran relatively smoothly.

“The shuttle system worked very well. Like any transportation system, there are bugs to be worked out. This was our first organized shuttle system on this scale and with more revitalization projects beginning this year, we will be utilizing shuttles to manage parking and move people around the island,” he said.

“Guests seemed to have no problem with it and it allowed use to utilize more of the Historic District for festival activities.”

Contest winners:

* The professional cooking contest award went to Cargo Portside Grill.

* The People’s Choice winner was Tasteful Temptations.

Tags: cooking competition, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island hotels, shrimp and grits, shrimp festival, turtle release
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ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SHRIMP & GRITS? Making Dinner Plans? Friday night is $3 Sample Night at Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival. Halyards of St. Simon’s Island is one of the awesome restaurants vending at the festival, serving up that wonderful southern specialty: Shrimp and Grits! The Shrimp are Coming! Beth Burnsed of the Jekyll Island Authority Says the Weather is Great as they Are Setting Up and Getting Ready for an Awesome Shrimp & Grits: the Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival! Follow us on Twitter or Be our Fan on Facebook for Updates from the Festival! Not only do we have tasty shrimp but cold beer thanks to our sponsor, Michelob Ultra, at Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival!

Tags: cooking competitions, georgia beaches, georgia coast, jekyll island, jekyll island hotels, jekyll island vacation, shrimp and grits, shrimp festival
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Tags: georgia beaches, Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island vacation, shrimp and grits festival, shrimp festival, wild georgia shrimp
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by Lindsey Adkison, Reposted from The Brunswick News, September 17, 2009

The chef at Blackwater Grill on St. Simons Island is a contestant in this weekend’s Shrimp and Grits professional cooking contest and festival on Jekyll Island.

And he says his lips are sealed on his recipe.

“The only criteria is that it has to have shrimp and grits,” he said. “It’s more of a chef’s competition.”
All he can tell you is this: “I won’t be doing the shrimp and grits that I serve here.”

The cooking contest is part of the three-day festival sponsored by the Jekyll Island Authority that will begin Friday. The cooking contest, which is on Sunday, the final day of the festival, will feature several restaurant chefs like Cadden. Each will try to offer the judges something unique.

“Each year I come up with something new,” Cadden said. “We haven’t won yet, but maybe the fourth year will be the charm.”

The festival also has a people’s choice event. On Friday, hungry patrons can pay $3 to sample different restaurants take on the Southern fare.

Dan Dickerson, co-owner of Latitude 31, may have a home field advantage. The restaurant is on the Jeykll Wharf in the island’s historic district, where the event will take place. “On Saturday, they will tally all tickets, and I think Latitude has a good shot,” he said.

Besides being fun, participation in the festival is also a chance to give something back to the community, Dickerson said.

“One of reasons why we like doing it is because it helps the local shrimpers out,” he said. “Wild Georgia Shrimp is the best shrimp that you can possibly ever eat.”

Even though good food may be the biggest enticement, there are other reasons to come out. Beth Burnsed, event coordinator for Jekyll Island, says a host of activities are included on the menu. “The Shrimp & Grits Festival has something for everyone,” she said. “For the kids, we have a Family Fun Zone, shrimp eating contests, a King BMX Bike show and the Frisbee dog show.

“For adults we have cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment and cold beverages.”

One particularly interesting portion of the festival will be the release of three sea turtles from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 3 p.m. Sunday. The turtle release is just one of the ways the program has expanded over the past four years. Burnsed says it has grown to include more than 70 arts and crafts vendors and 25 food vendors.

“Every year the festival has grown, not only in the number of attendees, but also in activities,” she said. “For this reason we are implementing a shuttle system this year. All parking for the festival will be near the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday. There will be no parking
in the Historic District.”

A shuttle service will be provided. “This has allowed us to add more activities such as the King BMX Stunt Show and expand our Family Fun Zone and arts and crafts vendor area,” she said.

The additions will come as a welcome surprise to many festival regulars.

The festival seems to have more meaning this year. The economy has dealt a heavy blow to both tourism and the shrimping industry, said Eric Garvey, spokesman for the Jekyll Island Authority. He feels the festival is a way of bringing attention to the industry and the coast.

“It makes great sense because our guests from our key markets like Atlanta, Macon, Athens and Augusta are the target consumers for Wild Georgia Shrimp,” he said. “We have had a tremendous response to this year’s event from businesses wanting to participate and from guests making their plans to come. We are looking forward to a big crowd, and we are optimistic that it will give us, the shrimp industry and all the restaurants and vendors involved a much-needed boost.”

Tags: georgia beaches, georgia coast, jekyll island, jekyll island accommodations, Jekyll Island Events, shrimp and grits, shrimp festival
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Dan Dickerson, owner of Latitude 31, the Rah Bar, and Driftwood Bistro, promoting Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival on WSAV Savannah/Hilton Head’s News: He explains why Wild Georgia Shrimp tastes especially sweet . . .

Tags: cooking competitions, driftwood bistro, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island festivals, jekyll island restaurants, latitude 31, shrimp and grits festival, the rah bar, wild georgia shrimp
Posted in Festivalgoer, In the News | No Comments »

Tags: cooking competition, georgia beaches, georgia coast, jekyll island, shrimp and grits, shrimp and grits festival
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