20 Unique Things To Do In Jekyll Island

The Historic District is one major feature for which the whole world flocks to Jekyll Island. It was the place where the cream of America's most aristocratic rich families spent their summer holidays Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt, to name a few.

You can now walk around the Jekyll Island Club Resort where they have stayed and historic homes which are now museums. The historic district is a peculiar look into the island's rich history, with guided tours available for those who want to learn more.

Don't forget the Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum, which tells about exhibits on the island's past.

Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island is an awesome wonder replete with nature, enough to mesmerize one with unearthly beauty. This one-of-a-kind beach is famous for its weathered, sun-bleached trees that over time the elements have sculpted into an uncanny beautiful landscape.

The driftwood is scattered across the shores, lending a surreal, almost mystical atmosphere. From sunrise to sunset, the view on the shores is just stunning and cannot be beaten for those perfect moments of a photo.

One of the aesthetic pastimes on the waters surrounding Jekyll Island is kayaking in the salt marshes, which allows an intimate exploration of the natural beauty of surrounding areas. Paddlers have the unique opportunity to identify a variety of wildlife, including birds, fish, and sometimes dolphins, while en route. 

Easy-going waters form the perfect activity for kayakers or canoeists at any level. Advised tours are also available, guided by experts who share information about the ecology of the marsh and the history of the island.

You can see the landscape of the island in and out of the marshes and how partial paddling gives a very different perspective to offer a calm relief from its hustle and bustle.

Those who take an interest in wildlife conservation should visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. This ultra-modern center rehabilitates and researches sea turtles, offering a unique opportunity provided to its visitors to learn about these amazing sea creatures.

The center contains interactive exhibits on the life of sea turtles, threats, and protection efforts being made. You are also able to observe treatment through the rehabilitation tanks, providing a closer look into the turtle rehab.

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is more than educational; it's completely motivational in the work they do for the preservation of turtles. For those looking to delve deep into the topic of Jekyll Island turtle preservation, this center would be a must-see.

Jekyll Island Museum-the place where all the richness of the history of the island resides. This museum makes available exhibits into the lives of rich industrialists who once made the island their private playground.

Engagingly displayed artifacts show the transformation of this island playground from the Gilded Age into a public treasure. This serves to give tourists an insight into the life of the people of the island and, more so, that of the servants who served the ruling elite.

The Jekyll Island Club Resort is historic and luxurious in the portfolio of Jekyll Island Hotels. Once a private hideaway for America's elite families, like the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, this hotel offers a perfect blend of rich history and modern comfort with beautiful architecture, luxuriously restored rooms, and upscale amenities. 

Golf course visitors can enjoy the elegance of the historic ambiance within the clubhouse, relax around the pool, or walk among the well-landscaped grounds. The resort dining options range from first-class to snack and fine dining.

Guided tours are also available for those interested in the history of this course.

The Tidelands Nature Center is an establishment that provides an exhibition of interactive instructional materials, guided tours, and educational programs about the diversity of ecosystems that can be found within the island.

You come nose to nose with native wildlife: turtles, fish, and alligators in the center aquariums and touch tanks. The Tidelands Nature Center is available for kayaking and canoeing amenities to all outdoor enthusiasts who wish to explore the salt marshes and the estuarine tidal creeks of the island.

Horseback riding on Jekyll Island can be one of the most fun park activities. It is probably the most fun way to see all of the island's natural beauty. Guided horseback tours are given to all levels of riders, from beginner to experienced.

The tours wind their way along scenic trails, leading many times down to the beach, where riding in the water along the shore is an option.  The still air and slow pace make it, in a way, much calmer and create an experience incomparable to any other.

Riding on horseback is going to be a pleasant experience, and one doesn't have to worry about nature on Jekyll Island.

Summer Waves Water Park represents one of the best attractions and one of the most enjoyable things to enjoy in Jekyll Island, GA, especially for families and thrill-seekers.

This water park houses all kinds of slides, pools, and attractions suited for all age groups. From thrilling water slides, like Pirates Passage, to the relaxing Lazy River, it's something for all guests.

At the center is the wave pool, a main highlight where the waves can be surfed or it would just carry you anywhere on a tube. For junior visitors, there was a kiddie area complete with smaller slides and splash zones. Finally, the whole park had plenty of shaded areas and cabanas for those looking to relax and be out of the sun.

The most exciting things to do on Jekyll Island include going on a Dolphin Tour. Take a dolphin tour to experience playful dolphins swimming and energized around the island, waving through boat rides.

The tours are guided by experienced captains with information en route through scenic waterways where one can also view other wildlife like birds and sea turtles.

It's a fun but simultaneously educating experience, as tour guides mostly inform guests about various interesting facts concerning the local ecosystem and the behavior of dolphins.

Faith Chapel is one of the best-kept secrets on Jekyll Island, Georgia, due to its historic charm and belle architecture. Built in 1904, it was designed as a small, wealthy members-only chapel for guests at the Jekyll Island Club.

Today, this chapel features its stunning colored glass windows, among which there is one made by Louis Comfort Tiffany that remains a special sight for visitors.

Faith Chapel is a quiet place for contemplation, reflective of intricate woodwork and a serene atmosphere. For those interested in history and architecture, even in searching out places that offer peaceful silence, Faith Chapel gives an insight into days long past.

Jekyll Island Golf Club is the end of the road for many a golfer to Jekyll Island, Georgia. There are four picturesque and landscaped courses, each with its special challenge and view. All the landscapes around are circled with an ancient oak tree, alongside breathtaking marshes, leaving every game of golf to be a spectacle.

Each course is designed for both the serious golfer and the beginner. The club also has driving ranges, putting greens, and a pro shop with all your golfing needs.

Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum is an attraction that nobody with a passion for the diverse and deep history of Jekyll Island should fail to see. It is a modern museum that promises to take one on an entertaining journey into the history of Jekyll Island.

The exhibits put together at this museum tell the history of this beautiful island. The guests will be able to view exhibits featuring the Gilded Age when Jekyll Island was an exclusive playground for America's richest families.

Exhibitions about natural history and cultural heritage will also be featured. Inside, there are artifacts, photographs, and multimedia highlighting the history of the island.

For guests of any age, fishing from the Jekyll Island pier is an unhurried, truly gratifying leisure. The pier itself is a beautiful place to cast your line into the water and absorb the serenity in the coastal atmosphere.

From advanced anglers to those who are just trying it out, the pier will provide easy access to several species of fish, like redfish, flounder, and trout. It's just a quiet place to take your family or friends, watch the boats go by, and enjoy the beautiful waters.

Nothing extraordinary is required for fishing on a pier. For those who want to just be at ease and communicate with nature, pier fishing is a great way to taste this coastal paradise on Jekyll Island.

The Jekyll Island Treasures Hunt is a fun and unique activity that has been incorporated into Jekyll Island for an adventure-packed experience.

The island hosts this special event each winter throughout January and February, in which locals and visitors search for hidden glass floats called "island treasures" scattered across the island.

These are hand-crafted glass orbs hidden in numerous locations, and each one you find is yours to keep as a special memento. The treasures are crafted by artists to replicate those days of old when fishermen used glass fishing floats.

Shelling is a sweet and interactive activity on the beaches in Jekyll Island, Georgia. With its pristine beaches, the island serves as a very ideal place to collect beautiful shells, especially in the mornings after the tides have left new ones.

Shells come in so many types fragile sand dollars and colorful conchs down to the rarest of the rare finds, such as whelks and scallops. Each holds its very own unique pattern and color, so the search is fun and worthwhile.

As a person walks the beach, look for unique shapes and sizes; do not touch the living organisms and remove just what you plan on keeping.

The Wanderer Memory Trail is a touching and instructive route around Jekyll Island, taking one through the history of the Wanderer's 'known' last slave ship to enter United States shores. This path contains illustrative markers and exhibits explaining the history of this ship and those brought to this island.

The trail is, therefore, part of the rich history of Jekyll Island, allowing its visitors to reflect upon the past and explore the most meaningful events in its history. The idea of walking the Wanderer Memory Trail is a way to understand the heritage of the island and be part of the recognition and honoring of its historical legacy.

It is thought-provoking and charges your visit to Jekyll Island with a historical note.

Jekyll Island Campground is one of the best options for a camper seeking all that nature has to offer from Jekyll Island, Georgia. The campground contains a full hookup, and a standard hookup for the RV, with spots where you are allowed to place your tent.

It is strategically placed near the major attractions on the island, including beaches and nature trails, making this an easy site to get around.  Amenities that include clean restrooms, showers, and a laundry facility are up-to-date at the campsites.

Picnic areas and a camp store available on-site make an individual's visit enjoyable for convenience. Natural settings where the campground is located offer wildlife, thus adding fun to the tranquility of sweet sounds from nature.

Jekyll Island scavenger hunts can be lots of family fun, keeping young and old visitors on the hunt for things. Using a provided list when the hunt begins, participants try to find specific items or accomplish certain tasks around the island.

This could be a wonderful way of seeing every single attraction, ranging from historical sites to the beautiful bounty of mother nature, on the island. Others could be sponsored by local businesses and visitor centers and involve clues that take you to cool spots such as Jekyll Island Club Resort, Driftwood Beach, or the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Completing a scavenger hunt can make a routine visit into an exciting adventure in which you are sure to discover new locations.

One of the best ways to get a feel of nature on Jekyll Island is by taking up a bike and speeding on these trails. The island thus provides a network of scenic bike trails that wind through lush forests, coastal marsh, and picturesque beach areas.

There are several places at which bikes can be rented on the island; among these is the Jekyll Island Bike Barn. You can rent anything from normal bikes and electric bikes to tandem bikes for that fun group ride.

All of the trails are in perfect condition, well adapted in their overall number and levels of complexity, to fit both those who want to pedal idly and those looking for a purer adventure.