St. Simons Island Reviews

A quaint little beach community off the Georgia coast. Convenient to Savannah & Jacksonville, it’s a short drive over the intercostal waterway to beach heaven. We had a boat ride in the waterways, a biplane ride, a stroll through the antiques show in the lighthouse yard. Plenty to do for all ages.

I've gone when it's very busy in the summer and very quiet in February. I choose to go when it's not so hectic. But, it was very nice both times. There is a lot to do other than just buy a t-shirt. Jekyll Island is more my speed (more natural) but I like St. Simons more each time I explore it.

As I is such a great place to go. The beach is great, then again I am crazy about the beaches. The restaurants are great. There is something for everyone and fits all price ranges. There is so much history and beauty on the island. It is my happy place

This Island is so lovely and quiet, people here are very friendly, quaint shops near the lighthouse. Very Romantic, we are going to make this a yearly trip and explore more of the Island

If you only like beaches and water like those on the northwest Florida panhandle, SSI is probably not for you. It has several beaches and is technically a beach town, but what's best about it is its wonderful Village and pier and huge beautiful trees all over. Literally everyone you meet is friendly. I was there by myself missing my husband and dog terribly, and I got terrific dog fixes everyday by walking down Mallery Street (easy to do, since I stayed at the Village Inn and Pub, which I fell in love with). SSI is a very dog-friendly place, and all the dogs' owners appreciate passersby stopping by to pat and admire the dogs. I think I met close to a hundred in a short stay! SSI is one of the most beautiful places on earth, with Live Oak trees everywhere, dripping with Spanish moss. They have a very active conservation program, and many local commercial establishments donate to the cause of preserving acreage forever in its natural state. People there seem to come from a different era, where everybody got along and all are nice to each other. SSI has an amazing history during WWII which is unknown to many people. They've just recently opened Homefront: A museum of WWII and St. Simons Island. I didn't get to visit it yet, but hope to in the future. The entire island is dripping with history from the very beginning of the state of Georgia, and before as well. For people who love seafood, you cannot get bad seafood on SSI. My sole criticism of SSI is it's at least a 5-hour drive from metro Atlanta, where I live (although you can fly from Atlanta to Brunswick, the nearest city). The island also has its own airport, which I think is used mainly by many of the very wealthy people who live on SSI or Sea Island, which adjoins SSI but is private.

Beaches, food, history, and lots of beauty makes this the perfect spot for a getaway. 3 days or three weeks...or longer.

St. Simons Island is a beautiful laidback island. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed everything about the island.

Our vacation included Jekyll Island, Sea Island, and St. Simons Island. Many outstanding restaurants. Many historic and educational opportunities. Horseback riding on the beach too!

Good beach and great food. The people were very nice and easy to deal with. Enjoyed the village and pier.

Small beach town w many options for eating and shopping if you want to venture out. The water park in Jekyll is also great for a day visit. We have been coming for 11 years! We love SSi!

You can park before entering the island and bike over the 4 bridges to get to the island it's a scenic stretch and there are designated bicycle trails the entire way. Once you hit the island stay right on the path to go to the light house and restaurant scene then you can continue in s loop to the east shore and walk the giant sand bar. Then continue the loop back to your car. 17 miles in all.. P.S. Jeykell Island scenery is still better for biking.

Glad we took the tour of you Island. We just loved it!!! Plan on returning tomorrow to shop and try out an eatery..

Our trip to St. Simons Island was a relaxing and enjoyable trip. Not a touristy place overrun with people. The island is beautiful, the people were friendly and the food was great. First time to the area, we will be back.

Dropping off our daughter at her college for the fall semester, we elected to stay the week in nearby SSI. Man are we glad we did as our stay was fun, entertaining and really relaxing. The beaches were very enjoyable and the area had many restaurant options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We felt very safe our entire stay and the people here were very friendly and hospitable. SSI was our base as we explored the area and nearby Brunswick, St Mary's and Amelia Island. We look forward to many more visits in the future and spending our money in the area.

This is a lovely island of decent size with plenty to do. We were there on a hot and very busy July 4th - it has been years since we were last here! We couldn't park at the Welcome Center because of the crowds and the festival taking place across the street, so I ran in quickly to get a couple maps while my husband waited outside in his car. Enjoyed finding three spirit trees & seeing Christ Church!

St Simons Island is a lovely stop. The shopping district has some nice local shops with different kinds of fare. There's a nice lighthouse and great restaurants as well

Beautiful island nice beaches great little shops! The most helpful Vistor Center I have ever been in!

St Simons is a great place for a family vacation. Lots of bike trails and places for families to enjoy time together.

We have a great Air B and B on 14th Street on East Beach a block from the beach and beach access. This house is great- perfect location, enough comfy beds and ample baths to cover our 6 people. Cute master upstairs at the top of a spiral staircase and another master on the main floor. Hosts are great! The neighborhood is friendly to walkers, bicycles and sidewalks that cover the area to keep you off the road and enjoy the marsh on the opposite side of the house from the beach. Relaxing area with the Pier for those that want to get out a little more. History galore- still exploring but already saw the lighthouse and Christ Church and John Wesley dedication. Plan to be out in July early morning and late evening when the sun goes down because it is hot and humid but during the day is a good nap time!!!We will return!! Probably when we retire and can come in January.

Just beautiful! Perfect weather. Pristine beaches . Good restaurants and nice shops. What's not to love?

Even though i live in Georgia I've never visited this island until recently. I've been to Tybee Island which is okay but not dog friendly, so since we had our pup with us we drove an extra hour to St Simons since it's dog friendly. The only positive I have to say about this island is that the trees are beautiful with Spanish moss and some very nice homes other than that this day/night trip was a bust. It was very busy it is definitely a tourist attraction, parking is HORRIBLE!!! The parking is free but very limited. The only reason my husband and I visited the island was to do some night saltwater fishing, and we were on the island driving around for 2 hours before we found somewhere to fish all night that didn't close at 10. We finally found a place got set up and within 5 minutes the low tide had gone out approximately 40 feet and created a huge sandbar (which was useless to attempt to fish). Needless to say we moved 3 times to different areas and finally got set up in a spot near the pier around 1am. Near the pier there are lots of bars so we had to listen to drunks cussing and screaming until 3am and the smell of marijuana. Then we realize there was another huge sand bar. We left at approximately 4am because the fishing was horrible we caught 1 sting ray in 7 hours. It was just impossible to fish any of this beach. Needless to say our dog loved the beach and chasing the sand crabs. I'm the person who has spent the majority of her life on beaches (39 yrs old) I love beaches and the water, my husband is (25 yrs old) and he has spent a lot of time on the water, we will NEVER visit this place again it was very disappointing to drive 4 hrs each way for night fishing to have to experience this. Good luck to you if you visit this island.

Escaped the northern winter for 30 days. Mild weather, sunny days. Walking to restaurants and pubs is a breeze from Pier Village. Interesting local sights abound. 3rd year here and we'll be back in 2024!

Went first thing in the AM . Did the lightkeepers quarters after the climb. Amazing views for miles. Extremely well maintained lighthouse. Knowledable staff. Great Museum Shop

Our first trip to St Simons Island and we loved it. Easy accessibility from where we stayed. Bikes are available and make getting around simple. It’s a bike-friendly community, too. Not much available for dedicated bike lanes but sidewalks are wide and it’s okay to ride on them. Very dog friendly place, too. Tons of beautiful lives oaks and we were there when the azaleas were blooming. Lots of vehicle traffic but everyone was well-mannered. Lots of round-abouts instead of traffic lights. Restaurants we tried were reasonable in price and super fast in service. We will definitely be back.

The island was very nice. Most of the locals were very friendly. The lighthouse wasnt to hard to climb. The boardwalk right there is a nice surprise. It has a beautiful pier.

We've been visiting Saint Simons Island since we were children. As adults we purchased a condo so that we could visit more frequently and in retirement we constructed a new home and move here. There is an abundance of opportunities to bike, enjoy the beaches, the marshes, the birds and, oh yes, the food.

St. Simon's offers all the charm of the South, lots of history, fabulous nature preserves, excellent golf, every water activity imaginable, outstanding dining and some of the most amazing and beautiful oak trees anywhere. Lots of people come for the beach, water and activities, but don't miss the outstanding history at the Lighthouse and Home Front Museums, incredible nature preserves at Cannon's Preserve and others, and excellent biking in dedicated trails

We loved our trip to SSI and will definitely be back. In my opinion it's one of the few perfect beach towns with a cute walkable downtown similar to Fernandina Beach / Amelia Island FL. During a rainy afternoon we went on a tree spirit hunt which our kids loved (google it to learn more). High points: Turtle Hospital on Jekyll, tree spirits, boat trip with Southeast Adventure Outfitters, The Half Shell, Southern Soul BBQ and Blackwater Grill. The beach in front of our condo at low tide had several walkable / swimmable sand bars where we saw all kinds of sea creatures. Good shelling and gorgeous sunsets too.

A quaint lovely island off the coast of southeast Georgia provides a nice peaceful stop to a busy life or trip. Delicious restaurants and delightful southern folk make the trip worth the while, along with the history of this beautiful little place.

We spent the night in the island before heading over to Jekyll. It’s a beautiful island with beaches and a lovely waterfront park with a lighthouse. There are lots of activities to do and we enjoyed our day there.

This is now our second visit to St. Simon's and are equally impressed. There is something for every member of our family. I am all about history and food. We ate at a number of restaurants and none failed to impress. My kids loves Iguana's and I loved Brogen's Grill.

The kids loved running around the green by the pier looking for painted rocks. They had fun seeing who could find the most and then re-hiding them for others to find.

My wife loved the beach with it's incredibly soft white sand, and driving around to see the older homes.

Definitely a favorite destination.

Such an interesting spot and beautiful to look out once you are at the top!!! Learning all about what the lighthouse keepers had to do was very interesting!!

We went to St. Simons Island on a whim, just a dot on the map, and close enough to drive. It is a lovely place and I would consider living there. Friendly people - we had dinner with two different couples we met on our adventures, and toured the island with a native. Fun to shop, food is grand and island is peaceful.

We stayed a week just before Hurricane Irma on a business trip at the King and Prince Hotel. The island is small, too small for a full week, unless you just really enjoy sitting on the beach or at the pool for days. We come from a beach resort town, so we never sit on the beach. The water was warm and shallow enough, and there were opportunities for biking, Stand up Paddleboard and kayaking. I ran most of the island, and mostly, it was suburban homes. There's only a few centers for eating & shopping. People rave about the dining, but we really only would rave about Sal's Neighborhood Pizza Place. If you like Savannah, you'd like this...cute shops and a beach.

Beautiful little island that I am so glad we have had a chance to visit. Wonderful beach with the southern charm of Georgia- Spanish moss roads, walking paths along the marshes, fishing, and great food! Shopping, spas, golfing, running trails, boat rentals, relaxing on the clean beaches..something for everyone. Would recommend trying the local restaurants (we tried Southern Soul BBQ and Brogen's) and taking in the scenery.

I have a second home here. It's been my go to place all of my life. Although now being over built it still holds a real charm. Fall and winter are is best times as summer visitors have gone. Visitors should take time to explore the entire island for its history and beauty.

This island may be small and filled with old money but it has charm that shows it's age and all its history. Downtown is filled with seafood restaurants to drool over and streets that you could window shop all day down.

So many amazingly fun things to do here! Food is amazing, views are outstanding and the beach is everywhere! Make a trip to this island. Enjoy the slow sunny life for a few days. You won't be disappointed.

We visited a friend who lives in SSI, so I can't vouch for rentals or hotels, but I can say that this is a beautiful and peaceful place before tourist season starts. I imagine it can be pretty busy at that time. We shopped in many delightful shopping centers, lots of individually (mom and pop) owned retail businesses, so what you buy is unique. The restaurants we were recommended were very good, and the bars served up tasty drinks, especially a bourbon bar. The East Beach was public and uncrowded, dogs running and playing with their owners. What a lovely southern charm place to visit! Other islands are nearby, and we visited Cumberland Island to see the wild horses. We'll visit Jekyll Island next time. Fly into Jacksonville and it's a quick trip up to SSI.

A great vacation spot that is like none other. Very quaint. Commercial is kept at a minimum. Restaurants are excellent and many to choose from in all price ranges.

We spent a couple of days on St. Simon's just wandering around and sitting by the dock watching the fishermen pull in everything from baby sharks and sting rays to crabs. There is a semi-tame pelican who sits on the dock waiting for a handout from the fishermen and poses willingly for tourists to take his photo! One day we watched a pod of dolphins swimming around the dock. There are a number of cute little shops close to one another and quite a few good restaurants.

I would anyone to come and visit this island wonderful places to eat and great parks and things to do.

We were staying at the Jekyll Island Westin and made the 30-minute drive to see St. Simons. It has a totally different feel than the Jekyll Island. The part we saw on the trolley and walking around is more commercial and less peaceful than Jekyll. This does not include the fine resorts there, as we did not see those areas. Pier Village is fun with a lot of little shops. We thoroughly enjoyed our day here.

Attended our granddaughter’s wedding on Sea Island. Small intimate group of family only. Enjoyed many of amenities area offered such as golf, cruise on “String of Pearls” (a 60’ antique motor yacht), top notch restaurants, exquisite beach combing, delightful Christmas decorations.

We spent 4 nights here for a couples getaway. It just might be the loveliest place I've ever visited - I am a sucker for southern live oak trees with Spanish moss and they are everywhere on this island! We couldn't stop saying how beautiful it was just to drive around from place to place. We were not interested in the beach so 4 days was perfect for us to see everything we wanted to see, including a day at Jekyll Island. St Simon's was a much better place to stay than Jekyll because it has much more to offer for restaurants, shopping and things to do. It's definitely a great spot for a romantic weekend away and we will be back!

My wife & I stayed 2 nights on St. Simons Island and had a wonderful time. We stayed near the old downtown area. Enjoyed walking around, visiting the shops and taking in the local scenery. We particularly enjoyed visiting Ft. Frederica, offering a wonderful piece of colonial history. Also, plenty of good restaurants. Overall, St. Simons is worth a visit.

This was a highlight of our trip, it was peaceful, and the beauty was amazing. We had an awesome time.

I had heard several people over the years rave about St. Simons Island, GA so we planned a trip to St. Simons Island and Jekyll Islands in March.

St. Simons Island is very pretty with lovely views of the water and marshes, there are a couple of historic sites to visit, golf courses, many hotels and resorts to choose from, and of course lots of fresh seafood.

However, bottom line, St. Simons is EXTREMELY crowded. With so many resorts, hotels, shops, and restaurants, the two lane streets are constantly filled with traffic. Very heavy traffic and slow moving.

Perhaps we were there at the wrong time of the year, I can't imagine how crowded the island would be in June, July, and August ! We very much preferred Jekyll Island a few miles south, with far fewer people to contend with.

I visited here several years ago to attend my daughters graduation ceremony from college. I really enjoyed the look of the island. So when I decided to sell my house (across the state) I arranged for a broker to show me around. I purchased a condo and have been very impressed with the island...the activities..the music..the weather. There are many fine restaurants and activities for all ages. If you enjoy the beach...its here. If you enjoy shopping..its here. Art..thats here too including some great music venues. History..that's here too..with Fort Frederica National Park along with other historical sites. My grandson has visited a couple times and also enjoys the island. At times the traffic can be busy but nothing even comparable to large cities. The pace of life around the island is great. And you get a chance to meet people from all over the country who visit St Simons.

There is so much to see and do on the island. Shopping, eating, touring historic places. Lots of outdoor activities.

This is a great Island with lots to do both Natural things: Beaches, hiking, water activities, National Monuments, Marshes, etc. But they also have everything you need for when the outdoors isn’t what you want to do: Shopping, movie theaters, history, museums, grocery stores.

We had never been here but it was definitely fun for a getaway. There was plenty of things to see and do!

Ok dunno where to start, the beach... The beaches are kinda terrible I mean they have one but to the south around Jacksonville has much more pristine beautiful beaches; to the north lies Tybee which actually has an island feel nice beaches and you don't feel like you in a bad suburb all the time. The food is limited in range, shopping also, attractions are there, but mostly undeveloped. About have the people have there nose so high in the air it's amazing, and they will treat u as such; about 40% of the other people are from Atlanta or middle Georgia and act like it's amazing the ocean exists, the remainder either want your money or want to be left alone...go figure. The air is bad, there is a paper mill and a chemical so many miles away that gives the place a just opened the lid of a dumpster smell. The water is about the same, I would almost so onto record there water is worse to drink then New Orleans, which is bad. I would same come for a couple of days, drive in the traffic, and eat pimento cheese on everything because apparently it's gourmet here.

Bring your bikes. Very good exercise around the island and beach. Very friendly and family oriented island.

My husband I are planning our third stay at seaclusion a comfortable house right on the beach. We just love sitting on the deck watching the ships go by, every once in a while we see dolphins jumping out of the water diving for food.

Really nice small beach town to visit. I would recommend arriving on Friday afternoon/evening and departing Sunday morning. Within this period of time I’m confident you will be able to enjoy all that St. Simons Island has to offer.

It has been a long time since we went to this lighthouse, but enjoyed it on our return a couple of weeks ago. The weather was very accomodating for Dec. and so we did manage to see everything from the high-up view. You need to have a level of fitness and not be afraid of the view high up. The gift shop has a charming array of gifts and jewelry, clothes, books. It was beautifully decorated for the holidays.

It's my fav!!! Every time we drive over the causeway I get so excited and the island never fails to deliver!! So much history.

Very pretty seaside town. Lots of shops and restaurants. Check out the Golden Isles Tree Spirits!

My husband and I traveled with a group of seniors from Tennessee to enjoy a vacation on the Golden Isles. St. Simon was our first stop and we were rewarded with excellent 80 degree weather. We have been here three years ago and couldn't wait to come back. Beautiful hotels (Ocean Inn and Suites the very best), delicious restaurants, and fantastic sightseeing. Truly a photographer's dream. We especially enjoyed looking for the tree spirits (check it out at the Welcome Center). So much to do -- so little time. I guess we just have to come back one more time to see it all.

St. Simon is ranked a top coastal small town. Quaint shops and restaurants, all within walking distance. Picture perfect moss-draped oak trees. Kayaking, fishing, biking and tours. A great place for everyone. Scooters and golf carts for those who don't want to walk.

Must come and see it all!

Such a lovely island. You have the best of both worlds ~ great beaches and shorelines, along with some of the most exquisite
shady oak lined streets anywhere in the south. Much history to be appreciated here, as well as gracious southern charm.

Looking for a laid-back community with historical attractions, beautiful, walking beaches, lots of song birds? This is the place. There are also many great, friendly places to enjoy great food. I should know since we live here!

Great time visiting with family and friends. Wonderful restaurants, great shopping and so happy to find mother of the bride dress.

We had never been to the Georgia Islands as we recently moved to Atlanta so we didn’t know where to stay. Oh how I wish we would have stayed on Saint Simons, but I’m so glad we visited for a chunk of one day. They have a little more to do & lots of shops & restaurants. We loved the pier, the lighthouse & the village area. Fairly easy parking - at least when we were there.

The Emil Cottage was perfect for my family of ten. Six adults and four children. The house had everything we needed even beach towels! The kitchen was great for cooking and entertaining - everything we needed. The kids loved the two pools and the beach. The Island is very quaint and so many things to do together. Great restaurants, a pier and park area, bike riding, fishing and so much more. We will be back!

We enjoyed spending some time on Saint Simons Island. It is very quaint and quite. A few good restaurants. We will be back to explore more of the island in the future.

We have visited family twice now on the island and find it to be a relaxed, fun place to spend some time on the beach. There are a variety of restaurants to choose from, many of which serve great, fresh seafood.

We have been coming here since 2009. We love it! Great beaches, shops, golf and restaurants as well as history. Friendly local people just watch out for FL-GA football weekend when the college kids show up. You can use as a base to travel to Savannah to the north or more islands to the south or close neighbor Jekyll Island which has its own history and resorts/lodging.
The weather in Oct is very nice and the tourist are pretty much gone. Come see for yourself!

Pros

Beautiful!
Big wide beaches to play on!
Nice variety of shops!
Great local kayaking company for tours!
Tons of history close by!

Cons

Low tide is awful, not enough water to get in to even cool off
No boogie boarding or surfing due to water
Grocery stores close really early
Not as much southern hospitality as the Carolinas, many of the restaurants and stores seemed bothered by tourists

St. Simon Island is a hidden gem! The town was super cute and most people were not locals and were vacationing as well. Cute shops, fun places to eat and beautiful scenery!

We came to play a little golf. To our surprise the fee was only $325 as a special. The food is a little pricey but good. We are very selective where we dine because of the articles a few years back about health issues of employees living on the coast. Watch parking vehicles around the village as parking on the side streets will result in a ticket or tow. Stay in designation parking spots.
Places to visit are the fort, Christ Church, and Lighthouse. A tour trolley is a great value and takes you all over the island.
We recommend the Epworth area for lodging. They do not advertise but have a large hotel and two motor courts near Lovely Lane Chapel with either harbor views or a short walk to water. Epworth also has a buffet style dining room and a museum.
If you like to bicycle stick to the paths to avoid the heavy traffic as there is no shoulder to speak of on most roads. Set your Garmin to the old Coast Guard station if you want to walk on the beach. Last time we were there a lot of people (40-50) were not obeying the leash law during dog time which was after 6pm that month. Be cautious of rip tides if swimming.
Don't be afraid to venture out and take a ferry over to Cumberland or Sapelo for the day or go on the Dolphin cruise on Jekyll. Lots of piers and also fishing trips available at the Marina if that's in your interest. Traffic is extremely heavy during lunchtime.

Had plenty to do around St. Simsons Island..there are plenty of shops and restaurants. The Pier is a major attraction and there is a play ground for the children.

Loved our stay in a VRBO on East Beach. Quiet, great fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding area. Tidal pool forms with fiddlers and fun for kiddos.

My girlfriends and I stayed on St. Simons Island and went to Massengale Park to access the beach. We came early and spent an entire Friday. The sand was packed tight and the water calm and warm. There were sand bars all over and it was so cool to walk the ocean, walk the sand bar and then get in the ocean on the other side. Sand dollars, jelly fish, and and other wildlife were all visible all around us. The tide was low and by evening, the tide had come all the way up shore. By evening time the water was rough and beautiful. It looked like a different beach.

A blend between Hilton Head and key west, this wonderful island is a great weekend escape for any couple or relaxed group of people enjoying nature. Food is incredible diverse and outstanding most of the time and service is their utmost objective in a type of hotel. We’ve been to the Home 2 Suites and to The inn At Sea Island and like both but there are many options and you’ll never be bored

Our first time on St Simons Island.
We enjoyed strolling on the pier in the morning and relaxing
In the Park.
The atmosphere the local people and tourists alike where the
Most friendly people we ever met on vacation.
Cant say enough about the local restaurants and beaches.
We live in South Florida not an easy place to come back too.
We will miss St Simons,Ga

We were searching for a new beach area to check out for a quick vacation. Tried St Simons and we were not disappointed. While it's not my favorite beach, the rest of the island's features makes up for any shortcomings. Lovely streets with beautiful homes for walking or biking. Awesome wildlife in the marshes viewable from either the island or while kayaking. Some exceptional dining. Easy access. No complaints here. We will be back - and sooner than later.

I loved the quaint homes and the finer new ones and how most yards had flowers and unique features. There are plenty of good places to eat in all price ranges and places to shop no matter what your budget. It is easy to ride a bike (2 wheel, three wheel and tandem) anywhere you want to go and everyone is friendly. I especially love three shops: Roberta's, Island Dog, and the Lighthouse Museum Gift Shop. The Lighthouse is one of the prettiest one's I have visited and I have been to at least 15.

Beautiful island that offers a bit of everything - historic sites, beach, shopping, dining, water activities - with a relaxed, easy-going attitude.

We love St Simons Island. So quaint and family friendly. A tucked away and off the beaten path haven of southern hospitality and culture. We have been over a dozen times and find something new to love about it with each visit.

Nice place to visit. We drove through here after exploring Jeykel Island. We discovered that it is a busier island, more traffic, more homeowners. Historical interests throughout.

If you want a peaceful, laid back vacation then SSI is for you. Especially great for families - nice beaches, tons of bike paths all over the island, historical sites & stories, too. Visit the pier for a nice stroll along the water (but not in the sand), great restaurants and neat shops. There's also a putt-putt golf great for families and a live theater for the adults. A short walk from the pier is the Lighthouse Museum, full of neat facts and history of SSI as well as a real work-out if you choose to climb up the lighthouse. Note: I'm not in the greatest of shape, but did make it to the top -- with stops along the way to catch my breath. Lol

We come here every year for a Marine corps reunion, I love this Island. Even though we come here in the winter it is still a very cool island. Great places to eat and real nice beaches to just walk on. Very much a family vibe on this island. Love the trees!

Great small island for a family or couples action. Walk or bike to the pier for sunset. Lots of restaurant options. Cute shops.

This island is a very busy dynamic place. Be carful of the heavy traffic. Do your research before you go.

Slow down, not because you want to but because the traffic is insane.Park the car if you find a spot and walk or bike.OK bike trails.
Even mid week the traffic is bad.Lots of Golfcarts on the roads with childern at the wheel. Yikes!
Looks like this place has been over developed.
Food: There are some good restaurants but once again parking is an issue.
Beaches: They have rules posted but no one follows them. Very hard packed sand. Murky water. Dogs roaming the beach.
History: Plenty of it but mostly spoiled by development.
Seems to be a retirement community.
Climb the Light house then go to Jekyll and stay, ten times better.

One of my best friends wanted to surprise me with a trip to the beach at Tybee Island, GA, but the plans fell through. As a backup, her best friend said she would help find a reasonable hotel on or near a beach. We wound up here on St Simons Island, GA - A very happy accident! I was pleasantly surprised by this beautiful & lovely historic Island. It has such a peaceful, laid back atmosphere.

We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express (see my review on this) and it was perfect. The hotel is within driving distance of everything. They have biking & walking trails, a lovely beach with free parking & public restrooms & a concession stand, lots of shops, & several great places to eat. The best part of this beautiful island is the history. The lighthouse, museum, & shop are worth the $12 to get a spectacular view and learn about this beautiful island. You need to go to the visitors center to meet the kindest and most helpful ladies who will tell you all about the island and give you plenty of information. These ladies are AWESOME! I wish I had gotten their names. They will give you maps & suggestions on how to best enjoy your stay on St Simon's Island.

If you're considering a visit, go for it. It will be worth your time. I plan to go back one day because it's such a lovely place. It's very family friendly and I also saw lots of pets too. I highly recommend seeing St Simons Island.

Visited st simons for an externship through the cia and lived there for a few months to work for sea island. Was a pleasurable experience with some good places to go to eat. Particularly enjoyed gnats landing and southern soul BBQ. The beach was very nice but more of a packed sand beach rather than deep sand. Was a very nice place to relax. The main downtown area very nice. Good spot to visit for a day but wouldn't go for vacation for anything but sea island or golfing.

Loved the lighthouse and Chris was very helpful. Not a hard climb to the top. Great view. Loved the gift shop.

St. Simons has something for everyone as far as I can tell. It has historic attractions. It has touristy shopping venues. It has fishing piers and charters. It has excellent eateries. It has water parks and great beaches. It has scenic drives and homes. It just has everything and if you can find something that it doesn't have, that is available across one bridge in Brunswick.

I love St Simons Island. It's a nice small island with enough to do and see that you can stay active. Our favorite restaurants are Nazarro's for Italian food, Mallery Sq Cafe for breakfast, Certified Burgers. The Outback on the Island is really good too. The island is plush with lots of greenery, which makes it beautiful. We visit several times a year and just love it there.

St. Simons is great, not overly pretentious island, casual, and extremely pet and kid friendly. Great little downtown with a dock, two playgrounds, a pool and a beautifully restored lighthouse. Bike paths are mostly along the road. Good restaurants, especially enjoyed the Crab Trap, and friendly staff. Pretty beaches, not the clear water of Florida, but really great for beach walks and bike rides. The combination of beaches and so much marshland was my favorite thing about the island. Beautiful country!

It was a beautiful fall evening so we drove out to St. Simons Island. St. Simons is part of what is known as the Golden Isles. The area is much quieter and more laidback than other coastal resort islands such as Hilton Head or Amelia Island. We strolled around the small downtown area and made our way to the pier to view the sunset. The view from the pier was fantastic. In addition to many small restaurants and small shops there are bike and walking paths along the waterfront and a lighthouse and museum, though it was closed when we arrived. I would highly recommend a trip to St. Simons to experience the natural beauty and historical sites such as the Lighthouse Museum and Fort Frederica.

This is a great place if you are careful. Don't go into town as it is dangerous in many areas especially at night. The village area however is charming. Lots of places to ride a bike. Local fishermen seemed to be successful but a warning suggests only eating the fish once per month because of the pollution of the mills. Probably not a place you'd want to move if you have kids as the locals say it is considered the worst school system in the state. So bad the state had to come in and take over a few years back. If you're a golfer it's great. A round is only around $70 on the low end to several hundred on the pro courses. Many good seafood places. Not the quality of Hilton Head but acceptable. Day trips to Cumberland Island and Sapelo to the RJ Renolds mansion was intetesting. Also a great gallery by the airport road and an interesting museum at the Epworth center. Epworth has a great buffet. A great sunset shot of the pulp mill. It usually doesn't drift toward the island.

Beautiful pier and beaches!! Tide comes in pretty quick so be careful not to get stuck where you can’t get out on public access!! Such friendly locals and lots of playgrounds for little ones!!

We came to St Simons with out children and grandchildren for fall break. It was a great time because there were no crowds, and the weather was good. We stayed at East Beach which I would recommend. The beach at the north end was very wide, and both kids and dogs were free to play away without bothering anyone. If we had had more time we would kayak, fish, and climb the lighthouse. Our hope is that we will return next year.

The airport is right behind the beach. Helicopters, jets and touring planes, overhead. Not consistently, but enough to make relaxing on the beach unpleasant for me.

Hard packed very fine sand.

March visit was not crazy with people. But roads are very busy.

I enjoyed the cute little town.

I was quite under whelmed with the place. Very honky tonk. Lots of tourist shops with cheap merchandise. Dirty streets with a fair amount fo liter around.

St. Simons island is beautiful. There are gorgeous homes, lovely beaches, history you can entrench yourself in and great little shops to shop in.

Not even sure how or why we found this beautiful GA island community but sure glad we did. Needed a place to vacation with family and celebrate daughters FSU graduation not too far from Tallahassee. Found a beautiful cottage right on the beach that accommodated the 8 of us. So easy to get to, easy to get around, the people all so pleasant, enough things to leisurely see and do, beautiful beach, beautiful weather, and great local restaurants specializing in local seafood, BBQ, and produce. Our family is somewhat diverse in tastes and experiences...New Yorkers, South Floridian, and even a WV Mountaineer. However, it was unanimous that all had a wonderful time in this beautiful island community simply relaxing and enjoying the southern ambiance and hospitality.

Family friendly, quaint and surprisingly historical. Trolley tour, lighthouse, sunset off the pier and shopping were all pleasant and worth doing. Weather was cool so couldn't enjoy the beach but we took walks and bike rides. Museums were well done, not too overwhelming. Missed out on some good dining because reservations need to be made in advance of trip apparently. Enjoyed excellent key lime margaritas at Barbara Jean's. You should go!

St Simon’s Island is beautiful. Some great restaurants. The downtown has a nice funky vibe. Little shops, eateries and a pier. A gorgeous Beach, lighthouse and 3 golf courses. A great vacation spot. We were there in August so do jot know how busy it gets in February and March.

This place is great...so much to see and do. Cool shops, unique restaurants, beautiful beaches, golf cart rentals, and much more!

I documented my visit to St. Simons Island. You can find the video on YouTube by searching for Nash Potatoes Outdoor Show.

Enjoy!

We attended a wedding at Musgrove Plantation and the Island is beautiful.
A lot of large expensive homes well maintained as well as a working end of the island.
King and prince resort nice but Cloister resorts are also nice.

Beautiful lighthouse with attached museum that was the keeper's house. Great views from the top and great gift shop too.

Captain Kevin was very patient with my three kiddos, and they had an absolute blast! This was the highlight of our trip to St. Simons and I hope we can do it again one of these days.

Nice small clean island. Everyone is so friendly. Restaurants are pricey but good. Lots of shops and restaurants to see. So many oak trees to see.

A place where you can relax. A perfect place to unwind and to clear your mind. Great beach, great foods, and perfect location. I want to live here someday!

Beautiful scenery, historical site, good mix of ages, relaxed and unpretentious. Stayed at St Simons Inn. Recommend low key dolphin tour by Cap Fendig.

This a beautiful area to explore. Lots to see. Historic places, tours and excellent restaurants. A relaxing day for sure. We go for the day as we are an hour away in Jacksonville. This makes a great day trip.

We lived on SSI for 15 years--a charming, quiet coastal retreat. Now the island has been "discovered" and the usual franchises are everywhere, along with intense. slow traffic. The beach compares poorly with any FL beach due to the silt and clouded water. Little to recommend here, to our great disappointment.

The town is laid back, offers a good array of dining options, and there are a lot of small day trips to find nearby. We spent a full day relaxing, another day exploring Jekyll island, and another one exploring Cumberland island. We visited in early May and ended up with great weather the entire trip. If you're booking and uncertain about where to stay, I'd recommend giving airbnb a look.

We have not visited St. Simons twice, in back years. Both times have been in summer, July and August. I really would like to visit it in late fall or spring. As I age, 77 years, heat does not allow me to do as much as I used to. So much of our excursions were cut short by the high humidity and heat. But, that aside, I guess we could have rented golf carts and used that for travel. Do remember umbrellas. Food is great as are the sights and sites. LOL

Ice cream places, okay I think for those who love this type of cold taste, but unhappy for those of us who loves yogurt! It made me feel unwelcome know that they don’t sale yogurt as much as they sale ice creams👌🏼👌🏼☝️☝️ I had to walk a bit to finally find this FFise yogurt place by the way your flavors are super cool 😎 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼, Thanked Fuse for sale my type of yogurt. You are the best for that🎉🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Upon entering the island I was already overcome with how many cars, people, golf carts, big trucks, and bikers were everywhere. And don’t get me started on the traffic circles. It feels very congested at every destination. The condos are packed in like sardines and so are the people. Everywhere we ate felt like we were sitting on each other with other families. The shopping was boring with same merchandise in every store and way overpriced. Most every restaurant closes at 9! The beach was as full as a Jersey Shore Beach and there isn’t much of it when tide comes in. We came first week of June. We won’t be coming back.

Had a great family getaway to the island during Spring Break 2021. Not sure if crowds were down due to COVID, but very few people on the quiet sections of beach. Plenty of family friendly activities on SSI and Jekyll Island and everything is a short walk/drive away.

Love Saint Simon! Laid back island with a little bit of everything! Seafood, fresh daily wherever you eat! Favorite place CRAB DADDY'S! Brogen North has best pizza ever! Kayaking to horse back riding, beaches are great for dogs and long walks. My favorite place, will be back!

I got to the light house later than I wanted. It closes at 5pm. But the grounds and the information outside was great. After dark the area is well lit and nice for a night walk.

Just drove to the island for an overnight escape and loved it. The bakeries, ice cream stands, quaint stores and island ambiance without the stuffiness of Hilton Head island. Loved it. Beautiful beaches and food!!!!

Great place to stop and smell the sea and flowers. We enjoyed everythihng, sights, cafes, restaurants, and the parks. Great access to the ocean.

The whole area is a delightful walk along the waterfront and downtown area. Parking is a little tight.

We love this island and it looks like it has been discovered. easy to get around and lots to do from the beach, golfing and shopping. labor day was very crowded but we had no trouble find out our favorite places were available.

We picked St. Simons as our vacation spot this year. We were NOT disappointed!! It is beautiful, laid back, wonderful waterfront with so many places to sit and watch the most beautiful sunsets we have ever seen. There are many good places to eat right in the Village. Itt is also a place you can make your base as you do day trips to other gorgeous areas. It is such a peaceful, restful place. We definitely want to come back.

St. Simons Island was one of my absolute FAVORITE experiences during our first trip to the Golden Isles! This place is so beautiful and has everything you could want all in one place. After our amazing dinner at Mullet Bay Restaurant, we took an evening stroll down the main street on the Island which was lined with beautiful stores and boutiques. Needless to say, my girls had to stop in for a mermaid doll!

When we got to the end of the street, we reached the fishing pier and play area. The fishing pier is a nice place to relax and take in the beautiful views of the ocean all around. Especially during the evening.

Once we finished our stroll on the pier, my girls definitely wanted to stop by the play area! They actually have 2 different play areas, which is nice, because one was for slightly older children and the one we chose was more appropriate for toddler children. We sat on the nearby benches after pushing them on the swings, and watched them play for the rest of the evening! They had the best time!

The beaury of the lighthouse on the Island is stunning! We made it out to the lighthouse a little too late to experience the museum, so we were a little disappointed about that, but it is definitely on our to do list for next visit! My dad loves lighthouses so he was definitely excited to see it from the outside and we took a few family photos with the lighthouse in the background.

Overall, our experience on St. Simons Island was absolutely perfect! I wouldn't change a thing about the experience we had. I will remember our time here for years to come and I plan to make this a traditional place to visit ANY time we visit The Golden Isles!

It's beautiful but overbuilt. It's walkable for the time being with good access to bike trails. Golf is expensive--all courses are private, but will accommodate you at a price. Like any nice place, it is being destroyed. Townhouses continue being built one on top of the other with very little green space. The charm of the island will soon be a memory. The locals told us the summer months mean traffic nightmares and interminable restaurant lines.

Beautiful island. We stayed in the more tourist area near the lighthouse and pier. Everything was within walking distance. Residents of the island are very helpful and friendly. The area is very clean. No trash on beaches or public areas. Very impressed with everything about this 13 mile Island. The live oaks are impressive. Definitely visit the welcome center for information.

My Mom lives on this island and I love to visit. It’s a little laid back and full of beauty. So many picturesque settings. Good restaurants and shopping!

Quaint little town with a rich history full of fun small attractions to do. Spend a long weekend to really enjoy all the great things there.

A friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our time on the island. There is much to do: a lighthouse, fort, churches, the beach, shopping, and great dining. One word of advice: not all houses you may rent have beachfront 24 hours. Our condo (near the pier) only had a beach at low tide. So keep that in mind when you rent if that is important to you. I would definitely come back here.

Tons of bike paths in a beautiful setting. Had a great afternoon riding, walking the beach, lunch near the pier, ice cream for dessert, shopping for the grand kids, just a great place to spend outside enjoying time together.

This was our first visit to St Simon's Island and found it exactly what we were looking for: warm, sunny, restaurants within walking distance and beaches to stroll upon. Don't miss the honey store in downtown SSI ~ you can do both honey tastings and honey wine tastings ~ and it's a fun experience. The area could use more pickle ball courts. It's so busy, we never got a chance to play there. It's close enough to also enjoy day trips to Jekyll Island and Brunswick, both worth visiting.

Love this place. This is a special place for me with my family. I could spend all day on the range at Sea Island with my sons. And my wife and I could spend hours biking on the beach and streets. Loved horseback riding with my daughter, too.

Gaylon Beights

We are from the Boston area so coming to St. Simons was a nice change of pace! The island is very clean and it's obvious people take pride in their homes. We found everyone to be very courteous and friendly. The beaches are beautiful but the water is very brownish due to the high mineral content. We were not expecting Caribbean blue water but certainly not the brownish color!

We've been here lots before but never during a cold snap! Man that wind off the ocean felt like Canada! But we found great places with hot chowder and wonderful meals. We'll go again but we'll check the temperature first!

Stayed a week during February break 2020. The plentiful oak trees draped in Spanish Moss are glorious. Lots of biking opportunities. Pretty lakes with terrapins.

Stayed here during the July 4th week with my wife and 2 daughters. Though a relatively short drive from the route 95 highway, once you cross the causeway to the island, it seems you leave the rest of the world behind. Yes, it was very busy near the pier but not too crowded to enjoy. We enjoyed several beaches (big and small) and all within a short walk or drive. Each beach was clean and the surf had something for all ages. The highlight was the fireworks display. Since the best viewing was on the town common, there was plenty of space for everyone and there were no bad views. I'd recommend getting there early in the day to have a picnic and stake your spot for the evening. Then walk around and enjoy the pier, local shops, restaurants, and ice cream, all within a short walk. as dusk fell, the town handed out glow sticks of various styles to any and all who wanted them. Nice touch! I'd recommend not parking too close to the common if you want to leave in a hurry after the fireworks end. If you do, you'll wait a long time to leave. It's better to park a 10 or 15-minute walk away to avoid the traffic jamb. Overall a very pleasant place to spend the week with numerous restaurants to try, nearby attractions to see, beaches to relax at, close proximity to shopping, and the locals made us feel welcome.

I've lived here for 30 years and it's a beautiful island. Find the pier and you will have a wonderful time. Look for the islands hidden gems and you'll fall in love.

We decided to take a trip to St Simon Island as we had enjoyed a trip to Jekyll Island. This island is well worth the trip! The beach was hard packed and we enjoyed a wonderful walk on the beach. As well the fishing pier was filled with locals catching crab, etc.. the lighthouse is picture perfect. There are interesting shops, coffee shops and restaurants to visit.

Exploring the barrier islands off the coast of GA has to include a visit to the largest one, St. Simon. It is a great place to visit and to explore with many special, unique attractions. One could spend several hours or several days taking in all this island has to offer. A driving tour or a tour on the trolley will give you the highlights and wet your appetite for more. From the lighthouse to the fishing pier, from Ft. Frederica to Christ Church, from the slave cabins to the lovely Lane Chapel, you will be delighted to visit this island.

We ate near the pier, playground and town center. St. Simons is a lively, family friendly sea coast town with Charm and Inviting shops. We stayed at Sea Island but did all our shopping here’s. Many great places to stay near the coast or out on the interstate.

This was a great trip. It was quiet and calm, and we only had a small storm one night out of five. My only complaint, as weird as it is, is that there aren’t a lo5 of kids around. It seems more like a retirement area than a kids area.

Loved the small beach town atmosphere! Great restaurants, nice fishing pier. Great for small kids, teens, and adults too. Plenty to keep everyone busy or relaxed--whichever you are looking for.

Very small dated area with shops, took a picture of the light house and left. Quite a disappointment after Jekyll and Hilton Head.

Small but charming island full of large oak trees that join over village roads, full of Spanish moss. Historical buildings, museums and large expanses of sandy beaches make St. Simon's island quite a picturesque destination. Fishing, swimming, biking and hiking are popular and easily done in multiple locations.

Saint Simons is a great place if you are seeking a low key/quaint island beach vacation. The beaches themselves are okay but not outstanding while the atmosphere, the Village area, and restaurant options are great. You rarely deal with any traffic while the Village is often busy but a comfortable amount of people. The history of the island is much deeper than most know going back to the early 1700s.

My wife and I discover this little piece of paradise on the Georgia Coast. What a cute little town they had on the island. If you want to relieve stress this is the places for you.

I highly recommend St. Simon Island for families with kids or without, couples vacations, romantic get away or any other reason to travel.

We had a great tour guide; funny, down to earth and very informative. The history was intriguing, the stories were entertaining and I really wish we had more time to explore. This is a good trip for all ages.

We originally planned on going to Savannah for a few days but I wanted something more relaxing. SSI was a great taking off place; we drove over to Jekyl Island and also did spend a day in Savannah. Lots of places to eat, discover and view on SSI. Getting around driving was so easy. Next year we will skip Savannah and spend more time here, bike riding and going to the beach.

Lovely island with lots to see and do. Many good restaurant choices. Many nice shops with unique items. Be sure to take the 90 minute Trolley Tour to learn more about the history of the island. Visit Fort Frederica and the Bloody Marsh site. Visit the beautiful Christ’s Church. Serene setting in the park by the Lighthouse. There is not a shortage of things to see and do

The area around the Pier on St. Simmons Island an excellent place to visit due to many restaurants and shops in the area.
Very nice waterfront setting by the Pier.

What a lovely town! Free parking most places. Lots of great shops and restaurants. We took a wonderful tour of the town on the trolley!

Nice beach. Nice Main Street. Good restaurants. Fishing & biking and other things. Clean. Good walking beach

A realtor from corabettthomasrealty.com rented us this house on Saint Simon's Island, GA. This was my email to her after entering the dump!
Shame on you for renting this dump out to anyone. This is simply a slum rental misrepresented by an unscrupulous woman as a fresh and cozy Saint Simon's Island rental. Shame on you for not addressing concerns of former renters, immediately and personally. You should had offered a full refund or to found us a more suitable rental, whatever the cost to you. Your personal reputation, the reputation of, and your relationship, of Cora Bett Thomas Reality should rank higher on your list of priorities. I worked for three days to clean it so that it doesn't make great-granddaughter, my husband or me sick. I wish I could have arrived at a better idea of you as a human being. You weren't even willing to deal with me as the person responsible for renting out this dump. First off, you should know the status of your rental. The VRBO reviews did not even come close to detailing the condition, and they were harsh, dust everywhere. Trash is everywhere. Every time my great-granddaughter pulls open a drawer she pulls it trash. There wasn't a filter for air-conditioning system. My husband is vacuuming the ceilings as I write this email to you. We dusted and bleached walls and floors. The yard is said, by you HB to be lovely. It is unkept and a neighborhood eyesore. The dead trees from Hurricane Micheal or the Tropical Storm in 2017 is still down in the yard. The deck is rottng. The back French doors almost fall out onto the deck because they are rotted so thoroughly. Oh I could go on and on but I think people will see what type or person corabettthomasrealty.com employees. You are an unscrupulous realtor. Simply a sad and bleak black eye for such a nice Island off the Georgia coast.

This is an historical and eclectic place with something for everyone. Plenty of great places to eat, museums/historical locations, and places to stay. Great for a day trip or weekend (at most).

Absolutely best pizza in town. Thin crust great toppings too! They also serve fine Italian dishes,wine and beer. It’s a small place with seating both in and outside. It is full of memorabilia with bar seating and pizzas made right in front of you in the huge brick oven. Really fun atmosphere. The owner sometimes is there with his own “entertainment”. It does get crowded but is worth the wait. Definitely give Sal’s a try and enjoy.

We just returned from a week on St Simon's Island. We had a blast! We stayed at a home on East Beach just off the water. We loved every minute of it. The town is so great filled with shops, restaurants, bars, ice cream for the kiddos. Loved seeing all of the bikes and golf carts around town. Everyone was so wonderfully friendly. Even "crowded" the people were civil and courteous. Highly recommend! Fair warning: It is HOT in July so definitely have access to a pool or the beach.

We stopped here briefly on our way up the coast and were charmed by the beauty and history of this island. Very beautiful island with oak trees and Spanish moss lined streets. We heard there are some very good restaurants here and we will have to return when we have more time.

Beautiful town. Beautiful beach. Not crowded at all. Flat and easy to navigate on. Kids would love to fly kites or frisbees here

This is a lovely community with great old houses and great groves of live oaks and other trees draped with Spanish Moss. Excellent restaurants, historic sites, and lots of water and marshes. Pricey hotels so look for vacation rentals. Many are in condo areas with lots of amenities like pools, swings, tennis, etc.

So much history, perfect biking roads, and fabulous food to be had on this island. Great weather most of the year, and so many unique places to stay.

This is a fabulous island. More restaurants than you can imagine. Everything about this place is superb. The beach is spectacular. The pier is quaint and friendly. Fishing, hiking, biking, shopping, dining (any budget can find somewhere to eat!) I cannot say enough about this magical place!

Beautiful! That is all i have to say. Beautiful homes. Beautiful barrier island. Beautiful old town.♥️ And just seven miles from Brunswick, if you happen to be there on business.

Small time vibe, cute shops, lots of outdoor activities, particularly biking and hiking. Great photo opportunities for the photographer. Good restaurants.

If you haven't seen a picture of the island...take a look. Its breathtaking from one end to the other. You can ride bicycles, go to the beach, shop at several downtown boutiques...and eat at several fine restaurants. We came in early December for the RSM golf classic, and then decided to come back for a longer visit. Really beautiful everywhere we go.

History, dolphins, wildlife, beach, pool, no big chains, an unusually original locale and vibe. Loved it!

The entire area is beautiful and offers something for all ages. There are multiple great restaurants, shops and pubs. The park area is great for watching the ocean and people watching. There is a nice fishing pier that you can walk out on and enjoy the view or fish for free. There is a great selection of types of restaurants from open air with music to seafood.

Very nice place to visit for a few days or just a weekend,solo,Friends or family. Beautiful landscape with oaks and pine trees on one side and an amazing view ocean the other.

St. Simons Island is a retreat to rebuild and reunite with loved ones or yourself .. from scavenger hunts, food, shopping, walking, beaches, peaceful, relaxed and rejuvenating of the spirit. Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere found in all places .. from the golf courses at the Sea Palms and the Marshes to the North End of the Island where local establishments, history and the simple things that make life great .

Within days our family, kids 16 to 3, fell in live with this place. So convenient to get around, people are friendly and helpful. So much to see and do from the beach, marshes, pier, fishing, bike riding, golf carts, shops. Definitely a return trip in our near future.

We've been in the area before but never St Simons! I never heard the reference "Golden Isles" before to describe the area, but now we know why! The drive over is indescribable the way the grass "glows!" We live near the Gulf of Mexico but there's nothing like the Atlantic! Truly enjoyed walking the area and we look forward to our next trip!

Greatly enjoyed our time on the Island and hope to come back again next year. Beautiful scenery, great for kids of all ages and very relaxing atmosphere

What a beautiful island - and this after St. Simons was significantly affected by Hurricane Irma - which had been under mandatory evacuation. Since we would be arriving about 2 weeks after the hurricane, I called the inn we would be staying at and the Visitors Center on the island and was assured that everything was up and running 100% and it was except for one of the historic forts. Many trees had come down in the storm, but had already been cut down and were piled at the sides of the roads,but in no way detracted from the beauty of the island. In doing a dry-run to find the golf course the day before the guys would be playing golf we drove around the island and saw more than we expected since the GPS directed us the long way, but we sure got to see parts of residential areas we wouldn't have otherwise. In the village, lots to see and do. Many restaurants and shops and just being down at the pier was wonderful. Lots of parks too and playgrounds.

Our bicycling adventure on St. Simons Island was so much fun. I suggest you take the Colonial Trolly Tour to get a good background of the island to have a better appreciation of the Spanish/English fight for the land at Bloody Marsh and Fort Frederica, Christ Church, the freed slave area of the island, the Village Pier, the airport, the recommended restaurants, the tree spirits, the Avenue of the Oaks, and other places. The Village Pier is quaint with thriving businesses, and we have found the people to be warm and friendly. The 30 miles bike paths were in mostly good condition and connected most of the island.

Great place for a leisurely drive as it has excellent seascapes, beaches, a cozy village complete with lighthouse, shoreside park, fishing pier and lots of restaurants and shops. Very scenic as you drive across the causeway passing through marshlands before entering areas of hardwoods and scrub pine. You can complete the circuit in about 1 1/2 hours if you don't stop. But I would recommend spending some time and possibly lunch in the village.

I love this island. I came here as a child visiting my grandparents during the summer. The magic of this island will call you back to return. The Pier and surrounding area, Bloody Marsh, Fort Frederica, shops, food, and the beaches make this an ideal place for all ages.

This is my new "go to" retreat. Second trip in two years.
The majestic moss covered oaks are all around the island and they add such a wonderful charm and mystique to the island. There are plenty of trails to explore as well as the interesting Fort Frederica site and the Spirit Trees.
For an off the beaten trail adventure check out Coastal Backwater Adventures for a ride through the waterways of SSI. This was the highlight of our trip on our recent visit. Worth every penny - lots of wildlife to see along the marsh and waterways. If you are lucky like we were, you will get up close to a pod of dolphins.
SSI also has a huge selection of restaurants. Southern Soul is our favorite.
Definitely put Saint Simons Island on your bucket list!

From high end to Coney Island to down home, Saint Simons Island has it all. Pick and choose your flavor of the day. Will return.

While driving to DC we stopped in Brunswick for a night and headed to the lighthouse on St. Simons to watch the sun rise the following morning. We were greeted by a pod of dolphin. Such a fabulous way to start the day!

St Simons Island is a pretty island off the Georgia coast. We visited St Simons after leaving Jekyll Island. St Simons is more developed and more popular, and we did encounter more people and some traffic on the island.

That said, there is a lot to see and do in St Simons island. We went to the downtown area, visited the lighthouse, walked along the beach, and went out to the fishing pier. There is a nice little area right off the pier with some shops and stores, and we got lunch and ice cream. Overall, the area reminded me a little bit of the small towns along the very south end of the Jersey Shore.

My self guided tour of Saint Simon Island was too brief.
The magnificent oak trees with Spanish moss were plentiful. The Lighthouse was beautiful. I did not find the landmark at Dunbar Creek commemorating Igbo (Slaves) Landing Mass Suicide. I definitely will return on my next visit to this area.

Quintessential Southern charm abounds. Perfect to go solo, with a family or your BFF's. Small shopping villages, lots of local restaurants from $-$$$, peaceful and walkable beach, historic spots, and lots of outdoor options.

Lots of places to explore on this island and miles and miles of flat beach for walking. Good eats as well.

Great seafood without much of a wait. I had scallops and shrimp. They were hot when arrived to my table. They were fresh in appearance and taste. My mother had shrimp. The food was good as always.

We greatly enjoyed St Simons. The oak trees/Spanish moss covered the highways. It was easy to get around by car with lots of parking at Pier Village, just ride around until one becomes available. We visited Pier Village, climbed the lighthouse, Fort Frederica (interesting to envision what life was like in the town), Christ Church (visited by 5 Presidents). Good restaurants (we tried Iguanas, Soulful Soul & Tramici). Loved the Inn at Sea Island! Would definitely visit again....

We enjoy walking the main street and shopping in St Simons. The honey store is a favorite. Friendly service in all the shops.

We prefer the gulf because of the clear water. However, this was a great day. The water is very shallow and the sand bars are fun.

Our family has taken two vacations here over the last year and hope to continue future visits to the Island. The locals are "great," restaurants yummy, nice beaches and lots of fun and adventurous activities on this island, sea island and jekyll. Try using the "uber" drivers for those rainy days or just if you're too tired to walk or bike anywhere after your busy day of activities. SSI is pet friendly with several nice shops, pier and parks to enjoy!

My wife and I travel often and although we live In Jacksonville, we have never visited Saint Simons Island. We were so pleasantly surprised. There are a number of fine places to stay, (we stayed at the King and Prince), the village is quaint and worth a visit, some excellent places to eat, just ask the locals, and it is a lelaxing place to just have fun.

My wife and I visited St.Simons Island for our Anniversary in early February. We had a great time and really enjoyed the area. St.Simons is in a good location to visit other Islands! Just a short drive to Jekyll Island & not far to St.Marys where we took a short boat ride to Cumberland Island. February is a great time to visit the area if you like peace and quiet!!! Not a lot of visitors during this time of the year & the weather has always been great. Definitely a fun place to visit!

Great family weekend! Three families rented a beach VRBO for hanging out! Enjoyed the beach, surrounding areas for shopping and eating‼️

Saint Simmons is a great place to vacation. Nice restaurants, decent shopping and powdery white beaches await.

St Simons is a very public friendly island with many good public beaches, lots of options for lodging (think VRBO, AirBnB), varied dining options and decent shopping.

St. Simons island is an old resort and seaside town with large second homes and tree lined streets.

Downtown is cute with cafes, shops, and restaurants.

There are beaches along the Atlantic Ocean.

Amazing , quaint , little beach town ! Would definitely return ! Not too crowded at the end of September, yet the weather is still perfect for the beach !

We've been multiple times and our 1st time was terrific. In the past 8 years. condos have sprouted up all over the island, with open space decreasing monthly. Examples: 2 new large condo developments near the Ace Garden Center; 2 more by the Epworth Complex; more housing in the former German section and the northern end of the island. There are literally narrow alleys between homes. It's was a nice place; it's now a concrete. Jeckyll is nicer and more open, but 100+ condos built there in last few years.

We had never been to Saint Simons before. Wanted to go somewhere new for our twelve year anniversary. We hit the jackpot. This is a very small quaint little island. Very nice beaches. Found lots of shells. Were able to get about two feet up to a pelican. There’s lots of tours you can take as well as fishing charters. Everything is within walking distance. Will definitely be back again.

Charming, friendly and laid back! We loved it there, had such a great time- will definitely be back!

It was our first tru=ip to one of the Golden Isles. What a surprise. The island is quite large and a charming southern destination with lots of history. So much history!

We recently made a trip down the east coast of South Carolina and Georgia for our anniversary. Most of our time was spent staying on Saint Simons Island and visiting other places of interest nearby. If you have not been here, you need to go. It is such a pretty place with so much to see and do but.......it is also very laid back and casual in its atmosphere. So many things to see simply by taking a walk or a bike ride. By using St. Simons as our "base" we were also able to visit all the other nearby islands and sights to see. There are many historical buildings, churches, lighthouses, forts, etc. In my humble opinion, this is a must see place!!!

Our favorite area for relaxing vacation, not overrun with over touristy stores. From Pier/ Village area to East Beach easy walking or biking. Great neighborhood to view and short drive to Jacksonville airport plus smaller airport there too

Nice beaches are spoiled by the murky brown water.
Began visiting St Simons about 28 years ago and sadly, how things have changed!
The island has been over built, over hyped and over rated.
Heavy traffic, overcrowding and over development have stripped the place of its once charming and laid back atmosphere.
I guess if you never saw the old St Simons you would still have fun and think its great.
You can have a good time renting a golf cart and drive around real slow and infuriate the locals. There are no rules of the road (That are enforced) for golf carts so let her rip! Have a drink have a drive and get out there and see what you can see!
There is no best time to come to St Simons. Tourist season is 24-7-365 now.
St Simons (Atlanta by the sea) is still a fun place but its a shell of its former self.

This is such a beautiful place with so much to do. I can wait to return. do not miss the Spirit trees.

I didn't want to leave! I have been coming here on and off since I was a teen and it's even better now at age 54! Stayed at the King & Prince resort, it was fabulous in every way. I rented a bike and rode it all over. Uber was easy and plentiful when needed. Weather was beautiful. Beach is lovely and so much wilder and prettier than the gulf beaches, in my opinion. Can't wait to go back!

Beautiful island with plenty to see and do. There are also a lot of shops and restaurants to choose from. Don’t forget to visit the lighthouse.

We thought this was a beautiful island with magnificent trees, small-town feel, good restaurants and a nice beach.

We loved the King and prince resort. Also visited the turtle hospital at Jekeyll Island. Exciting to see the turtle limbs repaired and them let back in ocean.
Restaurants are good, shopping wonderful. Beautiful area to enjoy.

St Simon’s Island is a wonderful retreat from almost anywhere. The roads snake out in a number of directions, the downtown area offers attractions to everyone and oh, the history. Fort Frederica, The Chapel where John Wesley preached, the Lighthouse, the Memorial Gardens, etc. Too much to name and more to see

I really don’t want to talk up this place... it’s such a wonderful getaway and very few people know about it. If you are looking for a place where you need to constantly be entertained with electronics and rides and music this is not your place. On the other hand if you’re interested in beautiful marshes ecology history a laid-back environment with delicious food and many ways to self entertain including discovering the beaches the birds and neighborhoods that you will love this place.

Great little beach town, very friendly with many great restaurant. Weekends have live music and our favorite was the Flood Brothers. 1960's rockers, with a GREAT and very diverse playlist, from Pink Floyd to 16 Tons.

We will seek them out next trip.

What a great combination of quaint and a lot of things to do. We found two areas (Mallory Street and Red Fern area) for cute shops and great restaurants. We want to do them all, so we have to go back. So many more to explore!

The natural beauty of the trees and foliage was spectacular. The water was everywhere (hence an island) to be enjoyed in it or in front of it. The biking was very safe and a great way to see the island. The local were very friendly and helpful.

A nice location for low key family and couple fun. We biked, walked and ate our way around the island. It was a safe and fun weekend.

Quaint, friendly and affordable. Picked this over Jekyll for a first visit to Georgia beaches and we’re glad we did. Had a marvelous time, we’ll be back!

This was our first time here. We live in Florida and have seen many beaches, but we wanted to see what the Golden Isles had to offer. We were not disappointed in St. Simons. It was not too crowded, parking was easy, great food options and dog friendly. Lots to look at and the trees are amazing!

Growing up in nearby Brunswick, my parents brought us kids here often. My dad loved to fish off the pier(anywhere) while mom loved to browse the shops and suntan on the beaches. We kids loved the lighthouse, roaming the pier to see what everyone was catching, and of course exploring Fort Frederica! Mom also loved driving around to see all the grand houses, visit Christ Church, Wesley Memorial & Gardens, as well swimming in the beach!

We loved our day spent on St. Simon's Island while visiting family in the Savannah, Georgia area. The Georgia Golden Island's are laid-back, peaceful, and filled with nature's beauty. The waterfront, pier, lighthouse, aquatic fun zone, and downtown area of St. Simon's are inviting for children of all ages. Our large multigenerational family group loved every minute of our relaxing, enjoyable day spent on St. Simon's Island! We can't wait to return!

Shop workers in the village were rude to my daughter asking her to not touch things and telling her if she breaks it she has to buy it. Speak to me and not to my child.

Visited SSI on corporate shareholder/board retreat and extended for vacation. Very pleasant venue. Many restaurants, great trolley tour (Colonial Island), weather pleasant in May, great beach at low tide.

We are into our 6th day here and are loving it. We've gone to many restaurants and haven't hit a bad one yet! We aren't bugged by bugs and everyone seems really nice. The August weather is steamy, but not ridiculously so and the evenings are just perfect. This is one of the best beaches ever! I deducted a star, because I feel St. Simons is being over-developed. At Fort Frederica, we had to listen to chain saws and oaks coming down which broke my heart. They need to be really careful and set aside more land that will be forever protected.

So much to see and do on the island all with a laid back feel. This is one of our favorite spots. We try to visit two or three times a year.

Loved seeing all the things here. Not overly crowded. Nice little shops and historical sites! I will be back!

Lots to do and see!! Parking is tough so be prepared to do some walking!! Or you can drive around for an hour hoping someone will pull out. Lots of shops and some history too.

We had a nice time on Saint Simons Island. We rented a cottage that was walking distance to the beach and village. The village area is a great place to eat, shop, and hang out. You should definitely climb the lighthouse too. The beach isn’t big, but you have plenty of room to relax. The island is densely populated in my opinion, so things seemed to be crammed together. The island has a rich history, so definitely take a trolley tour and visit Fort Frederica if you come for a visit.

Large beaches that are great for walking, playing with the dog or biking on. The island isn’t very large but can get crowded with traffic around 330 pm to 5 pm. The locals are very nice and helpful. We found the 7 tree spirits on the island from the small booklet from the welcome center. There are more than the 7 listed if your lucky to find them. We traveled and seen the avenue of the oaks by the sea island golf course. The light house is a must visit too. You can climb to the top. Restaurants and shops are everywhere. Tons of little shops to visit for souvenirs. Jekyll island is so close that you can take a day and visit it as well!

My family and I stopped here on our return trip from Florida. Had a wonderful time and the area is absolutely stunning!!

SSI made me love it. Quiet. Laid back. Incredibly beautiful and scenic. Visit the lighthouse and pier for sure! Enjoy life I. The slow lane. It will treat you right.

Stopped in on our way back from Florida. They have a lovely area with lots of Spanish moss. The beach parking is free and the beach is well maintained. Area is so nice considering the area for our next vacation.

Captain Rod's Colonial Tours (5 stars!), Palmer's Cafe for lunch or brunch, loved Half Shell Restaurant and Iguana's. Great shopping in town or on RedFern Road. I would definitely go again!! Southern Soul BBQ (A Guy Fieri spot) was OK, but my BBQ is better.

It cannot be improved. It has been overbuilt and is forever ruined. It is now overcrowded and has lost all its charm. Saint Simons Island is now in a constant gridlock of traffic.
Good luck getting something to eat at one of the local Restaurants.
Everyone is here now, all the time! There is no longer an off season.

When driving, one way on and one way off the island, so enjoy and be patient with slower drivers. Easy access to island, plenty of neat directional signs to many places on the island. Speed limit on most of island is 35, but the natives, drive a bit faster. Plenty of bank branches, and ATMS throughout the island. Nice tourist village around the lighthouse with plenty of public parking. Can either rent bikes or golf carts to get around. Everything really is 3-5 miles away from where you start. Nice view of spansion bridge that connects to Jekyll Island. Jekyll is even more laid back than St. Simons.
On one of my map apps, it claimed to have to pay tolls to access the island, this is not true. Sea Island is off limits to people as it is a private island. (Bush II, hosted G8 there, and he loves to return there).
Any kind of food you want is on the island. If shopping is your interest, plenty of places (more pricey than economical). Lots of beach access points, with decent amount of parking, and bath house.
Several homes for sale ranging $225K- $2Million. Really nice and clean island to enjoy for a day or a week.
We will rent a home for a week for our 7 kids and their families for a holiday reunion because it is nice. Island has parks, playgrounds, entertainment, nice choice of foods.

I had a lot of people tell me this was a great place to go. So I decided to check it out for a night. It did not live up to expectations for sure. It was a very typical beach destination. Most definitely middle-class family style. Shops and restaurants were very typical for beach communities including a lot of T-shirt shops and fried food. If you're looking for something a little more upscale Jekyll Island comes to mind; of course Major League upscale would be Hilton Head not too far away. I expected more in the way of good food and night time entertainment since I was there on a Saturday night. I found one place that had pretty good upscale food and one other place in the entire downtown that had live music. It was a young person playing a guitar by himself outside the restaurant. Don't believe everything you hear. If you're coming with your family - read this as small children - then you might be okay and you'll probably enjoy yourself. But don't expect anything special.

I visit a lot of the sea islands along the Southeast coast, and I was happy to have experienced Saint Simons. What makes it unique is the abundance of shady Live Oaks and the walkability of Kings Way Village. I was able to walk to great restaurants, shopping, and interesting island sites, as well as the beac!. I loved leaving the car behind for most of my stay!

Took a trip to get away from the city and work. Loved the islands many options on what to do, shop and eat, or just stroll the beach. Everything you need in a relaxing time away from life and the hustle and bustle you can get it here. Also a short drive away is Brunswick and Jekyll Island both are great day trip locations or dinner spots.

My husband and I love St Simon Island so much, and we have vacationed here three times since I discovered it in 2016. Our dream is to eventually buy a house and move here permanently. It's a beautiful, serene place with everything you need on the island. The downtown is quaint, and the beaches are beautiful, and the food is pretty good. We will be going again soon.

Beware the local grumpy Baby Boomer pickleball players. They will chase you away, if they want your court. Overall, the locals seem to want what the tourist industry supports, but the don’t want visitors.

Great small town fireworks show on the 4th. If you are staying close enough to walk to Neptune Park, it's great. Live music, tents of crafts, food. Small show that was easy to see. Not super crowded.
The island is covered with old oaks dripping with Spanish moss. Very pretty. A great marsh. Most shops are convenient to the condo area, near the village. The north end is about 6 miles away from the village with lots of churches and the fort. Very expensive restaurants. A nice day trip if you are in the area. Not much to do if you're here longer than a few days. Ok beaches. We like Jekyll Island better.

Nice area to visit. Very quiet and great for couple get away. Small, but quaint. Would be great for girls getaway or family vacations. Lots of outdoor activities. Not a lot of night life if that is something you like to do.

October 6th was a gorgeous day to tour St Simons Island..Went to the beach around low tide and the views we're amazing...So many sandbars to see at low tide..you can actually swim to them..So far the best beach in Georgia..Looking forward to coming back and spending more time.

We have been coming here for almost 20 years and have been to a lot of other places as well but this is the place that feels like home every time we come . The people are friendly, plenty to do and the food is great! What more could you ask for. Very family oriented!

Beaches are wonderful - lots of great restaurants and happy hour bars - good off the beat shopping. We had a wonderful time

Had a nice visit to St. Simon Island. So much to do and see. Very easy to walk around the different areas.

Not far from home for us, but a World away! Just a wonderfully relaxing, great little Island to get away from it all and enjoy the wonderful ocean views, great breeze and fresh seafood! We love it and highly recommend it!

We had a great trip to the Island and even better time riding bikes through this gorgeous place!! Can't wait to go back!

Incredible island. Loved everything about it. Loved our stay at The King & Prince Resort on Saint Simons. Take bikes to go everywhere.

The island is a haven for high end vacationing. There are wonderful sea food restaurants, rentals, and hotels. The pier area is full of shops and eateries. A little walk and there is a park and a lighthouse. A perfect place to vacation or a short getaway.

We come to this island all the time. We are dog sitting for a friend and having fun with friends and family that we have down on the island.

Spent some time with family and had a wonderful time. The island is full of history. The trolly tour was great. The tour guide was excellent and very informative. Recommend this very highly. Food was great and the locals were wonderful. Will visit again.

Saint simons is such a beautiful place to visit and be at. I’ve always loved the place and I believe it’s one of the best beaches around.

Beach fun, swimming pools, historical tours, sunsets, fishing pier, bird watching, old fort from the early 1700's, shopping, sailing, fishing and do much more! You'll fall in love with SSI!

The island itself is Beautiful, but getting to it is not. Being a person that does not like tall bridges, driving across the sky high bridge then the causeway bridges was a bit much, but the drive on the island was worth it. After you get on the island, the streets are lined with old trees with Spanish moss hanging from their branches. Behind the trees are multi-million dollar houses hiding behind large gates & fences. Once you get down to the village the old streets are lined with shops and restaurants. The restaurants are Very Expensive, as in they are Very proud of their food and drinks, therefore they expect you to pay them well for it. I'll cover some of the restaurants on another post. We went thru some of the shops and yes some were also very expensive. For some odd reason, products made in China and sold in stores in coastal Georgia with the name of the location on them must be very difficult to make because we saw items such as coffee cups range in price from less than $10 each to more than $30 each. There were a couple of places where the prices were much more reasonably priced, but most of them were not. IF you go to the otherside of the island over by the airport there are some great places to eat and shop. IF you do go, make sure you take the time to visit the old fort and church. I wouldn't go back to this place, it was just too much for me. Rude people and over priced everything are not things that make for a great vacation.

Long weekend at St Simons. Beautiful beach, great places to shop and eat. We will definitely return.

Even though we are "somewhat native" Floridians, and have driven past the Brunswick, Georgia exit on I-95 during the past 30 years, we had never stopped on St. Simons before. We did some research, and decided to make this a long weekend trip from our home in St. Petersburg. Since we wanted to see both St. Simons and Jekyll Islands during this long weekend trip, we stayed at Comfort Suites out in SW Brunswick, GA adjacent to I-95. In hindsight, there is enough to do on each of these islands to warrant separate 2 day trips to each island. St. Simons is by far the more developed of the two islands, and has much more to offer in the way of restaurants, gift shops, lodging, museums, etc. We really enjoyed it, but also found that its beaches were not as nice as Jekyll Island's, both in terms of water clarity (very muddy) and sand color (dark grey). Nonetheless, it has a very relaxed "vibe" about it that sort of reminded us of Carmel, California, but without the super-expensive lodging or dining prices. Although we rarely like to visit places more than twice, we would certainly reconsider going back to St. Simonds for a long weekend trip, particularly now that we have a "lay of the land perspective" on where we might want to stay, eat and relax.

We used Home Exchange to swap our home in Hawaii for a fine spot here. Small bustling village filled with historic fort, lighthouse, beaches and amazing ancient trees everywhere. Would definitely return.

Lots of family activities from shopping and dining to enjoying the scenery and climbing to the top of a lighthouse.

Beautiful landscaped business districts, cultural and historic destinations including the St. Simon's Island Lighthouse, as well as beautiful wildlife throughout the island.

Lots of choices for entertainment for kids of all ages, dining opportunities from local seafood to fine dining and regional wines, and fun items like bakeries and ice cream shoppes.

Don't rush your visit, slow down and enjoy all the island has to offer. Your only regret will be that you didn't have more time to spend on the island.

My husband and I visited St. Simons for the first time and stayed a week. Everyone is very friendly on the island and accommodating of visitors. Our trip happened during an uptick of the Corona virus so many restaurants were closed due to having an employee test positive. We found it difficult to find places to eat but the ones we found were delicious. St Simons is a great place to vacation if you are looking for a quieter, low-key vacation away from a lot of hustle and bustle of other areas. This is a bicycle town, so be prepared to bring your bike and ride or be very aware of people that use a bicycle as you are driving. We will definitely be back.

We live here, and with the silence of the Coronavirus moment, are more sharply aware of why folks find it to be such a nice place to visit.
The ocean has created a remarkable extension to the beaches. Our closed restaurants are of real variety, from 4 star to hamburger joints and ice cream shops.
A considerable variety of hotels are complemented by heaps of houses to rent for a week or more. Cannon point provides walking and biking trails through forested inlets to marshes and the ocean. Nearby Jeckyl Island offers miles of dunes to climb and beaches and the ocean are uncrowded and some really pleasant references.
Do come and sample when safe life returns.In the meantime, stay safe.

If you have nothing better to do than be a tourist and open your wallet...well this is the place for you! Junk for sale, lots of not very good food and booze. All for a steep price.

first, I am a dog lover. but our room smelled like a dog kennel. if people are going to travel with pets, for goodness sake, have only a few rooms that you let them stay in. they don't mind the smell! when I told front desk the gave me lysol to spray the room. it didn't do the trick. I prefer a clean room that has fresh air!!!!!
would not recommend hampton in Saint Simon Island.
a dog lover

We love the atmosphere here! So much to see and many quaint shops and restaurants to visit! The lighthouse is beautiful! Stay at Ocean inn and suites or st simons lighthouse inn. :)

My friend and I had so much fun trying to find all of the faces in the trees. The only thing I would change is that the maps scale on the brochure wasn’t very spot on... we had to drive to find all of them except the mermaid one. Once we figured out that we had to drive and couldn’t walk, it was much easier. It was so cool finding all of the faces... it was almost like a little scavenger hunt for adults!

First time here for family vacation (all adults) and we loved it! The beach is beautiful and lots of great local restaurants! Would love to return!

Great place to visit. Beaches, bike paths, museums and historical places to check out. We always find something different when visiting our favorite gems. Good restaurants too!

One of my favorite vacation places. So many things in a small area. Love the park and all the activities they have there. Could sit there all day in the sunshine and breeze.

A fellow RVer told us about St. Simons Island when we were at an RV park in California so we put it in our list of destinations and I’m so glad he did.

Driving onto the island was a wonderland. The ancient live oaks on each side of the road dapple the neighborhood mansions on either side as well as the roads.

We parked at the pier and took the St. Simons Trolley, what a blast! We learned about the history. Of the history here, the military skirmishes between the Spain and England as well as the submarines which torpedoed military watercraft during WWII.

Shop, eat, walk and learn! What could be better!

Review: Saint Simons Island, Georgia

Saint Simons Island is an absolute must-see for anyone who appreciates the beauty of the ocean and the charm of a well-preserved island. We discovered this hidden gem during our recent snowbird getaway from the chilly weather of Indiana, and it completely exceeded our expectations!

The island boasts stunning ocean views and pristine beaches that are perfect for long walks, shell collecting, or just relaxing and soaking up the natural beauty. Beyond the picturesque landscapes, Saint Simons is a treasure trove of activities and attractions.

The charming downtown area is home to a variety of unique shops and boutiques, where we found everything from handmade crafts to coastal-themed decor. The food scene is equally impressive, offering delicious options ranging from fresh seafood to Southern comfort food. Every meal felt like a celebration of local flavors.

History and culture lovers will also be delighted by the many local museums and historic sites. We particularly enjoyed exploring the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum and learning about the island’s rich past.

Whether you’re looking for relaxation, adventure, or a bit of both, Saint Simons Island has it all. It’s a beautifully maintained oasis that feels both serene and vibrant. We can’t wait to return and highly recommend it to anyone seeking an unforgettable coastal escape!

What an amazing place. This whole area was beautiful. St Simons, Jekyll Island and all the places in between. The locals were very friendly and willing to help

I Robin Franklin Manning of Thomasville Georgia came here on several occasions with my job with Georgia Pines Mental Health. I recommend seeing this beautiful place.

We had a great time on the beaches and rented a beach house at 815 Parkway which was AMAZING!!! We wanted to stay another week!!

St Simons is a great island for spending time on the beach and in the calm waters. Their are plenty of opportunists for fishing, boating, and other water sports. On land, the shops and restaurants are plentiful and good quality. Though it welcomes tourists, St Simons is a resident island so there is always a lively mix of visitors and locals. Great for families.

We enjoyed our bike ride around the island (rented from Ocean Motion) but outside of the ride and Fort Frederica, there really wasn’t that much to see and do. We thought there might be shops, but it seemed to be mostly strip malls. Had a fabulous dinner at Georgia Sea Grill, though.

Very nice area for walking or biking. Went to two beaches and the village pier. Several cute shops and restaurants in the pier area.

St Simons Island is a great romantic getaway! We went in the springtime and enjoyed quiet walks on the beach, a beautiful moonrise over the ocean, and plenty of time riding bikes. There are bike paths everywhere and it's easy to explore the island. We rode from the King and the Prince resort along a nice wide path, pass the small airport, through a lovely residential area, and into town. Enjoy a meal on Mallery Street and explore the lighthouse and pier. There are plenty of open spaces, a playground and trees to climb for kids. But, it's also a romantic place to enjoy a quiet stroll, great meals and a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Overall, we had a great time. There are a few things I would like to make more of for fellow travelers about St Simon.
1. The beaches on most of the island disappear at high tide. As I’m gone. No beach. Go find something else to do ‘cause you’re not sitting on the beach. This was a huge shock to me. I’m a sun up to sun down kinda beach bum.

2. The only beach that is usable at high tide is East beach, most commonly accessed at the Coast guard station, opposite the East beach causeway. Everyone else knows this so it gets crowded. We were visiting in October and it was elbow to elbow. I can’t imagine the crowds during peak season.

3. The water is murky. I’m guessing it’s because of the River? Murky as in mulch washing ashore. It was a bit weird at times.

4. There are bike paths all over the islan which are wonderful. They are however not always safe. If you’re used to or have visited Hilton head island, the bike paths on SSI cannot compare.

5. However, the neighborhoods are far more open and kid friendly. Lots of parks and green spaces to use while the high tide is consuming the beaches. Honestly, it reminded me of the 1950s neighborhood I grew up in where kids were free to roam. I really liked that about this island. Compared to HHI, where there is heavy high traffic, parking lots for miles and gated communities, this was a welcomed change of pace.

6. There are good restaurants. I have a gluten ll ergot and was pleasantly surprised by how many places I could eat. We could bike or walk to nearly all of them. In comparison, far more restaurants than Tybee, Folly, IOP, Edisto or Bald Head. Far less shopping and restaurants than HHI.

7. The island is not “cookie cutter”. Huge beach houses next to beach bungalow. Which gives it a little personality.

8. Low tide is very low. Incredibly safe for kids. Knee deep water for nearly 75 yards off shore especially the closer you get to the pier.

9. There is a public pool. It looks like a nice one. It wasn’t open in October but we walked up and looked at it.

10. The traffic was light in October. I’ve heard horror stories about how busy it gets. In the office season it was better than Other beaches on the East coast.

We often travel to St Simon's Island in the fall and winter. It is a beautiful place with beaches, restaurants and friendly people.

This is a piece of heaven on earth. With the only working lighthouse in South Cariolina to the beautiful oak rows of trees that have stood for thousands of years.
You can go up in the lighthouse for a tour but be warned there are lots of steps winding up and down.
A magnificent church with graves dating back to the 16th centuries.
There is fast food for on the go OR fine dining to enjoy.
Tours for all ages but you can explore on your own pace in your car using your Waze.
We can’t say enough about this piece of heaven!

St. Simon's Island is a small resort town with restaurants, tiny shops, lots of people watching opportunities, and much, much more. We found there are many name brand hotels and even more B&B's in the area. There seem to be a lot of destination weddings held on the waterfront downtown. There is also a higher end resort, The Cloister, on the island. It will take you a day or two to see it all. Author, Eugenia Price, wrote many historical novels about St. Simon's Island so it is fun to visit all of the churches, plantations and other historical sites/cemeteries and find families from her novels. There are miles and miles of bicycle paths, too. Epsworth-by-the-Sea is a church retreat that is also located on the Island.

My wife and I first came to St Simons in 2017 looking for the HGTV Dream Home. What we discovered was a gem of a beach and a quiet place for retreat and solitude. We loved it so much we purchased a home in late 2017 and we plan to retire here in a few years.

I grew up in Florida, so I know what can happen when the tourists flock to town. St Simons does not give that vibe at all. It remains a sleepy coastal town with lots going for it. We love having our grandchildren visit and spend time with them at the beach.

If you want a nice relaxing place to rejuvenate, then this is the place to come.

Shh please don't tell too many of your friends. We like it quiet down here.

The island is full of activities and eateries. Traffic can be a bit heavy especially in the center of the island to get to the airport. Lots of family activities as well. Short drive to brunswick, GA

We loved it! The people are friendly, the beaches are nice, the streets are clean, there are plenty of walkable areas, there is shopping, good restaurants, and other activities. We hope to return!

Take a step back into 1850 on St. Simons Island. Gasden and Confederate flags sold in every third souvenir shop on Mallery Street, including the only toy store. No thank you. I’ll spend my tourist dollars somewhere a little more kind and less Antebellum. Like anywhere else. Do they think we don’t notice or think we don’t care? Shame, shame. Time to progress or get left far behind. Never going back.

Enjoyed driving around St Simons. This is slightly touristy, but not a huge tourist mecca. Lots of locals with private residences but enough hotels and rentals near and on the beach.

The conference with the Epworth by the sea. The city of Saint Simons is very beautiful. I found many nice shops and restaurants.

During the last 5 miles as you are crossing onto SSI there is a calm that come over me. I have instant piece and have a wonderful feeling of relaxation the minute I cross under the majestic oaks. What a place! Heaven on earth.

st simmons island is best place ever my kids an daughter had a great time last week awesome beaches very nice people cant wait to get back.

At first glance coming onto the island you'll be impressed. Oak trees, moss, green areas and flowers. The village is a rare place to spend a day, along with the classic pier for fishing and crabbing. Don't stop just there, drive all over, you'll love it. Take the trolley tour or rent bikes. Eat at a variety of nice places and find a nice inn to spend the night. After a few days, go home, if you can. You won't want to leave. This is a well kept secret, please keep it that way.

Great, not too hard to climb the 129 steps to a great view & breeze. Very close to the beach & pier.

I have always wanted to visit the Golden Isles of Georgia. Finally, I made it here and enjoyed two lovely off-season days in January. I can only sense how overcrowded and busy this beautiful island must be in the summer. I pray that the citizens can bridle developers and national retail chains with land trusts and zoning rules before every square each of this paradise is not spoken for. If this is your first visit, start with the trolley tour which gives a good overview of the island. There are two historic places in particular that are worth a visit: the Home Front Museum in the old U.S. Coast Guard station and the Lighthouse Museum near Neptune Park. There are a lot of great places to dine, especially the The Georgia Sea Grill, and some nice stores to shop. Relax and enjoy the beach as well.

from the pier all the way to east beach views are great and different things to do along the way well worth 2 or more days to stop and check out . and the north end away from the beach but lots of history and sights to see

Enjoying all aspects of the island , the local culture, history and activities. Catching minors at the pier, reading the history markers. Southern living,

Our vacation to St. Simons island was as all vacations should be relaxing. The slow place of the island was a perfect spot to recharge from a hectic full time life. We enjoyed our time so much we have begun looking for a permanent summer home!

We are from Wisconsin and most people travel to Hilton Head or Florida for spring break. We chose St. Simons Island based on internet research about best beach vacations in FL or GA, and what a wonderful gem we have discovered! No wonder St. Simon's is ranked so highly: it's beautiful, highly livable, relaxing, friendly and easy to navigate. We want to snowbird there! We loved staying at the Inn at Sea Island and highly recommend it. The Village is charming (even with construction), and we enjoyed our meals at Palmer's and the Half Shell. We shopped in The Village and especially recommend your patronage at Go Fish. Then grab frozen yogurt at Fuse and sit on the benches at the pier. For beaches, we enjoyed both East beach and Massengale. We rode bikes everywhere, and the sidewalks and bike paths make the island very biker friendly. Good day trips from St. Simons Island include Sea Island, Jekyll island, Amelia Island, and St. Augustine. This has become one of our favorite vacation destinations!

Made a stop here while driving from Savannah to Florida. Lovely place with many shops and restaurants by the water. Wish we could have stayed longer, looking forward to another visit. Views from the pier are beautiful.

Really enjoyed the island. Great food and beautiful beaches. Unfortunately, any enforcement of dogs running loose on the beaches is Non-existent! Had several run ins with inconsiderate people and their animals running loose. Won't be back any time soon.

Great place to visit. Rented a condo cheaper than a hotel stay for the week. Also many great places to visit.

Be sure to go to the visitors center with friendly, accommodating staff and maps of the island that are very beneficial. Mermaid Spirit tree is next to the visitors center and the most elegant of all the spirit trees on island. Across street is the library with ample parking and restrooms, loved the rockers facing water where you could see the sunken ship protruding out of water. Lighthouse is also in this area. Lots of huge old oak trees with Spanish moss. My second trip this year and I will return.

Visited the islands on our way back from a Florida vacation and will definitely come back. Great restaurant spot and bike trails galore! Very scenic and lots to do.

We stayed at the King and Prince Resort and enjoyed ocean views from our room. We loved sleeping with the windows open and hearing the roll of the surf. Had great meals at Crab Daddys and the Palmer Village Cafe.

We loved St. Simon's! After hearing about it for years, we decided to visit for our 4th of July vacation. The 4th of July Sunshine Festival was going on which was a lot of fun. There were several vendors with homemade goodies and crafts for sale. We ate hot dogs from the same vendor 2 days just because they were so good! On the 4th, there was music and fireworks at the festival grounds around Neptune Park. Seriously great fireworks show and the main band performing was really good. Traffic leaving the island was slow, but that was to be expected. We also really enjoyed Massengale Park Beach. All around great trip.

Came here for spring break with our family. Not a lot specifically geared towards kids this time of year, but enjoyed walking the beach , watching the dolphins and pelicans, and browsing the cute, local shops.

St Simons is a great resort to get about by bike safely, even at night on well lit bike paths.
Good choice of restaurants and shops for all age groups.
Really good golf courses, Golfnow does great rates on the King & Prince course.
Pier fishing & crabbing was a good & entertaining way of passing a few hours.