St. Simons Island Travel Guide

St. Simons Island is just off the coast of Georgia and easily accessible from Brunswick. The islands is best known for the fact that the Frederica Fort is on it.

Established in 1736, the town of Frederica was the southernmost post of the British colonies in North America. It protected the rest of Georgia and South Carolina from the Spanish in Florida. The park is known for its exceptional beauty. Stately oaks, exceptionally large grape vines, and Spanish moss lend an air of antiquity unequaled on the coast.

The atmosphere of this quaint island is the reason St. Simons is so different than other places. The overall mood, atmosphere, and scenery of St. Simons remind you of scenes from a fairy tale. The first things that you notice when nearing the islands are two large bridges, towering over glistening river inlets and wavering marshlands. These bridges must be crossed in order to access the island. These bridges serve not only as a physical means of getting to the island but also give those who cross the bridges a feeling of separation from the rest of the world. Forget the fast and busy atmosphere of the cities and towns, the mood of the island is slow paced and laid back.

This easy going mood and atmosphere are established by the natural plants and landscape on the island. The landscape and scenery that greet you when you enter the island are picturesque. Lush green grass, tall swaying palm trees, and massive oak trees filled with Spanish moss hanging from every branch, are some of the most noticeable and beautiful natural elements that can be found throughout the island. These large oak trees really make the island seem in a state of serenity and peace simply because of their massive size and unique shape. Even though these same trees can be found elsewhere, they help in developing the island’s identity because they are so visually overwhelming. The marshlands and creeks are also a beautiful natural landscape on the island. These marshes, filled with small creeks and rivers, are teaming with all kinds of life. All types of birds, fish, crab and even the white tail deer can be found in these never ending seas of swaying marsh grasses. Another of the most noticeable natural things about the island is the ocean breeze that is constantly blowing. This ocean breeze is warm, subtle, and gives the tall trees of the island a sense of liveliness, as well as giving oneself a small reprieve from the intense summer heat. No matter where you may be on the island you can almost always feel or smell a fresh warm ocean breeze. Probably the most important natural element of the island is the ocean and beaches themselves. The beaches on the island are made of sand that is a mineral enriched soft tan color and in most places is firmly packed down. The majority of the sand is packed so tightly because of the tide waters that surface on the beaches throughout the day. The ocean breeze is most prominent here on the beach because it is coming straight off of the Atlantic Ocean . All of these natural environmental elements give St. Simons its true character and an over all feel of peacefulness and ease.