Exploring Jekyll Island

Hi friends! I still can’t believe it is the last week of school for us here. (I know I keep saying this, but do I REALLY have a kindergartner?)  It’s easy to forget how hectic this time of year is. Actually, who am I kidding, it’s always hectic, which is why I am so glad we were recently able to get away to Jekyll Island for our spring break to have some down time as a family. Today I am going to share my recap on What To Do on Jekyll Island. 

This was a special trip for us because it marked the first official family vacation with just the four of us. A few weeks back, I shared a recap with lots of fun ideas for a family vacation getaway on Jekyll Island. Today I want to dive a little deeper into some of the exploring we did on the island.  While we did lots of relaxing, we had some great adventures and I love that the Sweets had an opportunity to explore so much nature.

What To Do on Jekyll Island- Bike Rides

One of my favorite things to do on vacations is to go for bike rides. I think it is the most fun way to discover new destinations.  Jekyll Island boasts about 25 miles of biking trails from beaches to forests to the Historic Landmark District. We were able to cover lots of the trails with Sweet B in a bucket on my bike and Sweet P tandem with Dad.

We had lots of fun cruising around on our wheels- we covered lots of miles but my favorite area was the Historic Landmark District with all of the beautiful homes and history. The beauty is that everything was easily accessed by bike from where we stayed at The Westin, which is located right on the beach, features beautiful ocean views and a poolside bar and cafe.

What To Do on Jekyll Island- Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Next on the adventure list was the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Now, it’s no secret we love sea turtles around here. (you can read up on our turtle encounters here) So I could hardly wait to take the boys to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. We arrived right as it opened and we practically had the place to ourselves which was such a treat.

There was lots of interactive learning stations and I liked this one that showed how the turtle eggs look down in the nest below the sand.  We think they look like golf balls! (but they actually have a rubbery leather feel)

We then moved to the hospital pavilion where they house the injured and sick turtles. Here you can see their tubs and it was interesting to see the “turtle doctors” do their rounds feeding and checking on them. I loved how there was so much information on past and current turtle patients available for visitors to read.

After ample time spent checking out the hospital, we went back in to see a feeding for this little guy. It was a cute and interactive feeding and the boys were mesmerized!

We loved learning more about our beloved sea turtles and even decided to adopt one to help support the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! We are so happy to be adoptive parents to a sea turtle in need and add another member to our family.

What To Do on Jekyll Island- Driftwood Beach

The next highlight on our exploring adventures was Driftwood Beach. I touched on this in my last post but it is worth mentioning again because it was so unique. Of all the beaches I have ever been to, there is nothing quite like this one! It is a photographer’s dream and it felt so peaceful and serene.

We were fortunate to be there when there were tidal pools around the trees, so the boys saw lots of fun little ocean creatures including minnows and ghost crabs. I mean can you think of anything more fun for two little guys?

It is hard to capture the grandness of some of these large ancient trees in pictures. The “boneyard” is the section of Driftwood Beach filled with trees preserved by salt air and bleached by the sun.

Overall, Jekyll Island felt like one big playground and outdoor classroom for the kiddos (and for the parents!). And we even got to add a new member to the family. 🙂

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jekyll Island Authority. The opinions and text are all mine.

xoxo-

Heather