Tag: driftwood beach

Jekyll Island Campground Jekyll Island Campground Review
Sanctuary Ridge Adventures in Camping

Jekyll Island Campground Review

Monica Scott3 Comments
Jekyll Island Beach

Jekyll Island Campground

This was our second trip to Jekyll Island and it won’t be our last! Our first trip was a quick weekend getaway so we stayed in a condo/rental. While we were here in August we scoped out the campground for a potential trip back. This was our first time to stay in the campground here. I will say that the online reservation system is a bit frustrating. I ended up just calling the office and getting a reservation that worked for us. We arrived on a Wednesday and stayed until the following Tuesday. It was only a 6 1/2 hour drive from Chattanooga. Checking in, set up and parking was a breeze with ample room at our site. Below are a few pictures of the campground entrance and campsite.

  • Just follow the signs on the Island!
  • Full Hookup, pull through sites
  • The Campground entrance and camp store.
  • Our Campsite, shaded by enormous oaks- this one is wider than our truck!
  • Clean Bath House
  • Bath House Showers were clean too!
Campground Pictures

Clam Creek Picnic Area:

This is a very low key, family friendly place! The campground is located just across the street from the Clam Creek Picnic area where you will find a really cute bait and tackle shop, a covered fishing pier, the horseback riding stable, and a lovely trail to ride bikes or walk through the marsh. The marsh is beautiful. The end of the marsh trail leads you right out to Driftwood Beach. The fishing pier is one of the best locations on the island to view the sunset every evening.

  • Entrance to Clam Creek Picnic Area
  • The beautiful marsh.
  • It was a stormy sunset- and we were caught in the rain riding our bikes back!
  • Sunsets are lovely here!
  • Shrimp boats at Stormy Sunset
  • Sunset Selfie
  • Marsh Trail
  • Jekyll Bait and Tackle Shop
  • Horseback Riding on the Beach

Driftwood Beach:

While everyone loves the beach, there is so much more to Jekyll Island than just the typical beach! This island is home to Driftwood Beach. I can’t quite find the words to express how exquisite this place is! It’s really a stunning landscape. I took so many pictures! I had such a great time just watching all the children climbing on the driftwood. Their squeals of delight when the came to the entrance to the beach were truly priceless! And let’s not forget that this is a dog friendly beach all over the island! We took our dogs and our Aussiedoodle, Lila, was completely enamored by the driftwood sticking up in the ocean. She loved swimming and running along the edge. She even made a friend while we were there. If you visit with your furry friend, just remember to keep them on a leash and don’t let them drink too much ocean water! Salt water is not good for your dog!

Jekyll Island Club:

After exploring the beach, head left out of the campground to explore the beautiful marsh side of the island. There is a paved, wide bike/walking path around the entire island. Didn’t bring a bike? Don’t worry, there are plenty of places to rent bikes here! There’s even a carriage style family peddler you can rent! If biking and walking are not your cup of tea, just rent one of the Red Bug Motor electric cars- they are just a little bigger than a golf cart and people drive them everywhere here. The bike path along the marsh is shaded by the vast oaks draped in Spanish moss. It’s dotted with benches to stop and enjoy the view. An old cemetery and old homesite with historical information are also located along this path. If you continue riding, it will lead to the historic Jekyll Island Club. These homes were built in the early 1900’s. If you want a quick bite to eat there is a hot dog stand, a candy shop, and an ice cream shop. For lunch or dinner I recommend The Wharf. Fresh seafood and views that rival the beach views! I’d love to visit the club during the Christmas season! Decorated with lights, I can only imagine how magical this place must be in December!

  • Part of the Bike Path
  • A wooden bridge
  • Historic Home- Moss Cottage
  • Jekyll Island Club Condo
  • Sprawling Oaks
  • The Jekyll Island Club
  • The Wharf
  • The Marsh just at Sunset
The Marsh and Jekyll Island Club

The Beach:

If you just want a relaxing day at the beach, just head to one of the beach parking areas. Clean bathrooms, covered picnic areas and outdoor showers are readily available. Be ready to move with the ever changing tide! The solidly packed sand makes it so easy to walk here. Want to take a nice bike ride ON the beach? This is the perfect place for that too! We rode our bikes, walked and enjoyed hours of reading great books on the beach. Our son Noah read 10 books this week alone!

  • Nothing like a bike ride on the beach!
  • Cool breezes make it a perfect beach day!
  • Great Book if you haven’t read it!
  • Not too crowded today!
  • My sweet boy reading on the beach

Shopping and Food:

When you need a few groceries, some frozen yogurt, or just want to check out the local souvenir shops, just head to Village. At the Village, you will find the Jekyll Market where a variety of things are sold. You can probably find what you need in here! No big box stores exist on the island. In fact, the only fast food restaurant is located inside the only gas station on the island. If you are looking for fast food, this is not your island! Dairy Queen is all you will find. There are lots of great places to eat though! Beach House, The Wharf, Tortuga Jacks and the Driftwood Bistro are really good. Tortuga Jacks has an outdoor area with an ocean front view while you dine. The enchiladas and fried plantains are so delicious!

We really enjoyed our stay at Jekyll Island Campground! We will definitely be back! There is so much more to explore on the island and nearby- check out my other post from our first trip for more recommendations. You can find it here: https://sanctuary-ridge.com/2020/03/15/sanctuary-ridge-adventures-in-camping-getaway/

© Copyright 2020– or current year, Sanctuary Ridge. Unattributed use of this material is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Sanctuary Ridge with active link and direction to this original post.

Something Beautiful
Sanctuary Ridge Faith Stories

Something Beautiful

Monica ScottLeave a comment
A 35 foot tall Oak at Driftwood Beach

We are on our way to Jeckyll Island for a few days of camping! I’m so excited to ride my bike and just soak in the beauty of this quaint little island!

There is a beach here called Driftwood Beach. I love it! It’s one of the most beautiful beach scenes. This beach is the only reason I wanted to come here. At least it was when we came for the first time last Summer. It was a quick getaway for just my husband and I. It’s almost shocking when you walk down the path that leads to the beach and see all the dead trees on the beach. They are enormous. All the bark is stripped. Roots are exposed. Some still stand upright but most are scattered along the beach laying horizontally, just where the storms blew them many years ago. The salt has preserved them. How can this be so beautiful? What draws people to come to this place where dead trees are scattered on the shoreline? I believe there is so much to be revealed here in this place.

  • Exposed Roots
  • Driftwood Forest

There is something so beautiful about a tree. Have you ever just stopped to look at a tree? At a really large tree with roots growing near the surface? Some have deep roots and some are very shallow. What makes them grow in such a way? The beautiful Southern Live Oaks found along the coastline, can endure some amazing wind speeds and flooding. They are securely planted by the immense root systems that provide stability and life giving nutrients to the tree. Stepping out onto the beach, taking in the scene before me, I was careful to not overlook the details of the trees. Each one is so carefully carved. The largest of the trees had enormous root systems. Some were interwoven with other trees and they had fallen together on the shore. The largest root systems had kept their tree upright, even as the entire root system was exposed.

All of this reminds me of what the Bible says about roots and being rooted:

  • Ezekiel 31:7 (NIV) It was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant waters.
  • Romans 11:18 (NIV) do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
  • Ephesians 3:17 (NIV) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
  • Colossians 2:7 (NIV) rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

I want this so much for my life, for my children, my friends and for you: To be rooted in the abundant waters of the Lord’s unfailing love and mercy; To be humble with others, allowing God himself to lead, strengthen and establish His work in you all your days; And to be strengthened in your faith until you are overflowing with thankfulness.

Today, I am thankful for a few days at the beach. I am thankful for time to reflect on the goodness of God as I soak in the stunning scenes of His creation that surround me in the peaceful place. I am thankful He is near. There is so very much to be thankful for. And that is something beautiful.

Sunset at The Wharf, Jeckyll Island, GA

© Copyright 2020– or current year, Sanctuary Ridge. Unattributed use of this material is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Sanctuary Ridge with active link and direction to this original post.

GetAway
Sanctuary Ridge Adventures in Camping

GetAway

Monica ScottLeave a comment
Cumberland Island National Park

Remember the early days in your marriage, when you cherished each moment together? I believe you can hold onto that! My husband and I have been married for 26 years. We have definitely had our ups and downs, but we have WORKED to stay close. One way that we accomplish this is “running away together”. Sometimes it is a spontaneous trip, but most of the time it is something I plan. It doesn’t have to be elaborate! Sometimes we just go camping for a couple of days without the kids. Sometimes we go on a 3 day cruise. Sometimes we go to a cabin in the Smokey Mountains. The important thing is to get away together! There are so many distractions in life and we need to take time to cherish each other. We haven’t always been financially able to do this, but even in our early days we would just go for a drive or hike to get away for a few hours together. Go on an adventure together- be silly and spontaneous and laugh and love each other the way God intended! The most important investment you can make for your family is in your relationship with each other.

Last summer we visited Jeckyll Island, Georgia. I’ll never understand why I have never been to this wonderful place! We stayed at Villas By the Sea for under $110 per night. It is a nice resort with condos ranging from a studio (like the one we stayed in) to 3 bedroom units. It is located in close proximity to Driftwood Beach which was the primary reason I wanted to visit this place. It was amazing! Although we had lots of rain, we ventured out on our bikes to explore the island via the bike trail that borders the entire island. I love to ride bikes. Usually I get bummed by rain but this time we just rode in the rain- we were caught in a torrential downpour at one point! It was so refreshing to just seize the day!

  • Drenched!
  • Horseback Riding on the beach
  • Driftwood Beach

We did drive to St. Mary’s, GA to take the ferry to Cumberland Island National Park where you can visit the ruins of an old plantation and see wild horses that live on the island. This is a place I have wanted to visit for several years. I love history, beaches and wildlife so when I read about it I knew we had to go! We took our bikes and a picnic lunch to spend the day on the island. August is probably not the best time to go, since it was extremely hot and muggy. We took the trail to the beach first. We rode our bikes down the beach and along most of the trails on the island. I can’t imagine walking instead of riding, as it was a long way. We visited the plantation ruins and read about the history, we saw the beautiful, wild horses. We picnicked and laughed. It was a wonderful day!

  • Cumberland Island, GA
  • Biking on the beach

Jeckyll Island has a wonderful historic district. I loved riding our bikes through the streets, looking at the historic home, shops, and restaurants. The old oak trees are thick with moss, their branches reaching to the ground in beautiful arches. I’m really not sure which area on the island was more lovely. Between Driftwood Beach, the gorgeous marsh, the historic district and the beachfront- it was all a wonder to behold!

On our last night, we decided to try the Wharf. It’s a local restaurant on the marsh side of the island and located in the historic district. We rode our bikes 5 1/2 miles to eat dinner, planning our time to insure we would be riding back before dark. Much to our surprise, we were seated in a reasonable time. The sunset was remarkable!

Sunset view from The Wharf, Jeckyll Island, GA

The Wharf did not disappoint in their cuisine. We enjoyed a delicious dinner! Much to our dismay, it took so long to get our food that our plan to bike back to the condo before dark disappeared like the setting sun. So on our last night, we embarked on one last bike adventure. We didn’t have a bike headlight. And in case you didn’t know, street lights are very uncommon on coastal islands. The lights interfere with nesting sea turtles so we had to find our way in the dark with our cell phone lighting the way. We found a shorter route to get back as quickly as possible. I wouldn’t change a thing! Living this adventure called life with my best friend by my side is truly a blessing I cherish. I challenge you to plan a getaway with your spouse and cherish each other always!

  • 26 Years and Counting on more!
  • Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
  • Ephesians 5:33 (NIV)However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

© Copyright 2020– or current year, The Sanctuary Ridge. Unattributed use of this material is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Sanctuary Ridge with  active link and direction to this original post.

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