The Best of Saint Simons Island, Georgia

Sharing a List of Favorites from the Island

It took thirty-three years of living in GA for me to visit Saint Simons Island (SSI), but this June I did for the first time. My mom, sister, and I felt like this was an easy outlet to the beach from Atlanta (only about 5.5 hours) to take my niece and nephews too. We had such an enjoyable time and felt right at home everywhere we went. If you're looking for a quaint, southernly-hospitable beach town, look no further!

I hope this list of recommendations serves you all well!

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Best Places to Stay on Saint Simons Island:

The Happy Magnolia

The absolute, most precious AirBnB find to date, giving myself ALOT of credit for this one ;)

A stunning three bedroom, two bathroom bungalow with a boho chic vibe. Two of the bedrooms have king-sized beds and exit to the backyard; the third bedroom has three twin sized beds. We fit 3 adults and 3 kids here quite comfortably. Two bathrooms with showers, no bath tubs. There is a kitchen with table combined with a small living area. One of the best features of the property is the shaded backyard - it was perfect for an after beach water balloon fight. The location of the home is walkable to the pier, downtown shops and restaurants and the beach; it's also just around the corner from Mallery Park and open pickleball courts.

Watch a video tour of the home here!

Places to Eat:

Dulce Dough Donuts

When a place opens at 7 AM on a Sunday, you pull up at 6:45 AM and there are already 6 people ahead of you in line, you know you're in for a treat. Dulce Dough is nothing shy of fabulous - they're original and one of the best doughnuts I've had. We tried a variety of items including the brioche breakfast sandwich, cinnamon roll, and different doughuts, including the famous maple! I've got to say the brioche breakfast sandwich melted in my mouth and the maple doughnut is famous for a reason. If there was one thing I could have lived without, it would be the coffee.

Tip: They do have an order ahead option that starts the day before at 4 PM. I highly recommend placing an order this way to avoid the line and wait.

Frosty's

Want to feel like you've stepped back into the 50's in a retro dinner that not only makes fablous milkshakes, but offers hotdogs, burgers and onion rings that are amazing - look no further, Frosty's is that place. It's a great option for a family meal, or just a quick sweet treat. The service is top notch and if you don't walk away with new friends after dining, well that's on you. Frosty's in an absolute must visit when you're in SSI.

Golden Isles Olive Oil

Golden Isles is within the Olive Oil marketplace, so you can shop, wine taste and eat all at the same time. We stopped in for lunch - it wasn't busy, the service was prompt, and the food was good. This is the perfect spot for a "ladies lunch" or maybe an afternoon glass of wine while listening to live music on the patio. You can build your own charcuterie board too, which makes it perfect for a variety of occasions.

Sal's Pizzeria

Well, I can admit it was love at first slice! After a long day at the beach, we opted for pizza and a movie back at the AirBnB. Sal's came highly recommended by a friend and did not disappoint. I ordered via phone and later drove to pick-it up. There's an adorable pick-up window to the side of the restuarant to keep pick-ups out of the main flow of restaurant traffic. The pizza was great, but my favorite was the Sal's Favorite sampler off the appetizer menu - zucchini fries, mozzarella sticks, and fried ravioli.

Ziggy's

Our last night we knew it would be an early night for the kids and one where we just opted for delivery. Options are plentiful for delivery, but we found Ziggy's and I'd say we were all plesantly surprised! The portion sizes were very large and food was fresh. Between us all we tried the loaded potato skins, deep-fried brussel sprouts, chicken gyro, smashburger and fries. Not one thing was cold, or bad - it was delicious!

Smallcakes Cupcakery

We were craving something sweet on our Saturday afternoon, Dolce Dough had already closed so we stopped by Smallcakes. A quaint cupcakery, with muffin and cookie options as well. I got a strawberry cupcake but ended up not eating it for a few days. Once I did eat it, I was shocked. It was incredibly moist still and the flavoring was spot on. I highly recommend Smallcakes for your treat yourself moment on the island.

Things to Do:

Georgia Sea Turtle Center (Jekyll Island)

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is on Jekyll Island, about 20-30 minutes past Saint Simons (coming in from Atlanta), but worth the extra time in the car. The center is a rehabilitation hospital that help a variety of turtles, those injured that have been rescued, baby sea turtles that may not have made it out of the nest or those that might have a virus. The ultimate goal of the center is to nurse turtles back to health and release back into their habit. The center has alot of interactive learning activites for kids, a hospital ward where you can see all the tutles in their pools and learn why they're there, and a great gift shop. I recommend buying tickets in advance so you can secure your desired date and time slot (instead of showing up and not being able to get a ticket at that time).

Tip: There is a $10 fee (regular sized vehicle for one day) to get onto Jekyll Island. You can pay by cash or card at the toll booth, or purchase a pass in advance here.

Beaches

There are a variety of beaches to choose from within a close proximity to each other. We thought 6th Street was the best of Saint Simons Island from a beach perspective. Parking is very limited so just be there early, or park at the elementary school (it was blocked by construction equipment when we were there).

East beach (old Coast Guard Station) has restrooms, rinse stations, and a snack bar, but it's a further walk from the parking lot to the beach. Driftwood beach on Jekyll Island is picterisque, but a further drive for the beach. If I was staying for a week, I'd most definitely check out Driftwood.

Tip: If you're just popping down for a weekend, save yourself in hauling all the musts (beach chairs, coolers, tent, etc.) and leverage a tent service company. We used Shady Beach Rentals and they were awesome - tell them where you want it and it'll be set-up the morning of. Most packages come with a tent, 4 chairs, 4 towels, a cooler with ice and water, you can add games, sand toys, more chairs, etc. This was worth every dime.

I recommend booking as soon in advance as you know you'll be having a beach day. The Tent Guys came highly recommended, but were already booked for our date.

Shopping

SSI has no shortage of shopping and some of the best unique finds. There are several places I thought were just stellar in regards to originality, price point, variety of options, and uniqueness:

• Whippersnapper's Toy Store - You will not find kinder people than the family that owns Whippersnapper's, with that and the vast options of toys for all ages, you have a kids (and parents) heaven!

• Gentlemen's and Lady Outfitters - Right down from Whippersnapper's we stumbled upon this find! Clothing and shoes for both men and women, at a variety of price points, with great, quality brands.

• Viola's Market - A Southern plant ladies paradise! Viola's was a personal favorite with decor, plants, candles, etc. A great stop if you're looking for a gift for someone or a unique find.

• Cutie Patooties - Need kids clothing or a baby gift, look no further!

• Two Friends - Saving the best for last, I fell in love with this place. Their insta claims it's "the kind of store you walk-in, throw your arms open wide & exclaim "I want EVERYTHING." AND they aren't wrong! The best, most classically, unqiue finds around for both home and apparell. This is a must visit when on SSI. They also have a bubble bar in store. Your dreams of shopping and sipping bubble will come true at Two Friends.

Playgrounds

Honestly, I was quite shocked at the amount of playgrounds SSI has to offer in a very close proximity. My nieces and nephews really loved Mallery Park, it seemed to be the best for a variety of ages (8, 4, and 2), provided the adults and area to sit, and was shaded.

Neptune Park is located downtown, at the waterfront and pier. It's a great playground too, but is directly in the sun, with very little shade coverage and limited seating for adults.

There is also a very tiny playground right next to the pier; this playground seemed to be for little kids, I'd say 5 or under.

Other Activities

While you're visiting SSI, be sure to check-out the Pier downtown. You can fish off the pier, watch the sunset, or just cool off.

Crafts in the Village takes place downtown one weekend a month, on both Saturday and Sunday. It's a great offering of handmade items, pantry staples, plants, jewlery, even treats for the dog. There are food offerings, and a Kona Ice truck usually always nearby.

We had the best weekend on SSI and look forward to a return trip. For a glance at our trip, click here.