My family knew when we bought our camper that we wanted our first adventure with it to be really special. Both of my in-laws passed away last year about 10 months apart. They loved traveling, and we’ve found it very therapeutic in the sometimes grueling process that grieving can be. Nature also can be a healing catalyst, so I wanted to go somewhere with memorable outdoor experiences. But a family vacation at Jekyll Island was not yet on my radar.

Seeing just-hatched loggerhead sea turtles has been on my bucket list ever since I wrote about that experience offered at Edisto Beach State Park in South Carolina. I was crushed to find they were already booked for this season. Would I really have to wait until next year?

I decided to look for possibilities outside of South Carolina, and the closest next option was Georgia. I’d heard about Jekyll Island recently, and almost immediately as I considered this alternative, I knew it was our answer.

Jekyll Island is the fourth and southernmost of Georgia's Golden Isles, which were voted the No. 13 island destination in the world and No. 1 in the United States by Travel + Leisure readers in 2023. It's about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Columbia, South Carolina.

Where To Stay On Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island Campground is the only camping option on the island for tent and RV campers, offering 179 campsites ranging from tent sites to full hook-up, pull-through RV sites with electricity, cable TV, water, and sewerage. It's a beautiful campground full of magnificent oak trees draped with Spanish moss.Check-in was a breeze, and everyone we encountered during our vacation at Jekyll Island was friendly and pleasant.

Other accommodations for Jekyll Island vacations include a private glampground known as Little Raccoon Key, hotels, resorts, and home rentals. The Cherokee Cottage, for example, is one of three Island Cottages available through the Jekyll Island Club Resort, located in the Historic District and originally established as a family retreat in the late 1800s.

Where To Eat On Jekyll Island

There are plenty of dining options on Jekyll Island, from casual to upscale restaurants as well as bars, cafes, and ice cream shops. On our way in, we passed Tortuga Jack's. As big fans of Mexican fare, we knew this was our top dinner pick.

In addition to the beautiful oceanside dining area, Tortuga Jack's offers a casual, fun indoor setting, too. With the late summer heat, my son and I opted for a table inside.

The food was flavorful with nice portion sizes and the service was excellent. It's everything you hope for when eating out on vacation! We placed to-go orders for my husband and daughter back at the campsite relaxing with our dog. They, too, enjoyed their meals.

During our vacation, we also ate at the Wee Pub. My husband took the kids, and I stayed back with the dog this time. He described the atmosphere as having an old pub-type feel and relaxing during the lunch hour. There were problems with the grill, so options were limited, but the waiter was wonderful, and it was overall a positive experience.We ate at our campsite during the rest of our trip. We look forward to trying some other places, especially seafood, on a future trip to Jekyll Island.

Things To Do On Jekyll Island

Beaches

Jekyll Island has seven beaches, each with its own uniqueness. Driftwood Beach, so named from the pieces of beautiful ancient driftwood lining the waterfront, is within walking distance from the campground and features stunning sunrises. It's been acknowledged in TripAdvisor's 2023 awards as the third best beach in the United States! See more of this stunning beach on the OnlyInYourState YouTube channel.

Sunrise Turtle Walk – Georgia Sea Turtle Center

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center offers beach walks and the opportunity to ride with dawn patrol during the summer. We participated in a sunrise walk, where a loggerhead nest on Corsair Beach was inventoried on the fifth day after turtle tracks from the nest were seen, signifying that the eggs had hatched.

During the two prior nest inventories our guides had been to, no baby hatchlings were found in the nest. My heart sank a little, but the guide said she hoped the third time would be the charm.Well, not only was it the charm, but our nest had not one, but two baby loggerheads that had not made it up out of the nest yet! We observed while they recorded data from the nest, the measurements of the hatchlings, and released them closer to the ocean.

For the release, the turtles are taken about halfway between the nest and the ocean. In our case, one of the two immediately started crawling towards and into the ocean. It was the most incredible experience!

The other turtle struggled. Ideally, after a few minutes, the turtle can crawl on its own to the ocean, but in this case, it was picked up and released directly into the water.

Georgia Sea Turtle Center & Hospital

After the turtle walk, we headed over to the Center and Hospital, which is a fascinating, interactive education and rehabilitation facility.

The Center had seven terrapin patients when we visited. Terrapins are the turtles that live in the marsh areas. One terrapin we saw was found struggling shortly after hatching and is set to be released soon after one year of rehabilitation.

Loggerheads are the species of sea turtle we're most familiar with, but there are four other types in Georgia. This display detailing the differences was fascinating.

In the hospital area, we got to see a turtle getting a shot as well as some of the babies feeding. Each patient is named and has a sheet detailing its treatment while there. Records from all former patients are available, too.

The sunrise turtle walk and Turtle Center visit were amazing experiences. We would highly recommend it for others, especially those who love animals. See more of our sea turtle experience below:

Shopping

We did some shopping at the Turtle Center's nice gift shop and Maxwell's General Store at the Beach Village Shopping Center. We stocked up on some souvenirs, including a beach towel and bag.

The Historic District

The history buff will love The Historic District of Jekyll Island. We stopped by the Horton House ruins, which was built in 1743 by Major William Horton, a top military aide to General James Oglethorpe. It's one of the oldest tabby houses in the state, and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tabby was made by burning oyster shells to create lime, which was mixed with sand, crushed shells, and water, creating a slurry that was poured into forms for construction.

There are many other fun Jekyll Island attractions, including a miniature golf course, a waterpark, museums, a marina, and various events throughout the year. We especially liked that Jekyll Island wasn't crowded like most South Carolina beach locales we've visited. It's a wonderful choice for a family vacation.

For me, the silver lining of missing out on Edisto Island was experiencing the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Hospital as well as a Driftwood Beach sunrise along with the baby sea turtle hatchlings' release. Jekyll Island, you have new fans, and we will be back!