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It can be challenging to find family vacation destinations everyone will enjoy when kids are older. Recently though, we discovered eight things to do on St Simons Island that the entire family was ecstatic about – especially our teenager. This post is part #2 of a series about a special, Georgia beach town and one luxury resort that made it very easy for us to have unforgettable family memories. Read part #1 about our beach resort vacation first. Thank you to King and Prince for hosting us!
Things to do on St Simons Island
Yep, I’m asked all the time by Moms with olders about where to stay, what to do, and where to eat when vacationing in the Southern U.S. Today, I’ve got 8 things to do on St Simons Island that will knock everyone’s socks off.
St Simons Island Restaurants
An incredible way to immerse yourself in new cool vacation spots is by eating at the local food joints. In part #1 of our trip to St Simons Island, I mentioned our scrumptious dinner experience during our first night at the King and Prince Resort. I shared about the in-house oceanfront restaurant called ECHO & its awesome WWII history. We just loved the sweeping views of the water while we enjoyed our meal.
As we headed to our first breakfast at the ECHO dining room the next morning, I wondered if this luxury resort restaurant would be able to please my Southern [biscuits, gravy, and sausage-loving] husband and teenager with a breakfast that was hearty enough. We were pleasantly surprised! You could literally choose from sections referred to as Southern Georgia favorites, health & wellness, Southern breakfast bowls, or A La Carte. All this while dining with a view of the ocean – fabulous!
We also thoroughly enjoyed Wake Up Coffee Company during our time on the island. It’s an adorable coffeehouse that has thoughtfully sourced java, tea & retail goods from developing countries. We enjoyed yummy gourmet coffee and pastries as a break from sightseeing. I’ll admit, we visited more than once!
St Simons Island beach
Even though it was winter during our visit, that didn’t stop us from heading out to the beach! After our breakfast, we walked right out of the indoor dining of the ECHO Restaurant to the outdoor patio. We first noticed the cool seating area and fire pit near the pools and beach.
Then we just strolled along the beach together for a while. Of course, my teenager had to find out how cold the ocean water was. There’s just something about salt air breezes and crashing waves that soothes and thrills the heart of every family member – no matter the age. I would imagine the St Simons Island beach is a fun option for summer family vacations.
Lighthouse selfies
What teenager doesn’t like selfies – especially if taken a hundred of feet in the air? Meander through the St Simons Lighthouse Museum and gift shop before buying your ticket to take the lighthouse tour. They’ll suggest you sit in the small air-conditioned theatre and watch a film about a little Coastal Georgia history. It’s short and worth it!
Then head over to see the fascinating lightkeeper’s dwelling with rare artifacts, historical photographs, and interactives. Finally, climb the tower constructed of Savannah grey brick and spiral cast iron staircase. I don’t want to spook you [well, maybe!], but this beautiful old tower is said to be haunted by the restless ghost of one of its former lighthouse keepers!
Pier Village
One of the most beautiful areas on the island is Neptune Park. The St Simons Fishing Pier is close by. These two places pretty much serve as the central hub of the island. No formal plans needed, it’s fun to just stroll along the pier and watch some of the locals fishing for dinner.
If you want to fish here, bring your fishing license and then visit the St. Simons Bait & Tackle store for supplies. The St Simons Pier Village is a lovely place with benches, lovely brick sidewalks, swings, kid pools, and shops. The St Simons Lighthouse and Fort St Simons are just a short stroll down the sidewalk and along the ocean.
Ghost & mermaid hunt
Several fabulous things to do on St Simons Island are to learn Coastal Georgia history, hunt for the mermaid, and find the ghosts. You MUST head over to the Golden Isles Welcome Center to find a map of the tree spirits [including the mermaid] that appear all over St Simons Georgia.
They’ll fill you in on what St Simons tree spirits are and where the mermaid lives! They’ll also tell you about the history and ghost tours available. You’ll hear about island history and ghostly stories of Mary, the Wanderer, and buried Indians. Tell them The How-to Guru sent you!
Night swimming
The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort has pools that older kids would adore at nighttime. They are lit up so beautifully right along the ocean!
Luxury villa
To be honest, we were all looking forward to luxury relaxation in our beach villa. It’s such a cool place that we even had incredible family fun just hanging around with the ocean views, stocked kitchen, three large-screen TVs, and fast Wi-Fi [especially our teen]!
St Simons Island Georgia info
Here’s more info about where we ate, where we went, and where we stayed in case you want to follow our BEST things to do on St Simons Island choices.
- King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
- Echo Oceanfront Restaurant
- St Simons Island Lighthouse Museum
- Wake Up Coffee Company
- Neptune Park
- St Simons Bait & Tackle
- Golden Isles Welcome Center
PIN ME FOR LATER!
Special thanks to the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort for showering us with hospitality, meals, and excursions.
Published on HuffPost, Okefenokee Living Magazine, and more, Shan is a Family Travel Journalist with a passion for helping women lose the overwhelm of planning family-friendly trips in the south. She shares travel reviews & insider secrets that Women REALLY want to know about Georgia, Florida, & the Carolinas vacations.
☕️ It’s THE REAL DEAL around here ☕️
I’ve never heard of St Simons Island before. It looks beautiful and I would love to visit, but maybe in the summer time when it’s warmer 🙂
St Simons Island sounds like a great place for a weekend getaway. Would love to walk on the beach and take photos of the lighthouse. I also would not be able to resist the pools at the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort -they are so pretty at night.
My kids are still little, so this entire trip sounds like a dream! will have to book mark it for a few years from now when I can do more big kid stuff. Thanks!
That sounds like such a fantastic vacation! My boys are starting to get older and are easier to travel with. The suite looks amazing, and I’m about to read your first post too. It looks like such a beautiful place with so many fun things to do. I’m packing my bags right now!
Author
YAY, Shann. Glad it spoke to you. SO. Much. Fun. with Family!
shan
Ah this is so cool! I love you found somewhere to vacation that your whole family could enjoy! The lighthouses are SO awesome! And I love the sound of the ECHO restaurant.
Author
Thanks, Helen. It was all just fabulous!
shan
St. Simons Island is so beautiful. It can be difficult finding places that the older kids would enjoy, but this looks perfect.
Author
Thanks, Amanda. It’s wonderful for the whole family for sure!
shan
That definitely looks like a fun getaway for all ages! I love old lighthouses, so I’d definitely have to check out the St. Simons Lighthouse. And of course I love the beach!
It looks like a lovely place to hangout and go with family. To be honest I had not heard of it and now you have me googling 😀
Author
Awesome, Tanvi. Thank you! I’ve written a lot about the area. Check out my Travel archives in Georgia! 🙂
shan
LIGHTHOUSE selfies!! You know I love my lighthouses!! And Echos looks sooooo good!! Really hope to explore St. Simons soon!!
Author
Yes, Mel. It’s fabulous! 😉
shan
Who doesn’t like an ocean-side holiday? They were my favourites when I was a teen. I love the look of the pool at night, I think night time swimming would be an awesome, relaxing way to spend a vacation.
Author
Yes! Thanks, Katherine!
shan
Author
The Cloister is gorgeous and located on nearby Sea Island. Sea Island is only five miles long by one and a half miles wide at its widest point and is connected to St. Simons Island by a causeway.
shan
St. Simmons reminds me of the Caribbean; beautiful and relaxing.
Author
You are right, Tione. Actually, the wealthy men that discovered St. Simons and nearby Jekyll Island did so to escape Northern U.S. winters. But it was a closer alternative and it had the sub-tropical feel and weather they wanted! Score!
shan
My kids are 8 and 6 and they would love this too! Night swimming, food and beach! Perfect! Happy #TuesdayTravel
Author
Yes, I don’t know any kids that age that wouldn’t be just in love with that situation. 😉 It’s so fun!
shan
I live at the beach year-round in North Carolina, but the island I live on is pretty remote and there’s not a whole lot to do other than beach it or eat! While I enjoy the slow pace here, especially after the tourists vacate, but now that I’ve read your post about Simon’s Island, I really want to visit there and see if it would be a good relocation spot! Loved this. And your photos are magazine-worthy!
Author
You have made my week, Kristi, with your kind words! Let me know if you have any more questions about St Simons or if I can help in any way! 😉
much love,
shan
We are planning to spend Thanksgiving at St. Simons. We are new to Georgia, and are really looking forward to exploring the coast!
Author
That’s awesome, Kathy! St. Simons is one of my very favorite places in the entire South! Enjoy!
shan