SnapShot with Stefanie GorderSnapShot is a monthly column offering a collection of travel & networking concepts to destinations and activities worldwide.
Expose yourself to travel!
In 2008, I had the lucky fortune of meeting Kelly Dobbin, Tour Planner for Golden Isles Touring Company. We were being hosted on an adventure by a destination showcasing the beauty of their region. Traveling onboard the motorcoach between various points, discussions popped up that allowed us each insight into various topics. Networking on a moving motorcoach has challenges, but overall the environment promotes learning about personal and professional lives at a greater level. From work to family and then to more exciting topics that generate hours of discussion … travel! A subject that diehard travel professionals can discuss at length over and over.
Kelly has a passion for the Golden Isles of Georgia and I asked her to bring this passion alive as the selected tour operator partner for January. Discover the quaint offerings in this charming destination as Kelly makes personal recommendations of sights to include on your visit.
Golden Isles of Georgia
By Kelly Dobbin
Halfway between Jacksonville, Florida and Savannah, Georgia, just off I-95, quiet charm awaits you in the Golden Isles of Georgia: St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island, and Little St. Simons Island. Only St. Simons and Jekyll Islands are easily accessible, and the mainland gateway to them is the charming town of Brunswick.
St. Simons Island
Moss covered oaks and ocean breezes weave past and present together on St. Simons Island, Georgia. Here you’ll learn delightful stories from the Prehistoric Era geologic beginnings of these barrier islands, through the Colonial Era, the Plantation Era, the War Between the States, the Timber Era, up to the elegant present-day Resort Era. You will learn of the Spanish missionaries who made their effort at Christianizing the Guale Indians during the 15th and 16th centuries, only to be driven away by repeated uprisings. During the colonial era, the arrival of General Oglethorpe and the establishment of Fort Frederica brought friendship with the natives, who, along with brave Scots settlers & the British "regulars" defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Bloody Marsh. You should tour the remains of Frederica Village, where five different languages were spoken and local schools currently explore history through active archeological digs. At historic Christ Church, you will hear about Frederica inhabitants John & Charles Wesley, who founded Methodism upon return to Great Britain, and about the present-day Church’s reconstruction during the Timber Era. Don’t miss Gascoigne Bluff, former site of Hamilton Plantation, where two slave cabins remain, and where the current Epworth By-the-Sea Methodist Center was established in honor of the Wesley brothers, or the Avenue of the Oaks and remains of the former Retreat Plantation. Top your visit off in the St. Simons pier/village area, site of the beautiful St. Simons Lighthouse and Keepers Cottage. You will catch a special spirit here, strolling through the village’s charming shops and restaurants with a view of St. Simons Sound and Jekyll Island.
Jekyll Island
Any visit to Jekyll Island should begin by exploring the Historic District via tram. Jekyll Island shares a similar geologic and historical background with St. Simons, with Indian villages, Spanish missions, and colonial outposts. Colonial Era remnants on the Island include ruins of Major Horton’s colonial tabby home and the old Brewery. During the Plantation Era, it was home to the French Huguenot DuBignon family, and, after "The War" they sold it to a group of Northern Industrial magnates. For the next sixty years, Jekyll was the private “Millionaire’s Club”, winter home to an elite group, including the Rockefellers. This was an era of croquet and badminton on manicured lawns, of wild boar, turkey, and deer hunts before dawn, and bike rides on unspoiled beaches.
In today’s Historic District, you are treated to a small collection of architectural gems reflecting a revival of European styles during the Club’s development, the centerpiece being the “clubhouse” operated today as a world-class hotel -- The Jekyll Island Club. The tram makes several stops to tour the interiors of two cottages & Faith Chapel. Jekyll is currently a State-owned natural area and home to deer, turkey and giant loggerhead turtles! The new Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located in the Historic District and offers a chance to see these beautiful creatures up close as they are treated for return to their ocean home.
If you walk out onto the Jekyll Beach you will soon begin to wonder about a lot of things that you see: the many different colors of the sand, the piles of strange hollow sticks, mysterious holes, unusual grass growing on top of dunes -- and much more. Join a beach walk with a naturalist to learn about the dynamic forces of nature shaping our shorelines. Located in "The Georgia Bite", our Golden Isles beaches experience a uniquely high 7-9’ tidal range from high to low. The marine and plant life between the lapping waves and the highest dunes are a fascinating study of life adapting to this ever changing and often hostile environment. Tradition says that if you get a bit of sand in your shoes you'll be sure to return!
Old Town Brunswick
Set beneath venerable Live Oaks, this charming Victorian town was built during the bustling era when timber was “King” on the Georgia coast and artisans turned out gingerbread houses to grace the lovely squares and tree-lined streets. Along its’ lively history, Brunswick has been home to heroes and heroines, millionaires and a delightful sprinkling of eccentrics. As you tour Old Town, you get a sense of the exciting 21st-century preservation and revitalization. Antique and unique shops, galleries and restaurants grace our main streets in the heart of the downtown business district. On Union Street, resident’s are actively refurbishing historic homes representing an eclectic array of European and American architectural influences, from Tudor and Victorian to Craftsman and Gingerbread. Learn the history and economic impact of local waterways, including the Altamaha River, which fed the rice fields during the Plantation Era and served logging interests during the Timber Era, the Sidney Lanier Bridge, gateway to the Port of Brunswick, which currently enjoys a thriving shipping industry, and of the local shrimping and seafood industry.
Hofwyl Plantation
On a narrow fringe of land between saltwater marshes and pineland, visitors return to an era when great rice plantations flourished. There is a special charm at this low country plantation with its simple, but elegant architecture. Evocative of grander times and times of “making do”, Hofwyl has been left exactly as it was when it was home to the Troup-Dent sisters, whose family owned the land for nearly 200 years. Set in one of the few remaining extensive Live Oak forests, it is a scene of tranquil and breathtaking beauty. The film and museum assist in interpreting and enhancing your visit, which includes the original household furnishings and service building as reflections of the various eras.
The Golden Isles Touring Company is a receptive tour operator (a local expert in their region) and focused on group business. Kelly is dedicated to ensuring the sights and tastes of her area exceed the guest expectations and I have no doubt that her passion for her backyard is delivered every time. We connected on a bus because we were doing what we loved, experiencing a new travel destination. She made an even bigger impression on her travel buddies since shortly after this journey, she became a contestant on the game show Jeopardy. Alex Trebeck asked her about St. Simons Island during the show. While she did not expect the question, her knowledge came out during the unexpected marketing opportunity. When your travel plans call for a unique destination, look towards a true southern treasure, the Golden Isles of Georgia.
For additional information, contact:
GOLDEN ISLES TOURING COMPANY
www.goldenislestouring.com
912-638-8092 Fax: 912-638-8063
P. O. Box 20425 St. Simons Island, GA 31522
Kelly Dobbin – Kelly@goldenislestouring.com
* Become a fan of Golden Isles Touring Company on Facebook!
A big shout out to Kelly Dobbin for the assistance provided to create this article. Your ability to quickly agree to promote your destination makes you a rock star in my book! Thank you for a job well done!
Photos in this SnapShot article were provided with permission by Kelly Dobbin.
Submission: January 2010
Authored by:
Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds
marketingCents, llc
Email: Stefanie@marketing-Cents.com
Web: www.marketing-Cents.com
Twitter: @Stefanie Gorder
For more information, please visit Stephanie's TNNW Bio.
SnapShot is a monthly column offering a collection of travel & networking concepts to destinations and activities worldwide. Expose yourself to travel!
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1 comment:
Just got back from ABA. Hopefully, we'll have even more busloads of folks discovering the treasures of our area in 2010 and beyond!
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