Lose yourself on Little St. Simons Island
Words by Susan B Barnes
Retreat to a secret island hideaway off the Georgia coast.
Egrets and waterfowl take flight as the boat winds its way th rough Mosquito Creek. Left behind is the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Ahead, a private island—accessible only by boat—that’s been virtually untouched for nearly 90 years. If it’s your first visit to Little St Simons, the island’s natural beauty will leave you in awe. Towering oaks, with Spanish moss cascading from their far-reaching limbs, block the sun and encircle the cottages that make up the social epicenter of the island.
From logging to lodging
In the early 1900s, Philip Berolzheimer, owner of Eagle Pencil Company in New York City, bought the 10,000-acre island on Georgia’s coastline to harvest its abundant cedar trees. When initial tests revealed that the cedar on the island was not suited for pencils, Berolzheimer decided—against his bookkeeper’s wishes— to keep the island as a retreat for his family, friends and colleagues. And to this day Little St Simons remains in the caring hands of members of the Berolzheimer family.
Berolzheimer and seven of his close friends—who dubbed themselves “the Bandits”—periodically escaped the rush of New York life and retreated to the island for days of hunting, relaxation and fellowship. the flag that flies over the island and the logo on all of the island’s collateral is the crest that Berolzheimer and his pals created: a running deer witheight ducks cresting around it, symbolizing the wildlife they hunted on the island.
To accommodate the Bandits during their Georgia retreats, Berolzheimer built the Hunting Lodge in 1917. the two-bedroom lodge boasts a den with a warm, inviting fireplace where guests gather at cocktail hour, a quiet dining room that seats a small number of people, a larger dining room where all meals are served, a gift shop and an activities area where the day’s outings are posted for sign-up.
As the number of friends and family who visited the island grew, Berolzheimer added the Helen House and Michael Cottage, popular with honeymooners, around 1930. Two newer lodges were built in the 1980s in response to growing demand after the island opened to the public in 1979. Today, despite the island’s surge in popularity, it hosts a maximum of 30 overnight guests.
All-inclusive stays on Little St Simons Island include meals, snacks and beverages. th ink five-star dining meets Southern standards, prepared by a highly trained chef: ham and cheese omelets with to-die-for cheesy grits and melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls for breakfast; ribs that fall off the bone, sweet baked beans, spinach salad and fresh-baked cookies for lunch. Cocktail hour might feature giant scallops wrapped in crispy bacon with a th ai dipping sauce. For dinner there’s duck a l’orange with long-grain rice and homemade five-layer carrot cake for dessert. And that might be just the first day.
Your own private island
Once you’ve settled into your room and grabbed a snack from the lodge’s cookie jar, the island is yours to explore. Each day you spend on the island can be different than the one before—it’s up to you to set your itinerary. Island activities are part of the all-inclusive rates and include kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, horseback riding, guided interpretive programs, hiking and biking. Or, if you prefer, request a picnic lunch from the chef, bike two miles to the private beach and spend the day with out another soul in sight.
In addition to being a popular destination for recreational activities and solitude, the island is a favorite of bird-watchers the world over. If you know your terns from your oyster catchers, you’ll be in ornith ological heaven. “We have more than 280 species of birds here on Little St Simons,” says naturalist supervisor Brian Morse. “that’s really rather remarkable when you consider there are about 690 species in all of North America.”
With such a large and diverse bird population, the Lodge hosts enth usiasts and experts twice a year for week-long birding seminars. Both are during migration season, one in the spring and the other in the fall. Even if you can’t ID a seagull from a pelican, be sure to take part in an evening “owl prowl” if it’s offered during your stay. Eastern screech owls nest on the island, and th ough they weigh a mere th ree ounces, the little creatures emit quite a mating call.
In addition to birds, you are likely to glimpse European fallow deer, raccoons and armadillos during your visit—maybe even a rattlesnake or alligator. After all, the island is in its natural state.
A terrific way to get familiar with the lay of the land is by horseback. Rachel Garrison, the island’s equestrian specialist, will saddle up one of the six resident horses and guide you th rough the diverse scenery. On an island of just 10,000 acres, you’ll pass by live oaks, marshes, wetlands and ancient maritime forests.
If you’ve ever longed to get back to nature on your own private hideaway, far from the worries of the world, your dreams can come true—at least for a while— with a break on Little St Simons Island.
the Golden Isles of Georgia
When the sun sets on Georgia’s coast, it’s evident why this small area of the state is known as the Golden Isles. the sun’s rays cast a golden glow along the shoreline. In addition to Little St Simons Island, th ree other islands make up the Golden Isles: St Simons Island, Sea Island and Jekyll Island. th ough geographically close to one another, each island has a unique feel.
the largest of the group, St Simons Island, is the gateway to each of the other Golden Isles. Golfers tee off at th ree courses on the island; nature lovers enjoy fishing, kayaking and dolphin watching; beach bums th row their towels on the four-plus miles of sandy beaches; history buffs head for the St Simons lighth ouse, in operation since 1872, Fort Frederica National Monument, and historic Christ Church. And th ose looking for an afternoon of varied shopping can check out the village with its charming boutiques and outdoor eateries.
Sea Island is home to the Cloister, a world-famous, beach-side resort with luxury rooms—some nestling in sand dunes—and amenities such as golf, tennis, fishing and waterway excursions.
Jekyll Island is the location many of the early 20th -century elite, such as the Vanderbilts, Pulitzers and Rockefellers, chose for their winter playground. Drive across the bridge to the island and you’ll instantly know why. Today, towering trees drape over the roadways, creating a feeling that you’re stepping back in time. the island is mostly residential, with an array of condominiums and hotels available for th ose wishing to spend any length of time on the island. the historic district is where you will find the elegant Jekyll Island Club Hotel, as well as the “cottages” built by the wealth y visitors of yesteryear. the hotel and cottages welcome guests year-round. Visitors to Jekyll Island enjoy golf, tennis, beaches, 20 miles of bike path s, miniature golf and nature tours th roughout the year.