Sea Island Resort: An exclusive getaway
Sea Island/Courtesy photo
Sea Island Resort is the ultimate exclusive getaway. There, five miles of pristine, white sand beaches along Georgia’s coast pair seamlessly with exquisite dining and service — plus a host of recreational activities.
Sea Island carries a rich tradition of families spending cherished and playful vacations together. Multigenerational families gather there year after year, but it’s also a quiet place to retreat as a couple. Additionally, it offers the perfect corporate meeting place, with the private McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport five minutes from the lodge or the one-hour drive from Jacksonville International Airport — or the 20-minute drive from Delta Airlines-serviced Brunswick Golden Isles Airport.
Relaxing oceanside
While other beaches teem with tourists and all the noise that comes with it, Sea Island’s private beach is a most exclusive getaway. Located on the southeastern coast, the gated island is home to less than 600 luxury “cottages,” so as you walk the shoreline, it feels as if you have the entire beach — and ocean — to yourself. Of course, beach attendants stand ready to serve you right outside The Cloister, with freshly-covered lounge chairs, umbrellas, a wireless phone charger, and a Yeti cooler stocked with refreshments.
Horseback riding on a beach always stirs romantic visions, and at Sea Island, just about all of your dreams come true, including horseback rides on the beach or along the dunes or marshes. Additional tailored experiences include secluded forest rides and other custom trips for skilled or novice riders.
Nature lovers will enjoy the Sea Turtle Dawn Patrol during the summer season. It’s worth the early rise. Participants hop on a golf cart to survey the 5-mile sandy stretch, hunting for turtle tracks, which usually lead to the dunes. When they find one, a naturalist carefully prods for eggs to see if the female laid a nest or if it was a false crawl, where she didn’t find her perfect place. Nighttime strolls look for nesting females and hatchlings, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The last two summers have broken records, with 144 (2022) and 130 (2023) nests recorded, and this season looks promising for high numbers, too.
For those more enamored with birds, the Hawk Walk allows a raptor to land on your gloved arm, while the Owl Prowl and other birding tours teach participants to keep a keen eye toward the sky.
Surrounded by the vast sea on one side and salt marshes on the other, Sea Island offers some of the best year-round fishing trips on the East Coast. Or book a scenic yacht cruise or pre-dinner cruise, the latter of which just might satiate your appetite with its spectacular appetizers, full of fresh fruits and vegetables, hummus, cheese, meats, and more. As you unwind along the quiet marshes, known for turning golden around dusk and dawn, don’t forget to head to the bow when dolphins begin zipping near it in their uncanny playful manner.
Well-appointed accommodations
Sea Island Resort provides a variety of accommodations that cater to all of its family-friendly activities.
If your primary purpose involves beach time and other activities besides golf, The Cloister is the most convenient location. The Forbes’ five-star accommodations include guest rooms and suites, as well as up to three bedrooms within The Cloister Ocean Residences. Each impeccably designed suite holds its own charm.
The Cloister was built in 1928 and, though it has since been completely renovated, it still holds the allure of earlier days with its grand architecture and vintage furnishings.
Sea Island Beach Club, bowling, fishing, horseback riding, pickle ball, tennis, and nature tours all take place out of The Cloister. Every morning, you awake to fresh pastries, coffee and tea, and every afternoon treat includes cookies, iced tea, and lemonade, which kids especially await.
At The Cloister, you can visit the Forbes five-star spa and relaxing garden atrium and water rotunda. Or, simply unwind in the fitness center’s lap pool and hot tub. This indoor pool extends well beyond a typical swim-and-soak experience, with its gorgeous two-story architecture punctuated by fabulous arches, windows, and wooden beams. The center also offers dozens of group fitness classes a week, a dedicated Pilates studio, a separate yoga studio, and personal training.
The Lodge, which is about a 10-15 minute complimentary shuttle ride just off of Sea Island, is surrounded by golfing. This is particularly good to know if you’re bringing a dog; both The Cloister and The Lodge — the latter of which provides equally impressive, expansive suites — are pet friendly. So if your primary plans revolve around ocean play and activities other than golf, The Cloister is more convenient to stay, whereas if golf is your bag, The Lodge best suits your four-legged friend.
After an invigorating day, enjoy s’mores by the firepit or end your evening with milk and cookies or a rose-petal bath, both of which your butler will be happy to deliver.
Bagpiping is also a tradition at The Lodge. Great Highland bagpipes reverberate across the golf course and drift out to sea at the close of each day.
Many of The Lodge’s suites are marked with plaques recalling the dignitaries that have stayed there, and The Cloister’s Summit Room still holds the same round table the G8 met at in 2004. Sea Island is the only location in the United States to have hosted a G8 Summit, and it’s no wonder: Its impeccable service, from welcoming you back by name to ensuring every dietary need and desire is met, is unparalleled. At Sea Island, sophisticated service meets Southern hospitality through genuine warmth and friendliness.
A long tradition of golf and shooting
Sea Island Golf Club’s three 18-hole championship courses began with the Plantation Course, designed in 1928 by Walter Travis. Rees Jones updated it in 1998, and it further benefited from a complete renovation in 2019. With a blend of short and long holes strategically placed bunkers and classic green complexes, it meanders through majestic oaks and waterside shots.
The Retreat Course offers unique and dramatic designs with a combination of slope, sand bunkers, and undulations to test even master golfers. Meanwhile, the Seaside Course is the pinnacle of links golf. It features 15 holes flanked with such stunning views of Georgia’s coastal landscape, it might just distract your game. As Sea Island’s most demanding design, it hosts the PGA TOUR’s RSM Classic, as does the Plantation Course.
Established in 1929, Sea Island Shooting School is one of the three oldest shooting clubs on the East Coast. It’s also one of the best and most comprehensive. Whether you want your kids to learn to shoot safely, you’re an established hunter who wants a few pointers, or it’s your first time holding a shotgun, expert instructors meet every level. In fact, they pride themselves on getting even first-timers to hit a clay target. (I had very low expectations for my first time shooting; I figured I’d be successful if I didn’t flinch, but, as it turns out, I hit two targets in less than 10 shots, as the instructor assured me I would). It also offers archery lessons and hunting excursions.
A delightfully tasteful experience
Just as Sea Island is exceptional in its accommodations and activities, it excels in dining. Chefs worldwide seek experience at Sea Island restaurants to boost their resumes, and its world-famous bakery is booked at least a year out for cake delivery — though, never fear: You can indulge in its freshly baked bread and sweet delights throughout the resort.
The Lodge’s Colt & Alison stands out with its USDA Prime wet- and dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood, while its country-club-like ambiance, with the dining room’s high-back leather chairs and knowledgeable sommeliers, make it the perfect place to slowly enjoy your evening.
The Georgian Rooms harken back to days when digital devices didn’t interrupt time with family and friends, and dinner reservations meant dressing well. While the Georgian Rooms are sophisticated both in ambiance and cuisine, they don’t feel stuffy or repressive. The intimate lounge serves sushi, while both dining rooms serve perfectly cooked steaks, seafood, chicken, lamb, and vegetarian options, along with a host of starters, from oysters to foie gras.
Sea Island Resort raises the bar in terms of service, exclusivity, and pampering, all while remaining truly friendly and fun. In these times of fair to acceptable service and accommodations, Sea Island stands out in distinctive taste among the rest.
Sea Island Resort: An exclusive getaway
Sea Island Resort is the ultimate exclusive getaway. There, 5 miles of pristine, white sand beaches along Georgia’s coast pair seamlessly with exquisite dining and service — plus a host of recreational activities.
