9 Best Things to do in St. Simons Island, GA

Dotted along the shoreline of Georgia lie the Golden Isles. Majestic trees draped in moss line the streets and beaches and marshes stretch as far as the eye can see. This cluster of islands is the perfect place to slow down and enjoy life on beach time.

If you are spending time in the Golden Isles, St. Simons is the perfect base for exploring.

Below I will share the 9 best things to do in St. Simons Island, GA as well as other important information for the perfect visit. We’ve visited St Simons Island many times as my father has a house there, and this list of St. Simons Island things to do was carefully compiled based on our time here.

This article also includes a few suggestions for other activities on nearby islands.

Quick Look at the Best Things to do in St. Simons Island, GA

Things to Know about Visiting St. Simons Island, Georgia

The Golden Isles are made up of 4 barrier islands: Jekyll Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island, and the largest, St. Simons Island. The low-lying islands are close to Brunswick, GA, and can be accessed by a bridge (except for Little St. Simons Island). Once you are in St. Simons, you can find plenty of places to eat and shop as well as a grocery store.

St. Simons has a rich and varied past, starting with the early settlements of the Creek People. In the 1600s, the land was contested by the French, Spanish, and English and finally controlled by the English.

Until the Civil war, plantations dominated the islands. Today St. Simons is best known as a tourist destination and has many outdoor activities for people of all ages.

Map of Things to do on St. Simons Island

Complete Details of the 9 Best Things to do – St. Simons

Below you can see some of the best things to do in St Simons Island based on our many years visiting the region.

Visit Fort Fredrica

Fort Frederica was built by James Oglethorpe (the same person who established Savannah). The fort was built to protect against the Spanish Fort to the South. In addition to wandering through the ruins of the fort, you can trace the streets of the small towns here and learn about the history in the visitor center.

There is no entrance fee and we really enjoyed watching the 22-minute video and seeing the artifacts to get started. Once you’ve explored the visitor center, give yourself plenty of time to stroll around the grounds.

You can walk the only roads of the town and see the basements of the homes that have been excavated. In addition to the outlines of the houses, just walking through the grounds is worth it to see all the massive trees.

At the far end of the grounds, you will find the remaining portion of the fort with canyons overlooking the marsh. Give yourself time to take in the view from here. Altogether, you should plan on an hour or slightly more to see the fort. We spent about 75 minutes walking the grounds and watching the video in the welcome center.

Stroll Through the Village

The village of St. Simons is lined with colorful shops and places to eat and is a great place to check out and take a walk. You can combine a visit in town with a walk along the waterfront and a visit to the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum.

On our last visit, we popped into a few shops looking for t-shirts and grabbed ice cream at Sunset Slush. There are several great options for grabbing lunch or dinner in town as well.

Enjoy the Waterfront at Neptune Park

While you’re visiting the Village of St Simons, take time to walk out onto the pier and stroll through Neptune Park. On the Pier at the end of Mallery Street, you will find folks relaxing, people fishing and crabbing, and excellent people watching.

From the pier wander, along the waterfront through Neptune Park. This large area is full of benches, picnic areas, amazing old trees, a playground, a waterpark, mini-golf, sculptures, and more. You will find people out for a stroll and families picnicking and making a day of it. The trees in the park are amazing.

Visit the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum

Located at the end of Neptune Park, make sure you save time to visit the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum. The iconic lighthouse has been standing since 1872 and is still a working lighthouse today. You can climb the tower, visit the caretaker’s dwelling and learn more at the lighthouse museum. You will need to purchase tickets to visit, but you can see more information on their website.

Walk Around Cannon’s Point Preserve

This 600-acre preserve on the northern part of St Simon’s Island is the perfect place to wander and explore. The area was the location of some experimental agriculture many years ago and you could find citrus trees, grapes, date palms, olive trees, sugar cane, and mulberry trees in addition to cotton. Walking the preserve you will see plantation ruins and an abundance of wildlife.

You can find 7 miles of hiking trails and some of the last intact maritime forests on St. Simons Island.

Go to the Beach

This might seem obvious, but going to the beach is a must in you’re visiting the Golden Isles and should be at the top of your list of things to do in St Simons. Visit the beach for a walk, for sunrise, or spend the day on the sand and in the waves.

East Beach is your best bet right in St. Simons but you can also find excellent beaches on Sea Island and Jekyll Island. Most of the beach areas are long and perfect for walking with hard sand and plenty of room.

Take a Bike Ride

One of our favorite things to do in St. Simons is to take a bike ride. We’ve driven with our own bikes and borrowed bikes, but you can also rent bikes at several local shops. Check out the rentals at Island Bicycles. The island is generally bike-friendly with plenty of bike paths. We love biking through the roads under the towering trees.

Take a Boat Trip (Dolphin or Fishing Tour)

It feels like water is everywhere you look on St Simons, and you should absolutely plan to spend time on the water during your visit to St. Simons. Not only do you get to see the island from a different perspective, but you have the opportunity to see some of the abundant marine life in the area.

We did a sailboat charter last year when we visited on the Spirit of St. Simons and have heard good things about this dolphin tour. You can also find fishing charters and kayak rentals.

Stop at Christ Church

One final thing to do in St. Simons Island, GA is to stop in and visit Christ Church. This historic church, hidden in the graceful Georgian Trees is the perfect place to stop (stop on your way to Fort Fredrica). We actually rode our bikes out along the path to Fort Fredrica and went right past the church. Stop off for a few minutes, walk the grounds and then admire the stained glass windows in the church.

Other Things to Do On St Simons

Of course, there are so many more amazing things to do in St. Simons -golf on some amazing courses, play tennis, find a pool, play mini-golf, look for tree spirits, and more!

Other Amazing Things to do in the Golden Isles

While the suggestions above highlight what to do in St. Simons Island, the Golden Islands are all so close together, that you will also find plenty of things to do on the nearby Islands of Sea Island and Jekyll Island.

Sea Island

Sea Island is privately owned, so if you aren’t staying there, it can be difficult to visit. If you are up for staying at Sea Island, you will find long beaches, horseback riding, golf, poolside bars and more!

Jekyll Island

There are loads of fun things to do at Jekyll Island. We rented bikes for the day and rode around to visit the most interesting places. Don’t miss Driftwood Beach, the Turtle Sanctuary, and the historic buildings.

Best Time of Year to Visit St. Simons Island

St Simons has year-round appeal. If you are visiting from inland, then visiting in the summer will help you escape the heat (although it still gets quite hot June-August). We love to visit in April, May, Sept, and Oct when the temperatures are generally comfortable. Winter can be a good time to visit as long as you aren’t planning a beach vacation. Expect temperatures in the low 60s and far fewer crowds.

How Long Should you Spend on St. Simons Island?

This depends slightly on how you are planning to spend your time. If you want to a relaxing visit with som beach time and time for biking and visiting several of the islands, 4 days in great. We often spend up to a week on St Simons.

Directions to St. Simons Island

Getting to St. Simons Island is easy and you can drive right onto the island over the bridge (no ferries needed). There is a small airport right in Brunswick about 20 minutes from St. Simons or you can fly into Jacksonville, FL or Savannah, GA. If you are taking a road trip down the east coast of the United States, the Golden Isles make an excellent stopping spot. Here are some common driving times to St. Simons Island:

• Jacksonville to St. Simons: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Savannah to St. Simons: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Atlanta to St. Simons: 5 hours
• Charleston to St. Simons: 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Common Questions About St. Simons Island

Is St. Simons Island worth it? Yes – we love St. Simons. It has a good balance of culture, history, wildlife, and active activities that make it more than just a beach vacation.

How much does it cost to get on St. Simons Island? There is no fee or toll to get onto St. Simons Island.

Do you need a car on St. Simons Island? A car is helpful to get around, but you can also rent bikes and use the plentiful bike paths around the island.