by Rachel L. Miller

View of the sunset off the Intercoastal Waterway from Jekyll Island. (click for larger photo) Photo (c) 2001, R. Miller

It’s a quiet morning on Jekyll Island. The sun struggles to break through the wispy gray clouds high above, a scant trace of a salty breeze blows off the ocean and I look north, then south, trying to decide which way to walk.  

Slowly I smile, realizing I don’t need to worry about anyone seeing me (or more importantly, my hair, made wild by the Georgia humidity). There’s not a single person as far as I can see down the coast. 

After an invigorating run on the shore, I stop and listen. Each sound I hear is completely natural – the waves of the Atlantic calmly meeting the sand, the high-pitched cries of seagulls and the rhythmic beating of my heart.  My body relaxes as I stretch, taking off my shoes and socks and digging my toes into the cool, velvety soft sand.  Eventually, I make my way to the water’s edge, letting the wet sand quickly envelop my feet with a quiet slurping sound. And I’m still the only person on the beach. Ahhhh, this is heaven. 

This is the way Jekyll Island has always been for me. Having visited a half-dozen times since I was 12 years old, I’ve grown extremely fond of the island. Why? Besides having some of the most beautiful scenery (both man-made and natural), Jekyll is where I go to truly get away – it’s that relaxing.  

The Jekyll Island Club Hotel  Photo (c) 2001, Rachel L. Miller

The reason I believe this is simple: there’s not so much to do that you feel overwhelmed. If I want to be overwhelmed and stressed about what to do next, I’ll stay at the office and work, thank you very much. Only the most relevant activities remain constant on the island – strolling the beach, biking the island’s 22 miles of trails, playing a variety of public golf courses, indulging in a game of tennis on one of 13 newer clay courts. And my favorite activity on Jekyll Island: touring the historical district. 

Jekyll Island was originally an ultra-exclusive winter retreat for the crème de la crème of American society from 1886 to the early 1940s.  William K. Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Joseph Pulitzer and others flocked to the island, either building their own “cottages” (actually large, elaborate homes) or staying at the Jekyll Island Clubhouse (now the Jekyll Island Club Hotel), an American Queen Anne structure complete with verandas, bay windows and a gorgeous turret. 

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