FTJ 125: Enjoying the Golden Isles

Before I forget, here are a few photos of our good friends, Claudette and Dave Reed, who live in Hilton Head.

Claudette and Dave joined us for brunch. It was a lovely day, so we ate outside.

Pals for half a century. Can you imagine?

Oh, and I forgot to include this restaurant sign, from Bluffton, SC, outside of Hilton Head. An oddity -- and a name that conjures up so many dirty double entendres.

From Hilton Head, we traveled to Brunswick, GA, and the "Golden Isles" of Georgia. We were totally wowed by two of these barrier islands -- Jekyll and Saint Simons. We liked the latter so much, in fact, that we are seriously considering spending a few months there -- putting the RV in storage and immersing ourselves in the island life. Who knows? We could end up there, spending our golden years in the Golden Isles.

But first, Jekyll Island. Besides beautiful live oaks and stupendous golf courses, Jekyll is the home of a turtle rescue center and the Jekyll Island Club, a ritzy club/hotel developed at the turn of the century (late 1800s) by 53 well heeled members/investors, among whom were Marshall Field, Henry Hyde, J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, and William K. Vanderbilt. Many of the millionaires, such as J.P. Morgan, anchored their sizable yachts off the island for the summers. Quite impressive.

Beau at the Jekyll Island Club. We are thinking of becoming members -- NOT.

A beautiful bar inside.

The historic area on Jekyll is a charming collection of old buildings, many of which have been converted to boutiques and specialty shops.

A typical drive on Jekyll. Love the Spanish moss.

At the turtle rescue center.

Saint Simons is more developed than Jekyll, with a cute downtown area and lots of retail complexes along the length of the island. It seems very lively and friendly. And relatively affordable, at least in terms of rental costs.

Saint Simons Island has a pristine lighthouse at its southern end...

...and a spectacular beach to the east. The rock-hard sandy expanse reminded us of Carrabelle beach in Florida, another of our favorite places.

Before we departed, I had to take this photo of one of the Saint Simons residents. Adorable.

Yeah, whadda YOU lookin at?  OMG, so cute.

We're now looking over the Atlantic Ocean from our site at Beverly Beach, FL -- a return trip to a favorite place as we make our way down the coast.  It was in the low 80s today and gorgeous.

Hey, all you turkeys, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Tanks, Panky