Looking across the immaculately groomed croquet court from my sun-warmed balcony, it’s easy to imagine visiting the Jekyll Island Club Resort in an earlier time. The building, constructed in 1888, still has the aura of a simpler era, when the wealthy would spend the winter months dancing, dining, and taking advantage of warm Georgia weather, far from the northern climes where they built their financial legacies.
Only an hour’s drive from the Jacksonville, FL airport, the Barrier Island resort seems miles away from modern times. Though it does have all of the expected conveniences, like AC and Wi-Fi, it also has all the grandeur of a getaway designed specifically for the one percent, back when that group included J.P. Morgan, Nelson Rockefeller, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt, and Marshall Field.
Back in its heyday, only 58 families were members of the Jekyll Island Club (JIC), whose location made it the richest, more remote and inaccessible club in the world. Not only did members need a yacht to get there as there was no road access, but prospective members had to be invited to join and approved by 7 out of 10 members of the executive committee—and they only got one chance.
One of the truly unique things about the resort is that it was not limited by gender; unlike other places at the time, women were allowed to drink whiskey and shoot pool, and even to inherit their husbands’ property and membership when they passed. Only in some cases did this equality causes problems: J.P. Morgan wrote a letter complaining to club leaders about women being allowed to shoot—after Jean Struthers beat all of the men in a shooting match.
Not everything was wonderful about being a female in the JIC, however. Women needed at least 90 gowns for the January through March season as they couldn’t be seen in the same outfit twice.
The building has a storied history of its own; while it was originally designed for the upper class, it was later abandoned by this same group in the 1940s as the effects of the Great Depression and World War II took their toll. Though the state tried to run the hotel for the next two decades, it was eventually abandoned and stood empty until new owners began restoring it in the 1980s. Now a Noble House property, the resort has recently undergone a $25 million renovation.
Visitors to the resort can partake of both traditional and modern-day options for fun, including playing polo, swimming in the pool (which has no shallow end—it is nine feet deep throughout), taking a dolphin-watching tour, biking around the 25 miles of trails that line the property, and even learning how to saber a champagne bottle. A host of special events also take place during the holidays, including Thanksgiving dinner in the Grand Dining Room, Lunch with Santa, and a Great Gatsby New Year’s Eve party. And as you would expect, they serve a holiday high tea.
There are also more modern accommodations at the resort, with a number of former ‘cottages’ turned into rental spaces for special occasions like weddings, family reunions, and more. But these aren’t cottages in the regular sense—these massive homes were once vacation homes for the members of the club who wanted their own spaces—the Crane Cottage, for example, is a whopping 16,400 sq. ft.
A sister property located further down the island, the Jekyll Ocean Club, is a Four Diamond boutique, oceanfront, all-suite hotel, that provides a more contemporary type of stay. It includes a beachfront restaurant, pool, fire pit, and more, and resort guests also have access to the club’s amenities which they can access via a complimentary shuttle.
Part of the charm of Jekyll Island is that it is a state park, where only one-third of the land is allowed to be developed. Nature is everywhere, from the massive live oaks that shade visitors, to the white ibis and roseate spoonbills that can be spotted hunting for snacks in marshy areas. Alligators can be seen sunning themselves alongside ponds or hanging out under restaurant piers. Because the ocean and its beaches are also a haven for sea turtles, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located at the resort, where visitors can learn more about the animals and how the center rehabilitates those that need help.
This dedication to preserving the environment can be seen throughout the island; at night, businesses use red lights instead of white lighting so as not to confuse turtle hatchlings as they make their way to the ocean, and signs along the beaches warn of sea turtle breeding areas.
Speaking of, one must-visit while on the island is Driftwood Beach, which is otherworldly in its beauty. Massive downed trees lie along the shore, creating a natural outdoor sculpture garden that has to be seen to be believed. Five other beaches on the island offer plenty of opportunities for amazing views as well as places to picnic, watch migratory birds, and walk trails. Glory Beach on the south side of the island was even used as a movie location for the film, Glory.
There are a variety of places to shop, from Beach Village on Main Street to the Historic District located beside the resort. Options for dining range from The Wharf, a laid-back, beachy spot for local seafood, to Eighty Ocean, a contemporary restaurant featuring coastal Georgia fare, craft cocktails, and low-country favorites. To fully get the lay of the land, stop into Mosaic, the Jekyll Island Museum, to learn more about the area’s history and place in the world, or take a Landmark Trolley Tour for a restful ride back in time.
Though times have changed since the Gilded Age-glitterati first chose Jekyll Island as a place to escape the stress and the frigid weather of their northern homes, it remains a relaxing, inviting escape—even for those of us who haven’t made our first million. For more information, visit www.jekyllclub.com.
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