Family Vacation to Jekyll Island: Part 3

This week I've been chatting about our Fall Break vacation to Jekyll Island. Recapping has given me the beach bug, and if I could whisk my family away right back to this beautiful island, I would in a heart beat! 

Today I am concluding the last part of our vacation. And while we did our fare share of exploring as the week went on we were in full relaxation mode. Exactly the way a vacation should be!

Jekyll Island: Part 1

Jekyll Island: Part 2 

DAY 4

This day we had a few fun adventures planned for the kids. So we grabbed another quick breakfast, and then made our way to the beach. 

Cute was so excited to test out his frisbee he received at dinner the night before. He practiced with Mr. Cute for a full hour and became really good at it. 

The kids played on the beach for a few hours and then the boys headed out for an adventure of their own. The girls and I held down the tropical fort and not a one of us was complaining. 

This was the day Baby Cute became quite brave. I could not keep that girl out of the ocean. Every time I turned around she was splashing in the waves, crawling in the waves, and doing her version of "swimming". It was quite nerve wracking at times because she is also a master at taking her float off. Near drowning didn't phase her one bit, and the moment a wave took her under, she would just pop right up with a huge smile on her face. All this panicked mommy can say is...she is her mother's child. #tinymermaid

While we were having heart attacks on the beach, the boys were taking in a little fishing at the Jekyll Fishing Center. 

Originally they had planned to do an off shore fishing trip, but the managers of the center informed them it would have been a waste of money. After the hurricane blew through, fishing was a little off, and for a few weeks they didn't think it would be suitable for fishing conditions. So they rented poles and fished off the pier. The had just as good a time, and even caught a fish or two (I can't seem to find the pictures! I only have 6,435 photos from this trip, but will add it as soon as I locate it for all you fishing connoisseurs.). 

After we met back up, we headed to The Georgia Sea Turtle Center. This came highly recommended to us from multiple sources, so we couldn't wait to check it out! During the first part of our stay, we learned the sea turtles had been evacuated to Chattanooga. They had been given the all clear, and on the afternoon we visited the center they were scheduled to come back. There was lots of excitement around the Center. 

Right off the bat our children loved it. The staff member who greeted us informed us that the turtles weren't able to be seen just yet, but that we could still interact with all the exhibits and hopefully see the turtles by closing time. She handed us a paper that let each one of us pretend to be sea turtles. 

Throughout the museum we can visit different stations with choices, and at the end you see what kind of sea turtle you would be. It was pretty interesting the different ways sea turtles become adults (and what can happen to them along the way). 

The museum itself isn't an overly large space, but it was packed with tons of great information and fun interactive exhibits. 

The kids had a blast checking out each station, and learned so much in such a short amount of time. 

Even Mr. Cute and I learned a ton of new information, and were highly impressed with how well the center was set up for children of all ages. 

The anticipation of seeing the sea turtles arrive was exciting. We kept seeing tons of movement in the examining rooms, but sadly never saw the turtles before closing. 

L.C. and I even snuck back in while everyone was purchasing souvenirs just to check one last time. She was in awe of everything happening, regardless if she saw a sea turtle or now. 

She had so many questions and declared that we need to come back soon to make sure everyone was okay. We most definitely need to do that! It was such a neat place to explore and I know our kids would love to return and check everything out again. 

After we wrapped up at The Sea Turtle Center we made our way to dinner. We decided to check out another part of the island and stumbled upon Zachary's Riverhouse. 

This was located right on the harbor, and had such an amazing selection of southern style seafoods. 

I loved the atmosphere right on the water, and the decor was so much fun. I wanted to figure out how to get that lighting fixture back home with me. It was made out of what looked like a large piece of driftwood. Coastal southern style is my jam. 

After filling ourselves with some yummy food, we took a little walk around the property and along the pier. The views were stunning.

A nice resident of one of the yachts told our kids to watch out for the alligator that liked to swim in the waters here. The kids were all sorts of into this and did not want to leave. Fortunately, no alligator interactions occurred. 

We still had a little adventure in us, and I suggested we check out the infamous Driftwood Beach before we headed back to the hotel. 

This little spot was mentioned to us over and over again as one of the "must sees" of the island. Sadly, though, it was also one of the ones hit hardest when hurricane Irma blew through. 

The majority of the driftwood had been washed out to see. The beautiful trees had been ripped up, and the dunes, sidewalks, and wooden stair paths are now nothing but remnants. 

Aside from a stray tree here or there, this was the only spot we truly saw the destruction that Irma caused in this area. A testament to both the power of the storm as well as the amazing recovery effort by the island. 

DAY 5

This was our last day on the island before heading to our property in South Georgia and then onto home and back to reality. We wanted to soak up as much of the sun and beach as possible. 

We made our way back to our favorite beach spot we had found, and not shockingly we had the area all to ourselves once again. 

We stayed for hours and just simply enjoyed the day. The girls made sure to have sand on every single part of their body. 

The boys worked on a mad game of frisbee. 

I sat down in my beach chair for the fourth time ever. And read a book! 

(Side note: I totally forgot to put this book in last month's book club. It was a fun little read, and part of a series. If you like mysteries I highly recommend this novel.)

After we beached, we made our way to the pool one last time too. 

One thing is for sure, I have three little fishes on my hands. Again, they get that from their mama. 

For lunch we headed to The Wharf. We had been eyeing this since we arrived, but it was closed the first few days to clean up some things from the hurricane. 

It's been a fixture on the island from the beginning, but The Wharf restaurant itself just opened a few days before the hurricane blew threw. 

I am so glad the hurricane spared this little gem because my tastebuds would have been missing out on a culinary experience. Okay, that might be a tad dramatic, but it was really really good. 

The homemade biscuits with honey butter, the mac and cheese, the fried chicken... I mean clearly I was concerned about fitting into my swimsuit after this trip. But how could a southern girl resist homemade biscuits??

Mr. Cute went the healthier, yet oh so delicious route. 

After we finished lunch, we decided to burn off a few calories by checking out some of the historic homes. Homes is a loose term as these are more like mansions. 

I'd move into any of them. Even the servants homes. I'm not picky. 

| Dress different cut/same pattern | Dress different cut/same pattern | Shoes | Watch |

For our last night on the island we decided to stay local again for dinner. I was so excited to break out this little dress one more time before the summer officially ended. 

The kids had been dying all week to play croquet. Finally the courts were open and we let them give it a try. 

Not sure they got the concept, but it was fun to watch. 

After everyone worked up an appetite, we headed to our dinner spot. 

That's right...The Wharf. For lunch and dinner. It was that good. And convenient since it was only steps away from our hotel. 

B.C. remembered all that yummy, and couldn't contain herself when she saw a big plate of biscuits walking by and realized they weren't for her. So I took her hangry party outside, and a lovely person heard me trying to calm her down and gave her a bag of chips. 

All was right in the world, and now was not the time to discuss, "never take chips from strangers". #thirdchild

Our food arrived, and we made sure to order something different than what we had for lunch. It was still just as yummy. Even down to the dessert we didn't share with the kids. So so good. 

We absolutely LOVED our time on Jekyll Island, and we know we will be back very very soon. 

I can't assure you the next time I will come home though. ;) 

Jen

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Family Vacation to Jekyll Island: Part 2

Yesterday I shared the first part of our trip to Jekyll Island. Hope you are ready for the second part because picture overload! We had SO. MUCH. FUN. and it really was a great spot for a fall family trip. We were able to relax and go on several adventures only minutes from our resort.

DAY 2

The second day we woke up bright and early courtesy of our three mini Magnolias. We decided to head down the stairs to the Grand Dining Room for breakfast. 

The kids loved taking the "circle stairs" down instead of the elevator. It also opened up into a fun parlor area where you could lounge, read quietly, or play games. I let you decide which of those categories they fell into.

The Grand Dining Room is gorgeous!

I'm not going to lie. Mr. Cute was a little nervous. The moment he saw white table clothes and our kids wild energy he thought we should take them to somewhere a little less formal. But his nervousness was for nothing. It was completely family friendly and the staff was amazing with children.

I also love the kids menu. The kids thought it was so much fun to inform people they were future millionaires. #fingerscrossed

They have a super yummy breakfast buffet, but I opted for their omelette and breakfast potatoes. So so yummy!

After breakfast we made our way down the Hall of Mirrors to explore a little bit before heading to the pool. 

The kids loved this area of the hotel too. It's a shame they have no personality. 

After a quick post-breakfast walk we made our way to the pool. The kids were so excited because when we arrived we had the pool all to ourselves. 

The pool was heavenly and still warm enough to swim, even in late September. There were plenty of towels, chairs, and umbrellas no matter how many people there. We staked our claim towards the shallow end and unleashed our tiny humans.

The other big draw to the pool for the kids was that it had a deep deep end. It went up to 9ft, and that meant they could do some super sized cannon balls. 

We splashed, jumped and swam for almost three hours!

The kids would have kept swimming, but hunger was winning out.

We decided to eat at The Pool House so that we could stay close to the pool and not have to change out of our swimsuits just to get right back in them. 

It is located right off the deep end of the pool and is an open cabana casual style restaurant. 

I loved that it matched the hotel decor and was decorated in blue and white, but it had surprising pops of tropical fun sprinkled throughout.

We ordered a couple of light items to share, and the food was delicious! 

Any day I can have chips and salsa is a good day. 

After lunch we decided to switch gears from swimming and headed to the put put course on the island. This is located on the same property that Red Bug Pizza and the playground I mentioned in yesterday's post. 

There are two 18 hole golf courses. One a little easier and one a little more difficult. We opted for the difficult one, but both would have been fine for kids our ages. 

We had the hole course to ourselves. We learned later that we showed up right towards the end of the day. It closes by 5:30p.m. during the seasons it is open. 

The easier course had slightly more characters to it, but the difficult course has more obstacles, and the kids thought that would be a little more fun.

We had a blast, and even though we were eaten alive by mosquitos (bring bug spray!!), we were so glad to have let the kids enjoy the afternoon with a little old school style fun.

We laughed when we spotted the Bulldog. There are tons of little Bulldog things around the island. UGA fans have staked their claim on Jekyll Island!

After mini golf, we had a little down time before we needed to get ready for dinner. The Jekyll Club is located in the heart of the historic district of the island, so we decided to explore some of the shops and grab a snack. 

I love love love history and historic buildings so this was right in my wheel house. All of the shops and restaurants are set up in some of the buildings original to the island. Some even before the club opened. Jekyll Island has a really fun and unique history, and it is impressive to see how many important figures have passed through or how many major decisions in terms of our country were decided here. 

Not to mention how huge and grand the homes were for the late 1800's! If I could pick one of these up and take it home with me I totally would. Or I could just move there.... ;)

 The shopping was fun, and due to Irma things weren't too crowded. Typically this time of year Jekyll is the host to the Southern Living Shrimp & Grits Festival. Sadly, they had to cancel it this year. So we were able to browse the shops with ease.

The shops contained a lot of boutique style items - some locally made and some from other parts of Georgia. This was so fun for us!

So many talented people in our great state! We loved these fun serving pieces and even came home with a few. We loved the tongue and cheek humor of a few!

It was fun to just browse, and the kids were well behaved considering some of the friendly shop owners handed out ring pops.

No old fashioned snack is complete without an old fashioned Coke. 

This little stop was a fun one because it had a large children's section. The owner of The Island House and I spoke for awhile. She was such a wealth of knowledge and I left feeling like we were old friends. 

Her boutique was adorable, and we ended up with several souvenirs.

The kids went back and forth between a fun book and some fun stuffed puppets she had on hand.

We are now the proud owners of an extremely large leopard shark and parrot stuffed puppet.

Don't let L.C.'s face fool you. She was saying Parrot was sad we didn't get him a friend. Sorry girlfriend, did you see how many bags we brought. The trunk can only hold so much. As can my sanity. 

After we worked up an appetite shopping, we changed and made our way to dinner. We had spotted Tortuga Jacks across the way from the mini golf area, and it looked like a fun spot. Fun was an understatement.  

We opted to sit on the outside patio because the weather felt amazing. The restaurant is right on the beach and water so it had great views too. Everywhere you turned there was a little something fun. 

The signs were cracking me up! 

The food was YUMMY! 

And in the name of journalistic integrity, I just had to try the margaritas too. Y'all...best margaritas I've had in awhile. And I've done my fair share of taste testing. So so good!

The atmosphere was so fun, and the kids had a blast playing with other little ones on the small stage they had. Funnily enough a family that we met here we ran into at dinner the next three nights. We became vacation supper buddies and all our kids were the same age so they had a blast playing together. It was a great night, and I already can't wait to visit again to taste test the rest of the margarita menu. 

After dinner we took a peek at the beach, and then called it a night. 

DAY THREE

Surprise! We woke up early again! #parentlife 

We got dressed and made our way down to breakfast. Instead of the Grand Dining Room we made our way to the Club Cafe. 

The Club Cafe is a casual restaurant that offers both home made to order food options, as well as grab and go items. 

The ladies were super sweet with us as we poured over all the yummy selections. 

The treat case was hard to tear your eyes (and tongue) away from. 

We ordered some fresh smoothies, scrambled eggs and an assortment of pastries. Because who can pass up fresh out of the oven pastries? 

Clearly not this family. 

Everything was so yummy and this quickly became our go to place the remainder of the trip. 

We all enjoyed the yummy food as well as the laid back atmosphere. You can take your food anywhere but there are tons of seating options both inside the restaurant as well as outside the restaurants. Those gorgeous porches aren't just for looking at!

After finishing up breakfast we decided to make our first trek to the beach. The Jekyll Club's beach club was shut down for the season, but you could still get access to the beach. It was actually one of the few places you could access the beach post Irma on the island. The clean up crew were still taking care of this part when we arrived. 

Because the club was closed for the season we figured it didn't matter what beach we went to so we went a little further down to a different part of the beach. 

We weren't there a minute before L.C. screamed in excitement that she found a sand dollar. The hurricane washed up a ton of sand dollars, and in no time the kids had a bucket full. 

They spent hours searching up and down the beach for them. Not to mention the beach was completely empty. Like we didn't see another person for at least the first hour and a half we were there. It was amazing!

We actually got to sit in our beach chairs for once (when one of The Cutes wasn't taking over). We always bring them, but in seven years I can't think of once where we've actually sat in them. Typically we are running through the crowds trying to contain the littles. Or sitting on the sand with them. Or swimming. Or playing a game. 

You get the idea. 

But sitting and relaxing? Unheard of. 

There was something though about that big wide open space that happened to relax everyone and occupy The Cutes for a longer length of time. By this point I was ready to full on move to Jekyll. 

It was so relaxing, we made a day of just sitting on the beach and exploring when we wanted to. We gathered shells, made sandcastles, and just relaxed. It was like having your own private island. Fall Break at the beach might just be our favorite. 

As the sun started to set, we decided it was time to make our way to dinner. 

I loved that the weather was warm and I was able to break out some of my warm weather favorites still, including my favorite oyster shell necklace. 

| Dress (similar) | Sandals | Sunglasses | Watch |

We headed towards a newer part of the island - close to the Jekyll Club's Ocean Club.  We spotted the Wee Pub and decided to give it a try.

The Wee Pub had a great atmosphere. The kids loved that there was a musician to sing to us, and keep trying to make requests.

Despite the Irish decor and name, they had a little bit of everything on the menu.

For some reason the Baked Potato Soup just spoke to me, but after sampling a little bit of everyone's I  quickly realized all the food was tasty. We've been lucking out on this trip!

The Cutes' favorite part of the meal was that it was served in a fun take home frisbee. They loved it and couldn't wait to give them an official test run. They might have attempted an unofficial test run, but mommy put her foot down on that. Sorry Mr. Musician!

Even after all that food, Mr. Cute decided to stop by and grab one more little treat for everyone. 

As we were leisurely driving back to the hotel, we spotted a deer! And then we spotted half a dozen more. We did't realize there were so many deer on the island, but once it gets dark they all come out. The kids thought it was hilarious that deer were at the beach. But now that they knew, the rest of our evening were filled with post dinner/pre-bed time deer scouting. 

That wraps up the middle part of our vacation! Tomorrow I will share the final days of our vacation. Until then! 

JEN

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