I love spending the holidays in a place that gives me all the feels! Being from Florida, the holiday season really never feels as authentic, simply due to the fact that it is 90 degrees here all year round and you are surrounded by palm trees and beaches. Although, that is beautiful, I feel during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, I want to be surrounded with festive vibes that exude fall and winter in every sense of the meaning! I’m looking for cold weather, holiday parades, culinary experiences, holidays markets, family time and plenty of holiday activities.
This November, we decided to spend our Thanksgiving in St. Simon’s Island and Savannah, Georgia to experience more of a true holiday experience. Keep reading as I will be sharing our visit to Georgia for Thanksgiving week!
HOW TO GET TO SAINT SIMON’S ISLAND
Nearby airports
- Brunswick, Georgia (BQK) – 20 minutes away from St. Simon’s Island
- Savannah, Georgia (SAV) – 1 hour north of St. Simon’s Island
- Jacksonville, Florida (JAX) – 1 hour south of St. Simon’s Island
We have family that lives in St. Simon’s Island, so we decided to fly from Miami into Jacksonville, where they picked us up in their car. We were able to get around with their car for the entirety of our trip, however if this isn’t an option for you, I highly recommend renting a car at the airport to get around. We spent the first part of our trip in St. Simon’s Island and ended our trip in Savannah. For that reason, we flew home from Savannah, which was much easier than having to drive back to the Jacksonville airport from Savannah.
OUR ITINERARY
3 DAYS IN ST. SIMON’S ISLAND (INCLUDING THANKSGIVING DAY)
2 DAYS IN SAVANNAH
WHERE TO STAY IN ST. SIMON’S ISLAND
During our stay, we stayed with family at their home, however we did explore many hotels and our family recommends these hotels when visiting the island:
WHAT WE DID IN ST. SIMON’S ISLAND
St. Simons Island is part of Georgia’s Golden Isles, a laid-back coastal spot. It’s got a friendly, small-town feel with great restaurants, beaches, and plenty of charm. We arrived the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and explored the town as we also prepared for Thanksgiving.
Honey Tasting at Savannah Bee Company
Savannah Bee Company is the destination for specialty honeys. The store features a variety of local and international honey varieties, hive-inspired health and beauty products made from the best ingredients from the hive, a multitude of honeybee-inspired gifts, and a mead bar for honey-wine tastings. Location | 315 Mallery Street St. Simons Island, GA 31522
Take a Trolley Tour
Tour beautiful St. Simons Island on the oldest and most acclaimed tour on the island. This is the original historical trolley tour, operating for 23 years in nostalgic, vintage 1930’s wooden trolleys. The drive-by tour includes 36 points of interest including the highlight of the tour, a WALKING TOUR OF CHRIST CHURCH CHURCHYARD at historic Christ Church (except Mondays). Other sites include the Lighthouse, one of only three working lighthouses in Georgia; Bloody Marsh, site of the famous 1742 battle where the fate of the Southern Colonies was decided; Fort Frederica, the colonial town and fort settled by General James Edward Oglethorpe; and Retreat Plantation, where relics from the slavery era still exist.
We really enjoyed this tour as it’s a great way to see several historical sites in a short amount of time. The best part is the guide educates you along the way. Touristy? Yes…but I would recommend it on your first visit. Tour is $20 for adults and $10 for children and lasts about 1.5 hours.
Champagne Tasting at Jekyll Island Club Resort
We stopped by on a Friday, where the Resort offers a complimentary champagne tasting! We then strolled the property and the beach! It’s absolutely beautiful at sunset!
A visit to Jekyll Island Club Resort is something I would highly recommend if you don’t stay at the hotel. You can easily spend a few hours here touring the property and enjoying their amenities. You can access the beach, take a horse and carriage ride, dine at a restaurant, sip a class cocktail at The Alexander Lounge, rent and ride a bike along the 20 miles of paved bike paths, play croquet, or have a picnic! The things to do are endless! Check out all the experiences they offer here!
Explore the Culinary Scene
As I previously stated, we visited during Thanksgiving week, which was really nice to enjoy family time and a delicious home cooked meal. We also explored the food scene during our visit and here are some of the places we enjoyed:
WHERE TO STAY IN SAVANNAH
The Friday after Thanksgiving, we decided to leave around 10 am from St. Simon’s Island and head to Savannah, Georgia, which took about 1.5 hours. We decided to stay at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside. The location was great for everything we wanted to do during our weekend in Savannah.
The holidays at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District features a European-style Savannah Christmas Market, a massive Festival of Trees, and an intricate gingerbread house display. The holiday celebration runs daily from mid-November through early January, offering free admission to public displays, live performances, and festive riverfront activities.
Other highly recommended hotels in Savannah include:
WHAT WE DID IN SAVANNAH
Visit Forsyth Park
Originally established in the 1840s, Forsyth Park began as a 10-acre plot and has since expanded to cover 30 acres. The park is named after Governor John Forsyth and has been a central part of Savannah’s civic and cultural life for over 150 years. Forsyth park is famous for its grand historic fountain, giant moss-draped oak trees, and vibrant community events. Further into the park are two children’s playgrounds—one for littles and another for bigger kids. We had brunch at Collins Quarter during our visit to Forsyth, which is located within the park and then strolled around and took our daughter to play at the park.
Dine at The Olde Pink House
This is one of the things to do in Savannah, not just for the food, but for the experience as well. The Olde Pink House, is famous for its unique 18th-century architecture, striking pink color, and legendary Southern dining.
They serve lots of Southern-style dishes and are known for their Fried Green Tomatoes, yummy BLT Salad, and Crispy Scored Flounder (their signature dish). Their decadent Praline Basket is a popular dessert option.
Stroll Riverstreet
River Street is another beautiful spot in the Historic District during the holiday season. All of the lampposts are covered in greenery and red ribbons, and the Georgia Queen riverboat looks festive with holiday lights and greenery.
Visit the Plant Riverside Christmas Market
The newly developed west end of River Street is known as the Plant Riverside District. They’ve created a Savannah holiday market similar to the Christmas markets you see in Europe. Plant Riverside is definitely one of the areas that feels the most festive!
You can expect visits from Santa, live music, street performers, a vendor market, and more at Plant Riverside’s Christmas Market. Tickets aren’t required for any of these events.
- Tree Lighting Ceremony: This event features a live reading of The Night Before Christmas, musical performances, a tree lighting ceremony starring Santa.
- Santa Meet & Greet + Photos: Bring the kids to Plant Riverside to have their pictures taken with Santa. Santa’s helpers will be on hand, or you can snap shots with your own camera or cell phone. Santa is there daily (during selected times) from Thanksgiving week until Christmas Eve.
- Holiday Cookie Decorating: The little ones can decorate cookies with a little help from Plant Riverside’s pastry chefs.
Attend the Holiday Festivities at the JW Marriott Savannah
The JW Marriott unveils a grand, custom-built architectural gingerbread house creation hosted on-site. A free, large-scale display of uniquely decorated Christmas trees located inside the hotel and surrounding district. Complimentary street performances, holiday music, and visits with Santa Claus in the outdoor village. Definitely the place to be if you have children, as they even have a designated mailbox to mail letters to the North Pole!
Explore the Culinary Scene
Savannah is known to be a city rich in history and charm, but you will also discover some of the best southern cooking around and food in the country. If you love good food and a unique atmosphere, here are a few places we dined at and enjoyed during our visit to Savannah.
THE EMPORIUM KITCHEN & WINE BAR
There you have it, a holiday visit to St. Simon’s Island & Savannah, Georgia! We had a beautiful time and we loved it so much we are thinking of making it a family tradition to visit every year! We really felt the holiday vibes, enjoyed the delicious cuisine and made so many memories!
Have you been to St. Simon’s Island or Savannah for the holidays? I would love to hear your recommendations for my next visit!
SHOP MY GEORGIA LOOKS
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