The mainland city of Brunswick and its barrier islands (St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island) are known as the idyllic Golden Isles.
This historic destination is located between Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida, offering miles of flawless beaches and marshland along the Georgia coast.
It's the ultimate destination for a combination of sand and surf meets Southern hospitality. Though most-known for its fresh, coastal cuisine, you don't have to look far to find mouth-watering barbecue or traditional comfort food.
From "the catch of the day" to locally sourced cuisine, here's your guide to dining like royalty in the Golden Isles:
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is the southernmost of the Golden Isles and boasts one of the most fascinating, well-maintained historical districts in the region thanks to the Jekyll Island Club. Once a getaway destination for some of America's richest people, the prolific club was a popular spot for both the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts.
Today, the opulent Jekyll Island Club Resort is a Historic Hotel of America and a National Historic Landmark. Take a tram tour of the landmark district for a peek inside the extravagant cottages on the island. Alternatively, hop on a bicycle to explore the Spanish moss tree-laden terrain yourself.
The state's only sea turtle rehabilitation and education facility is on the island: The Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Not just for little kids, this is your chance to see these majestic creatures up-close-and-personal.
The island is stunning and offers ten miles of pristine beaches, including the epic Driftwood Beach, making it a perfect place for lovers of outdoor activities like kayaking, biking or fishing.
Make a reservation at Corsairon the waterfront. The menu offers local seafood, wood fired pizza options, Southern-favorites like hushpuppies and an extensive raw bar. Those looking for more casual dining can enjoy a meal at The Pool House, which overlooks the riverfront, or the Club Café for a quick wrap or salad or pre-dinner snack.
Sea Island
Over on Sea Island, patrons looking for an upscale dinner should reserve a table at the famed Georgian Room, Georgia's only Forbes-Five Star restaurant.
In addition to unparalleled cuisine, your dining experience is equally impressive: An extensive wine list, chandeliers and hand-painted china, along with an attentive staff and highly-decorated head chef.
Tantalizing menu options include: diver scallop and caviar with yuzu hollandaise, whole roasted duck with puff pastry and seared halibut with corn ragout.
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Brunswick
In the heart of downtown Brunswick is Farmer and the Larder. This restaurant is run by husband and wife duo Matthew Raiford (executive chef and farmer) and Jovan Sage (food alchemist). Farmer and the Larder weaves sustainability and history of the land (specifically that of chef Raiford's family farm) into its coastal-inspired dishes.
After all, Brunswick was once known as the shrimp capital of the world.
"It's important to us and to our family that we continue to bring the farm and its history into what we do in the restaurant," said Sage. "Our menu is inspired by our past, and we pull influences for our agricultural background constantly. For example, we use Carolina gold rice and red peas in our dishes-two ingredients that can be traced back to the history of Brunswick."
As a centerpiece of their work, they also offer culinary classes through the restaurant's Educational Adventures in Taste program. Come in for Sunday brunch, where you can indulge in grits paired with hot and sweet shrimp, the cast-iron catch of the day or pork belly, biscuits and gravy and beef hash with sweet potatoes.
St. Simons
Make your way over to St. Simons' Pier Village district district for some boutique shopping and treats by the water. Grab a slice of homemade fudge or an ice cream cone at St. Simon's Sweets.
Or, stop by the Savannah Bee Company which, in addition to selling a wide range of honey products, also serves up a mean mead flight (mead is a honey-based fermented beverage) in its tasting room.
If you're around during happy hour (5-6:30 pm), be sure to stop by the Georgia Sea Grill for the area's best-kept secret: $3 wines, $3 well drinks and $2 beer. Even if you're not drinking, the $5 bites are dangerously habit forming. Shrimp corndogs, crab beignets and wasabi pea encrusted tuna are just several of the divine offerings.
Once you're ready to break from indulging, visit the nearby St. Simons Lighthouse. Make the trek up 129 steps to experience views of the neighboring islands, pier and ocean. Other sites worth checking out include Fort Frederica National Monument, where you can explore the ruins of General James Oglethorpe settlement, (cannons and all).
Come dinnertime, head to Halyards, St. Simon's premier seafood spot. I was almost overwhelmed by the range of dishes on the menu but, given the freshness of the fish and talent of Halyards' chefs, you can't go wrong.
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"We call 4-5 purveyors each day about what hit the dock that morning and pick from what's available," said chef and owner Dave Snyder. "Creativity comes mostly from what's in season and what our guests like. We do our best to not just replicate what they've enjoyed, but to offer them similar dishes to expand our knowledge and their tastes."
I highly recommend the wild Georgia shrimp and creamy grits with andouille along with any of the chef's highlights. After ordering one of the specials-the seared Florida grouper cheeks with an okra and corn succotash-I couldn't have been more pleased with my decision to try something new.
For the meat lovers, definitely make a pit stop at the famed Southern Soul Barbeque where you can order anything from a classic slab of ribs and pulled pork to more particular orders like their knuckle or burnt ends sandwiches
If you plan on staying overnight, book your stay at St. Simon's historic King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort. Originally opened as a seaside dance club in 1935, this laid-back, luxurious resort offers unobstructed ocean views, beach villas, a pool complex, tennis courts and an award-wining golf course.
When hunger strikes, ECHO is the island's only oceanfront restaurant. With a spacious, bright atmosphere, ECHO offers both indoor and outdoor seating, featuring an extensive menu of seasonal seafood fare. Start off with peel-and-eat shrimp, fried blue crab claws or seared scallops.
Save room for larger entrees that include an extravagant fried lobster mac and cheese, a seafood paella loaded with scallops, shrimp, lobster, crab and mussels, or the crawfish stuffed salmon. And for dessert? Splurge on the 1983 Southern Living chocolate cake with toasted marshmallow or a decadent fudge brownie cheesecake for two.
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