Just off the coast of the great state of Georgia is Jekyll Island. It's one of Georgia's Golden Isles and is a prime vacation spot where visitors enjoy its pristine beaches and other great amenities such as guided tours of Jekyll Island's Landmark Historic District, copious biking trails, the Summer Waves Water Park, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center not to mention the chance to see all sorts of interesting wildlife in their natural habitat.
The island can attribute many things to The Jekyll Island Club era – the Federal Reserve, the first transcontinental phone call and the island’s first golf course in 1898. Since then, Jekyll Island has expanded to four picturesque courses that have attracted golfers, designers and professionals from all around the world. Nestled among the most pristine lakes, marshes and oak trees and with very few man-made obstructions, each course offers a different experience for players of any skill level. Enjoy a short round at the historic, nine-hole Great Dunes Course or a challenge with the tightly-designed Oleander Course. Immerse yourself with nature at the Indian Mound Course or even the playing field at Pine Lakes Course.
Whichever you prefer, be prepared to navigate some of the island’s protected wildlife as conservation remains a top priority on Jekyll Island. Certified by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf, the staff works in close association with conservationists to reduce the impact of course management on the environment as well as protect wildlife habitats. All four golf courses on Jekyll Island are among an exclusive group that has achieved the honor of this certification; this achievement has created the breathtaking landscapes that make Georgia’s largest public golf resort the caliber it is.
Featuring 13 meticulously maintained Har-tru clay courts, the Jekyll Island Tennis Center is the perfect facility for tennis enthusiasts. This award-winning Tennis Center provides membership opportunities, multi-day packages and the unique experience to play the sport surrounded by moss-draped live oaks, manicured hedges and palmetto trees. Their pro-shop is equipped to handle any tennis needs – from racket stringing to equipment rentals to apparel and accessories. For those looking to hone in their craft, the Jekyll Island Tennis Center also offers private lessons for people of all ages and skill levels as well as hosting many USTA tournaments.
In November 1910, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department A. Piatt Andrew, Senator Nelson W. Aldrich and five of America's leading financiers descended on Jekyll Island to discuss monetary policy and the banking system, an event that led to the creation of the Federal Reserve. As noted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the 1910 Jekyll Island meeting led to the drafting of legislation for the creation of a U.S. central bank with portions of this draft being incorporated into the 1913 Federal Reserve Act.
In the beginning, the island was part of Georgia's state park system, but by 1950, the cost to maintain Jekyll Island's pristine appearance and historic resources grew too burdensome and it was transitioned into a separate state-sponsored authority to make it self-sustaining. Designed to be a governing board, the Jekyll Island Authority consists of nine appointed members and is charged with the operation and care of the island. As part of the deal, 65 percent of the island must remain in a natural state, which includes parks, picnic areas, and the island's beautiful beaches.
There are limited opportunities to experience the Jekyll Island lifestyle. Now is the time to make Jekyll Island your home.