From shopping and fine dining to beach gear and Atlantic access, the new Jekyll Island Beach Village has quickly become the island’s primary meeting place for tourists and locals alike.
Following a lengthy construction process, 2016 marks the first year many of the shops and restaurants are calling the new Beach Village home. This year’s new residents include McGarvey’s Wee Pub, Seaside Sunglasses, and the highly anticipated Jekyll Island Seafood Company, tentatively set to open mid-2016.
Beach Village currently has a handful of traditional gift shops, including Whittle’s Gift Shop, Caroline’s Gifts and Flowers, and Tonya’s Treasures, while stores such as Life is Good, Splash Resort Wear, and Kennedy Outfitters cater to coastal clothing and saltwater gear.
If you’re looking for bait and tackle, Maxwell’s General Store can hook you up with a wide selection of saltwater fishing gear, including live and artificial bait, fishing supplies and a Georgia fishing license, in case you forgot to purchase one before arriving at Jekyll Island. If feeding the fish isn’t your thing and personal sustenance is what you seek, a quick stop by Jekyll Market and the Jekyll Island Beverage Center is sure to fill any cooler with everything you need for your next beach excursion.
A stop by the Jekyll Island Beach Village would be incomplete without checking out the new Westin Jekyll Island beachfront property. The five-story hotel rising above the dunes is impossible to miss, and brings a host of new experiences to its beachfront location, including the popular open-air rooftop lounge, Harry’s at the Reserve. Harry’s is a must-see for islanders seeking panoramic coastal views, considering it boasts one of the highest accessible points to take in an oceanfront breeze on Jekyll Island.
Beach Village is also home to several festivals and events happening on Jekyll Island, including the upcoming Turtle Crawl Festival happening May 13th through the 15th, 2016. The festival is part of the 2016 Turtle Crawl, a trifecta of racing events including a triathlon, 5K and 10K races, all benefiting the Georgia Sea Turtle Center located in the Jekyll Island Historic District.
There’s plenty to do at the new Beach Village, so consider making it your first stop on your next Jekyll Island vacation.
Want to learn more about Jekyll Island? Be sure to check out my new travel guide, “Local’s Travel Handbook: Jekyll Island”, available now at Amazon.com.
