Anyone vacation at St Simons? (where to stay, spring break, real estate)

[kaday]

We are thinking about doing a 4 day trip there in mid July. Any recommendations on where to stay on the Island with 2 elementary age kids?

Is a small house or condo better? Any advice would be appreciated!

[Iconographer]

I'm down here for the summer...I love it here, most of my family lives in the area.
I would vote condo, since it will give you and the kids more amenities (pool, gym,spa, etc).
Here's link to one of the more reputable management companies on the island:

St Simons Island Vacation Rentals | St Simons Island Rentals, St Simons Island GA | Coastal Georgia Real Estate

The King and Prince is a great resort...has hotels and condos:

The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, A luxurious Georgia Resort Hotel on St Simons Island, Georgia

Be sure to take your bikes, or rent some...bike paths are all over the island.

There are tons of things for kids to do in the area:

Jekyll Island - A remarkable, romantic island retreat, miles of beaches, dunes, undisturbed woodlands, fishing, dolphin tours, sea turtles, wading birds, special events, golf, soccer, tennis, bikes, horses

Okefenokee.com - The Okefenokee Swamp Homepage

Wild Adventures

[kaday]

Thanks! The condos close to the beach seem so much more expensive than the little cottages. Are there some areas better than others? Would a cottage walking distance to the beach and village be in a desirable area? Or if we don't need access to a pool or gym (I never work out on vacation other than a walk)is a cottage a good choice?

[cmills]

We stayed in a cottage with four kids in 2005. It was great; only cost us $500 for the week. We drove out to the public beach daily (a nice, long, two-minute drive, lol) or parked in town by the shops and walked around. There's a nice playground there, too. If the Blackwater Grill is still there, I suggest you try the Shrimp and Grits. The owner is the guy who owned the cottage I stayed in.

We probably could have walked from the cottage to everywhere (or at least biked), but three of the four kids were under age 4 at the time.

[kaday]

Originally Posted by cmills

We stayed in a cottage with four kids in 2005. It was great; only cost us $500 for the week. We drove out to the public beach daily (a nice, long, two-minute drive, lol) or parked in town by the shops and walked around. There's a nice playground there, too. If the Blackwater Grill is still there, I suggest you try the Shrimp and Grits. The owner is the guy who owned the cottage I stayed in.

We probably could have walked from the cottage to everywhere (or at least biked), but three of the four kids were under age 4 at the time.

That is exactly the kind of vacation we are looking for. Thanks!

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by kaday

Thanks! The condos close to the beach seem so much more expensive than the little cottages. Are there some areas better than others? Would a cottage walking distance to the beach and village be in a desirable area? Or if we don't need access to a pool or gym (I never work out on vacation other than a walk)is a cottage a good choice?

Yes; if you're going to choose a cottage, I would recommend the East Beach, King and Prince Beach, Massengale Beach, and the Village areas for the closest access to the beach. There aren't any really 'sketchy' areas on the island, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Massengale and Neptune Parks have nice playground facilities, and the pier can provide a lot of entertainment for kids...fishermen can catch a variety of interesting looking aquatic life in a given day.

[kaday]

Thanks!

[momof2kids]

We go down several times a year. We usually stay in a condo on the beach. Either the Beach Club, Shipwatch, or Northbreakers. Over spring break we stayed at The Sea Gate. They had just re opened and it was so nice. I prefer the condos because of the amenities. It is nice to have pool access with small children.
Try Hodnett Cooper for rental information.