Planning a visit to St Simons Island, Georgia? Don’t forget to check out this list of FREE things to do on St Simons Island! One of 13 major islands in the chain located on the southern tip of Georgia and Florida’s northern coastline, St. Simons Island is the largest at roughly 40 miles in length. This small, quaint town boasts salt marshlands, beachside views, historic landmarks and so much more!
FREE Things to do on St Simons Island
1. St. Simons Island may be a small town, but it’s rich in history. Make sure to stop by the Christ Church on Frederica Rd. Located in a serene setting, the 1884 landmark is open to the public for tours Tuesday through Sunday from 2 pm-5 pm.
2. Visit the National Monument, Fort Frederica, where visitors are welcome year round. It was built General James Oglethorpe to help protect his new colony from the Spanish in Florida. The park visitor center features exhibits and a short film.
3. Cannon’s Point Preserve is a world-class complex of archeological sites. The oldest remains on Cannon’s Point are numerous shell rings and middens that date back to 2500 BCE! The site also contains the remains of the 18th century house and a large plantation. Located on Lawrence Road, it’s open to the public on Saturday 7 am-1 pm and Sunday/Monday 9 am-3 pm.
4. The Avenue of the Oaks are a beautiful row of oaks that were planted in 1826 to provide an entrance to what was then a prosperous cotton plantation, known as the Retreat Plantation. Located at the entrance of the Sea Island Golf Club, visitors are welcome to drive around the magnificent double row of 190-year-old live oaks.
5. The Arthur J. Moore Methodist Museum is located on the grounds of Epworth by the Sea. The museum houses a vast collection of books and artifacts about founders John and Charles Wesley, and is the official repository of records for the arches of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
6. Located next to the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, the A. W. Jones Heritage Center is a multi-function facility that serves at the lighthouse museum shop, an events meeting area, and a Golden Isles historical research library.
7. Continuing with more free things to do on St Simons Island, stop by the Lovely Lane Chapel on Arthur J. Moore Drive. Built in 1880 by Norman W. Dodge, this is the oldest standing church building on St. Simons Island.
8. You won’t want to miss a visit to Savannah Bee Company on Mallery Street. Taste test dozens of honey-inspired products, and learn about the wonderful benefits of honey. You may even run into Head Beekeeper, Ted Dennard!
9. Gascoigne Bluff had been the location of a sea island cotton plantation and lumber mill. Today it’s a public park with historical buildings.
10. The Golden Isles Welcome Center is the perfect place to stop in for anything and everything you need to know about the area. The Welcome Center has friendly staff, a gift shop, and tons of brochures to help you decide on what to do when visiting St. Simons Island.
Step around the building and you’ll find one of twenty local “Tree Spirits” by artist Keith Jennings. Each unique face is hand-carved, taking the artist between two and four days to complete. Find more locations on this St. Simons Island tree spirits map.
Which places will you visit from this “Things to do on St Simons Island” list?
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Denise Hoyle says
A visit to St Simons Island is definitely on my bucket list!
Nidhi Chauhan says
wow so many fun free things one can do at simons island. Can’t wait to go there.
Dandi D says
These all sounds like really fun things to do and it makes me want to go on vacation!