If you’ve read my blog before you may remember my short and sweet post about my vacation to St. Simons Island. Oh yes, the place where Grace Kelly almost hung herself off a banister in town or the most perfect sandwich I ever ate literally flew away. And, yes, I mean LITERALLY – not in the white girl “I literally almost died” way, but the appropriate way. But, there was so much I didn’t get to share – because suicidal puppies and flying sandwiches make for more interesting stories while you’re on vacation – until now!

I’m convinced St. Simons is one of America’s best kept secrets. Or, it seems that way. St. Simons is one of those unpretentious, tranquil vacation spots you only see in movies. I had a childhood friend who used to go to St. Simons for vacation with her family every year – they were “rich” by my family’s standards and the thought of a place called St. Simons seemed very posh in my ten year old mind.

I never have gone into the reason why I took the beach trip… it’s a long story, but I touched on some of it in my earlier blog days. Sometimes things happen to you and you realize you have to stop waiting for life to happen. You start making your own history, your own memories, your own adventures… and you stop waiting on other people to make those things happen for you.

So, I packed up the girl and we hit the road… of course, after a stop for some Starbucks. Sorry – you can’t suck all my typical white girl behavior out of me, society!

The drive was about seven hours – which to go to the beach is not bad in my book. I packed up the pooch and left the day after Christmas. The drive was routine… Atlanta, pretty scenery, crazy drivers, but as soon as you drive through New Brunswick you become transported to what seems like a step back in time to a simpler life. Spanish moss drips from seemingly everything, sweeping you further into the island’s welcoming embrace. Palm trees stand at attention as you drive towards the warmer destinations. The air is different. You suddenly become different.

For my accommodations, I chose The King and Price Golf Resort.

I chose King and Prince for a few reasons – first of all – location, location, location! King and Prince is located right on the beach with amazing views of the ocean coupled with an array of amenities that make it the hottest spot to stay on the island. Also, during the time I booked my trip the resort was undergoing major reconstruction in some parts and they were offering some amazing deals! The resort has multiple pools, tennis courts and is, of course, pet friendly!

During the morning and afternoons, I would take Grace Kelly for a walk on the beach. One of my favorite things about the trip was our daily beach walks… not only because there was such a relaxation and ease with the comfort of the ocean, but because of all the puppies!! I think the phrase: “I saw more dogs than children!!” was enthusiastically used.

Some people have a part of them that dreads beach vacations – no matter how excited you are, you know you do not look forward to screaming children, inconsiderate tourists, and not being able to find your way around. St. Simons has some of the friendliest tourists and locals alike I’ve ever found. What is so great about where we stayed was the short walk to Main Street. It’s about a one mile walk from King and Prince to downtown which you can easily amble along on foot or by bike.

Grace Kelly and I walked down the strip of beach one afternoon (after the flying sandwich incident) and visited the lighthouse next to Neptune Park.  There is a small fee to go inside, but we enjoyed the beauty of the historic landmark from the park.

Neptune Park

The Pier Village and main Street is a perfect package and I touched on some of its great assets in my original St. Simons post – it’s the right amount of places to shop, eat, and browse without being overwhelmed by touristy extravagance. I started a tradition in St. Simons – visiting a local book shop and buying a book. Old, new, doesn’t matter. Some people collect shells or pieces of jewelry – I think making traditions during travel makes the memory a little more tangible.

Another wonderful landmark and place to visit in St. Simons is Christ Church and the surrounding grounds. I drove there (although biking everywhere on St. Simons is perfectly acceptable and highly encouraged!) on a drizzly late afternoon. Christ Church is one of the most beautiful and historic churches I’ve seen – it reminded me very much of some of the small churches I visited in Ireland.

St. Simons is a treasure packed into just 17 sq.  miles. Whether you are looking to plan an exciting trip full of fun, golfing, and surf or a relaxing trip coupled with scattered adventures, St. Simons is truly one of the most enchanting spots in the South.