My kids are still talking about our trip to St. Simons Island. Even in January, St. Simons is a fabulous place to visit. The ocean water may be cold, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to see or do. My husband and I enjoy historical attractions, something that we try to pour into the kids. Lucky for us, St. Simons Island is full of history and fun places to visit. We didn’t get to visit all of the awesome St. Simons Island attractions that we wanted, but I guess that just means that we need to head back down in the near future!
#1 Christ Church, Frederica
My husband is in seminary, and he loves checking out any religious history in the area when he go on vacation. Christ Church in Frederica is a lovely setting with huge history. We walked through portions of the cemetery, viewing some tomb stones that date all the way back to the early 1800’s.
The kids did not fully appreciate the cemetery self-guided tour, but they did like seeing the church, viewing the Wesley Oak, and our trail walk. The church grounds also include a walking path that passes through a wooded area to a cross memorial to John and Charles Wesley.
Check the Christ Church website for operating hours for viewing inside the church itself. Touring the grounds is free and self-guided any day during daylight hours.
#2 St. Simons Lighthouse Museum
A few years ago, my husband and I did an Outer Banks tour of many of the lighthouses. This was pre-kid, and the kids had never climbed a light house. The St. Simons Lighthouse is a great first lighthouse for kids to climb. Of course, one of my boys climbed to the top only to discover that he is afraid of heights. Kids five and under are able to tour the lighthouse and museum for free. There is a cost for older children and adults. The lighthouse also includes a tour of the Keeper’s Dwelling. This showcases several rooms that are styled as they would have been in in the early 1900’s. My kids liked seeing these rooms and viewing some of the historical items from that time period.
#3 The beach!
Walking on the beach is fun even if the water is cold. My kids put their feet in the water, chased birds, and played in the sand. St. Simons Island boasts several great public beach access points that include parking and bathrooms.
#4 The pier and village
Adults and kids will enjoy walking onto the pier adjacent to the village. Check out what the fishermen are catching for the day, and get a great view of some of the the boats. The village includes cute shops, eating places, and a few sweet shops.
#5 St. Simons Island Tree Spirits – This is the one thing that we did not get to do but wanted to so badly! I guess that means we just need to go back to St. Simons soon! Having a scavenger hunt for the St. Simons Island Tree Spirits was on our trip bucket list, but a half day rain storm ruined our plans. Read more about the St. Simons Island Tree Spirits here. For kids, this would be such a fun activity!
#6 Fort Frederica National Monument – We initially were not going to visit this attraction, but we decided to drive over after realizing its close proximity to Christ Church. The kids like exploring, and it was a quick stop. If you are short on time, I wouldn’t drive out only to visit the monument, but if you’re exploring other places around the monument, it may be nice to stop for a few moments.
