Discover Georgia’s Barrier Islands With Your Family

Program Registration: 4:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to meet with program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. This is a Road Scholar Family program. Adult participants are responsible for their children at all times. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Minors are never to be left unsupervised. Periods designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. The schedule is also subject to change depending on beach tides. An updated daily schedule will be provided upon arrival. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At the hotel.

We’ll gather for games so everyone can get to know one another better. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

We’ll hop aboard a motorcoach and ride to St. Simons Island and Fort Frederica, 18 miles away. At Fort Frederica, a naturalist will tell us the history of the 18th-century fort and town of Frederica. We’ll also learn about methods used to examine the historical archaeology. We’ll then have some expert instruction and participate in an archeological dig at Fort Frederica, identifying and classifying findings in a lab on-site. As we explore the fortress’s barracks, walls, moat, and surrounding houses, we’ll learn about its history. We’ll also see a film to gain a deepened perspective on Georgia’s colonial and Civil War eras. After our archaeology experience, we’ll ride past Christ Church on the way to the Lighthouse in the Village.

At a local restaurant.

We'll visit the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, built in 1862-1872. The Lighthouse is 104 feet tall and 21 feet in diameter at the base, tapering to 10 feet at the base of the gallery. It has 129 steps to the top. The light continues to be active and is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. We'll return to the hotel for some pool time.

At the hotel.

We will be joined by staff from Tideland Nature Center for a “hands-on” presentation with reptiles.

At the hotel.

We will board our motorcoach at 7:00 a.m. for the ride to Darien, Georgia, to be in time for the only ferry that goes to Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. There we’ll hop aboard a school bus with a local expert who will tell colorful stories of island inhabitants as we ride around the island. First, we’ll visit the “new” lighthouse on the south end, then hike into the maritime forest to learn why the old one could no longer serve its original purpose. Next, we will head over to Nanny Goat Beach. We’ll compare this pristine specimen of Georgia barrier island to Jekyll Island. We’ll learn about barrier island dynamics and frolic in the ocean. We will go on a seining adventure to find out “What’s In The Water/Turtle Food Resources”. We’ll be seining in knee-deep ocean water and identifying what we catch — and what we bring up in the net may be a surprise!

Lunch will be provided by a local family.

As we head back to the ferry after lunch, we'll ride past the R.J. Reynolds Mansion. We can't go inside because the mansion host overnight guests. We may be able to spot alligators in the ponds of the R. J. Reynolds Mansion where we’ll have a brief photo op at this famous property that had a rich history of inhabitants such as Howard Coffin and Thomas Spalding. At the end of the field trip, we’ll return the way we came via ferry and motorcoach.

At the hotel.

We will gather for a presentation by a local group specializing in Gullah Geechee cultural performing arts such as singing, chanting, and acting, much of it with a historical focus on slavery. From the National Park Service: “The Gullah Geechee people are the descendants of West and Central Africans who were enslaved and bought to the lower Atlantic states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia to work on the coastal rice, Sea Island cotton and indigo plantations.” This group was invited to participate in the Washington D.C. inaugural parade for President Obama. Kids will be taught dancing and are welcome to join in.

At the hotel.

We will start off the morning by riding from Jekyll Island to Brunswick, Georgia, approximately 12 miles. At the dock, will board the “Lady Jane,” a 49-passenger steel ship that was retired from the United States Coast Guard and is now a shrimping boat. The captain and his mates will provide educational commentary as we go. We’ll also watch as the crew demonstrates how to trawl the waters for a catch. We’ll have an opportunity to join in by helping to sort out the shrimp from the other types of fish that could be in the net. Species may include bluecrab, sand shark, puffer fish, horseshoe crab, blacktip, bonnethead, amberjack, whiting, spot, crocker, or others. We’ll return to the dock and ride back to the hotel after our field trip.

At the hotel.

Next, we’ll walk over to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to learn more about the habitat of these unique animals. We’ll also learn about conservation efforts being taken by researchers and environmentalists and how to be responsible people in caring for the ecosystem’s health. The Sea Turtle Center promotes educational initiatives, conducts research and rehabilitation efforts for sick and injured animals while educating the public. This is a self guided exploration with the Center’s staff on hand to answer questions. The remainder of the afternoon is free. You might like to go independently on a narrated tram ride to learn about Jekyll Island history with entrance into one of the millionaire cottages (not included in our programming). Or, enjoy swim time at the hotel.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. We will provide a list of available choices. You might like to eat out independently at one of the restaurants on Jekyll or dine at the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll start the day off with an early morning beach walk and talk about barrier island dynamics focusing on Jekyll Island. Note: This activity is tide dependent and could take place in the afternoon in the conference room if necessary. We’ll head out to the beach by trolley or van for activities on Great Dunes Beach. On the way back to the hotel, we’ll stop at Boneyard Beach and explore the shoreline to observe the longshore current and its movement of the sand along the coastline. As low waves fill the tidal pools, we’ll wade in to look for different organisms that might be there, before high tides arrive once again and carry them away. We’ll also climb trees, do sand-filled “research activities,” watery investigations, and have tons of photo-ops.

On your own.

Free time.

At the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner. We’ll gather together one last time in a sharing and learning circle called Sea Turtle Roundup. We’ll recap our week and answer any remaining questions.

We will leave by motorcoach or trolley to meet the Georgia Sea Turtle Center educators on the beach for our night turtle walk. A staff member will explain the legal rules, regulations, and safety considerations for our “turtle walk” field trip. Flashlights, camera flashes, and other lights are not allowed. The staff will have a special flashlight that meets the requirements of the Jekyll Island Lighting Ordinance. We’ll then walk along the beach with a local expert and Center staff to search for nesting sea turtles. This walk will begin at 9:00 p.m. and last 2 hours. It is a late night event but well worth it.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!