Tag: Golden Isles

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Georgia Golden Isles United States

Summer Waves- Jekyll Island’s Exhilarating Water Park

Summer Waves Water Park is one of the most family-friendly attractions in the Golden Isles.  The park is known for it’s tranquil lazy river, riveting waterslides, and their bodacious wave pool.  The water park, located on Jekyll Island, offers amazing views of the Jekyll River and is the ultimate place to cool off during the summer months.

Attractions

Summer Waves Water Park has something for everyone whether you’re looking to just float down a lazy river or get your heart pumping on one of the exhilarating waterslides.

Shark Tooth Cove- This fun and interactive kids’ zone boasts a large shallow pool, super fun slides, and other water features your kids will love.  Our favorite part about Shark Tooth Cove was the 360° seating, it made it easy to monitor the kids.  The boys didn’t want to leave this area!

Splash Zone– The Splash Zone has a handful of  giant water buckets that periodically tip to create a torrential downpour.  There are also water guns where your kiddo can take aim and douse their peers.

Frantic Atlantic- This was my favorite feature as a kid so I was really glad to see that it’s stood the test of time.  The Frantic Atlantic is a 500,000 gallon wave pool that produces waves over 2-feet tall.  Grab and inner tube and prepare to ride the waves!

Turtle Creek- I suppose I’ve always been an old lady at heart, but because I also always loved the lazy river growing up.  😂 The only thing missing from this 1/2 mile, slow-moving lazy river is a fruity cocktail.  

Nature’s Revenge- This 40-feet tall duo of waterslides features several twists and turns that send riders into a spiral before dumping them out into a small pool.  Smiley loved this ride (and it was my favorite, too!).  Minimum height:  42 inches

Force 3- This 32-feet tall double inner-tube ride spirals around 350 feet of twists and curves.  There are three different waterslides that are intertwined and will keep you entertained all day long!    Minimum height:  48 inches

Pirate’s Passage- Man, I remember when this slide opened I was absolutely terrified of it.  Okay…I should probably admit that I am still terrified of this damn thing.  This double inner-tube slide launches riders down a five-story pitch black enclosed tube.  It’s fast.  It’s terrifying.  It’s an absolute freaking blast.  Minimum height:  48 inches

Man o’ War- The park unveiled a brand-spankin’ new slide in 2022 called Man o’ War.  Four vibrantly colored slides are intertwined creating the ultimate waterslide experience!  The ride features two tube slides and two full-body slides.   Minimum heigh:  48 inches

Visiting Summer Waves Water Park

The waterpark is located at:

210 S Riverview Drive
Jekyll Island, GA

 

Summer Waves is typically open from 11 am to 6 pm, however, the hours do vary.  Be sure to check out their official website while planning your trip.

Admission to the park is $25/person Monday-Thursday and $28/per person Fridays- Sundays and Holidays.

Children ages 3 and under are admitted for free but must have a swim diaper (available for purchase at the park).

Our Summer Waves Water Park Essentials

What is there to do Nearby?

Jekyll Island is part of a chain of islands known as the Golden Isles.  This little corner of the Peach State is a haven for vacationers.  There is an $8/vehicle access fee to enter Jekyll Island.  The fee for oversized vehicles is $10.  Some of our favorite things in the area include:

Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Cumberland Island National Seashore
Fort Frederica

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Georgia Golden Isles National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores United States

Beautiful Fort Frederica National Monument

Fort Frederica, Saint Simons Island

The Golden Isles are one of the crown jewels of Georgia.  Not only do they offer stunning scenery, but they are also full of history.  One prime example of this is Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simons Island.  This fort is one of our favorite spots to explore.

Historical sites, especially forts, are some of the best places to visit with kids.   Our kids love to run around and explore the wide open spaces.  They are interesting because sometimes the sites are really well preserved (like Fort Clinch and Castillo de San Marcos), other times a replica for the fort has been erected (like Fort Caroline), and other times the sites are mere fragments of what they once were- like Fort Frederica.  

If it’s gone…is it still worth the visit?  In a word, yes.  Join us as we show you just how amazing the ruins of Fort Frederica are!

History of Fort Frederica

During colonial times, the land between South Carolina and Florida (now known as Georgia), served as a battle ground for Britain and Spain.  The British, Scottish and Germans banded together to build a fortified town to help ward off the Spanish.

In 1736, Fort Frederica was established by James Oglethorpe (the same dude that founded Savannah) to protect the colony of Georgia.  The fort was named for Frederick Louis, the Prince of Wales. Frederica served as a military outpost and allowed the Frederica River to be closely monitored.

In 1742, Spanish forces from Florida and Cuba swarmed St. Simons Island.  Oglethorpe’s troops attacked the Spanish in a battle that would later be known as the “Battle of Bloody Marsh.”  The victory solidified that Britain controlled the region. 

The Brits would control the fort and town until the armies were disbanded.  With no troops in the area, there was no reason to stay.  The fortification became a ghost town and disintegrated into ruins.   Today, only a few fireplaces, foundations of buildings, and a portion of the coquina fort remain.  In 1936, the fort was declared a protected site and later, in 1945, it became a National Monument.

Fort Frederica National Monument; Today

As mentioned above, the fort and town that was once known as Fort Frederica, is all but gone, today.  All that is left is a few fireplaces,  building foundations, fragments of a barracks, and a part of a coquina fort.  The kids enjoyed storming the old fort and pretended to shoot cannonballs at passing boats.  

It really is a shame that the area wasn’t better preserved.  A lot of it is left for interpretation.  There are display boards throughout the property that help you activate your imagination.  There are also street signs to help you visualize how the town was laid out.

 

One cool part about the national monument is that it is still being excavated.  On our most recent visit to the fort, we got to witness a crew doing a dig.

To us, the most exciting part of the site was the wide open spaces and shady Spanish moss draped trees.  The kids love having the freedom to just get out and run.

What is there to do at Fort Frederica National Monument?

Although the site is mostly ruins, there’s actually quite a bit do do and see.  Plan on spending about an hour to roam the grounds.  Be sure to stop by the Visitor Center to learn about the history of the fort and the Golden Isles.  

  • There is a scavenger hunt that helps to guide you around the site.
  • Explore the gardens
  • Walk the ancient streets
  • Visit the old coquina fort
  • Enjoy a picnic

Fort Frederica Visiting Information

Physical Address:

6515 Frederica Rd,

St Simons Island, GA 31522

Is Fort Frederica National Monument Worth the Visit?

If you are looking for a day trip from Jax, or if you’re already in the Golden Isles, then yes, Fort Frederica is worth the trip.  We wouldn’t make the trip just to see the fort though.

The historical factor is pretty cool, and it’s definitely a neat experience.  

What is there to do Nearby?

  • Beaches-St. Simons Island is home to some pretty awesome beaches that are easily accessible.  
  • Wesley Gardens-  These impeccable gardens are located right across the street from the fort.  We love to enjoy a picnic fort amongst the azaleas.
  • King and Prince Resort
  • St Simons Island Lighthouse
  • Neptune Fun Zone Park (water park)
  • Search for the Spirit Trees
  • Mallery Park

    While you’re exploring the Golden Isles, we strongly suggest you also visit Jekyll Island.  Jekyll Island is home to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and one of our favorite water parks- Summer Waves.

    If you’re planning out a full-fledge tour of the Golden Isles, be sure to add Cumberland Island National Seashore to your itinerary.  The ferry for this unique island leaves from St. Marys, Georgia, just 50 miles south. 

Learn more about Georgia’s 11 National Parks!

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Categories
Georgia Golden Isles United States

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

If you’re driving I-95 through southeastern Georgia, be sure to make a detour at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center!  The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is an education and rehabilitation facility centered around sea turtles.  The Center uses interactive exhibits to help educate the public on how to protect sea turtles.  It is one of the few “turtle hospitals” in the United States providing care for injured and sick sea turtles (terrapins and turtles).

The Learning Center

Smiley’s favorite part of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was the Learning Center.  The Learning Center is one large room that is loaded with  interactive exhibits.  There were puzzles, microscopes, lift & reads, a scavenger hunt, and even a video game!  Every square foot of the Learning Center was covered with information about sea turtles, how to protect them, and conservation.

The Treatment Room

Watching the medical team care for the sick and injured turtles was one of the highlights of our trip.  In the main building, there is a large viewing window  that overlooks the operation room.  A vet-tech narrated what the veterinarian was doing during his procedure.  It was really neat to see the medical team in action!

I was way more intrigued by this viewing area than Smiley was.  I watched as the vet cemented a turtle’s shell back together while she toyed around with microscopes.

The Hospital Pavilion

Just behind the main building is the Hospital Pavilion where you can visit with the sea turtle patients.  The Hospital Pavilion has large pools surrounding an elevated platform.  Here they receive the care and rest they need in order to get better.

The goal is to care for these creatures until they are capable of surviving on their own.  Once they are well, they are released back into the ocean with trackers.

Fun Fact:  As of 2021, the center has cared for and released more than 600 sea turtles back into the ocean.

 

The sea turtles needed care for a variety of reasons- all of which were human related activity.  Some got tangled in fishing lines or crab traps and ended up with severely damaged flippers.  Some of the turtles had eaten trash and suffered intestinal damage.  Many had shell damage caused by boats or boat propellers.  It devastating to know that all of these injuries could have been prevented.

Plan Your Visit

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located on Jekyll Island, about 15 minutes off of I-95.

Physical Address: 

214 Stable Rd, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

Hours:  

9:00 – 5:00, daily

Highlights of the Georgia Sea Turtle Museum

@5suitcases

Our day trip to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center did it disappoint! ##georgiaseaturtlecenter ##fyp ##5suitcases

♬ Turtles - Vincent Boot
  • Visitors learn about conservation through interactive exhibits including games, puzzles, videos, and microscopes.
  • Be sure to stop by the hospital to wish the patients a speedy recovery.
  • There is a viewing area where you can watch the medical team perform procedures on sick and/or injured sea turtles.

About Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island is one of Georgia’s barrier islands. The island was once a vacation haven for the rich and famous.   In 1886, it was purchased by a group of wealthy families as a private retreat.  Members of the Jekyll Island Club included the Rockefellers, Morgans, Cranes, and Goulds and represented over one-sixth of the world’s wealth. The Club closed in 1942 and Jekyll Island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947.  The island was converted to a state park.

Although the island is no longer a state park, there is still a visitors fee of $8.00 per day.  The fee grants visitors access to all of the island’s public areas such as beaches, parks, playgrounds, nature centers, and more.

Jekyll Island is also home to historical homes, the iconic Driftwood Beach, and Summer Waves Water Park.

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