Sea Island & St. Simons
Sea Island & St. Simons
The Georgia coast where Forbes Five-Star hospitality meets PGA Tour golf, and where discretion is the prevailing currency.
- State
- Georgia
- Courses
- 5
- Green fees
- $95–$425
- Rental car
- Recommended
Sea Island does not advertise. It does not need to. The resort has held four simultaneous Forbes Five-Star awards for more than twelve consecutive years, a distinction no other property in the United States can claim. The PGA Tour's RSM Classic arrives each November and departs without spectacle. The members of Frederica Golf Club, the private Tom Fazio course on the north end of St. Simons Island, include a concentration of professional athletes, Fortune 500 executives, and former presidents who chose this barrier island precisely because it does not seek attention.
The geography is compact. Sea Island is a private barrier island accessible only through the resort's gatehouse, connected by a short causeway to St. Simons Island, which is itself connected to the mainland town of Brunswick. Jekyll Island sits 30 minutes south. The Golden Isles region occupies a stretch of Georgia coast between Savannah and Jacksonville, both roughly 75 to 85 miles distant. The landscape is defined by tidal marshes, live oaks draped in Spanish moss, and flat coastal terrain.
Courses Worth the Trip
5 courses across Sea Island & St. Simons
Three courses operate under the Sea Island Golf Club banner, and two additional St. Simons courses provide public-access alternatives that broaden the destination's range.
Where to Stay
6 options near the courses
Resort
The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Historic oceanfront resort on St. Simons Island with five pools, on-site golf, and rates that undercut the Sea Island properties significantly.
From $200/nightOn-site (King and Prince Golf Club)
ExpediaCheck availability
Hotel
Hampton Inn St. Simons Island
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Hilton-branded reliability on St. Simons Island with free breakfast and a five-minute drive to Sea Palms.
From $140/night~5 min to Sea Palms, ~10 min to King and Prince
ExpediaCheck availability
The Cloister at Sea Island
Resort
The Cloister at Sea Island
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
The only resort in America with four simultaneous Forbes Five-Star awards, and the key that unlocks Sea Island's three golf courses.
From $500/nightOn-site (Seaside, Plantation, Retreat courses)
Direct websiteVisit website
The Lodge at Sea Island
Resort
The Lodge at Sea Island
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Forbes Five-Star with 43 rooms, butler service, and a clubhouse atmosphere that appeals to golfers who prefer intimacy to scale.
From $400/nightOn-site (Seaside, Plantation, Retreat courses)
Direct websiteVisit website
The Inn by Sea Island
Inn
The Inn by Sea Island
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Sea Island's most accessible property, with 85 rooms, included breakfast, and access to all three resort courses at a lower nightly rate.
From $250/nightAdjacent to Sea Island courses
Direct websiteVisit website
Quality Inn St. Simons Island
Hotel
Quality Inn St. Simons Island
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
The lowest nightly rate on St. Simons Island, with the essentials covered and Sea Palms a short drive away.
From $80/night~5-10 min to Sea Palms
Direct websiteVisit website
Off the Fairway
Non-golf activities and companion experiences
Cultural
2-3 hours
Jekyll Island Historic District
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
A restored 240-acre Gilded Age retreat where the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts wintered, with guided trolley tours through the historic district.
~$20 per person (trolley tour)
ViatorBook activity
Fishing Charter (Inshore or Offshore)
Water
4-6 hours
Fishing Charter (Inshore or Offshore)
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Inshore redfishing through the tidal marshes or offshore Atlantic charters from Golden Isles marinas.
$75-$150 per person (shared); private charters higher
Direct websiteVisit website
Horseback Riding on the Beach
Nature
1.5 hours
Horseback Riding on the Beach
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Guided horseback rides along Sea Island's coastline, operated through the resort's Stables at Frederica equestrian programme.
$160 per person (plus 25% service charge)
Direct websiteVisit website
Kayaking & Stand-Up Paddleboard on the Hampton River
Water
2 hours
Kayaking & Stand-Up Paddleboard on the Hampton River
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Guided or self-guided paddling through the tidal marshes of the Hampton River, with dolphin sightings in calm, protected waters.
$40-$65 per person
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Savannah Day Trip
Cultural
Full day
Savannah Day Trip
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
A 75-minute drive north to Savannah's historic district, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved cities in the American South.
Gas + dining (~$80-$120 per person)
Direct websiteVisit website
Sea Island Nature Centre & Birding
Nature
1-2 hours
Sea Island Nature Centre & Birding
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
Free guided birding walks and ecology programmes exploring Sea Island's maritime forest and tidal marsh ecosystems.
Free (resort guests)
Direct websiteVisit website
St. Simons Island Lighthouse & Village
Cultural
2-3 hours
St. Simons Island Lighthouse & Village
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
An 1872 lighthouse with museum and heritage centre, adjacent to a village of shops and restaurants on St. Simons Island.
$12-$15 per person
Direct websiteVisit website
The Cloister Spa
Wellness
Half day
The Cloister Spa
Sea Island & St. Simons, Georgia
A 65,000-square-foot Forbes Five-Star spa with 23 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy, and cold plunges. The anchor of the non-golf experience at Sea Island.
$115-$410+ per treatment (plus 25% service charge)
Direct websiteVisit website
Getting There
Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK) handles regional service, but most visitors fly into Jacksonville International (JAX) 75 miles south or Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) 85 miles north and drive in. A rental car is essential. Three to four nights is the natural shape, with one round each on the Seaside and Plantation, optionally adding the Retreat or one of the public layouts.
Sea Island is not the destination for golfers who measure a trip by rounds played or variety of courses sampled. What it provides, and what it has provided for nearly a century, is a particular quality of experience: quiet, refined, unhurried, and maintained to a standard that does not fluctuate.
Plan Your Trip
Pre-planned itineraries for Sea Island & St. Simons
Bucket List Trip
Golden Isles on a Budget: Three Nights on St. Simons
Three nights on St. Simons Island with public-access golf, a Jekyll Island day trip, and the Golden Isles at a fraction of the resort price.
3 daysUSD 600–1200/person
The Sea Island Experience: Three Nights at The Cloister
Bucket List Trip
The Sea Island Experience: Three Nights at The Cloister
Three nights at The Cloister with rounds on the Seaside, Plantation, and Retreat courses. Forbes Five-Star hospitality from first tee to final dinner.
3 daysUSD 3000–5500/person
The Sea Island Long Weekend: Two Nights, Two Courses
Bucket List Trip
The Sea Island Long Weekend: Two Nights, Two Courses
Two nights at Sea Island with rounds on the Seaside and Plantation courses. The concentrated version for golfers with limited time and clear priorities.
3 daysUSD 1800–3500/person
Planning Your Trip
Airports, rental cars, seasonal pricing, and local knowledge for Sea Island & St. Simons.
From the Editorial
Articles covering Sea Island & St. Simons
Opinion
Sea Island vs Hilton Head: Southern Luxury Golf
Comparing Sea Island's exclusive Forbes Five-Star resort golf with Hilton Head's broader Lowcountry course selection for upscale southern golf trips.
Destination Guide
Destination Guide
Destination Guide
Trip Planning
