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Things to do with Kids on Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is a small island located off the central coast of Georgia and sits just south of St. Simons Island. It's slower-paced than St. Simons Island, but there are still plenty of things to do with kids on Jekyll Island.
Getting onto Jekyll Island
To get onto Jekyll Island, you must pay for a parking pass. You can purchase the pass online or at the entry gate. Single, multi-day, and annual passes are available. Current vehicle fees are $8.00* for one day and $75.00 for a 12-month parking pass. The fee for oversized vehicles (over 8 feet tall) is $12.00/day and $120.00/year.
Spend a Day at the Beach
With over 10 miles of beaches on Jekyll Island, there’s no better place to spend a day at the beach (with the most notable one being Driftwood Beach).
Discover our Parent's Guide to Jekyll Island Beaches (including tips, pros, and cons) here.
Cool Off at Summer Waves Water Park (Summer Months Only)
Summer Waves is a big hit with families in the area. It’s a water park with plenty of water slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, a splash zone, and a Shark’s Tooth Cove children's area. If you plan to spend the entire day at Summer Waves, we recommend renting a cabana for guaranteed shade and beach chairs in prime park areas.
Visit the Jekyll Island Playground
There’s one playground on Jekyll Island, and it was recently renovated. It’s got a great location and is adjacent to the island’s mini golf course (see below) and Red Bug Motors Pizza. Directly across the street are the beach and Tortuga Jack’s Mexican restaurant. We love spending a morning or afternoon playing mini golf, hitting up the playground, and ordering a pizza at Red Bug Motors, or walking across the street to Tortuga Jacks.
Click here for a complete guide to playgrounds in the Golden Isles, including tips, pros, and cons.
Play a Round of Mini Golf
Jekyll Island's mini golf consists of two 18-hole courses. It's located adjacent to the Jekyll Island playground mentioned above.
Explore the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is the state's only sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility. Discover all about sea turtles and see rehabilitation in action with various interactive exhibits and experiences.
Discover Jekyll Island by Bike
Jekyll Island is best seen by bike, with over 25 miles of paved bike trails that will take you marsh-side, beach-side, and between. If you cannot bring your own, there are plenty of bike rental options on the island.
Click here to view the Jekyll Island bike path maps.
Take a Tour of Jekyll Island
There’s no shortage of tours on Jekyll Island. Choose your vessel: boat, trolley, horseback, or your own reliable two feet. We personally love the dolphin tour.
Explore Jekyll Island has a great breakdown of tours, as does Jekyllisland.com.
Rent a Golf Cart and Cruise Around the Island
Golf cart rentals are very popular on Jekyll Island. Click here for a list of golf cart rental companies on Jekyll Island.
Go Camping
The Jekyll Island Campground is surrounded by oak trees on the North end of Jekyll.
- Park your RV or pitch a tent.
- 18 wooded acres within walking distance to Clam Creek & Driftwood Beach.
- 179 total campsites, with 167 full hook-up sites and 12 primitive tent sites.
- Two bathhouses with toilets & hot-water showers.
- General Store for RV supplies, firewood, propane, ice, and personal items.
- Free WiFi.
- Reservations are strongly recommended to ensure availability.
Check out the 4-H Tidelands Nature Center
The 4-H Tidelands Nature Center offers kayak tours, coastal ecology programs, Island nature walks, school programs, and exhibits featuring live coastal species, including sea turtles, fish, horseshoe crabs, snakes, and alligators. It's open Tuesday thru Saturday from 11am-3pm and closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Go Fishing at the Jekyll Island Pier
The Jekyll Island Pier is located on the North end of the island in the Clam Creek Picnic area and next to the Jekyll Island Fishing Center for conveniently purchasing bait, ice, and other fishing gear. Nearby are restrooms, grills, and picnic tables.
View the Island on Horseback
What's better than exploring Jekyll Island's Driftwood Beach? Exploring it via horseback. Check out pricing and trail ride options from Three Oaks Farm here.
Island Treasures Annual Hide-and-Seek Adventure
At the start of each year, in January and February, Jekyll Island picks artists from across the country to create one-of-a-kind glass floats for its annual Island Treasures event. Volunteers hide two to five clear plastic globes daily for guests to find and redeem for a highly coveted (and beautiful!) glass globe. People come from all over to participate in this unique scavenger hunt. If you leave empty-handed, no worries, they're available for purchase online and at the Information Center.
Click here for FAQs and a map of areas to explore and avoid. Good luck and happy treasure hunting!
Holly Jolly Jekyll Holiday Celebration
Jekyll Island is known around Georgia for how it celebrates the holidays. Holly Jolly Jekyll is a month-long celebration that includes a light show (drive your car or sign up to take a trolley) with half a million lights, a golf-cart holiday parade, visits from Santa, a fireworks display, a drive-in movie, and more. Our kids love December on Jekyll Island. Be sure to view the calendar of events here.
Click here to sign up for emails and updates regarding Holly Jolly Jekyll.
Looking for more Jekyll Island information and resources? Click here.
