What comes to mind when you picture an idyllic Fourth of July celebration?
Most of us think about family and friends, a great barbecue setup, and a dash of Americana, from apple pie to tossing around a baseball. A scenic setting never hurts, either, whether a tree-covered backyard or a lakeside picnic.
That being said, some places seem to effortlessly embody the holiday. They don’t just have all the trappings of a great Fourth of July celebration—they’re the stuff that the holiday was built around.
And I’ve found the best location to ring in this year’s America250 celebration, or, if it’s too late to put together a visit, next year’s Independence Day.
It’s a small barrier island in the Golden Isles in southeast Georgia called Jekyll Island, home to one of the most picture-perfect places to vacation. And one of the most historically substantive places to ring in the Fourth of July: Jekyll Island Club Resort.
While Jekyll Island is a gem to visit any time of year, Jekyll Island Club Resort is one of the country’s top locations to celebrate the Fourth of July. Here are five reasons to keep this hotel on your radar, from someone who just enjoyed a near-perfect visit.
5 Reasons why to go to Jekyll Island for the Fourth of July—including this year’s America250
Reason #1: American history runs deep on Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island isn’t just a historical location—it has layers of history that you can experience actively and passively when you visit. The most intriguing timeline in the island’s history is its era as a private club for the country’s wealthiest citizens during the late 19th century up until World War II.
From 1888 until 1942, Jekyll Island was a private island with a grand clubhouse where fifty members would gather with their families during the winter. Families like the Astors, the Vanderbilts, the Pulitzers, and more would take private trains and boats down to the island from New England. The island’s full-time resident caretakers and staff would spring into action to serve businessmen who accounted for one-sixth of the world’s wealth at the time.
That’s right—when Jekyll Island filled up during its private club heyday, one-sixth of the world’s wealth was accounted for. It’s also the location where the Federal Reserve was conceived, an event that was confirmed by the federal government during a visit to the island back in 2010. The clubhouse even has its own paint color, a Valspar hue called Jekyll Island Veranda Ivory.
While the state of Georgia officially took control of Jekyll Island in the 1960s, the clubhouse and its halo of impressive 9,000-square-foot ‘cottages’ remain. And you can stay for the night, cozying up in a regal, historic setting with a stay at the Jekyll Island Club Resort.
Reason #2: The Jekyll Island Club Resort lets you live that history
Jekyll Island has a handful of hotels and resorts, including budget-friendly options. However, I highly recommend staying at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. The Jekyll Island Club Resort has two properties: the original clubhouse and its surrounding cottages, along with the Ocean Club.
The Ocean Club is a new build that faces the beach. The clubhouse faces the lovely marshes on the barrier island’s interior side. (Don’t worry—they don’t smell thanks to the island’s tidal system, which flushes out water daily.)
If you normally avoid historic stays and prefer a modern setup, request a room at the clubhouse. There are 40 suites, including rooms with large ocean-view terraces and unique room setups that make it easy to put the kids to sleep. The Ocean Club has a fantastic outdoor pool that’s sheltered by the dunes, along with a seafood-forward restaurant, Eighty Ocean.
During a recent visit, I stayed in the South Wing at the historic Jekyll Island Club Resort. The grounds are home to the original clubhouse and the South Wing, which was added in the early 1900s. There’s also a large ‘cottage’ called Sans Souci, and several other cottages that were private residences of the Rockefellers and other elite families.
The grounds maintain their historic charm and, as a historic registered landmark, that won’t change. (These types of properties are rigorously maintained according to historic standards.) Still, the rooms have been updated with an eclectic but classic design, along with detail-oriented amenities like makeup-removal towels and kitschy programming like murder mystery dinners held in the Grand Dining Room.
My favorite element was the expansive verandas and their rocking chairs. From a rocking chair at the Jekyll Island Club Resort, I enjoyed views of sunset between the centuries-old live oak trees, read my book while listening to birdsong, and sipped on champagne poured from a freshly sabered bottle. I want little else from my vacations.
Reason #3: The event line-up is charmed
If you can tell by my gushing, I’d enjoy a visit to Jekyll Island Club Resort just about any time of year. But I think it stands out as a near-perfect place to spend the America250 celebration or a Fourth of July in years to come.
Unsurprisingly, Jekyll Island Club Resort puts together a fantastic lineup of events that celebrate history in an exciting, not stuffy, way. Remember: There are events throughout the July Fourth weekend, not just on the big day.
Here’s what you can do at Jekyll Island Club Resort this Fourth of July for the 250th Independence Day:
- Thursday, July 2: Millionaire’s Mixology Workshop (6-7 pm) at Jekyll Island Club Resort (location TBD)
- Friday, July 3: Resort Welcome Party (3-6 pm) at the Croquet Lawn at Jekyll Island Club Resort; Murder Mystery Dinner (5:30-8:39 pm) at the Grand Dining Room at Jekyll Island Club Resort (pictured above); and Patriotic Paint & Sip (6-8 pm) at the Jekyll Island Club Resort (location TBD)
- Saturday, July 4: Bike Parade (9-11 am) at Jekyll Wheels; Independence Day Tea (2-4 pm) at the Grand Dining Room at the Jekyll Island Club Resort; and Pop, fizz, and Fireworks (7:30-9:30 pm) at the Jekyll Ocean Club Resort
- Sunday, July 5: Rock the Dive live music (11 am – 9 pm) at The Wharf
- Monday, July 6: Move-In Movie (8 pm) at Jekyll Island Club Resort Pool
Reason #4: The setting will give you something to remember
I’m big on nature—it’s something I actively seek out when I travel. Nature on Jekyll Island, including at the Club Resort, was a treat to experience. The grounds are home to dozens of centuries-old live oak trees that are covered in moss, along with a plethora of exotic plants and lush greenery.
The views of the marshes were also a lovely surprise. From many parts of the resort, you can see the elegant Sidney Lauier Bridge in the background, surrounded by leagues of marshland and barrier islands. If you like a bit of reflection with a view, you can find a quiet bench to soak it all in.
If you’re more of a beach person, you’ll enjoy the island’s long, sandy beaches. The sand is easily some of the softest I’ve ever felt, and the beach is wide enough that it doesn’t feel clogged with people even when it’s high season.
The natural setting will catch you by surprise—but let’s dig into the other offers that you can find on the Jekyll Island Club Resort and across the island.
Reason #5: Jekyll Island is full of memorable side quests
The Mosaic Jekyll Island Museum offers tours of the cottages that club members built for their families, as children (and grandchildren) weren’t allowed in the clubhouse. The museum tour of the cottages is a can’t-miss—you’ll hear stories about the island’s history and soak up vignettes that outline how its original club members lived, along with those who served them.
There’s also an animal rehabilitation center, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. They specialize in education programs, sea turtle rehabilitation, and terrapin rehabilitation. When you visit, you’ll see turtles swimming laps in rehab pools. Each has a short story that you can read about as you observe their recovery.
I also recommend visiting Driftwood Beach on the island’s northern edge. It looks like something out of a sci-fi film with dozens of massive beached trees half-sunken into the sand. You can visit for the day to swim or explore the area on a horseback riding tour.
One last reason: The island is hustle-resistant
Jekyll Island is around eight miles in length and, at its widest, is around 1.5 miles. The island is managed as a state park by local authorities and is also a registered historic landmark. When the island officially became a state park, it was agreed that only one-third of the island could be developed.
There’s one long straightaway entrance, unless you’re taking a boat. While the wait to enter can get a little long, especially on Fridays, the island’s limited development has made it immune to massive crowds. Yes, there’s a summer hustle, especially over the weekends, but there are only eight miles of beach, and around 1,000 hotel rooms total across the island.
In short, even when it’s at capacity, you won’t feel like you’re fighting crowds. There’s always a little nook to find some peace, whether at the beach, along the cycling and hiking trails, or hidden away beneath a live oak tree.