Travel Lust: Reminiscing About St. Simons Island
I’ve had such a huge itch to travel lately! Last year was filled with so many amazing trips and I’m dying to get back out on the road. One particularly memorable trip from 2018 was my company’s summer retreat in St. Simons Island, Georgia. We spent four days in early June in this beautiful beach town, relaxing and bonding as a team. Let’s take a look back together… Maybe it will inspire you (and me) to book a trip there this summer!
As soon as we drove onto the island, I immediately fell in love with the gorgeous weeping willows that covered the neighborhoods. The town was so quaint and charming, with cute shops and places to grab a quick bite. We made frequent trips between the beach and the main street since both were accessible on foot from the house we were staying in (more on this later). I found two great dresses at this boutique called Hope’s, one of which I wore in Paris later that summer! There was also an adorable row of individually-owned shops housed in colorful little shacks. The shady lavender spot below was my favorite!
I was even more excited when I discovered a Savannah Bee Company on the main street. A Georgia staple, Savannah Bee Company sells incredible products made out of honeybee-derived ingredients such as beeswax, royal jelly, propolis, and honey. I ended up taking home the Sweet Tea Lip Balm, Royal Jelly Body Butter (a must-have), and the Whipped Honey Sample Set (SO yummy). The whole team also frequented the candy store, St Simons Sweets, throughout the week. Their seasonal ice cream flavors were delicious!
The house we were staying in was the most incredible 5 bed/4 bath AirBnb, complete with a screened in porch and swimming pool in the backyard. It also had a beautiful front porch with a swing and palm trees nestled around the driveway. Overall, the house was clean and spacious, perfect for our group of twelve. Unfortunately, the air conditioning didn’t quite reach the upstairs as well as it did the rest of the house, so sleeping in the top bunk in the second floor guest room wasn’t ideal. However, it was hard to complain when I was in such a beautiful place!
Of course, the main attraction for many people vacationing in Georgia is the beach. I, being a fair-skinned half Danish/half Irish woman, am not one who enjoys spending hours in the sun. Still, the beach was gorgeous with white sand and warm water. It was fun to walk through the beautiful beach-side resort too – even if just to use the ladies’ room!
On our second to last night on the island, we decided to go on a little excursion and take a sunset ride on a pontoon boat around the Golden Isles. I’m usually not one for boats (I have motion sickness), but this ended up being quite possibly my favorite part of the entire trip. The weather was perfect and we set sail at just the right time. Along the way, we caught a pair of dolphins enjoying a swim, skirted past a fishing boat reeling in their daily catch, and witnessed the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen (pictures don’t even do it justice). It was incredible and definitely something I would recommend to anyone planning an itinerary for St. Simons.
Our last stop of the trip was dinner at a swanky boutique restaurant called NANCY. With a small, seasonal menu and live piano music, this place truly felt luxurious. Another fun spot to check out.
It was SO hard to leave St. Simons Island – see a few more fun snaps below! I’m extremely grateful to YMC for treating the team to this incredible trip. St. Simons was my second retreat with the company and each time I’ve ended the week with a deeper appreciation for my colleagues and the agency we work for. Stay tuned for a review of our next retreat this June in Lake George!
