We spent a week here and enjoyed it quite a lot. We went in December so there were lots of long-term campers. Most everyone was very friendly. The longterm campsites had signs of the state where they were from, which I found to be a nice touch. Nearly all of them were decked out with holiday lights and decorations which made for a joyful walk at night.

The sites were fairly close together, but not so much so that you felt like you were sitting on top of one another. Lots of Spanish moss-draped live oak trees and palm frond plants. Sites were full-hook up, a nice laundry facility was on site, as well as a small camp store (though not much for grocery supplies), firewood and bike rentals. Wifi was spotty at best. There was a strong signal, but no speed to speak of.

The biggest downfalls for me is that it was super buggy - even in December! The gnats were downright vicious. In town pick up a bug spray and candle called Natz (available at the general market) - it works really well and is all natural. It also stunk so bad - some days/times more than others, but that's marshlands for you, so part of the package. The water was drinkable, though also stinky. I used it in my coffee, but couldn't drink it plain, so plan to bring bottled water, especially if you have a sensitive tummy. Oh and the air is so damp and humid, even on sunny days, that NOTHING dries. I couldn't get so much as a hand towel to dry inside or out!

The campsite is really close to Driftwood Beach, a magical spot that we spent a lot of time at. There's also Sand Dune Beach where you can find lots of sand dollars. We visited at the height of Covid, so didn't explore the town too much, other than the general market. Note: the market is ridiculously overpriced, so make sure to get your groceries and beer/wine before getting onto the island.

Also - one thing to note, there is a "parking fee" to get onto the island ($8 for cars, $20 for oversized vehicles). Usually it's not too bothersome to get in, but keep an eye on any special events going on so you can beat the crowd. One night coming back to camp from another island, we waited in line for 45 minutes just to get ONTO the island.

Jekyll Island County Park is located at the northern end of Jekyll Island, a barrier island at the halfway point along the Georgia Coast. 

The campground at Jekyll Island is primarily an RV park, with 179 total campsites. The grounds here are gorgeous, with sweeping Spanish moss draped over live oaks, and walking distance from the otherworldly driftwood beach. 

As far as camping goes, there is definitely more of a party atmosphere here, and the emphasis is on overall location more than on the campground itself. The sites are all very small and very close together, and the "primitive" tent sites are far more similar to group camping at a state park or private campground than the word "primitive" brings to mind--they are still easy walking distance to the welcome center, restrooms with running water and electricity, and there is wifi throughout the campground. These sites are slightly set back from the RV sites but are largely in an open field, so there is still very little privacy to be had; that said these would be great for multiple families who want their own sites but to still have proximity to each other. As for the RV sites, as with most campgrounds the sites in the center of the campground (particularly loops D, B, F, and C) are the smallest and have the least amount of privacy, while the border loops (H and G) offer a little bit more quiet with the dense lowcountry brush as a barrier on one side. 

If you are comfortable with being near your neighbors however, this is an amazing alternative to hotels, and gives you direct access to the beauty of Jekyll Island. The beach is a true natural playground of driftwood, and the park offers numerous shelters, picnic tables, grills, a store that sells everything from fishing tackle to seashell curtains, and a pier for launching boats. Somehow this park manages to combine the ruggedness of the mountains--even with the amenities--with the relaxation of the beach--and gives the bonus of hot showers to wash off the sand at the end of the day!

Jekyll Island is a must stop if you can access the Georgia Coast. The Island is a darling place full of great beaches, a sea turtle rescue center, a water park (which wasn’t open yet when we visited in June), and decent restaurants.

The only place to camp on the island is the Island-run campground. It’s a perfectly fine campground — clean, well-kept, well-run. There are full hookups, the bath house and laundry facility are open (post-Covid), and people were friendly and respectful (although our neighbor burning his styrofoam cup and plastic water bottle in his campfire didn’t seem to be totally clear on the concept of how to use a campfire).

But we didn’t come for the campground, we came for the island. A short walk from the campground is a gorgeous beach with the skeletons of trees scattered across the shore. You have to go at low tide, or there is not much beach to be found. There is also a nice walking path from the campground out to the pier (where you can fish) and through the wetlands where we saw gorgeous birds (bright pink roseate spoonbills!) and little crabs scurrying around.

You will definitely want another form of transportation if you want to see more of the island. There are tons of great bike paths that take you through beautiful, moss dripping forests. But, it’s three miles into the town center, so that can make for a lot of riding if you’re wanting to bike to restaurants/grocery. Electric bikes would be amazing!

We rented a four-seater “golf cart” from the airport. This was a great way to see, feel, and smell the island.

There were several restaurants for safer post-Covid outdoor seating. We tried the Irish Pub (great fish and chips), and the restaurant at the Wharf (call ahead for outdoor reservations).

+++++++

As a ranger for the Dyrt, we sometimes get the chance to review gear. We recently received the ZunZun travel hammock chair by La Siesta. I can’t over empathize how excited my husband was to get this, as he loves hammocks, but loves “air chairs” even more, as he can sit and work without straining his neck. I didn’t think we could travel with one because they’re too large and require too much equipment to set up...

Enter ZunZun by La Siesta - it packs down to the size of a thermos and only requires one overhead branch or bar to hang it. The tree skeletons at the beach on Jekyll Island were the perfect place to test it out. https://www.lasiesta.com/us/en/collection/la-siesta-zunzun-sunrise-travel-hammock-chair-with-suspension-zzv14-22

We are always on the lookout for small gear that we will use often, as we live full-time in our van, and space is at a premium. While we have multiple hammocks and love to use them, this was the first time we’ve seen a small, collapsible hammock chair like this and we’re sold!

The kids helped us set up the chair at the beach. Other than needing our help threading the strap through so it would wrap around the branch (which was a bit too high for them to reach), they were able to do the whole thing — it’s that easy.

We all took turns. I love the pivot mechanism that allows you to turn in complete circles without getting tangled. The chair was comfy and a great way to stay off the wet sand. I can see a lot of places where we will use this chair, where a traditional hammock wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

The only downside I could see (other than many campgrounds banning hammocks), is that when no one is sitting in the chair, even the slightest breeze turns the chair into a sail, blowing it all over the place. However, this was easily solved by wrapping the fabric around the bar several times. That allowed it to hang there calmly.

My kids are old enough, but I could foresee it being a problem that kids (or forgetful adults) who might want to use the spreader bar as a thing to hang on, especially when trying to stand up from a seated position. I imagine a lot of pressure could bend the bar, making it unusable. We’ll just do our best to avoid doing that!

Great chair! We might have to get a couple more so we can all have one, but you’ll probably see it in a lot of our reviews going forward! Good thing they pack down so small!