I recently took my kiddos to Sea Island, Georgia for a beach vacation! I wanted to share more about where we stayed, what we did, and my overall thoughts about the vacation in case you are considering a trip here.
Why Sea Island?
My husband, Chris, was on his scholarship trip in Europe, and I was looking for a beach destination for the kids and I… that would be relatively close, (not international), safe, easy and beautiful. I didn’t want to have to worry about lugging chairs and sand toys to the beach, or figuring out what to do to entertain the kids everyday. I wanted ease, convenience, safety and a place where we could all relax (or relax as much as possible with two kids). Based on my wish list, a friend recommended Sea Island, Georgia, and I’m so glad she did!
The Cloister (Campus)
We stayed at a resort called The Cloister at Sea Island. It is absolutely gorgeous! It’s like a huge college campus. The Cloister (pictured above) has amazing rooms and restaurants. It is SO fancy and gorgeous, I saw two weddings while I was there. They even have afternoon tea.
The Sea Island Beach Club is another building with several pools and private beach access. It also has a candy/ice cream store, gift shop, game room and kids’ camp…so it’s really geared for kiddos!
The resort has received numerous Forbes Five Star awards.
Our Villa
We stayed in a one-bedroom suite in the Cloister Ocean Residences. These apartments or villas were more than 1,000 square feet and had everything we needed for our two week stay including a washer/dryer and kitchen. It even had a private porch area, where you could sip coffee in the morning or take blog pictures! 😉 The villa really felt like a home away from home. You can see the charming southern decor in the photos above. It took us 5 minutes to walk along the beach… to the Beach Club. The villas were on a stretch of beach that felt very private, and we spent quite a bit of time there (also pictured above). We didn’t have chairs or umbrellas, but for a quick swim or playing in the sand, it was perfect. There was also a private pool for the Ocean Residences, which we spent quite a bit of time going to since the main Beach Club pools were pretty crowded.
The Inn at Sea Island is very close and a more affordable option.
The Beach
The beach stretched for miles. The sand is quite firm so it was ideal for walking and jogging. There were also daily horseback rides on the beach. The water was VERY warm and calm. I never felt worried about the kids and the waves. One of the highlights of our stay was sailing on a Hobie for the “Dolphin Tour.” We saw dozens of dolphins. We even saw one flipping out of the water!
When To Go
The weather was quite hot and humid in June. I think ideally you should plan to go in April or May, but June was our only option. Trying to do things off the beach would be challenging because of the heat. It cooled down to about 80 at night with high humidity. Compared to 90+, that felt much cooler.
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What I Wore
I have a video coming soon featuring many of the outfits I wore while at Sea Island. The general style is VERY southern and preppy. Think Lilly Pulitzer, madras plaids and lots of seersucker. I do not like to buy things just for one trip that I will likely not wear again so I packed things I love and wore a real mix from super casual to dressy looks.
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How I Managed the Kids
One of the things I was most nervous about leading up to this trip was traveling alone with my kids. It’s always so much better to have an extra set of hands and eyes when you have younger kids. And, even though Gage is getting a bit older now, I was still worried. I think having our own apartment helped tremendously. It provided a safe, confined space we could retreat to when I needed a break. I also think sending them to camp a few days was a life saver. Camp gave me 5 1/2 hours of alone time, which I so desperately needed. There were definitely moments where I wanted to cry, and for sure I was cursing at my husband in my head. (Because obviously you blame your spouse even though it’s not their fault.) But, all in all… we really had fun! And, better still… I survived! It’s experiences like this that remind me how special single and military moms really are. You are my heroes!
Elizabeth told me she was meditating in this picture 😉
Verdict
The bottom line is… this is a five-star resort that is a no-brainer if you want to have a relaxing and upscale beach vacation with your family. There are a ton of activities for kids including Camp Cloister. The accommodations are amazing and you can choose from a variety of options, even renting large cottages or houses if you are planning on traveling with other families.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Just comment below. Also, I think if you liked this post, you will enjoy my vacation dresses post here. What I packed for my beach vacation here. And, these luxe, high-slit pants here. Don’t forget to subscribe to my exclusive newsletter. Thank you SO much for stopping by!
