12 Best Things to Do in Brunswick, Georgia

By VI Staff on April 1, 2020

Nestled on the southeast coast of Georgia, the seaside town of Brunswick is renowned for its beautifully restored and maintained Victorian-era Old Town Historic District and the town’s massive centuries-old Lover’s Oak tree. The city is linked to the four barrier islands of the Golden Isles by causeways, which feature a variety of activities and attractions ranging from championship golf courses on Sea Island to the preserved remains of the 18th century Fort Frederica National Monument and the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum on St. Simons Island. The city of Brunswick also has an array of things to see and do for the whole family and here are a few of them.

1.Blythe Island Regional Park

Blythe Island Regional Park is a 1,100-acre public park that offers a wealth of outdoor recreational activities for the whole family. Located between Jacksonville and Savannah, the park is surrounded by popular local attractions such as Jekyll Island, Sea Island, and St. Simons Island, a selection of excellent restaurants, great shopping, and championship golf courses. The park is home to a freshwater lake for swimming and fishing, spacious picnic pavilions, a children’s playground, camping, hiking and mountain biking, and a marina and dock with access to the South Brunswick River. Pavilions can be rented for special celebrations such as weddings, with spectacular views over the lake.

6616 Blythe Island Hwy, Brunswick, GA 31523, Phone: 912-279-2812,

2.Driftwood Beach

Located on the north end of Jekyll Island, Driftwood Beach is an aptly named beach with beautiful driftwood and ancient trees that resemble a tree graveyard. The mysterious beach was formed due to the north end of the island slowly eroding away and being transferred to the south end of the island, creating a stunning natural scene and a location for extraordinary photographs. The beach extends all the way down the isle to the Sea Resort and Conference Center from the picnic areas at Clam Creek and is very close to the Jekyll Island Campground. The beach is easily accessible from North Beachview Drive by multiple beach access points that have designated parking areas.

3.Fort Frederica National Monument

Located on St. Simons Island, the Fort Frederica National Monument honors the preserved remains of the 18th century fortifications that were built to protect the southern boundary of the British colony of Georgia from the Spaniards. Constructed between 1736 and 1748 by James Oglethorpe, about 630 British troops were stationed at the fort, while the town surrounding the fort grew to over 500 residents. Named after Frederick, the Prince of Wales and son of King George II, Fort Frederica is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open for the public to explore. The Fort Frederica National Monument offers a variety of public programs, including a 23-minute park film, a museum with exhibits, displays, self-guided explorations, ranger-guided tours, and ranger-led programs. Next read: Romantic Weekend Getaways from Atlanta

6515 Frederica Rd, Saint Simons Island, GA 31522, Phone: 912-638-3639

4.Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation

Set on the banks of the Altamaha River in Glynn County, the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation began as a rice plantation, producing rice from 1800 until 1915, before it became a dairy farm until 1942. Today, the beautiful estate represents the rich culture and history of Georgia’s rice coast and is listed on the National Historic Register of Places. The property has a museum that tells the story of the plantation through an array of displays and exhibits, including a collection of silver and a model of Hofwyl-Broadfield in its prime. Visitors can enjoy guided tours around the museum and the property, including a short film on the plantation’s history and the antebellum home, where they can view elegant 18th and 19th century furniture, family heirlooms, and Cantonese china. The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation also features a visitors center, a gift shop, and a picnic area.

5556 US-17, Brunswick, GA 31525, Phone: 912-264-7333

5.Horton-duBignon House on Jekyll Island

The Horton House, also known as the Horton-duBignon House, the brewery ruins, and the duBignon Cemetery, comprise an historic site on Riverview Drive on Jekyll Island in Georgia. Built in 1743 by Major William Horton as part of a rapid expansion plan to colonize Georgia, Horton House was Georgia’s first brewery and is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the state. Today, all that is left of the house and the brewery are ruins and an old cemetery, however, they exhibit interesting construction and still garner attention from historians and culture buffs. The historic site is open to the public, with a paved path that runs near the cemetery and offers spectacular views of the Marshes of Glynn. The Horton House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

6.Indigo Coastal Shanty

Indigo Coastal Shanty is a sunny little eatery in Historic Downtown Brunswick that serves a delicious menu of local cuisine with international accents, such as Bahamian chicken curry with jasmine rice and classic Southern pimento cheeseburgers. The rustic-chic shack boasts a beautiful exterior of funky, faded pastels surrounded by lush palms and large shady trees, and comfortably furnished interiors with bright red flooring and large windows that bathe the inside space with natural light. Open for lunch and dinner, the menu features classic dishes such as salads and dips, sandwiches, burgers, and signature plates, along with a selection of sides and desserts, served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

1402 Reynolds Street, Brunswick, GA 31520, Phone: 912-265-2007

7.Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island is one of the Sea Islands located off the coast of Georgia in Glynn County and is a popular tourist destination. One of the Golden Isles of the Georgia barrier islands, Jekyll Island is owned by the State of Georgia and attracts hundreds of visitors every year to enjoy its beautiful white sandy beaches. Seasonally used by the indigenous peoples of the region, the island was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a playground for the rich and famous and later evacuated during World War II. Today, the island offers an array of things to see and do, from a landmark historic district with beautifully preserved buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, walking and mountain biking trails, and white sandy beaches to guided walking and tram tours, wildlife watching, and picnicking.

8.Shuck's Seafood Market

Shuck's Seafood Market is a family-friendly restaurant that serves ocean-fresh seafood, catch-of-the-day fish, jumbo crab, lobster, fresh salads, and more. Located on the Altama Connector in Brunswick with another location in Kingsland, Shuck's Seafood Market offers seafood feasts for groups of diners, which are served with egg, corn, potatoes, and sausages, as well as a variety of fried baskets, sides, and beverages. Shuck's Seafood Market also offers a catering menu for special events, and is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sundays.

107 Altama Connector, Brunswick, GA 31525, Phone: 912-265-5959

9.St. Simons Island Lighthouse

The St. Simons Island Light is a historic working lighthouse on the southern tip of St. Simons Island and guides ships into the St. Simons Sound, warning the vessels of the many sandbars in the area. Built in 1810, the original lighthouse was a 75-foot-tall tower constructed in an early Federal octagonal style and topped with a 10-foot oil burning lamp. The lighthouse was destroyed by retreating Confederate troops during the American Civil War to prevent it from aiding Union ships. A new tower was built in 1872 by the US Government and restored several times over the following decades into the beautifully preserved structure it is today. The St. Simons Island Lighthouse is managed by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society as well as the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum, which is in the 1872 keeper's house. Visitors can climb up the 129 steps of the lighthouse tower, which boasts breathtaking, panoramic views.

610 Beachview Dr, Saint Simons Island, GA 31522, Phone: 912-638-4666

10.Tipsy McSways

Tipsy McSways is a bustling neighborhood café that serves casual cuisine and beverages in a relaxed, laidback atmosphere. The family-friendly bar and grill is open from Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner and has happy hour specials throughout the week. It offers a creative menu of delicious cuisine, including starters such as nachos, pretzels, onion rings, fresh salads, and homemade soups, and entrees of burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads, chicken wings, hot dogs, and combos. The menu also offers sweet desserts and soft drinks, and the eatery hosts live music on the weekends and offers complimentary high-speed wireless Internet.

1414 Newcastle St, Brunswick, GA 31520, Phone: 912-267-9991

11.Emerald Princess II Casino

The Emerald Princess Casino is a 200-foot, four-deck casino cruise ship with two gaming decks, award-winning dining with ocean views, and a spectacular observation deck. Hailed as the premier place to gamble in the Golden Isles, the adults-only floating casino boasts a variety of gaming tables and slot machines, roulette wheels, and craps tables along with other forms of entertainment such as cards, sports betting, and more. Guests can enjoy an exceptional dining experience on the bistro deck, against a backdrop of beautiful ocean views and warm sea breezes, and soak up the magnificent views from the ship's open-air observation deck.

1 Emerald Princess Drive, Brunswick, GA, 31520, Phone: 912-265-3558

12.Art Downtown

Art Downtown is a production company that showcases local and regional artists, writers, and actors in a variety of venues around town. The company’s primary space is 2,600-square-foot art gallery and theater on Newcastle Street, which showcases works from local and regional artists in a variety of permanent and rotating temporary exhibits. The institution also hosts classes, seminars, and workshops for both artists and visitors as well as seasonal live performances and yearly outdoor events. Art Downtown also offers walking tours of historic Old Town Brunswick, which provide entertaining and comprehensive historical perspectives of the city and the Golden Isles of Georgia.

1413 Newcastle Street, Brunswick, GA 31520, Phone: 912-262-0628

13.Lady Jane's Shrimp & Dolphin Cruise

Credle Adventures runs a variety of cruises ranging from shrimping and dolphin watching to private shark fishing trips and charter fishing excursions. All trips are held on the Lady Jane, a 65-foot steel fishing vessel that has plenty of comfortable seating and shade and is stable in rough waters. Explore the protected waters of the Marshes of Glynn, St. Simons Estuaries System, and the Brunswick Ship channel, watch the sun go down over the Lanier Bridge, enjoy fishing and shrimping excursions, and watch dolphins from the bow of the boat. The Lady Jane has an air-conditioned cabin, modern restroom, and a vending machine for drinks on board.

1200-B Glynn Ave. Brunswick, GA 31520, Phone: 912-265-5711