A few years ago, I flew from Cairo to Luxor to continue my Egyptian adventure, which had begun in Giza. I was on my way to fulfilling a lifelong dream: to tour Egyptian temples and the Valley of the Kings.
First, my small travel group set off to learn about the construction of the High Aswan Dam, one of the world’s largest embankment dams. It was built across the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, between 1960 and 1970. The goal was to better control flooding, provide increased water storage for irrigation, and generate hydroelectricity.
The dam became a political hotbed: the US and Britain pulled funding and the Soviet Union financed much of the project. We visited a monument honoring the Soviet involvement.
Imagine my surprise when I was informed that I’d won a St. Simons Getaway Contest: a package including four nights in a two-bedroom cottage on St. Simons Island compliments of the Golden Isles Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Island Cottage Company, plus gift certificates from restaurants and activities. WOW!
The Golden Isles of Georgia
Since I travel for my work, I don’t usually take a vacation. So, what would I do with this wonderful windfall?
I have four grown children and eight grandchildren, but needless to say, a group that size wouldn’t fit. In talking with them, my son Steve and his extended family decided to rent a house on St. Simons, concurrent with my cottage reservation. My youngest and single daughter, Laura, would share the cottage with me. So, plans were made for a multi-generational family vacation.
St. Simons Island
Stunning Avenue of Oaks, St. Simons Island, Georgia
We all arrived in early June, some driving and some flying. St. Simons is the largest barrier island in the Golden Isles group, situated off the southern Georgia coast. The name comes from the warm reflection of the sun on lowland Spartina or marsh grass.
To get there, I drove about two hours before crossing the 480-foot tall Sidney Lanier Bridge and through the Lowcountry. Once on St. Simons, you pick up a peaceful, family-friendly vibe.
Much of the island is residential, the streets lined with stately old oaks dripping Spanish moss. One of the most beautiful spots, called the Avenue of Oaks, features a double row of huge trees planted in 1826. The island includes a few villages, a small airport, and lovely beaches.
Laura and I checked into the Piper Cottage, a small house full of big delights. We each had a bedroom, plus a living room, dining area, another den or lounge, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and outdoor patio. In addition, a small screened-in front porch and a fenced in yard. What more could we want?
Piper Cottage
St. Simons Cottage
Michele Beveridge, the owner, came over and welcomed us. The Piper Cottage decor blends hues of blue and white in a casual, beachy style that’s totally laid-back and charming. Another bonus was high-speed WiFi. Yes — even when you’re on vacation.
The chosen week turned out to be one of the hottest weeks of the summer. Whew! The family over in Steve’s house awaken with the sun, so various adults would get out early and set up a tent for shade and the beach chairs. Sunscreen, sand toys, Boogie boards, snacks and cold water were trekked down along with the kids. Everyone splashed in the ocean, jumped the waves and built sand castles.
When the beach got too hot, we headed to the pool, an extra that came along with Steve’s big house rental. Soon, lunchtime called and the youngest needed naps.
Southern Soul BBQ
Laura and I decided to use one of the gift certificates and headed off to Southern Soul BBQ for pulled pork sandwiches. This super casual restaurant, in an old gas station, has lip-smacking, tender and juicy BBQ. The meat is slow-cooked, and you choose a choice of sauces. Yummy!
Another afternoon, my son and I took the two oldest girls to the Lighthouse (four tickets were included in my package.) It stands near the village and the pier and is one of only five light towers in Georgia. The 104-foot brick structure dates back to 1872 but was overhauled in 1876. In 1953, it became fully automated.
St. Simons Lighthouse
We began by watching a terrific orientation video. Then, despite the heat, we climbed the cast iron spiral stairway with 129 steps to the top. The view of St. Simons Sound from up high is sublime.
The 1872 keeper’s dwelling is of Victorian design and restored to the period. Compared to others lighthouses I have visited, this house seemed quite grand and spacious. The girls and I enjoyed peeking into the children’s bedroom and guessing at the antique kitchen tools. The gift shop is one of the best with truly lovely items!!
Lighthouse Kitchen
Another afternoon, we visited the Maritime Center housed in the old Coast Guard Station (Tickets to the lighthouse also admit you to the Maritime Center). The station was used up until 1995 and later turned into a museum that includes some hands-on history activities and nature exhibits for children.
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island, another of the Golden Isles, is a sleepy, secluded place of unspoiled beauty. You pay a $6 entry fee to cross the causeway. It supports the island’s natural and cultural resources.
Jekyll Island Club-
Jekyll became the winter escape grounds for America’s richest during the Gilded Age. Legendary families like the Rockefellers, Morgans, and Pulitzers reveled in their luxurious “cottages.” Their homes around the Jekyll Island Club became known as the Millionaires’ Row.
One morning my family group skipped the beach and carpooled to nearby Jekyll to visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. This extraordinary facility functions like a top-of-the-line hospital except the patients aren’t humans; they are turtles.
The night before a giant sea turtle had been rescued and we saw him lying on the surgical table being debrided- removing barnacles that had grown on his shell. Blood was drawn and the turtle was taken to the Radiology lab for x-rays.
Sea Turtle Surgery at Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Results revealed a boat propeller wound sometime in the past. The resulting crack in his shell became infected. The turtle would receive antibiotics, and his shell would be mended with a laser.
GA Sea Turtle Center Tech administers medications
Every rescued turtle at the center receives a name, so much nicer than calling one XJ257. Detailed medical records and all treatments are recorded. When a turtle is ready to be released back into the sea, a tracking device is attached so their movements can be monitored.
Sea Turtle in Rehab Tank
We watched a feeding demonstration with a young turtle in a glass tank placed at children’s eye level.
Inside the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Earlier, the kids roamed about the museum playing with interactive displays, please touch exhibits and lots of videos. Afterward, we went out back to the Rehabilitation Pavilion, a room filled with tanks that look like small swimming pools. Adults and kids agree, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center ranks as a fun and worthwhile place to visit.
The family returned to Jekyll another day to beat the heat at Summer Waves Water Park. Although a water park seems out of character for this upscale maritime preserve, I give a thumbs up to the attraction. We had a blast slipping down a variety of water slides, hanging out on inner tubes in the lazy river and getting dunked with water in the splash zone. The little ones kept busy in the kiddie area. Summer Waves is clean and well attended by life guards.
Summer Waves Water Park
Lastly, I took Laura over to Jekyll early one morning to let her experience Driftwood Beach, one of my favorite spots for photography. An array of petrified trees lying on their sides framed the beach, something like a tree graveyard. The place feels magical, a picturesque spot for wedding photos or family portraits. Every time I go I encounter different conditions: low tide, high tide, sunrise, wind and rain. Laura fell under its spell, too.
Driftwood Beach at Sunrise Photo @ Debi Lander
Relaxation
With so many children and adults, it is easier and more relaxing to cook and dine at home. One night, I had the group to the cottage for a meal. However, dining out is always a treat, and we enjoyed a casual meal of burgers and fried fish at Brogen’s at the Pier. Fast service and reasonable prices.
We also couldn’t resist the Moo Cow ice cream shop. The employees were amazingly friendly and efficient. Hot days + cold ice cream = a perfect pair.
What We Missed
Walkway to Driftwood Beach
I am so sorry I missed a Tree Spirit scavenger hunt on St. Simons. In 1982, local sculptor Keith Jennings started carving faces on trees. He says the wood speaks to him, and he just has to let the tree’s soul out. There are 20 Tree Spirits on the island. Somehow I hadn’t heard about them, but guess I’ll just have to return another time.
Because the grandchildren are young, we didn’t include fishing, kayaking, dolphin tours, golf, guided nature walks and tennis, but they are certainly adventurous options. The Golden Isles provide a wealth of experiences for family vacations, getaway weekends or romantic escapes. Thank you Golden Isles for providing me with priceless family memories.
Text first appeared in Business Jet Traveler Magazine, October/November 2011, Updated December 2022
A Taste of France in North America
Even many of the world’s savviest travelers have yet to discover pristine Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, two sleepy but thoroughly enchanting islands 15 miles south of Newfoundland. They swirl in fog and mystery and boast the anomaly of being France’s last foothold in North America. Don’t confuse these isles with neighboring Canada–residents on these shores carry the euro, use 220 voltage and savor Brie, baguettes and Bordeaux.
Visitors come to this charming maritime province to slow down and escape, and savor an authentic taste of France. You’ll drive alongside Renaults, Citroens and Peugeots, hear French spoken, see lace curtains hanging in windows and, perhaps best of all, enjoy the aroma of oven-fresh French bread and pastries.
A Paris Bistro on St Pierre
Relative inaccessibility deters most tourists from even contemplating a visit to these isles. A ferry runs from Fortune in southern Newfoundland, although the journey by water often includes choppy and rough seas. Flights on Air St. Pierre connect from St. John’s, Newfoundland, as well as Halifax and Montreal, but schedules are erratic. However, aircraft owners can land at the modern airport, which can accommodate large business jets. It stands just a few miles from downtown Saint-Pierre–by far the archipelago’s most densely populated settlement as well as the capital. A five-minute taxi drive skirts past colorful frame homes reminiscent of those in Burano, Italy; some are painted in neon crayon hues that look exceptionally radiant on foggy day
Houses are painted in near neon hues.
Downtown Saint-Pierre nestles against the banks of the harbor like a European village on a San Francisco incline. Cobbled brick lanes, alleys and street lanterns evoke the French Quarter of New Orleans. Canadian Dale Fuga, who vacationed here with his wife Cynthia, said, “We did not need to rent a car, as we were able to walk to all of the restaurants, shops and other attractions.”
Place de Gaulle, the town square, is near the wharf, ferry terminal and the post office, which is topped with a gabled tower. Decorative Saint-Pierre and Miquelon postage stamps attract fervent collectors who make the post office their first stop.
Thirty Paris-trained gendarmes patrol the crime-free environment. They readily volunteer for two-year stints, claiming the quaint atmosphere suits family life.
Gendarmes in Saint-Pierre
A must-do walking tour includes the red- and white-striped Point Aux Canons Lighthouse and three sentinel canons, which were formerly used to guard the harbor from British attacks. Nearby rests a poignant memorial dedicated to island sailors lost at sea. Hundreds of shipwrecks lie scattered around the treacherous rocky shores. A Catholic cathedral built in 1906 from rocks quarried on Saint-Pierre lies behind the memorial. Adorning the sanctuary are two stained-glass windows brought by President Charles de Gaulle when he visited in 1967.
Memorial to those lost at sea.
Feel like a Francophile and follow your nose to the bakery and several gourmet food and wine shops up the street. Browse over bottles of French wines and champagne at European Union prices, a real bargain for many tourists. A glass cabinet displays fine chocolates and shelves are lined with imported foodstuffs such as haricot verts, escargot, white asparagus and jellies and jams. The selection of croissants and fromage is fantastic. And, don’t miss the foie gras made in Miquelon–it’s scrumptious enough for export to Parisian cafes.
Portuguese explorer Joa Alvarez Fagundes discovered the islands in 1520. On Cartier’s 1536 voyage, he claimed the territory for the king of France. For the next few centuries, the British and French squabbled over the holdings. France eventually lost its North American empire but the tiny islands were conceded by the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Since then, the French have celebrated Bastille Day on these shores.
The archipelago, which includes eight smaller islands, totals 93 square miles–about the size of Martha’s Vineyard. Miquelon, the largest in area, supports a petite village with one main street. The population of only 500 includes numerous Acadian descendants who were driven from Canada’s provinces by the British during the 18th century. Langland, another of the tiny islets, remains the most wild and green. A seven-mile-long strip of sand connects it to Miquelon–drivable depending on sea conditions. Langland serves as a summertime getaway for by about 400 Saint-Pierre residents.
Foggy fishing village on Saint-PierreMural in the History Museum.
The islands remain important fishing grounds due to their proximity to the legendary Grand Banks. While the French government continues to dispute the territorial fishing zone, it has no intention of abandoning the outpost. Today, the colony’s infrastructure and 6,000 residents are highly subsidized. Cod fishing copiously sustained the economy until 1992, when a ban on cod dried up the time-honored occupation. A majority of citizens now work at government-related jobs. Tourism is beginning to emerge, however, with the arrival of cruise ships that offer curious passengers a chance to touch French soil.
Be sure to visit the Heritage Museum, which showcases the island’s history. The highly visual exhibits offset the sparse English signage. Displays showcase the early 17th century Catholic immigrants and their religious practices. You’ll see models of sailing ships, old marine tools and gadgets, photographs, bottles of bootlegged alcohol and an amusing array of ’40s, ’50s and ’60s household appliances.
Women helped dry the cod fish.
L’Arche, a public museum, features the infamous guillotine used to behead a murderer in 1889, the only one ever employed in North America. L’Arche also houses the territorial archives and displays the monumental canvas by Gaston Roullet for the 1900 Paris Exposition depicting cod fishing and drying on Saint-Pierre.
A few entrepreneurs offer guided driving tours to Pointe de Savoyard, the fringes of Saint-Pierre where horses roam free. Both humble cottages and several large homes dot the sparsely inhabited hills and bogs while ponderous surf crashes against the rocky coastline and beaches–reminiscent of coastal Maine. The view could easily be a movie set for a Scottish or English seacoast saga. As the oversized crustaceans caught by fishermen suggest, it is an excellent locale for lobster pots. Stiff Atlantic breezes blast the inland water, making Savoyard Pond a popular windsurfing spot.
The Lobster Catch.
During Prohibition, when alcohol was forbidden in the U.S., it was perfectly legal to import liquor to the French-owned Saint-Pierre. Thus, the island became a warehousing shop for huge stocks of Canadian whiskey. Al Capone ran a major smuggling operation, employing residents to repack 300,000 cases of alcohol each month. The noisy uncrating process was too risky state-side so workers wrapped the bottles in straw and packed them into jute sacks. Rumrunners would secret the contraband into the U.S. while locals seized the emptied cases to fuel stoves and build houses. Life truly roared on Saint-Pierre in the years before the U.S. repealed Prohibition in 1933.
Be sure to search for the Cutty Sark House, built from wooden whiskey crates hidden among overgrown scrubby brush in the Savoyard area. Local lore says bootlegging persists and formidable old warehouses remain by the harbor, but no one offered inside tours. Another legend claims that Capone once slept ashore and St. Pierrais, as the people call themselves, seem to enjoy keeping that story alive.
A short Zodiac (schooner) journey to Ile aux Marins, Sailor’s Island, whisks you to the desolate property sans cars, streets and full-time residents. The island–formerly dubbed Dog Island because of plentiful dogfish–was once home to 700 seafarers. Now, only a picturesque church and old fishing shacks remain.
Ile aux Marins
Food beckons many to this unspoiled French fantasyland. Awaken for a breakfast of cafe au lait and petit pain au chocolat, or enjoy a mid-morning meal at a sidewalk cafe. Dinnertime begins around 8 o’clock and adheres to the French custom of unrushed enjoyment over multiple courses. Why hurry when a cozy Basque bistro, Ongi Etorri, sends out piping hot escargots swimming in melted Roquefort cheese, encased by fried bread crumbs? Choose from a variety of fish such as Coquilles St. Jacques, halibut (a local favorite), or lobster and snow crab. Menus also include juicy beef entrees. Desserts look sinfully delicious, but mon Dieu, it is difficult to indulge in a peach melba or crème brulée after all those croissants!
French baguettes and croissants.
Joie de vivre and the French lifestyle abound on Saint-Pierre with its amiable partial-English speaking residents. Sojourners relax and slow down to island time with a French twist. So, why not fly over and collect one of the least-seen passport stamps available. Afterwards, you can say, “I had lunch in France.”
Traveler Fast Facts:
What It Is: A territory of France in North America, including two inhabited islands: Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are located near the shores of Newfoundland, roughly 800 miles northeast of Boston. American visitors will need a valid US passport. The official language is French, currency is the euro and most major credit cards are accepted. Clocks are two hours ahead of Eastern standard-time. Canadian dollars are accepted but change is given in euros. www.tourisme-saint-pierre-et-miquelon.com
Climate: June and July are typically wet and foggy, August is clearer and September offers the best weather. Very cold winters with an average annual snowfall of 118 inches and rainfall often exceeds 40 inches.
Getting There: The Saint-Pierre airport (FSP) can handle small jets up to a Boeing 737 or Airbus A319/320. Miquelon also maintains a regional airport (MQC) with a 1,000-meter runway for turboprop and small jet aircraft.
Air Saint-Pierre
The territory’s official carrier, Air Saint-Pierre, operates flights from the Canadian cities of St. John’s, Newfoundland; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Moncton, New Brunswick; and Montreal. The only other regularly scheduled transportation is two-hour ferry service from the port of Fortune in southern Newfoundland.
Traveler Report Card
Accommodations (B+)
Hotel Nuits Saint-Pierre, a gracious boutique style hotel conveniently located downtown. Suitable for a romantic getaway. www.nuitssaintpierre.com.
Restaurants (A+) Ongi Etorri, a cozy Basque bistro (the name means welcome in Basque) where owners Dominique and Cecile Hacala personally greet patrons. Reservations are necessary, as they fill every night. Many consider this the best restaurant in town.
Les Delices de Josephine offers exquisite baked goods and coffee plus pizza, quiches and baguette sandwiches. Salon de THE La Ruche- coffee, tea and fresh French pastries.
Activities (B)
Guided Mini-van Tour – Lifelong resident Jean-Claude Fouchard offers group or individual tours with the insider scoop. www.lecailloublanc.fr L”Arche, the staff of the public museum offer guided museum tours of artifacts and sightseeing tours, usually by appointment. www.arche-musee-et-archives.net Cathedral St. Pierre – To see the interior, locate the rear side entrance as the front doors, with interesting fish door knobs, remain locked. Heritage Museum – Take a step through St. Pierre’s history. Worth a visit. Only euros accepted for admission. www.musee-heritage.fr Miquelon Day-Trip– Leave Saint-Pierre at 8 am and return at 7 pm via a 55- minute ferry ride to Miquelon. You’ll cross a strait known for its strong currents, so motion sickness medicine is suggested. Why not fly!
![Mariner's Memorial to those lost at sea.](https://bylandersea.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/untitled-12.jpg "The Mariner's Memorial on St. Pierre\")
