Jekyll Island cottage rentals are available through Parker-Kaufman Realtors, 22 Beachview Dr. (PO Box 13126), Jekyll Island, GA 31527 (tel. 888/453-5955 or 912/635-2512). The realtor offers 105 individual properties ranging from a small one-bedroom apartment to a six-bedroom home. Rental prices start at $730 per week in winter, rising to $4,700 per week in the busy summer months. Reservations for summer rentals are accepted as early as December 1. The office is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm.
Motel rooms are available at Ocean Side Inn and Suites, 711 Beachview Dr. (tel. 866/5JEKYLL [553-5955] or 912/635-2211; www.oceansideinnandsuites.com).
Jekyll Island Campground, North Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527 (tel. 866/658-3021 or 912/635-3021; www.jekyllisland.com), is managed by the Jekyll Island Authority and is the only island campground in the Golden Isles. On its 18 wooded acres are 220 sites, nestled among live oaks and pines. The facilities include bathhouses, showers, laundry facilities, camping equipment, pure tap water, a grocery store, garbage pickup, LP gas, and bike rentals. Tent sites cost $21 to $48. Stay 6 nights and get your seventh night free.
Big changes are currently happening in the resort scene. The famous old Buccaneer Beach Resort has closed and the Canopy Bluff (www.canopybluff.com) will take its place at the southern tip of Jekyll island. The resort compound, when completed, will consist of 300 deluxe hotel rooms and suites, plus 127 one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom condos, along with first-class restaurants and both outdoor and indoor pools. No completion date is projected, but you can visit the website for updates.