Carolinas, Georgia & South Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Alex Leviton [107]
EAT
Blackwater Grill
This Lowcountry/Cajun place serves up the area’s best Brunswick Stew. 912-634-6333; 260 Redfern Village, St Simons; mains $14-24; 5:30-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat
Dressner’s Village Café
The island’s classic joint: cheap, a little greasy and full of local color. 912-634-1217; 223 Mallory St, St Simons Island; mains $4-7.50; 7:30am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2:30pm Sat & Sun;
Georgia Pig
Old-school open-pit BBQ in a roadside cedar cabin. A good spot to try Brunswick Stew. 912-264-6664; US-17 & I-95, Brunswick; mains $5.50-12.50; 11am-8pm Mon-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat, to 7pm Sun;
Rah Bar
Lowcountry boils are the main event at this casual outdoor seafooder on the Jekyll Island wharf. 912-635-3800; One Pier Rd, Jekyll Island; mains $8-21.50; 11:30am-late Tue-Sun
Sunbury Crab Company
You can spend days sucking down fresh crab chased with suds in this Key West–style tree house on St Catherine’s Sound. 912-884-8640; 541 Brigantine Dunmore Rd; mains $8-27; 5-10pm Wed-Fri, noon-10pm Sat, noon-7:30pm Sun
Willie’s Weenie Wagon
The pork-chop sandwich put this family-run roadside classic on the map – there’s $2000 if you find a better one in Glynn County! 912-264-1146; 3599 Althama Ave, Brunswick; mains $4.50-6; 10am-10pm Tue-Sat;
DRINK
Gnat’s Landing
Charismatic spot for brews and chews with a nice outdoor patio, walking distance from Sea Palms Inn. Especially popular on Sundays. 912-638-7378; 310 Redfern Village, St Simons; mains $7-13; 11:30am-midnight
Rafter’s
In the village, head to this blues and raw bar for a big ol’ dose of local St Simons color…in a good way. 912-634-9755; 315 1/2 Mallory St, St Simons; 4:30pm-2am Mon-Sat
SLEEP
Cloister Inn
Horse stables, a 56,000-sq-ft spa, 54 holes of golf – no luxurious stone is left unturned at this Mediterranean-inspired resort, the Golden Isles’ finest. 866-879-6238; www.seaisland.com; Sea Island; r from $650.
Lodge on Little St Simons Island
Isolated historic lodge on the pristine and private Little St Simons. Book a month ahead for day trips. 912-638-7472; www.littlessi.com; 1000 Hampton Pt, Little St Simons Island; all-inclusive r from $450; May-Sep;
Jekyll Island Club Hotel
Sleep in a bygone era in this grand historic landmark hotel built in 1886. 912-635-2600; www.jekyllclub.com; 371 Riverview Dr, Jekyll Island; r $219-359;
Sea Palms Inn
Despite the strip-mall location, this is a steal for the price. There’s even flat-panel TVs and complimentary wine and cheese from Tuesday to Thursday. 912-634-0660; www.seapalmsinn.com; 411 Longview Pl, St Simons; r from $119;
Village Inn & Pub
Great-value option with a lush pool area just steps from the village. 912-634-6056; www.villageinnandpub.org; 500 Mallory St, St Simons Island; d $160-180;
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.bgivb.com
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LINK YOUR TRIP www.lonelyplanet.com/trip-planner
TRIP
2 Antebellum South
31 Midnight in the Garden: Eccentric Savannah
32 Savannah’s Seafood & Soul Food
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Return to beginning of chapter
TRIP 31
Midnight in the Garden: Eccentric Savannah
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WHY GO Savannah is a living museum of Southern architecture and antebellum charm, but it’s also home to haunting tales of things that go bump in the night and no shortage of quirky characters that attract fans of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” the book that put Savannah on the map.
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Savannah is many things: Gorgeous, historically fascinating and full of Old South charisma. But there’s a dark side to this sassy charmer. Tales of aggravated spirits, haunted homes and cemeteries, and things that go bump in the night often earns Savannah the title of America’s “Most Haunted City.” If that weren’t enough, John Berendt’s bestseller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the (more or less true) tale of the murder of the town’s hustler by a gay antique dealer, put the town’s quirky characters and eccentric side out there for