Luxury. Sometimes that word scares people when it comes to travel and they immediately think "that's for people who are ultra wealthy." Travel is about experiences and yes, some luxury vacations may be out of the price range for a lot of people including myself, but on the other hand, I like to think you may be more like me. I travel less often in a year and splurge when I do because it's about the experience. I want a quality and memorable experience for my family.

Experiencing Southern Hospitality at the Jekyll Island Resort a few summers ago.

You may want to think of it like shoes.  Do you buy a few type of classic shoes you can wear with most anything for the quality or do you have 25 cheaper shoes in your closet?  It's basically a style and budget choice.  A family's choice of travel is no different. Yes, it would be nice to never have to worry about the cost and just go as you desire, but that is just not reality for most people. For most families who earn less than 200K a year, travel becomes a lifestyle choice on how they want to travel.

Do I go to Disney every year or do I go less often and spend more money on my vacation when I go?  I fall into the less often camp. We only take the kids to Disney every four years. Our last trip was the WDW Yacht Club Resort. 2018 is supposed to be our year to go again and I have one child who wants to go to Universal Resort now.

Our last Disney trip was almost four years ago. Liza was four. Jack was eight. It is time for another Orlando vacation, but I want to curate it differently this year. Less about the parks and more about the resort and experiences.

Sure, if I had more income then I probably would travel more often because I would have more disposable income.  Who wouldn't? I also think it boils down to your partner's likes, too. Will doesn't like to spend money often so he has no problem traveling less often. He also has the philosophy that traveling with older kids is more enjoyable as a family or at least that is what he says right now.  He has not traveled with a teen so he really does not know, but he's finally ready to start talking about taking the European plunge in the near future with our children.  He thinks they are ready because they will remember it.

Because of his travel mindset, I can get away with my luxury travel ways and desire for nice experiences. I travel to experience culture, food and to feel pampered a little even on shorter excursions. We are also middle-aged and had our children later in life.  Some of our friends are even grandparents now. I think that our age dictates how I want to travel. However, my college friends will tell you that I have not changed in 25 years either.  Rest and relaxation always come first even with children in tow.  I've always joked that my blog should be the lazy traveler's guide.  Here is how I did  Asheville, N.C. this summer and I still have lots more to write about on this trip. We give our son the experience of a summer mountain camp each year near Asheville. His Dad went to the same camp and I've now embraced Asheville as an area I frequent often.




Virtuoso, a leading luxury travel company with curated travel experiences revealed this their annual Luxe Report which forecasts travel trends for 2018.

There were two trends on this list and you can read the entire press release here, but these two trends continue to resonate with me and are really how I like to travel. I think of more of my immediate family which is the four of us, but I want to create lifelong memories, strengthen our relationship as a family, and I want my children to learn and experience. To me, travel is the best classroom.

1. Connecting with family through travel. After topping the list of trends since 2010, multigenerational travel has firmly established itself as a travel niche. Following close behind is travel with immediate family, also a consistent trend that will carry forward in 2018. Whether renting a European villa for a celebration with loved ones, cruising to the Galapagos Islands, or snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, a family trip creates lifelong memories, strengthens bonds, and plays a pivotal role in childhood education.
2. Be a traveler rather than a tourist. Immersive experiences not found in a guidebook or brochure, opportunities to meet locals, wandering neighborhoods and making spontaneous discoveries are the best ways to experience a destination, according to Virtuoso advisors. Whether it is wine tasting, or learning a traditional craft or a new language, travelers will be seeking out the true culture of that area they are visiting.

I enjoy exploring areas rich with Southern history and character. I also find these types of trips educational for my children. Earlier this year, I featured the Instagram account for the Jekyll Island Club Hotel on the blog. Instagram makes the area look lovely, but in person, it is spectacular.


It had been a desire of mine to explore this area of Georgia because I find the whole idea and mystique of the millionaire's club fascinating. As you know, I've had a fondness of historic hotels on this blog before for these features.


Jekyll Island, adorned with its regal Spanish Moss is breathtakingly beautiful. I'm so glad I made Will and the family do the 7-hour drive to experience the beauty of this island in person. While there, I was also able to tie the visit in with a Skimbaco Lifestyle magazine article I was writing, which will publish soon.


The Jekyll Island Club Hotel was our base for three nights. This was a slow-paced resort agenda for us and these types of  family travel trips are my favorite because I enjoy hanging out at a hotel more than anyone.


With its massive porches and stunning turret, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is certainly impressive. It has a regal, formal feel to it, but don't let the formality of the main lobby scare those of you  who are traveling with children. The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is very-family friendly. My kids did not feel out of place at all.



The valet team shuttles families to beach, and to the island's water park. The resort pool is not flashy with water slides, music blaring, or a lazy river, but that's why you have the island's water park for the kid's to enjoy and be wild.  Instead, the hotel is peaceful, and restful. With its decor, views, and regal style, it's easy to transport your mind back to yesteryear, where millionaires gathered for tea and social events.

The Rooms




With this being a historic property, there are all levels of rooms and a variety of price points from $189 to $479. In my opinion, rooms in the Crane Cottage (pictured above) and the Cherokee Cottage are the most luxurious in style. However, most all of the rooms in these cottages, are equipped with a king bed, which are better suited for couples rather than families.


Rooms in the Clubhouse, Annex, and Sans Souci  buildings are more traditional in decor and reflect the club's history. Our room was on the main level of the Annex building. The rooms here are large and are a little more dated in appearance. The Annex building is the last building to go through decor and bathroom renovations, which are taking place now. Some rooms in the Annex building have a sun porch, and this is a fantastic feature. We loved our porch. We sat out on the porch every morning and every evening. It was a nice perk for the room and gave us some space away from the kids while they watched TV.

Afternoon Tea 




I booked afternoon tea on the day of our arrival. At first, I was a little confused because it was my first-time experiencing an afternoon tea buffet. Once I got everyone settled, I absolutely loved the idea of a buffet tea because then I could go back and get my favorites. I'm a scone lover and these were divine.  One thing that will resonate in this post is that the Jekyll Island Club Hotel has terrific food. I was pleased with every meal I ate while staying on property.


 Tea prices are also very reasonable at $14.95 per adult and $9.95 for children under 12. Tea is served daily.

Dining at Jekyll Island Club Hotel 

Jekyll Island has a few restaurants on the island, but we ate every meal at the hotel. I'm sure if we were there longer than three nights, we would have ventured off property, but we stayed at the hotel because it was easier.



Since we were visiting during pool season, we had lunch at Pool Bar and Grill. This is a restaurant with a full bar that has an outdoor country club type atmosphere. Typical fare is hamburger, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and salads.


We dined at the Club Cafe several times, which is located in the hotel.  This is a good spot to get pizza, sandwiches, and Starbucks coffee in the morning as well as pastries. This restaurant mainly utilizes outdoor seating on the porch.



We probably popped in here more than anywhere while we stayed on property. It was a quick walk from our room, and we also took some beer back to enjoy in the evening on our sun porch.  The Club Cafe is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.


We decided to dine at the more upscale, but yet resort-casual Courtyard at Crane, which is located in Crane Cottage adjacent to the hotel. The Crane Cottage has the rich history of being one of the most ornate cottages ever built on Jekyll Island. Here's a little tidbit for you. Look on the back of a toilet in an office building and you may just see Crane written on it. We found one as soon as we got back to Raleigh.


Courtyard at Crane also has a fantastic children's menu. I definitely would classify Courtyard at Crane as a fine dining experience, but it is not as formal as the club's Grand Dining Room, where we had afternoon tea and breakfast. At night, the Grand Dining Room is a gourmet Southern dining experience and attire is more formal than during the day.


Breakfast is fabulous in the Grand Dining Room and the breakfast buffet is actually a bargain. I know that sounds odd when I write something like that about a luxury property, but it is only $11.95 per adult. It's probably one of the best gourmet deals to be found at a hotel. The pastries are delicious.

Room Service 

After a day of experiencing the Jekyll Island historic tour along with some time spent at the island's water park, we enjoyed happy hour by the club pool in the early evening. It was summer and I really wanted a cool margarita by the quiet pool.


The pool cafe closes at 6 p.m. so we opted for room service on our last night on the island. Sometimes, it's just nice not to go anywhere at all, and just relax in our room.


The kids love room service when we travel, and I like the splurge. It's like a treat. Will and I dined on our sun porch and the kids dined on chicken tenders while watching their favorite Disney shows. I also could not leave the club hotel without trying the key lime pie. I added that to my room service bill.


It was some of the best I've ever had. Worth every calorie.

In HinesSight on our stay at Jekyll Island Club Hotel 




I think four nights on the island would have been better than three nights. I say that every time I go somewhere though. I am beginning to think three nights are too short when you are at a resort. The pampering is nice. We stayed a couple of nights in Savannah on the way down so that's about all the time we had to spare for this trip. If we had longer on the island than we would have "beached" it, and visited the Georgia Turtle Center and Tidelands Nature Center. I think it would have been fun to try geocaching.

Jekyll Island is no longer the private playground of millionaires, but is now a Georgia State Park. To enter the island, you must pay a fee to enter even if you are staying at the hotel. This fee helps pay for island maintenance.


It's incredibly muggy on the island in July. I think one of the best times to visit would be fall and winter. Winter is actually the time of year that all the millionaires came to the island. They would arrive around Christmas/January to mid-March.

The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is picturesque and it would be stunning to see during the holidays. A carriage ride would be fun, too.



Want to Go:
Jekyll Island Club Hotel 
371 Riverview Drive
Jekyll Island, Ga
Explore Georgia 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own as well as all food costs. I was a working member of the media, and received comp and lodging discounts.