AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2014 - R-2

St. Simons Islan
The Gold Coast beckons
ST. SIMONS ISLAND'S MALCOLM MCKINNON
AIRPORT is playing host to the seventh and final

AOPA Fly-In of 2014, an event and a destination
that truly has something for everyone.
Whether your passion is only aviation, or you
are bringing a beach-loving, golf-playing load of
family and friends with you, the hardest decision
will be how long to stay on the island.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

YOU CAN'T TALK
about St. Simons Island
without talking golf, one
of the main draws for
visitors. Half a dozen
PGA tour pros live on
the island, which says
something about the
access to great courses.
The McGladrey Classic, a PGA tour event, is
held at the Sea Island
Seaside course each
October. This top-100
course is one of six on
the island.

R-2 | AOPA PILOT November 2014

Despite "only being a beach town," St. Simons
Island truly does offer something for everyone.
Far beyond a the beach, the island boasts some
of the country's best resorts, golfing, shopping,
enticing history, and a smattering of memorable
restaurants. And the locals love the airport and are
welcoming AOPA members with open arms.
The airport has been a part of the community
for more than 75 years. It began as a gift of land
from the Sea Island Company. Apparently the men
who ran Sea Island were forward-thinking and
believed that aerospace was the future. It didn't
take long for them to be proven correct.
World War II was a unique time for the island.
With U-boats just off the coast, residents spent
time scanning the nearby river and helping the
Coast Guard patrol the shores. At the airport the

Navy set up a radar training facility. German POWs
also roamed the grounds, and kids would apparently pass items through the fence and learn a few
words of a different language.
The officers' quarters were in the King and
Prince Hotel, one of the island's historic properties that still exists today. Between it and the two
Sea Island properties that have been rated among
the top five in the country, great lodging abounds.
Since the Navy left, the airport has thrived,
with occasional airline service and support from
locals. SSI serves as a popular destination for corporate flights, both business and pleasure. There
are few noise complaints, and airport property
continues to be developed.
If it's history your traveling companions
are after, the island doesn't disappoint. There's
Christ Church Frederica, established by Charles
Wesley; the Fort Frederica National Monument, an
encampment established by James Oglethorpe; a
site marking the Battle of Bloody Marsh, where the
British knocked the Spanish back to Florida a final
time; a lighthouse from 1807; a maritime museum,
and a few significant churches.
Shopping ranges from boutiques to national
luxury chains. There are also outdoor activities,
such as offshore fishing, kayak tours, and bicycle

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2014

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