Visit St. Simons Island, Georgia, HGTV Dream Home

This Visit St. Simons Island, Georgia, HGTV Dream Home post includes a recap of my recent stay on the Golden Isles, and a tour of HGTV Dream Home 2017!

Friends, my recent trip to the HGTV® Dream Home 2017 was an experience like none other! On St. Simons Island, part of the Golden Isles in Georgia, consisting of lovely beaches, golf courses, acres of tennis courts, miles of bike trails, with quaint shops and restaurants, you can visit the Island Lighthouse (a working lighthouse in operation since 1872), and the historic Christ Church.

St. Simons is the largest of the Golden Isles. And this was my first trip to enjoy the sunshine, the beauty, and so many friendly people!

I met new friends on this trip, and met up with old friends – a fabulous 3 days together with the HGTV team! (Janice, 5 Minutes for Mom, Chelsea, Someday I’ll Learn, Anita, Dessert First, Miryam, Eat Good 4 Life, Kristin, Dine and Dish, Brenda, A Farmgirl’s Dabbles, Dorothy, Crazy for Crust, Jessica, Womanist and Jeana, Surf and Sunshine.)

Visit St. Simons Island, Georgia, HGTV Dream Home

First things first. We visited the most beautiful brand new HGTV® Dream Home 2017, and I’ll be sharing my own sweet experience and a peek inside, very soon. In the meantime, don’t forget that you can enter for your chance to win this beautiful home, plus $250,000, plus a Honda Pilot *

Enter to WIN, here.

St. Simons Island

The beautiful beaches, moss-draped oaks, and salt marshes, St. Simons Island, is part of the Golden Isles chain. We flew into Brunswick (the quaintest airport I’ve ever been at), a nearly 18 square mile island, once dominated by rice and cotton plantations.

It’s known for championship golf courses, miles of bicycle paths, great fishing, historic sites, and excellent restaurants. With charters and guides at the Golden Isles Marina, you can fish off the St. Simons Island Pier, and surf cast on stretches of beach on the island’s north end.

We visted The Cloister at Sea Island, a legendary elegant 5-star hotel.

The hotel has 175 world-class hotel rooms and suites showcasing a unique natural setting and exclusive access to five miles of private beach, very secluded and beautiful.

We were lucky enough to take a Cloister Belle Vintage Yacht Cruise, to enjoy the spectacular views of The Cloister’s rivers and marshes.

You can also visit the St. Simons Lighthouse, where you can climb the 129 steps for a magnificent view of the island; the Fort Frederica National Monument, which has remnants of the British fort built in the 1700s; and the Bloody Marsh Battle Site, where the Spanish defeated the British in 1742.

A highlight for me was the stunning historic Christ Church, kissed by the sunlight. So pretty and peaceful.

The Inn at Sea Island

What a mini paradise, The Inn at Sea Island, a casual sister property to the luxury The Cloister at Sea Island Resort, this Spanish mission-style hotel was so charming, with rooms decorated in serene coastal style, including mini-fridges, pull-out sofas, cable TV and free Wi-Fi.

Continental breakfast is complimentary, and there’s an evening bar (plus multiple restaurants in other areas of the resort), plus a Happy Hour time with drinks and appetizers.

We enjoyed the pool and fitness center and day spa, but they also offer activities such as horseback riding, kayaking and falconry, with free shuttle service to each activity, 2 miles from The Lodge and its golf courses, and 2.2 miles from The Cloister Hotel and beach.

Shopping & Eating

Dorothy (Crazy for Crust) and I were able to spend a sunny day at the beach, shopping, and enjoying a quick bite at Palm Coast offee. My new favorite sandwich? Their ham and pear croissant!

For dinner that night, we enjoyed a cozy 5-star meal in the Sea Island wine cellar, The Wine Cellar at The Lodge, with the HGTV team!

I specially enjoyed sitting next to designer of the HGTV® Dream Home 2017, Brian Patrick Flynn. Charm is the art of having an attractive personality, and this fits the bill for Brian. From the minute he stepped into the room, he was genuinely interested in everyone, and that lasted over 3 days together, learning (and laughing) our way through the beautiful Dream Home.

Our decadent three-course meal consisted of buttery croissants, salad, the best bone-in filet I’ve ever tasted, delicious sides, and a Moulton cake, so fabulously rich in chocolate, it kept me up all night. I should have known … LOL. But this delightful meal of meeting and enjoying time together with the HGTV team was very special.

The next day we got took a trolley tour with Captain Rod and HGTV ambassador and designer Bri Emery of DesignLoveFeast.

And lunch was a fabulous Low Country Boil at The Cloister’s Rainbow Island!

We ended the last night enjoying a fantastic meal cooked by Rob Bleifer, Executive Chef, Food Network Kitchen, eating at the Dream Home, mingling out by the pool.

Enter to WIN the Dream Home 2017

Don’t forget to be watching for one more post, with all the details of what I loved about the beautiful home, and how I was able to savor it. I really enjoyed the interaction with readers on my Insta-stories (are you following me on Instagram?) and now, I really want to decorate my home more with so many shades of blue!

So … welcome (my next post).

One step inside …

And then outside …

Are you ready to WIN? Click on overe, here.

*Contest details:

– The HGTV Dream Home 2017 grand prize package is valued at more than $1.7 million. In addition to the residence and all its furnishings, the grand prize package includes a new Honda Pilot and $250,000 cash prize provided by national mortgage lender Quicken Loans®
– The HGTV Dream Home Giveaway 2017 opened for entries Wednesday, December 28, 2016 and runs through Friday, February 17, 2017. Eligible individuals can enter twice per day — once via HGTV.com and once via DIYNetwork.com.
-No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the U.S., age 21 or older. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends at 5 p.m. ET on 2/17/17. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. For full official rules, visit HGTV.comHGTVDreamHome or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: “HGTV Dream Home Giveaway”- RR, P.O. Box 52915, Knoxville, TN 37950. Main Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC d/b/a Home and Garden Television.

Travel and accommodations were paid for by Scripps Networks Interactive. As always, all opinions are my own.