Welcome to Sea Island, Georgia
The Cloister
Sea Island History 
This sliver of an island lying east of St. Simons is just five miles long with barely 750 acres of uplands. It has been known by a variety of names - In 1911, Howard Coffin (owner of the Hudson Motor Company) purchased 20,000 acres of land on Sapelo Island and began developing it as a private resort for himself and friends. In 1922, he purchased what was formerly called Long Island and renamed it Sea Island. In 1923 he began an overnight inn and lodge named "The Cloister." In 1927, The Plantation golf course was built. A visit to the Cloister places at one's beck and call 54 holes of golf, 17 tennis courts, a magnificent spa, swimming pools, 4 restaurants, horseback riding, skeet shooting, sailing, biking, nature tours, dance lessons, scuba instruction, fishing, along with 4.5 miles of beguiling beach. The area was a magnet for industrialists of the era, as well as notable figures from all areas. The area was referred to informally as "Millionaire's Island," and the land on the island was privately owned by some of the wealthiest families in the United States. After the Great Depression, wealthy elites began to vacation in other areas, but The Cloister remained a spot with the most exclusive clients only. To the present day, land on Sea Island is controlled privately, and public access is limited.
The Sea Island Club, also coined the Cloister, quickly gained notoriety. President Coolidge spent Christmas here in 1928 and soon thereafter the resort thrived, attracting the likes of John D. Rockefeller, Edsel Ford, Thomas Dewey, Gladys Swarthout, and Eugene O'Neill.
Summers are hot and humid. Winters are generally short and mild with variable precipitation and occasional "northeasters." Recommend layers of clothing, especially in spring and fall, and good walking shoes.
Sea Island is privately managed by the Sea Island Company. Only the roads are open to the public at Sea Island. Guests of the Cloister resort may use the beaches and other amenities on the island. The Cloister also offers guided nature tours of the island and adjacent areas.
Burton Realty & Development, Inc.
2215 Frederica Road - St. Simons Island, Georgia
Satallite Image of St Simons Island & Sea Island