A private spa on a quiet island in a stunning location has become one of the most expensive zip codes in the United States.
Homeowners pay a median price of $4.3 million on Sea Island, a long, narrow strip of land off the southeast coast of Georgia.
Located 60 miles from Savannah GA and Jacksonville FL, the city contains 600 private homes that are so coveted that they often change hands without ever going on the market.
Golf plays a central role in the city’s culture and economy, with its delightful Plantation and Seaside courses hosting the PGA Tour with the help of host and resident professional Davis Love III.
“It’s a low-key community, with graciousness and civility,” Sea Island President and CEO Scott Steilen told the Wall Street Journal.
Homeowners pay a median price of $4.3 million on Sea Island, a long, narrow strip of land off the southeast coast of Georgia.
Located 60 miles from Savannah GA and Jacksonville FL, the city contains 600 private homes that are so coveted that they often change hands without ever going on the market.
Golf plays a central role in the city’s culture and economy, with its delightful Plantation and Seaside courses hosting the PGA Tour with the help of host and resident professional Davis Love III.
“Like many resort communities, we went through a buying frenzy when the pandemic began,” Patrick Dunn, sales associate at Sea Island Properties, told the WSJ.
‘In 2018, we had approximately 90 homes of our 600 for sale. “During the pandemic, we were left with four or five houses for sale.”
As a result, most properties were taken off the market and reserved for people with the right connections.
Currently, there are only five real estate listings on Sea Island, and the most expensive is a 40-acre parcel of land with 4,000 feet of beach front that is selling for $42 million.
A Spanish-style condo by Ocean Forest Residences with four bedrooms and four bathrooms is the most expensive property listed at $9.875 million.
The town’s origins date back to 1911, when automobile magnate Howard Coffin and his wife Matilda purchased nearby Sapelo Island.
Coffin wrote at the time that he was captivated by “the gloom of the oaks, beautiful, braided and woven,” and 17 years later he expanded south to Sea Island.
Civilization began on the island with the opening of the Cloister at Sea Island Hotel in 1928, a luxurious Mediterranean-style building with five miles of private beach.
Its inauguration was marked by visits from a flood of dignitaries, and the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, visited during the holidays and planted an oak sapling.
Presidents, royals and other luminaries have continued the tradition of planting oaks on the island, and in 2004 it became the first American resort to host a G8 summit.
Located 60 miles from Savannah GA and Jacksonville FL, the city contains 600 private homes that are so coveted that they often change hands without ever going on the market.
Golf plays a central role in the city’s culture and economy, with its delightful Plantation and Seaside courses hosting the PGA Tour with the help of host and resident professional Davis Love III (pictured).
Civilization began on the island with the opening of the Cloister at Sea Island Hotel in 1928, a luxurious Mediterranean-style building with five miles of private beach (pictured).
Its inauguration was marked by visits from a flood of dignitaries, and the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, visited during the holidays and planted an oak sapling.
A woman poses in front of the wooden sign of Sea Island and the Atlantic Ocean in Georgia circa 1949.
The causeway connecting Sea Island, Ga. with the mainland across St. Simons Island, Ga., shown on Friday, July 18, 2003.
The city is also known for its culinary scene, with local specialties including buttered corn muffins, Gold Brick Sundaes, and fresh fruit cobbler.
In the 1950s, a culinary tradition known as the Rainbow Island Dinner began when the Cloister hosted an outdoor seafood feast under the stars on Friday nights.
It also hosts a life-size gingerbread house at Christmas, while the mascots perform in a ‘Reindog Parade’ as part of the same festivities.
The city features The Lodge at Sea Island, an English country-style mansion that was named America’s Best Hotel in 2016.
With rates starting at $395 (£280) per night, the 40-room hotel offers a private atmosphere with classic luxury, and guests return each year for romantic getaways or world-class golf getaways.
Rooms feature luxurious wood furnishings, exposed beam ceilings, overstuffed chairs, hardwood floors, handmade oriental rugs, and marble bathrooms.
There is a 24-hour butler service to attend to guests’ needs and one of the special features is a nightly performance by a bagpiper at sunset.
US News & World Report said it chose The Lodge because it is a consistent favorite among experts and travelers thanks to its amenities and high standards.
