Good Living Along the Georgia Coast
May 27, 2010 10:13 PM   Subscribe

This summer, I'm temporarily leaving Atlanta for the Georgia coast, working for a month in Brunswick and for another month in Hinesville. I'm used to ... a substantially more urban lifestyle. Any advice on living in either of these areas?

Any tips on housing, good eating, things I shouldn't miss while I'm there, culture, local attractions, and the like? Thanks!
posted by SpringAquifer to Grab Bag (3 answers total)
 
Best answer: I lived in the Brunswick area for 3 years about 10 years ago.

If you can afford the higher rent, I'd recommend finding a place on St. Simons Island. It's gorgeous there. We lived near the pier, I think it's called Ocean Walk now,and it had easy access to some bars and restaurants. Everywhere on the Island will give you an easy trip to beaches. It will be like a vacation.

My regular restaurants there were the 4th of May and Mullet Bay, both near the pier. The Island has a lot of wealthy residents, so there's no shortage of good food. Even if you live in Brunswick, you'll probably end up on the Island on your days off.

Culture's a little tough. There's a few nice spots to soak up the nature and the live oaks and spanish moss, Fort Frederica and Christ Church. You could also go up to Savannah for a day. My favorite day trip while there was a trip to the nearly deserted Cumberland Island.

I've been trying to think of good things that are actually in Brunswick, but I'm coming up blank. The only think I miss from there is Sonny's Bar-B-Q.
posted by saffry at 4:19 AM on May 28, 2010


Best answer: Cumberland Island is freaking beautiful. My dad's family (who relocated to Atlanta a few years back) have gone there several times.

I don't have any specific tips on Brunswick or Hinesville, but I've spent a good chunk of my life living in very rural and/or very boring areas (little cow towns, decayed post-industrial small cities, etc.). I find that, unlike being in a city where there are cultural attractions and lots of fun restaurants and bars, living out in the sticks, or in crappy little shithole cities, really requires you to make your own fun.

If there's nature around, get your nature on. If there's strip-mall hell and abandoned warehouses around, bring some good books with you and take up some hobby that you always meant to learn.

I'm not trying to imply that you personally would ever think or act in this way, but DON'T be snotty towards the locals because they don't live in a bustling metropolitan area filled with all kinds of cool stuff, and DON'T complain that there isn't anything fun to do, even if the local entertainment consists of drawing pictures in the dirt with a sharp stick. (Summers and falls, we used to get occasional visitors up from New York City on their way to go camping or leaf-peeping, and some of them were really snotty/complainy. The cool ones got befriended, but nobody liked complainers or snobs, so everyone would tell them the longest way to get where they were going, and they would always end up with the crappiest veggies at the farm stand and the least-desirable seat at the diner.) Instead, if you aren't an extreme introvert, make friends with the people instead of looking to the place to provide your fun, if that makes sense. Most people in most places like the temporary company of friendly strangers, and most people have at least some redeeming features and can make decent company in the right situations, even if you disagree on fundamental matters and don't have a lot in common. Have a barbecue and invite your neighbors over. That way, you'll find out about any fun stuff in the area that might be around, and at the very least, you'll probably find at least one person to drink beer on the porch with.
posted by kataclysm at 6:47 AM on May 28, 2010


Best answer: I'm originally from that area. I live in a metropolitan area now and I LONG for the Georgia coast. It really is a pretty area, and living close to the ocean is nice after being cooped up in the city.

Stuff to do:

Splash out on a fancy dinner at The King and Prince resort in St. Simons.

If you're feeling slightly less upscale, take a gambling cruise on the Emerald Princess.

Check out the great nightlife and arts in downtown Savannah.

Maybe use the time to take up a new hobby: sailing lessons is one option that would be fun, keep you active and allow you to meet some people. Plus it gives you sufficiently snooty stories to tell your city slicker friends back in Atlanta!
posted by ladybird at 7:51 AM on May 28, 2010


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