Jeckyll Island or Daytona Beach with a toddler

March 18, 2018 5:15 AM

We have a choice between Jeckyll Island and Daytona Beach for a long weekend mini vacation. Which do you think will be less hassle with a toddler?

The Daytona destination is a family resort that discourages college student drinkers from booking, will have more room for the money and has many "free children's activities" but of course parental supervision will still be required. Jeckyll Island location is on the grounds of the state park, less room for the money but more "nature activities" easily accessible. Daytona is basically a hotel with a cafe and a couple of pools, with access to the beach. Jeckyll Island is Jeckyll Island.

Jeckyll Island will also mean having only one room, with nowhere for adults to retreat once the toddler goes to sleep. Daytona location has a separate room where the adults can hang out after toddler bedtime.

We have never been to either destination. Which one do you think would work best with a toddler?

posted by crunchy potato to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total)

I think of them both as fun. Daytona is pretty,um, trashy and loud but in a kind of fun way. Jeckyll is a little more quiet and I find it easy to find parking, plus it’s super close to Savannah . I don’t think either would be more or less toddler friendly.
posted by stormygrey at 6:11 AM on March 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Having two rooms is a big plus. It's the difference between sitting in the other room relaxing with a glass of wine at the end of the night, vs. huddling under the blankets reading Metafilter from 7:30-10pm. Ask me how I know.
posted by gatorae at 6:27 AM on March 18, 2018 [3 favorites]

Jekyll is our go-to destination, but we're a couple with no kids. It's great for us because it's so low-key. Toddler activities might include going to the beach and ocean, looking for shells, minigolf, looking for alligators at the pond, going to the turtle center and Tidelands (where you can see snakes, turtles, and other animals close-up), spotting deer (everywhere), maybe biking on trails, walking on boardwalks or in the woods or near the marsh on trails, taking a boat tour, maybe horseback riding or a carriage ride, possibly a historic district tram ride. There's no canned entertainment provided there, other than Summer Waves, the amusement park, which is open from May-Aug. It's a make-your-own-adventure kind of place and nature is a big part of it. If you like that, then I highly recommend it.

Could you get a room with a balcony or patio or some place like that to hang out after kids are asleep? We rent a one-BR condo when we go (every year for the past 20 yrs) for less than the cost of a motel/hotel and it's got an outside space, plus a kitchen/living area. Plus a washer and dryer! I've never been to Daytona, so I can't comment on that.
posted by mmw at 7:43 AM on March 18, 2018 [3 favorites]

I took my daughter (then 4) to Jekyll last year and we had a blast. She loved putt putt, the turtle center, and the driftwood beach on the south (I think?) end of the island. We also went to Saint Simons, which is not far but has a lot of playgrounds, little shops, etc. We climbed up the lighthouse (you can see it from Jekyll) and she thought that was amazing. We spent a week between the two islands and she wasn't ready to leave at the end.

It's a lot more wholesome than Daytona.
posted by danielle the bee at 4:51 PM on March 18, 2018 [3 favorites]

There's a reason why the worlds largest motorcycle rally takes place in Daytona. I'd vote Jekyll.
posted by dudemanlives at 7:11 PM on March 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think Jekyll is great, but it must be noted that Jekyll is isolated - the nearest city is actually Brunswick and that requires a drive of 20 minutes or so. Savannah is another 75 minutes north once you get to Brunswick and I-95.

Also, access to Jekyll is controlled - you have to pay to enter the island, so you'll have to pay each time you leave and return (unless a pass comes with your accommodation).

Having said all that ... Jekyll is certainly a wonderful place to settle in and enjoy the coast without all the commercialization and congestion of Daytona.
posted by tmharris65 at 2:21 AM on March 19, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! Toddler is under 2, so we decided (thanks in large part to your help here) a separate room for the adults outweighs the importance of wholesome options for this particular trip. I also decided that I want more activity compared to our usual restorative nature experience, and was supported in that by my family. Thanks again for your help!
posted by crunchy potato at 9:24 AM on March 19, 2018