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Photo: James Schwabel / Alamy
You may remember the “America’s Favorite Towns” survey where St. Simons Island, Georgia ranked #3 for our beautiful natural setting, miles of sandy beaches, sprawling oaks, golf and historic sites.
As part of the “America’s Favorite Towns” poll, Travel + Leisure readers also scored towns on their romantic appeal for the “America’s Most Romantic Towns” list. To calculate the most romantic towns, Travel + Leisure looked at brunch spots, bakeries, wine scenes, scenic picnic-friendly parks and romantic hotels.
Based on these categories, we are pleased to report that St. Simons Island ranked as the #1 Most Romantic Town! We’ll just quote T+L directly:
“America’s top town for romance strikes the right balance between seclusion and accessibility. Located on one of Georgia’s Golden Isles, this southern-style beach town has both white sands and live oaks, and was a hit with readers in romance-friendly categories such as picnicking and charming cafés. You can rent bicycles, browse antique shops, and check out another undeniable marker of romantic destinations: the local lighthouse.”
As a bonus to those who are considering a romantic getaway, another top romantic town is just across the bridge—a quick 12-minute drive from St. Simons Island. Neighboring Brunswick, Georgia ranked #20 among Travel + Leisure readers:
“Established by the British in 1771, this romantic coastal spot is one of the few American towns that kept its colonial street names—a nod to longevity any couple can appreciate. Aside from quirky appeal to history buffs, Brunswick was ranked highly for its festivals, such as autumn’s Brunswick Rockin’ Stewbilee, where competitors cook up tomatoey pots of stew. Come December, a plethora of twinkly lights is a seasonal enchantment (even on the water, during the Christmas Boat Parade of Lights).”
Turns out, Coastal Georgia is for lovers! Take a look at the Hodnett Cooper St. Simons Island and Brunswick Area Guide for all sorts of activity ideas. For the romantic, a horseback ride on the beach, picnic at oceanfront Neptune Park, a long walk on the beach or a Tree Spirit treasure hunt.
On November 29, Business Insider released its list of the 15 Best Housing Markets for the Next Five Years. Using Fiserv Case-Shiller data, the Top 15 Cities are ranked by the projected annualized change in home prices between Q2 2012 and Q2 2017.
Brunswick, Georgia ranked based on the following data:
- Annualized expected growth from 2012 – 2017: 7.9 percent
- Home prices in Brunswick have tumbled 32.3 percent since their Q4 2007 peak.
- It has a population of 112,923, an unemployment rate of 10.4 percent, and a median family income of $50,500, that is below the national median.
For the complete article and list of markets, visit Business Insider.