The term Golden Isles refers to St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island, all near the city of Brunswick. St. Simons Island is the largest of the four. St. Simons Island, Sea Island and Jekyll Island are the only islands accessible by car. Other islands in the area include Blackbeard, Cumberland, St. Catherines and Sapelo.
Just northeast of Sapelo is Blackbeard Island, where the pirate Edward Teach is said to have hidden his loot. St. Catherines Island is the former home of Button Gwinnett, one of Georgia's three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Southernmost in the chain and once the Carnegie family's private resort, Cumberland Island now is a national seashore.