If you want the holiday season to start the moment you check in, spend Thanksgiving at The Cloister on Sea Island, Georgia. By late November, the resort is already dressed for Christmas: garlands on every balcony, wreaths on lanterns, and what feels like well over a hundred Christmas trees glowing all over the property.
The hallways become twinkling corridors of trees, each one decorated in its own theme, and there’s even a guided Christmas décor tour through The Cloister and Beach Club where you learn the stories behind the designs. It’s the coziest way to slide from pumpkin pie into peppermint season.
Why Thanksgiving Is the Perfect Time to Go
Sea Island treats the holidays as a whole season, not just a day. Around this time, you’ll usually find:
1. A life-size gingerbread house in the Solarium
2. Storytime with Santa’s elves and chances to visit Santa himself
3. A mailbox in The Cloister Colonial Lounge for letters to the North Pole
4. Carolers, Christmas dining events, and a classic Yule Log ceremony that feels straight out of an old movie
You’re still in that relaxed Thanksgiving mood, but the full magic of Christmas is already there waiting.
For Families & Kids’ Clubs Fans
This is where Sea Island really shines for families. The Cloister is consistently ranked as one of the top family resorts in the South, thanks to its mix of waterfront fun and structured kids’ programs.
Sea Island Kids & Camp Cloister
1. Camp Cloister offers age-appropriate programs for children (roughly ages 3–14), with themed days built around cookie decorating, family paint parties, “build your own Sea Island sidekick” plushes, and Kids’ Night Out so parents can slip away to dinner or the spa.
2. Teen programming and Club Sea Island options give older kids independence without losing the safety and structure parents love.
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