everything you need to know about tybee island, georgia
a community of just over 3,000 permanent residents, tybee island is a small beach town located about 17 miles outside of savannah. its relaxed environment is a stark contrast to neighboring locales like hilton head, savannah and charleston, though you can expect to find much of the same characteristics in terms of history, cuisine and entertainment. after returning a second year in row for my family’s vacation, i’ve explored a good bit of the island to put together a comprehensive guide:
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
the only way to get to tybee is via u.s. 80, a stretch of road than runs from georgia all the way to san diego, california. pretty cool! one road in and one road out means it can get a little hairy with traffic during peak travel season, but it’s roughly 20-25 minutes from savannah on a good day.
boasting just over 3 miles of shoreline, tybee’s beach is split into three sections — north, middle and south. north beach is fairly quiet and very family-friendly; mid beach is where you can find many of tybee’s resorts & hotels so it’s a little more built up; and south beach, where we most recently stayed, is towards the heart of downtown with shops, restaurants and rental properties just a few steps away.
tybee (and savannah!) is an open container town meaning you can grab & go from your favorite bar (like any beach town should be honestly!!) pro tip for restaurants: try and get reservations if you can, even mid-week, or be prepared to wait 1.5 - 2 hours!
WHAT TO DO
tybee is home to georgia’s largest and oldest lighthouse, so of course it’s a must stop on my travel list. the first tybee island lighthouse was constructed in 1736 and has been rebuilt three times due to fires & storms. today’s lighthouse is one of america’s most intact light stations having all of its historic support buildings. climbing the 178 stairs to the top gives you uninterrupted views of georgia’s coast and the savannah river. watching massive cargo ships enter the port is a pretty neat experience too!
the island (& surrounding area) is filled with unique boutique shops that sell everything from those touristy spray painted t-shirts to local photography prints. a place to check out is tybee oaks, a hidden group of shops housed in tiny storefronts. the tipsy mermaid pottery shop creates ocean-themed gifts using driftwood and shells and inferno hot sauce emporium offers just what you’d think, the hottest sauces and rubs.
being on an island, the top thing to do is hang out at the beach; lounge in the sand and cool off in the ocean. down daiquiris like no ones watching! tybee has a large boardwalk & pavilion which you can fish off of and walk underneath, too.
tybee island is often referred to as savannah’s beach due to its proximity to the city, making it the perfect day trip. historic savannah is breathtaking. spanish moss covered trees, charming row houses and a distinct riverfront area make it the most iconic southern city, in my opinion. spend an afternoon tasting the coastal cuisine or pub-hopping on river street. the savannah college of art and design—scad—encompasses the city and many campus buildings dot the streets. you’ll pick up on the artsy vibe fast. if you’ve no clue where to start, take a tour! i’m kicking myself for not doing a ghost tour of savannah’s hallowed grounds, but i’ll be back!
georgia is a mecca when it comes to movies and television. stranger things, ozark, smokey and the bandit and the walking dead are just naming a few in the state. looking at savannah and tybee in particular: the last song, baywatch, even lady and the tramp shot scenes of the cathedral of st. john the baptist. tom hank’s famous character forrest gump pondered how life is like a box of chocolates at this very spot in savannah. the bench isn’t actually there anymore but chippewa square is a still popular tourist spot, and a beautiful place to stroll on a summer afternoon.
WHERE TO EAT
think of lowcountry boils with shrimp, crab, corn & sausage. picture mouthwatering fresh-caught fish with a glass of white wine. savor the authentic southern flavors! (& don’t worry there’s a ton of variety for us landlubbers too.)
breakfast
the go-to for your morning coffee & hearty breakfast before a day at the beach is java & juice. the aptly named cafe, connected to a breezy b&b, has protein packed smoothies and tasty toasts topped with everything from avocados to bananas. the place is mainly grab & go though there are a few tables inside and outside to enjoy your breakfast.
sunrise restaurant is the local diner that offers more of a sit down experience. think breakfast buffet and a menu filled with omelettes, french toast and breakfast sandwiches.
lunch
eat like a local and stop at huc-a-poo’s, a delightful watering hole serving up bites & booze at tybee oaks. with an array of dishes like gyros, quesadillas, sandwiches and pizza, there’s something for everyone. be warned though, their pizza slices are huge but you can top them with whatever you want, so if can’t decide between a hawaiian or a meatlover's pizza, try a slice of both!
touted as savannah’s best seafood, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better place to enjoy the freshest snow crab, king crab, oysters and shrimp than at the original crabshack. it’s where the elite eat in their bare feet. but let me start by saying i’m not speaking from experience. growing up in landlocked west virginia didn’t make me the biggest seafood eater, i really only like lobster bisque, but my family was in heaven. lucky for me, they also had grilled chicken, toast and steamed corn (which i’ve gotten every time i’ve been - no shame!) make sure to stop by the alligator sanctuary before you leave to get a live look at the reptiles.
my favorite place in town is, of course, a taco joint, and chamaco’s has the best. but you won’t just find traditional chicken or beef, they also have grilled cactus, shrimp, mahi mahi, brisket and pork shoulder. plus, they have adult juice boxes!!! that’s right, margaritas in a bag (they are potent, drinkers beware.) most nights they have live music too!
dinner
the olde pink house, in savannah, is a blush colored home that’s been around since 1771. a national historic landmark, the olde pink house, originally named the habersham house after its first owners, held important meetings responsible for securing the country’s independence from england. but enough of the history let’s talk food. fried quail, almond encrusted tilapia, braised pork shank — need i go on?
savannah is perhaps most well know for its position on the savannah river, so it’s no wonder that’s prime real estate. here you’ll find repurposed warehouses, historic monuments and plenty of souvenir shops. located high above the river in one of the aforementioned warehouses, vic’s on the river is a swanky bar/restaurant with a lot of history. though the restaurant’s only been around since 2006, the building is far older. originally built in 1859, it housed sherman’s men in 1865. when renovations were underway for the restaurant, an old map was found on plaster behind years of wallpaper. it shows the significant battles of the civil war that led to sherman’s famous march to the sea. it now hangs in the main dining room. if that history isn’t enough to draw you in, might i interest you in crawfish beignets? pan seared salmon? a fried flounder po boy? yeah, this place was really good and reservations are highly recommended.
back on tybee, stingray’s is a relaxed restaurant on the main strip. seafood and american classics fill their menu — also the best hushpuppies around! the place can get crowded pretty quickly, but if you have to wait a full bar is at your service.
drinks:
when it comes to bars, my family likes to find those hole-in-the-wall type places. the ones that look unassuming but probably tell the best stories on the inside. enter doc’s bar, a small establishment serving the island’s best drinks since 1948. it’s the oldest bar on tybee and the $2 jello shot sign was like a beacon calling to my family.
“our town is so small, we can’t afford a town drunk so we all take turns” — this sign at tybee time sufficiently drew us in. a no-frills bar with beer, spirits and frozen drinks like white russians and margaritas!
if beer isn’t your taste & you are looking for frills, a visit to sundae cafe is a must! the unassuming cafe not only has drinks you’d expect to find in a metropolitan city, but a menu to match with oysters rockefeller, new york strip and jambalaya pasta to name a few. interior design is also their strong suit — look at the inside:
the next few bars are in savannah and definitely worth mentioning:
warehouse bar and grille — the coldest & cheapest beer in town, right on river street
chive seabar and lounge — upscale drinks + dazzling charcuterie boards
savannah taphouse — local craft beers + inventive appetizers like mac & cheese egg rolls
six pence pub — an authentic english pub in the heart of the south
WHERE TO STAY
tybee has a many popular hotel / motel properties like hotel tybee, desoto’s and the newly renovated and reimagined royal palms motel. my family decided to stay at airbnbs during our time on tybee. we’ve stayed at jack’s treehouse, two blocks from the beach and complete with a wrap around porch and porpoise point #5, a beachfront condo on the southern end of the island.
i liked having the space & privacy of a rental unit. we weren’t confined to a hotel room and could cook dinner when we didn’t feel like going out. plus the town’s tiny iga is stocked like a walmart supercenter and has been serving the area since 1934 (and wouldn’t you rather support a local business instead of a big box store?)
tybee island has quickly grown to be one of my favorite places. it could be the company, seeing as my family always makes sure it’s memorable, but the atmosphere of the island is something i’ve really enjoyed. it’s laid back and unpretentious—a what you see is what you get type of place. when you’re looking for a beach getaway, there’s not much more you’d ask for. i can’t wait to go back.
for a live look at this year’s trip, check out my home video.
have you been to tybee island? what’s your favorite spot?