Daydreaming of Spring Break
I’m sitting here on this mushy, slushy, mid-winter day daydreaming about spring break. There is a place my heart visits much more than my body, my favorite place for spring break. It may be a rather modest, humble place for some, but for my husband and me, it is perfect, and we go as often as we are able. That place is Tybee Island, Georgia.
Tybee Island, Georgia
Tybee Island is a barrier island located in Chatham County, Georgia and approximately eighteen miles east of Savannah. Sometimes referred to as “Savannah Beach,” there is access to the Atlantic Ocean, Savannah River, and marshlands filled with various birds and wildlife. Homes for short-term rental, condos, motels, B and Bs, and campgrounds are available for vacationers who enjoy the rather-quiet beach community.
A few of our favorite haunts on our Tybee treks (besides the beach) include Fort Pulaski National Monument, the lighthouse, dolphin cruises, the Sundae Cafe, the Crab Shack, and Savannah (a week’s worth of entertainment in itself), and local craft shops.
An Experience in Nature
“The North Beach Birding Trail is at the mouth of the Savannah River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. In the winter, many seabirds and shorebirds migrate from the Arctic tundra to spend the fall and winter on Tybee’s beach. North Beach is the best place to view sanderlings, turnstones, dunlins, western sandpipers, knots, willets, black-bellied plovers, semipalmated plovers and more unique birds.”
Offering an educational experience on Tybee is the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. “For many years, the Marine Science Center was located in a small facility near the Tybee Pier & Pavilion, but in March 2021, it officially moved to a new, state-of-the-art, 5,000-square-foot building that overlooks Tybee’s North Beach. This incredible facility features several galleries housing various live animals, an interactive exhibit of Gray’s Reef, an outdoor amphitheater and playground, and even an underground area with large tanks for housing sea turtles in rehabilitation” (Allison Ulsh).
Fort Pulaski
Fort Pulaski, on Cockspur Island at the mouth of the Savannah River, is 15 miles east of Savannah, Ga., and may be reached from the city by way of U.S. 80 (Tybee Road). Approaching the island, the park road is on the left. Approaching this 19th century brick fort surrounded by water, one really has the sensation of going back in time. Walking the windy halls or strolling along the walls that housed the garrison, the history is nearly tangible. At times reenactments and lectures are available, but they are not necessary as the historic information is posted at intervals throughout the fort.
The Lighthouse
Tybee Island’s Lighthouse is the oldest and tallest lighthouse in Georgia. In fact, it’s one of the most intact historic lighthouses remaining in America to this day. In 1732, General James Oglethorpe ordered the construction of the lighthouse tower. The building’s development was completed in 1736, but was felled by a storm in 1741. The tower was rebuilt the following year, but did not contain a light. The light was added after Georgia ratified the Constitution and yielded the lighthouse to the federal government.
The Tybee Island Historical Society began the restoration project in 1999, and in 2002, the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act allowed this group of locals and historians to repaint the tower in the 1916-1966 black-white-black daymark and open for public tours of the lighthouse and the impressive grounds.
I have climbed the 178 steps to the top of the lighthouse … not recently. It was worth the effort!
The Food
The food on Tybee Island is also a great attraction. Fresh seafood is brought in daily, but traditional Southern cuisine, American classics, and fast food can be found in abundance.
If you’re looking for amazing upscale food, The Sundae Cafe will not disappoint. It is always the best idea to have a reservation there. If you go looking for a lovely restaurant building, you will not find this place. It is nestled in a small strip containing other stores. Reserve, seek it out, you won’t be sorry you did.
The Crab Shack on Tybee is casual dining in an atmosphere of fun that includes alligators, exotic birds, wandering cats, and seafood, seafood, seafood. It is a must visit whether one is staying on Tybee Island or not.
There are many more options for dining from casual to not-so-casual, indoor and outdoor, seafood or not. My best advice: eat and enjoy!
Dolphin Tours
Bottlenose dolphins are a familiar sight from Tybee beaches. Captain Derek or Captain Mike host tours out on the water that include beautiful scenery and historic sights including a close-up view of the Cockspur Lighthouse. These expert captains locate dolphins that ride the wake alongside the boats and put on quite a show. Sunset is a particularly lovely time to go out in a boat.
Just Like in the Movies
Over the decades, there have been a plethora of movies and shows filmed on beautiful Tybee Island. Here are some of them:
The Girl From Plainville (2022) (also in Savannah)
Devotion (2022) (also in Savannah)
Gemini Man (2019) (also in Savannah)
Cobra Kai (2019)
Galveston (2018)
The Beach House (2018)
Love at the Shore (2017)
Baywatch (2017)
Gifted (2017)
Magic Mike XXL (2015) (also in Savannah)
Dirty Grandpa (2015)
Sponge Bob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015) (also in Savannah)
The Last Song (2010)
The Gingerbread Man (1998)
Wild America (1997)
Gator (1976)Dreaming of Spring Break on Tybee Island
See For Yourself
I could go on and on about the Southern charm, the laid-back beach vibe, and the relaxation available on Tybee Island in the beautiful state of Georgia, but I could never do it justice. The best thing to do is to try it for yourself. Bring along your Avon Skin-so-soft to ward off the sand fleas, and have a ball! I’ll look for you there!
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