island and city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States of America

Tybee Island is a popular beach town and barrier island 18 mi (29 km) east of Savannah along the Atlantic coast of Georgia.

Tybee Island Light Station

Get in edit

By car edit

GA-26/US-80 is the only route onto the island and passes directly through Savannah on its way east.

By plane edit

By bike edit

It's about 18 miles from Savannah along route 80, and most of the highway has no bike lanes or paved shoulder to ride on. However, it is a scenic ride, and flat.

Get around edit

By car edit

GA-26/US-80 is the main street through town and is known locally as Butler Ave. The main drag along the beach is Strand Ave and runs from 14th Street to 18th Street.

By bike edit

The island is quite accessible by bike, and is the preferred method of getting around with a more relaxed, beach attitude. Bikes can be rented for this purpose (see the Do section below).

See edit

 
Fort Screven's Battery Garland
  • 1 Tybee Island Light Station, +1 912 786-5801. 9AM - 5:30PM, Closed Tuesdays. Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse at 144 feet, includes a complex of historic support buildings and 187 steps to the top! $7 Adults, $5 Children and Seniors.    
  • 2 Tybee Island Marine Science Center, 1510 Strand Ave (Directly in front of the Tybee pier and pavilion), +1 912 786-5917. 10AM - 5PM. Part science center and part aquarium, featuring touch tanks and many kid friendly exhibits. $4 Adults, $3 Children.  
  • 3 Tybee Island Museum at Fort Screven's Battery Garland (Directly across from the Tybee Island Light Station). Located inside a coastal defense fort first used during the Spanish American War, this museum outlines the history of Tybee Island as an integral part of America's coastal defense system. Don't miss the WWII submarine periscope located just inside the entrance.
  • 4 Fort Pulaski National Monument, +1 912 786-5787. 9AM - 5:30PM. An imposing Civil War era fort designed to protect the coastal region of Savannah. The fort was the site of a siege battle between the Confederates who usurped the fort and Union soldiers determined to take it over. The 7.5 foot solid brick walls still feature cannon fire damage. $3.    

Do edit

 
Fort Pulaski
  • Fat Tire Bikes, 1405 Butler Ave (near 14th Street), +1 912 786-4013. Rent bikes to see the island at a relaxed pace. Can also call ahead to have bikes delivered to where you're staying.
  • 1 The Beach (Walk east, you'll find it). Tybee Island is very strict about preserving its beach; dogs and glass bottles are forbidden, and fines are very steep. Parking is $2 per hour.
  • 2 Sea Kayak Georgia, 1102 Highway 80, +1 912 786-8732. Offers guided kayak tours through salt marshes, rivers, and other coastal waterways. Trips available for all skill levels.

Buy edit

  • 1 High Tide Surf Shop, 405 Hwy 80, +1 912 786-6556. Hip surf shop with bathing suits, boogie boards, and of course surf ware. And a trash can... Probably.

Eat edit

  • 1 AJ's Dockside Restaurant, 1315 Chatham Ave, +1 912 786-9533. 11AM - 10PM. Great neighborhood setting on the back river. Serves seafood outside on a dock which is the setting for some spectacular sunsets.
  • 2 The Crab Shack, 40 Estill Hammock Rd, +1 912-786-9857, . Laid back seafood restaurant with extravagant decorations and a zany atmosphere. Be sure to buy some gator food to feed the live alligators!. ~$15.
  • 3 Sundae Cafe, 304 1st St (at the corner of Hwy 80 & Jones Avenue), +1 912-786-7694. Fine dining featuring both traditional southern dishes and seafood.
  • 4 Fannies on the Beach, 1613 Strand Ave, +1 912 786-6109. Large restaurant with full bar overlooking the beach; has an open-air dining area on the second floor. Ask to sit in the boat if you have young kids who want to steer a ship while enjoying a meal.
  • 5 The Tybee Bakery Featuring Cafe Miss Korea, 1204 US-80 (near the Wedding Chapel on Highway 80), +1 912 376-0002. ~10am - 8pm. A home-made bakery and coffee house with a Korean food cafe. Located inside a 99 year old train station on the Savannah and Tybee Railroad.

Drink edit

Sleep edit

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Routes through Tybee Island
MaconSavannah  W   E  END



This city travel guide to Tybee Island is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.