Escape To Tybee Island And Discover Its Natural Beauty

Those looking for sun and surf will find it on Tybee Island. ©Tybee Island Marine Science Center

The last time I visited Tybee Island was before the pandemic. My husband, who is a military history enthusiast, and I took a road trip to visit several forts, including Fort Pulaski (more on that later), choosing the week before Christmas to do so. December is one of our favorite times to visit locales throughout the South, as it’s the offseason, so accommodations are a fraction of the price they’d be in the summertime, the weather is still nice (I’m always warm anyway) and there are fewer people around. 

We even went to Tybee’s beach on the December journey—and although it was windy (it offered another chance to cuddle), we practically had the area to ourselves, rocking back and forth on a swing anchored into the sand and looking out to the rolling waves. It was very romantic. 

Just down from our swing was an aquarium, closed for renovation. It’s now the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, the one must-do I had on my itinerary for this trip. 

Even though Tybee Island is a half-hour drive from Savannah, our host was The Kimpton Brice, on the very edge of Savannah’s Historic District. It was a great home base and conveniently located to everything we wanted to do on our trip. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and there was a social hour every evening. Stay tuned for a future 2025 issue of Orlando magazine when I’ll recount our Savannah itinerary. 

The drive from Savannah to Tybee Island is gorgeous and doesn’t feel like 30 minutes at all—you’ll be so enchanted by the natural beauty along the way, the drive time goes in a flash. While you’re ogling the scenery, be sure to keep a lookout for wildlife that may wander out into the road—in particular turtles, who, we all know, travel at a more leisurely pace. If you’re fortunate to see one, help it across the road—the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service asks that you move it forward in the direction it’s going. For those who don’t wish to pick up a turtle or if it’s a snapping turtle, you can use a car mat to slide it in the direction it was going.

Just like Savannah, it’s easy to find your way around on Tybee Island; basically, the main highway will take you through the entire island. You’ll still want to use your GPS, but when you get close to the marine center, look for the signage to the parking lot, which is behind the building and right next to a boardwalk to the beach. 

Once inside the marine center, you’ll find many insightful staff members who’ll enhance your knowledge. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, they love to answer them! We arrived just in time to watch Ossie, a three-pound juvenile loggerhead sea turtle who came to the center in September 2023, have his lunch. I was lulled by his graceful movements and could have watched him swim around in his tank for the rest of the day. 

Ossie is so named for Ossabaw Island, another of Georgia’s barrier islands, where he had hatched and was rescued from. Once turtles come to the center, they are rehabbed, then released to the sea two years later. Turtle releases are a popular event on Tybee Island; follow the center on Facebook for all the details. 

Charlie the Eastern box turtle. ©Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Although I was enchanted by Ossie, there was so much to see at the center—but I only made it a few feet further to Charlie, an Eastern box turtle. This little guy has so much personality! And Charlie has the most beautiful coloring, an alternating orange and black pattern and soulful eyes. I was smitten with him. 

It’s hard to tear yourself away from the center, but when you do, one of Tybee Island’s best restaurants shares a parking lot. The North Beach Bar and Grill came highly recommended by locals, and after lunch there, I understood why—it’s full of hearty options, with a scratch-made menu that’s prepared to order. I love eating fresh fish and seafood right next to the water, so I was drawn to the sauteed shrimp and the Thai tuna & spinach salad, but if you’re looking for a juicy burger or sandwich, those won’t disappoint either. There are also some delicious appetizers you don’t see every day: plantains & salsa and fish bites. You’re on vacation, it’s the perfect time to try something new. 

The Tybee Island Lighthouse & Museum ©Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Your exploration continues on the opposite side of the restaurant, where you’ll find the Tybee Island Lighthouse & Museum. Before you get started, move your car to the lighthouse’s parking lot to take advantage of the free two-hour parking that’s included—you’ll need all that time to explore the lighthouse and accompanying battery garland, 11 stops in all. 

The oldest and tallest lighthouse in Georgia, the Tybee Island Lighthouse is 145 feet tall and is still a working navigation aid. It is one of only a handful of complete light stations left in the United States. Its 178 steps were put in place one at a time and rotated into position. 

Your lighthouse tour includes admission to the Tybee Island Museum, which is housed inside Fort Screven’s battery garland. Fort Screven was active during the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II and has never been restored. It was designed to guard the mouth of the Savannah River until the end of World War II. The battery served as part of the United States’ Coastal Defense System until it was decommissioned in 1945. 

Fort Screven is named after Revolutionary War hero James Screven, who was killed in an ambush while aiding his colonel in quieting an attempt by the enemy to destroy homes and fields. 

A real sense of history and those who served it will flood over you as you walk through and look out toward the sea. At the top of the battery, you’ll find a 12-inch “non-disappearing” rifle (one that’s visible even when it’s not being fired) and the lower rooms, which now contain exhibits, once stored gunpowder and projectiles. 

Fort Pulaski, located between Savannah and Tybee Island, played an integral part in the Civil War and during that era was ranked one of the “most spectacular harbor defense structures” in the United States. Its solid brick walls and impressive masonry secured it against siege until Union soldiers used new, experimental artillery to shatter its walls in 1862. 

Tybean Coffee Bar is a haven for those who appreciate great coffee and great art.

After becoming a national monument in 1924, Fort Pulaski was restored to its former glory, although a wall on the southeast corner was left as-is to showcase cannon fire damage. A great way to learn more about the park is on a free, guided tour with a ranger, available year-round.

You can also get out and enjoy nature at Fort Pulaski, and now’s the perfect time to go on a hike, bike ride, take a leisurely boat ride, fish and go bird watching. In all, the fort is home or a sanctuary to 11 protected species: American oystercatchers, bald eagles, gull-billed terns, least terns, loggerhead sea turtles, manatees, peregrine falcons, piping plovers, swallow-tailed kites, wood storks and Wilson’s plovers.

Tybee Island is a four- and half-hour ride from Orlando and is an easy trek along I-95. It’s just the right length for a road trip, with Jacksonville at the halfway point. But there’s one last spot to visit before you head home: the Tybean Coffee Bar. It’s full of creative concoctions like the Berry White, a decadent mixture of white chocolate, raspberry, espresso and whipped cream. We also love the matcha lattes. Adorning Tybean’s walls and shelves are artisan-made pieces that make for the best souvenir you can bring back from the island. You’ll find many unique pieces for your home.  

For more information about Tybee Island, point your browser to visittybee.com.