The Claywells decided to hit the road again to enjoy a couple days at the beach! Tybee Island is a small little peninsula 20 minutes from Savannah, Georgia. We have been coming there for years and even decided to get married there in 2019. We were supposed to spend our first anniversary in Germany but due to the travel restrictions we opted in to stay local and get back to our happy place.
Below you will find a list of our favorite and must do things to do on Tybee Island:
We have eaten there 3 times and those are truly the best sandwiches in the world! This delicious and unique takeout spot describes itself as a mix of “Swiss, Italian, South African and Dutch” food, and all the food is designed to make you say “Shit Yeah!”. It is definitely worth it to pick up some giant sandwiches on the way to Tybee Island.
If you get to the island late at night on a Friday, make sure you check out the main strip on Tybrisa Street. Shops are open until 11 pm and the nightlife doesn’t stop until 3 am. One of the main perks of Tybee and Savannah? No “open-container” laws! That means you can take legally take your to-go drinks with you on the street. We spent many fun nights at the Original Rockhouse (including the after-party of our wedding!) so it was a no-brainer to check it out once we got settled.
Call-A-Cab and Shock Treatment, Attitude Improvement and Call-A-Cab mix
We have stayed in many different places. Tybee is famous for amazing beach cottages, however this time we decided to stay at the DeSoto Beach Hotel which offers ocean view hotel rooms! DeSoto Beach Hotel is one of the only oceanfront hotels on the island, other than Hotel Tybee, and it’s the closest to the beach by far!
Pack a book, a towel and some sun screen and just enjoy the view. Tybee Island has numerous beach accesses and each entrance is beautiful on its own. Tybee is home to a lot of beautiful wildlife, including dolphins and sea turtles, so make sure you stay off the dunes to protect the turtles! Tybee’s beaches are also famous for their swings. Find a swing and just relax.
This local staple was shut down after a hurricane and they finally opened back up. This open-air beach shack only offers outdoor eating, which is perfect for the current social distancing environment. As the name suggests, they specialize in locally-caught shrimp and delicious slow-smoked barbecue, so obviously the Shrimp Po’Boy and the ribs were amazing!
Go to the Fisherman’s Walk Back River Fishing Pier and watch the stunning sunset. We have come here many times and have never been disappointed. The main beaches of the island face east, so you have to walk to the western side of the island to see the sunset. With storms off in the Atlantic, the conditions were perfect for the most beautiful sunset we’ve ever seen. Once you’ve got some good pictures for Instagram or your blog, walk over to AJ’s Dockside Restaurant and enjoy some delicious fresh seafood.
We like to enjoy the sunset at the Back River Fishermans Pier and then enjoy a delicious meal at AJ’s. Everything on the menu is delicious, so we don’t have a “go-to” meal at AJ’s like we do at our other favorite restaurants. This time Zach ordered the Cajun pasta special and Stefanie ordered the Shrimp and Grits Appetizer. AJ’s is on the “back river” which is the marshland that protects the island, which has its own beautiful wildlife. Don’t forget to take a picture in front of the restaurant in the colorful chair! AJ’s has spectacular sunset views as well!
We have come to Tybee so many times, however we keep finding new places to explore. We noticed that the island added a Disc Golf Course in the Jaycee Park. When you ride your bike make sure you take notice how every beach cottage has a different style and is just unique and beautiful on its own. Tim’s Beach & Gear and Fat Tire Bikes are both good choices. If you do a 3 day rental they drop off and pick up the bike.
Enjoy it while sitting in the Pavilion or on one of the many Beach Swings! Getting the large, boozy bucket has been a tradition of ours from our first visit. The sushi and smoothie restaurants “Raw Ingredients” and “Ripe” are relatively new to the island and offer some very good, healthy food options in a town known more for its fried fish than its sushi.
“Where the elite eat in their bare feet” is the motto of this Tybee classic. You really can’t leave Tybee Island without going to the Crab Shack. While it does have a touristy vibe in the front – you can feed live baby gators while you wait for a table, and take cheesy photos with large crabs – the food and the views of the marshland on the back patio make it a must-visit. We always share the Seafood Platter for One and never leave hungry! The platter includes Alaskan King Crab clusters, locally-caught shrimp, local Rock Crab, fresh mussels, crawdads, sausage, corn, red potatoes and plenty of butter! Yes it says “for one” but it’s plenty of food to share. Grab a Deviled Crab appetizer if you’re particularly hungry. This place is an oasis, with great service, great food, and great views. And if you love cats like we do, this will be heaven – happy cats roam this area enjoying island life (and leftover scraps of seafood!).
Update: Our blog post was somehow changed and some items were deleted! Please reach out to us directly for any questions regarding Tybee Island!