Tybee Island

Its name means “salt” in the old Euchee tongue, indicative of the island’s chief export in those days. And Tybee Island—“Tybee” to locals—is indeed one of the essential seasonings of life in Savannah [1]. First incorporated as Ocean City and then Savannah Beach, the island has since reclaimed its original name.

While 18 miles from Savannah, in truth Tybee is part and parcel of the city’s social and cultural fabric. Many of the island’s 3,000 full-time residents, known for their boozy bonhomie and quirky personal style, commute to work in the city. And those living “in town” often reciprocate by visiting Tybee to dine in its few but excellent restaurants, drink in its casual and crazy watering holes, and frolic on its wide, beautiful beaches lined with rare sea oats waving in the Atlantic breeze.