Plan My Trip: Savannah and Tybee Island

As Labor Day weekend approaches, Traveler staffers are fanning across the country for their end-of-summer getaways. IT editor Janelle Nanos has Georgia on her mind.

I'm meeting up with my extended family in Georgia this weekend, splitting my time between Savannah and Tybee Island, so I'm looking for suggestions on what not to miss. What are the best ways to savor the waning summer days down south? Where are the top dining, shopping, or attractions that stand out? (You know I love your restaurant recommendations.) As always, I'll be bringing my video camera and notebook, and I'm always up for meeting readers, so feel free to email me with your suggestions or leave them in the comments below.

Photo: Walter Bibikow/Getty Images for National Geographic Geographical Information: Georgia

Comments

[Horse N. Buggy]

Tybee and Savannah are going to be stuffed to the gills this weekend. My own family is from there and most of us who've moved away are converging on the city (though I won't be among them).

City Market - Historic and artistic, but not very big. This is mainly shopping, but there are a lot of local artist's galleries here. I definitely recommend it. It is very convenient to River Street if you plan on going there.

Forget trying to get in to Paula Deen's restaurant, it will be a nightmare wait, if it's not booked up. Paula and her brother run a little place between Savannah and Tybee called "Uncle Bubba's." It's seafood. I worked there when it was "Snappers", under different owners.

Tybee has a lighthouse you can climb, located on the north of the island - you'll see the signs just after you go onto the island.

Just before you get to Tybee (close enough that you think you're on Tybee, but you're not) is a historic fort called Fort Pulaski. It was Grant's first command ... before the Civil War. Once the Union forces began their siege from Tybee to take it back, they were able to regain it in something like 9 days. It was used in the filming of "Roots." Fort Pulaski is one of my all-time favorite places in Savannah.

Of course, there's River Street. If you've never been there, you have to see it at least once. Unfortunately, it's just a collection of fairly generic souvenir shops. If you want to eat there, I HIGHLY recommend Spanky's. Spanky's is down at the end closest to the Tug Boat docks, across from the big fancy hotel across the river.

Savannah is a working port and it's pretty cool to see the tugs bring in a huge container ship. If you spend any time on the beach at Tybee, you'll see those container ships coming in and out of the port. (I have two cousins and an uncle who work as captains on those tugs, alongside Paula Deen's husband. I also have a cousin who boards the big ships and guides them through the local waters.)

I think it's a decent deal for a visitor to do a trolley tour to get an understanding of the city...if you can stand the heat. You'll see most of the squares and I think you can get on and off to explore what interests you.

I can't stand the thought of going home and not going out in a boat. If your relatives don't have a boat, you can pay for a fishing trip or even just a dolphin seeing cruise. I've never been on one of these, but I've never gone out looking for dolphin (in a private boat) and not found them - they're always following the shrimp boats, feeding off what falls in the water. You can catch one of these at Lazaretto Creek or possibly River Street.

If you ever come in the winter, Grey's Reef, which is about 2-3 hours offshore is one of the only places Northern Right Whales come to give birth to their calves. I've never been out there, but I keep telling myself that I will someday.

And if you want a big, greasy, delicious breakfast in a really bizarre dive, you CAN'T MISS the Breakfast Club on Tybee. Just be prepared to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait to get in. But that's a good sign, right?

[Horse N. Buggy]

Oh, you can also rent ocean kayaks to tool around in the creeks around Tybee. However, I don't recommend this unless you are really experienced and in very good shape. People don't realize how strong the current is and don't conserve enough energy to get back.

[Janelle]

Thanks for the outstanding tips Horse N. Buggy! Looking forward to checking out as many as I can!

[Katie]

Hey Janelle-
Dan and I love Vic's on the river- for lunch Dan likes the beer battered flounder and I love the cheese grits with shrimp. You also have to get the fried green tomatoes. They make a mean Bloody Mary and it is a beautiful view from the bar tables. I love Savannah and especially the food- I don't mess around when it comes to eating :)
Have fun!

[TravelingInStilettos]

Since locating your choice of Tybee Island beach vacation rentals will be no problem, you can concentrate on planning your time. Tybee’s main attraction is the five miles of beautiful beach along the Atlantic Ocean. The beach is clean and wide, and the sand is perfect for walking or biking. The warm, gentle waves and protected tidal pools are perfect even for young swimmers. Perhaps you’ll get out into the water, kayaking around the island rivers and shoreline or heading out on a deep-sea fishing excursion. If you’d rather watch the marine life than catch it, you can leave one of our Tybee Island vacation rentals for a dolphin boat tour, and watch the lively bottlenose jump alongside the ship.

[Horse N. Buggy]

So, any follow up on your trip? Whadya see and do?