OurCoast.com :: Outdoors

Courtesy Best Read Guide

Quiet beaches, breathtaking sunrises, fishing and fresh seafood are all synonymous with Tybee Island, Georgia.

Pronounced Tie-bee, an Euchee Indian word for "salt," the island offers five miles of unspoiled sandy beaches just 14 miles east of Savaannah. This small barrier island is perfect for sunbathing, people-watching and frolicking in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The island's south-end pier and pavilion provide an excellent place to stroll above the gentle waves of the ocean or relax with a picnic lunch and a good book.

Although vacationers are lured to Tybee mainly because of what it provides in the way of recreation and relaxation, they also should be aware that local museums, monuments and historic sites weave the tale of Tybee's colorful past. Over Tybee's salt marshes and sand dunes have flown the flags of pirates, Spaniards, the English, the French and the Confederate States of America. History buffs can learn why Spain fought a bloody war with France over sassafras plants and how a decisive Civil War battle between Confederate and Union forces was fought at nearby Fort Pulaski. Located on the northern end of the island, Fort Screven served as a training camp for thousands of American soldiers during World Wars I and II. You can still see remnants of the wartime installations all over Fort Screven.

While Tybee is a resort with a full range of restaurants, modern hotels and motels, luxurious condominiums and quaint cottages, it offers an atmosphere that's considerably more laid back than the glitter of the larger beach towns to the north and south.

So get away and relax on beautiful Tybee Island and enjoy gracious southern hospitality, exciting history and a carefree way of life.

Visit the Island's website at tybeeisland.com.