Tybee Island Road Trip -- Day 4

We woke up to the sound of rain falling on the tin roof. If you've never heard that comforting sound before, it is the silver lining to a rainy day at the beach. The storm also made it easier to leave that morning, which would have been hard to do if it had been a brilliantly sunny day.

Before we hit the road, we had to check out a Tybee icon, the Breakfast Club, which only serves breakfast. It is the place where glitterati and locals rub elbows, deals are made, and gossip is exchanged. The Breakfast Club has an eclectic assortment of great food, some that you may not expect for breakfast, like the shrimp with eggs and grits or the home-made chorizio burrito with eggs.

What is so charming about Tybee is that everything about this island is eccentric. If you are looking for a 5-star resort experience --keep looking. If you like fun, off-beat destinations that are laid back and unpretentious, then Tybee is the place for you. Tybee is an island where residents keep their Christmas decorations up year-round, and you can walk your dog in your pajamas, which I did just this morning. I'm sure there are covenants against these things at some of the tonier islands south of Tybee.


Before heading back to Atlanta, we took one more drive around the island to check out the other Mermaid Cottages. There are close to 30 to choose from, several which are on the historical register, and others that have been featured in Coastal Living and Cottage Living. All are decorated in a colorful signature style that is comfortable and laid back -- a perfect complement to the Tybee experience. And most of the cottages are pet-friendly.




Tybee Island is easy to get to by car or by air. The island is 40 minutes from the Savannah airport. If you need a city fix, like a Starbuck's latte, downtown Savannah is just 20 minutes away via the Islands Expressway. Savannah is a charming city with lots of great boutiques, restaurants, and fine art galleries.

Tybee is truly a diamond in the rough, and a destination you must check out. A coalition is working to make the island more pet-friendly, which will be a bonus to people like me who can't wait to return.

For more information about Tybee Island, check out these links:

Pet-friendly Mermaid Cottages

Charlotte Observor story on Tybee Island

Purchasing or investing in real estate on Tybee