This Georgia Barrier Island Has America’s Tallest Lighthouse and a Long-Lost Nuclear Weapon Somewhere Offshore

Tybee Island, Georgia

Tybee Island lies 18 miles east of downtown Savannah along US Highway 80. The Euchee tribe first named this island “Tybee,” which means salt, because they collected salt from its shores. Today, it’s one of the most beautiful places in Georgia, and here’s why.

The Lighthouse Complex Remains Fully Intact

Tybee Island Light Station has kept all its original buildings, making it the most complete lighthouse site in America. Three keeper’s houses built between 1881 and 1890 still stand next to the working summer kitchen and an old Model T garage.

The current tower uses bricks from its 1773 foundation, and climbing its 178 iron steps rewards you with views stretching 16 miles out to sea. The museum, housed in an 1881 Military Battery, displays the original lens that guided ships for over 100 years.

Glowing Waves Light Up North Beach

From mid-August through October 21, tiny sea creatures create an amazing light show at North Beach. These organisms, called Noctiluca scintillans, make the waves glow bright blue on dark nights. This natural wonder happens only during the new moon when the ocean is warm enough.

The World War II Radar Station Remains Open to Visit

The Tybee Island Museum at Fort Screven has the only World War II radar station that the public can visit. The equipment, fixed up in 2018, shows how soldiers spotted ships up to 150 miles away.

Inside the fort’s thick concrete walls, visitors can see the rooms where military staff tracked enemy vessels. The museum keeps original signal records from December 1941, including notes written just after Pearl Harbor was attacked.

The Theater Still Uses Hand-Painted Movie Posters

The Post Theater, built in 1930 for soldiers at Fort Screven, is Georgia’s last movie house with hand-painted posters. Artists sometimes spend up to 30 hours painting each poster using old-time methods.

The theater’s collection includes 82 posters from 1943 onwards, even some rare ones for military training films. Some of the special techniques includes crushed Tybee shells into the paint, creating a sparkle effect that’s unique to the island.

The Annual Water Fight Parade Draws Thousands

Every May, Tybee holds America’s only parade where everyone has a water fight. This fun tradition started in 1987 when the island’s softball team celebrated their single victory with water guns.

The two-hour event uses 15,000 gallons of water sprayed from fire trucks and boats on floats. Special rules ban water balloons to protect sea life, and the parade has dry zones for those who want to stay out of the splash zone.

Subway Cars Create an Underwater Habitat

Three miles from shore, 42 old New York City subway cars make an unusual home for sea life. Since 2008, these underwater structures have attracted 56 different types of fish and other marine animals.

Local diving companies take experienced divers to explore these sunken cars. Scientists have found that different fish prefer different parts of the cars – sea bass like the standing areas, while grouper fish live in the old driver’s cabins

The Secret Island Drink Recipe Lives On

Doc’s Bar keeps the true recipe for “Tybee Tea,” a rum drink created by Dr. James Vernor in 1948. His original recipe hangs on the wall, proving its island origins.

Only three people know how to make it properly, and they must use special copper containers from Vernor’s old pharmacy. One secret ingredient comes from mint plants that only grow on nearby Little Tybee Island.

The Civil War Ship Remains Visible at Low Tide

The CSS Georgia II, a rare Civil War floating battery, rests in Tybee Creek. This 150-foot warship, found in 2007, helps us understand how naval warfare changed during the Civil War.

You can see parts of the iron-covered ship from shore when the tide is low. Special platforms let visitors watch archaeologists study this unique vessel, which was built using railroad iron and pine wood.

The Island’s Special Climate Grows Native Oranges

A warm ocean current and natural wind barriers create perfect conditions for Georgia’s only wild orange grove. These sour oranges come from Spanish trees planted in 1520 and can survive cold winter nights. Island restaurants use about 2,000 pounds of these special oranges each year in their cooking. State law protects these historic trees, and their fruit stays on the island.

The Tiny Weather Station Holds Big Records

The Tybee Island weather station, just 4 feet square, has tracked weather since 1922. The Roberts family has run this station for three generations, recording weather data four times daily.

Their careful records help track hurricanes and sea level changes on Georgia’s coast. They still use the original 1920 barometer, which measures air pressure with remarkable accuracy.

The Historic Oak Trees Honor Veterans

Veterans Avenue features 13 huge oak trees planted by Revolutionary War soldiers between 1781 and 1785. Bronze plaques tell the story of each soldier who planted these living memorials.

These trees, now 25 feet around, form a natural tunnel over the street. Modern veterans continue this tradition by planting new trees next to the historic ones through a special program.