Tybee Island – Out of the Box
Recently, someone described Tybee Island as “Out of the Box.” I liked it because that’s what Tybee is–out of the box. What does ”out-of-the-box” mean? It means we’re eclectic; artsy; full of character; a “muse” for people; unusual; nonpretentious; quirky; laid-back; rich and poor; young and old; retirees and families living side by side; and on and on. There really are no distinct words that capture what Tybee is like.
When you think of Atlanta you think high-brow south; big, world-class museums; traffic; expensive. New York?–big; multiculture; immigrants; theatre; major city of the world. San Francisco?–bridge; hills; cable cars; China town; the Pacific; all very distinct “boxed” words that fit to a tee. But Tybee—there are a myriad of un-boxy words that spring like wires all over the place, and that’s why Tybee is a great place to visit.
We’re quirky and we even have shirts that say so; “Keep Tybee Quirky” in pink, blue, yellow and red. Where else would people get arrested for driving a lawn mower while intoxicated? Where else would a whole island take 3 days to celebrate a 100th birthday of one of its own? Where else would the local’s hangout have cornhole tournaments? Where else would locals build super sophisticated floats that squirt water at people and have a parade only to find that the people on the sidelines ALSO have sophisticated contraptions that squirt back? And one of the leader’s of this parade? He’s called “The Big Kahuna.”
Unusual? People get remarried every year at the Tie the Knot on Tybee. We have a Pirate’s Fest where the pirates kidnap the mayor and steal the key to the city. We have a singing concierge. Our very special and much loved Annie hangs out at the post office and was part of the official post office cover on our local magazine. Our post office manager will deliver a special package for a grandchild ON CHRISTMAS DAY! Our one-of-a-kind shops include one that sells fish art made from old forks, carburetors, sprinklers and any other kind of metal he can find. AND we don’t even have a McDonald’s. Our kids’ hangout is the boat at Fannie’s.
We have people in charge of cheerfulness; a parade where our local council member dresses up like a St. Patrick’s day elf. The mayor surfs. The island auction and oyster roast brings in $65,000 a year and supports our one and only school of only about 80 students. The one and only bank operated out of a trailer for a while before moving into the pink visitor’s center. One store that dates back to 1933 is like a big warehouse and you never know what you’ll find. There are shells alongside screw drivers, pots and pans side by side with fishing nets, hair dryers with hand-painted platters, and birthday cards next to underwear–some with a layer of dust ’cause they’ve been there a while. This year they’ll be a boat parade for Christmas—on land.
Artsy? You bet! There are painted oversized turtles that decorate nooks and crannies of the island. They are beautiful and eclectic. Where else in the world could you get a painting class for 15 bucks from a professional and successful painter–and where the class has other successful and professional painters giving their suggestions, as well. Tybee’s having a theatrical performance at the old firestation: The Odd Couple (female version) and if you belong to the Arts Association, you can buy a ticket for 10 bucks! And you should’ve seen our version of Alice in Wonderland–a wonder of itself! We have a studio crawl where you can get into people’s homes where their art and their life intermingle beautifully, and you can sneak a precious look at what makes their art AND hearts tick. We have a tour of homes where some of the cottages are so small and quaint that only 10 people can go through at a time, and some of the houses are so elegant and beautiful that their toilets cost 3 grand.
We have an alligator pit; a basketball court that also sports roller skating every month; the original Days Inn; bedrooms in the old Fort where the beds rest on the gun turrets; a nursing home where some residents have wheelchair races; fish tacos; Sundae’s on Sunday; fish camps on the back river; Yeepies; bar drinks of the month with names like Sandy Holler and Beach Bum’s Bum; a bar that’s decorated with bras; Espy’s recipe of the month; and on and on.
If you want something different, Tybee is only a gas-tank away from any city in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina and not much farther for the mid-west. We can offer you a fun, nonpretentious visit suitable for any age. Out of the box? You bet. Come to Tybee and see for yourself.
