Twenty-five years ago my parents called and asked if I could help them find a vacation condo to rent at Tybee, a small island located about 20 minutes from Savannah. Since I was editing a weekly newspaper called The Islands Gazette, they looked to my expertise to find a simple, yet affordable place that offered a view of the ocean with “beachy” furnishings, modern amenities (including dishes, linens, washer and dryer, etc.), and a pool. “Something with some character and not too expensive,” my dad said. “And something close to Savannah,” said mom, who loved to shop and dine out.
With the windows of my Chrysler minivan rolled down, I headed east on the picturesque two-laned US 80 locals call “the Tybee road.” Surrounded on both sides by marshland, I glimpsed a colorful collage of containers stacked on a massive ship making its way up the river toward Savannah. With salty breezes gusting through the van’s open windows and tossing my hair in all directions, I anxiously crossed the bridge over Lazaretto Creek to Tybee Island, where I discovered the perfect getaway for mom and dad. At the north end of the beach—where rock jetties and red and green channel markers define the entrance to the Savannah River—a quaint condo development called Lighthouse Point offered an idyllic solution to their vacation demands.
This little piece of golden real estate was built on wooden stilts high above the sandy shores of the pristine north beach. Almost all of the condos faced the ocean, and most offered a view of the island’s gleaming historic lighthouse. I selected a lower-level condo one flight up. I was delighted to find a spacious porch that was cradled by palm trees and situated above a carpet of dark green grass. Their grandchildren could play on the grassy lawn as the family relaxed on cushy porch furnishings. A wooden walkover leading to the beach ran alongside the grassy knoll. Sheltered on the front by sea oaks, a snow fence, and some natural flora, was a sprawling beach and the Atlantic Ocean in all its glory! As the condo’s front faced the beach, the rear offered its own array of enchantments. There was a clubhouse with a screened-in room, perfect for family oyster roasts. A small, enticing pool was next to the clubhouse and proved to be the perfect diversion for my children, who would spend many afternoons laughing and splashing with their grandparents.
In short, mom and dad’s proposed vacation to Savannah changed the course of their lives. My parents, who came for a weeklong visit, never left. They purchased the rental condo before moving later—at least three times—into bigger and better beach homes. Every day turned into a vacation, and their list of daily to-dos read something like this: morning walk on the beach, bike ride to the post office, neighborhood gab session in the yard, bike to the North Beach Grill to dinner. And yes, there was plenty of porch sitting in between.
In a sense, I’ve turned into my parents. After a quarter of a century, this city has become my perpetual vacation.
I play tourist every day even when I’m not trying. The sheer beauty of living in a historic setting replete with tropical overtones, combined with the unique mix of characters all set in a backdrop dripping with color, renders “Kodak moments” even when the day seems average. For the past 26 years, I’ve savored this city like it was an adventurous destination waiting to be discovered. And every day I discover new things!
Just recently, I met a friend for lunch downtown on River Street. The meeting became a cultural outing with little forethought. My short walk across Savannah’s famed ballastone street from the riverside parking lot was accompanied by the bluesy saxophone serenade of a street minstrel. The “cultural outing” continued at a window-side table when a massive ship (seemingly a mere arms length away) blasted its arrival just as a basket of hot biscuits and cornbread was served. By the time dessert arrived, I had read the history of the restaurant that was printed on the place mat, watched a megayacht dock, and enjoyed the perfect picture of children dancing around the fountain.
In the many years I’ve lived to write about Savannah, changes have been subtle but always positive and mostly well received. This year is no different. Since the seventh edition of this book was published, Savannah has taken on a new chicness with boutique hotels blossoming all over the Historic District. Rivaling the contemporary interiors of Miami’s South Beach, Savannah’s historic character is now enhanced by several new upscale, contemporary eateries and hotels. There’s a new “wow factor” emerging, and along with the blend of eclectic decor and fusion cuisine housed in century-old buildings, a new breed of visitor is discovering this city whose claim to fame is history. These visitors are attracting an intriguing new community of artsy residents and big spenders from all parts of the world.
While some things about Savannah have changed, there are some things that never do. Egrets with wide-span wings render astonishing sunset antics over waterways and marshes. Creek-side eateries and rustic dives entice sunburned vacationers and locals with fresh seafood spiced with secrets from old Savannah cooks. There are downtown cafes that spill onto sidewalks and plenty of outdoor benches for sitting within the Historic District’s picturesque squares. There are lazy afternoons made for eating sumptuous ice-cream cones in old-time shops, and tearooms where dainty Southern sandwiches are served on antique china. Wide, expansive porches on architecturally stunning inns await guests and quiet times where rocking and reading is the course of the day. There are wooden swings planted on the beach (a mere 15 minutes from downtown) where lovers embrace ocean views, touching the sand with their toes and forgetting that they are not in some exotic locale, but rather in south Georgia on Tybee Island.
The secrets of Savannah’s delights aren’t so secret any more. Celebrities have relocated here and nearby. Television commentator Brent Musburger lives on Skidaway Island. Stars like Sandra Bullock and Diana Scarwid make Savannah’s Tybee and Wilmington Islands their home. Ben Affleck and family own property south of the city. Gracing her squares through the years while filming are a host of stars and starlets: John Travolta, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, Rosie O’Donnell, Demi Moore, and Miley Cyrus, whose film The Last Song has rendered even more notoriety to the island. More on that subject later!
Ruby Gettinger’s weight-loss documentary called Ruby has become one of the Style Network’s highest rated shows, and now in its third year, it has elevated Savannah’s reputation to a refreshing high. Food Network’s Paula Deen and her family offer a never-ending buffet of must-sees for the herds of starstruck fans. They flock to this city just to sample her food or catch a glimpse of the diva, her sons, and even her brother, who has found his own claim-to-fame in grilled oysters. Tourists from all over the world tag still along with followers of John Berendt’s best-selling book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and even after all these years, they still find the subject intriguing. There are the rich and famous who venture here quietly and discreetly to have their jets (and yachts) serviced at nearby Gulfstream and Thunderbolt Marine. And then there are just regular old born-and-bred Savannahians who just like it here and vow they’ll never leave. Once you come for a visit, you might find yourself one of them.