What better way to celebrate Christmas than island-style with a Tybee holiday getaway? Your white Christmas can be a pristine beach, and the Atlantic Ocean makes it a blue Christmas.
1. Kick off the season with Tybee Island Holiday Market from noon to 8 p.m. on Nov. 26 on Tybrisa Street. The market features local vendors, kids activities, music, performances and ends with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting!
2. Get all decked out as the Annual Tybee Christmas Parade of Lights rolls at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 2. The magical procession starts at 6th Street and moves down Butler Avenue to Tybrisa Street. Santa arrives during this spectacular display of holiday lights. The colorful decorations and holiday music are sure to make your spirits bright.
3. Watch dozens of festively-outfitted boats show off their lights and decorations during the Annual Tybee Boat Parade, set Dec. 10. The vessels set sail on a scenic promenade throughout Tybee Island’s coastal waterways, starting at the Crab Shack.
4. Watch “The Land of the Sweets” on Dec. 9-10 at the Tybee Post Theater. This family-friendly take on “The Nutcracker” features performances and visual art in a new twist of the classic tale.
5. Forget about turkey or ham. Celebrate an island holiday with steamed oysters, Lowcountry boil and peel n’ eat shrimp at a favorite restaurant like Bernie’s Oyster House, Bubba Gumbo’s and Coco’s Sunset Grille. There is nothing quite like celebrating with seafood and tropical drinks.
6. Another great thing about Christmas on Tybee is the mild temperatures, with highs in the low 60s. Stroll the beach, paddle the waterways, cast a fishing line and go bird watching without breaking a sweat.
7. Holiday shopping is a treat with locally-owned boutiques and art galleries. Fill stockings with local products like custom Tybee-scented candles from Seaside Sisters, handmade stuffed animals from Granny Flounders, and hand-painted pottery at Glazed and Confused.
Leave the traditional holiday hustle and bustle behind and enjoy a quieter experience this season with a Tybee Island vacation.