Superstar

There are a number of things that make Tybee Island a great place to live. I'm not much of a town person. Given the choice most of the time I would prefer to be out here in BFE with fewer folks around and the quiet rarely interrupted by a passing car, pickup truck or tractor. Tybee Island is the exception. One of the biggest reasons got a bit of national press coverage the other day. Tybee Island's north beach was named a "superstar" due to its excellent water quality. The beach was tested for water quality 51 times last year and NEVER violated strict public health guidelines for bacteria levels. It was one of 35 beaches nationwide singled out by the National Resources Defense Council for meeting water quality standards at least 98% of the time over the past 5 years. The study looked at 3,500 beaches nationwide. Being among the top 35 is a testament to the hard work and care for the beaches shown by the community. If you pay attention on the island you notice bumper stickers that say "Leave only your footprints". It is an admonition to locals and visitors that the beach needs to be left as it was found. The only thing that should indicate we were there are our footprints in the sand. When you visit you are generally impressed with the cleanliness of the beach.

There are some other things that make north beach special. Tybee Island is rather famous for its lack of parking. On busy weekends the parking lots are full. The streets are crowded with bikes and walkers headed to the beach. North beach has, for Tybee Island, a large expanse of parking. The next gem is the North Beach Grill. You can enjoy a day at the beach and when you want a break from the sun and sand you can head to the North Beach Grill for an adult beverage and a great meal. The food is very good and reasonably priced. The last thing that makes North Beach special is the view back toward the island.

You really can't ask for a better view from a beach than this one. Being able to turn around and see the Tybee Island Lighthouse is a special treat. What more could you want? Clean water, a great place to have a meal and a beer and a lighthouse.