I went kayaking for the first time last Wednesday, and boy was it fun! Marsha and Michelle with Sea Kayak of Georgia were awesome enough to take me and my new friends, Jacque and David, out and show us the ropes. Oh, and to keep us safe from the imaginary shark that I was sure we were going to be eaten by!

We started at 8:30 with instructions on how to maneuver the paddle and the basics that we would need to know once we were in the water. Interesting tidbit, our specific design of paddle was actually named after Tybee. We then set out to the back river, got our kayaks in the water, and hopped in. This was the moment of truth…I stayed afloat! We started down the river and saw all kinds of wildlife, from stingrays to turtles and several types of birds. We paddled to Little Tybee which is an uninhabited island about a quarter of a mile where we set off. It’s a great place to go relax or even fish. You can even bring your pups!

So if you are planning to visit Tybee, I highly recommend paying Sea Kayak a visit and going out for a few hours on one of their tours. Not only was it fun, but it was relaxing and I got to work on my tan No worries, I didn’t see a single shark!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Coast Guard Barque Eagle

I was informed that the Tall Ships will be arriving in Savannah starting May 3^rd for the kickoff of the Tall Ships Challenge. I was thinking to myself, what in the world is a Tall Ship Challenge!? After some research, I found that it’s actually a really cool event and just in time to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the War of 1812. The Tall Ships are the huge “pirate” like ships, and boy are they beautiful! They will begin the race in Savannah and sail all the way to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The festival itself is kicking off on the riverfront starting May 4 and will be great for adults and children alike. There will be food booths set up, tours available on some of the vessels, and even a chance to sail on select ships for an additional fee. Admission to the festival for a day is only $20 for adults and $10 for kids from ages 5 to 16.

So, if you find yourself vacationing on or near Tybee Island, try to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous, tall ships. Just be sure to hold on to your booty, because it’s rumored that there will even be real pirates! We’ll see you there!

This past weekend, thousands of college students flocked to Tybee for a huge public party widely known as Orange Crush. The students that congregated from different cities in Georgia clearly did not pay attention to one of Tybee’s most popular slogans “leave nothing but your footprints.” What they did leave was tons of trash, as well as Tybee residents, visitors from all over the country, and myself appalled.

Tony Abruzzio Talks About the Aftermath

After watching the horrifying video of the Orange Crush aftermath, it is reassuring to know that Tybee is beautiful once again. I personally would like  to send out lots of thank yous to not only to the residents of the island, but also to the students from a local college, and the tourists that took time out of their vacations to help clean up the mess.

Tybee Beach after the Cleanup

So now that Tybee Island is back to beautiful, we can’t wait for our guests that vacation from all over the world each year to come see how fabulous Tybee really is. I know I’ll be back on the sand and soaking up the rays in no time! But hey, when you get here, leave nothing but your footprints. See you soon!

Hello all. My name is Megan and I’m the new staff blogger at Oceanfront Cottage. I am a Savannah native, so I have been coming to Tybee Island my whole life to soak up the rays, play in the water, and of course build sand castles. However, I am fairly new to working on the Island and not so experienced or informed about the what to dos and goings on around here. That being said, I have taken on the task of going out to shop, dine, and all in all just experience everything that Tybee has to offer. I am very excited and hope that you will follow me on my journey!

My first stop was at Gerald’s Pig and Shrimp. I was lucky enough to try one of his hand squeezed limeades. I have to tell you, this was the best that I have had, hands down! It was absolutely perfect for the hot days on Tybee that we all look so forward to. The food looked and smelled fabulous. This is definitely a stop you’ll want to make on your trip to Tybee. Gerald has a wide array of foods, from wild Georgia shrimp to scrumptious bar-b-que. One of the restaurant’s famous sayings is “friends don’t let friends eat imported shrimp!” Maybe that’s why so many people rave about them! The restaurant is very family friendly and even offers a lift to the restrooms for those that might not be able to make the trek up the stairs. I would recommend Gerald’s for those wanting a quick but very tasty lunch or dinner.

This is definitely a first time blogging for me, so of course I have researched how to blog, what not to blog, and so forth. But, I am going to need your help. I would love to hear about what you want to know about Tybee and just any feedback in general. I welcome constructive criticism!

 

We’re so excited to have our sister city, Savannah, Georgia host the Relish Cooking Show /Expo tomorrow on October 21st. Famous Relish executive chef, Jon Ashton will be there, and in fact has already been making appearances in Savannah. The great thing about this event is that it’s for a very special cause! It’s all to  benefit

John Ashton and Mary Crouch behind the scenes at the food bank

breast cancer awareness.  Proceeds are going to benefit breast cancer research. This  annual event is year sponsored by Savannah Morning News and St. Joseph’s Candler.

We here at Oceanfront Cottage Rentals take this subject very seriously, as do many other people. And for this reason we are super excited to be able to take part in the expo! We’ll have two booths set up, one for our company Oceanfront Cottage Rentals and for our baby company (hopefully to open in December, keep your fingers crossed!) Tybee Wedding Chapel. You absolutely must stop by. *hint- we’ll be the table with sand!*

Tickets are only 10 dollars, and that includes touring the show, which lasts from 12p.m. until 7 p.m . and a two hour cooking show by Jon Ashton! If you would like to make it an extra special experience you can buy VIP tickets for 40 dollars. Then you can enjoy a reception hosted by Butterducks ( I swear I didn’t make that cute little name up) Winery at 5:30 p.m. with Jon Ashton himself.

You see the theme everywhere during the month of October, so sometimes it’s easy to start overlooking the importance of breast cancer. But with every event, or every small donation we get one step closer to a cure. When that happens it would be great to remember that you had a small part in making that happen. So hopefully you can join us. Making a difference and having fun can go hand in hand! See you tomorrow!!

 

It seems like just yesterday it was the fourth of July, doesn’t it? But it’s already almost Halloween! And before you know it,  it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas.  It can be so hard to fit all your family members into your house, and then you have the problem of where everyone is going to sleep. And sure enough,  some poor soul ends up sleeping on the floor in a room with four other people.

29 Taylor

There’s a way around all that though. How about renting a beautiful sprawling home on Tybee Island. With rooms enough for everyone the holidays will be so much more comfortable.  Tybee is such a wonderfully laid back island it could be the perfect place for you and your family. Just imagine the days around the holidays  usually spent preparing for visiting family members. Cleaning, cooking, decorating, yard work. The list never ends. All for it to be completely destroyed after the first night. Why not take all the  stress out of the equasion.  Come to Tybee Island.  Have the home all ready for you. Warm and inviting. All you have to do is worry about the meals. And that’s only if you want to. Who is going know if you decide to have leftovers for Thanksgiving? Or who is even going to care? You’re on vacation, right?

Either way, whether you want a traditional holiday but just need more space, or want to get away from it all and just relax by the ocean, we have homes that will amaze you.  Some of our  luxury homes  can comfortably sleep up to 20 people. Each one is unique and beautiful in different ways. Here are just a couple that will make your holiday something very special.

For Thanksgiving we’re already filling up, but some of our wonderful homes are available.

Amazing table for the whole family!

How about Captain’s Lady? This beautiful 6 bedroom, 4 bathroom home is perfect for those large family’s who want room to spread out.  It sleeps 20, and the dining room alone seats 16!

Our little piece of Heaven

Or Heaven by the Sea , our luxury 4 bedroom, 5 1/2 bath luxury beach cottage.

 

Amazing rooftop porches

These porches speak for themselves on this 6 bedroom, 5 bathroom ocean view home, Casa Verde.

Another favorite of mine is the 7 bedroom mansion, Paradise Found.  It’s beautiful ocean view is almost not as amazing as the inside of this home. The kitchen area is so perfect for large groups. It’s simply stunning.

Simply Beautiful

There really are so many beautiful homes to choose from. And these are just some of them that are still available.  Take a look at the  stunning 4 bedroom on the South Beach, 1923 Chatham. The windows covering the front of the house make the views from inside simply breathtaking.

 

By taking a look at just these few homes,  it’s impossible not to see what we were talking about.  And once you come to Tybee Island, we promise it won’t be the last time. There are so many directly oceanfront homes that can make your holiday something for everyone to remember for years to come.  Please don’t hesitate to call us so that we may help find the absolute perfect home for you and your family!

Wow! This year has been a year of firsts for me on Tybee Island with Oceanfront Cottage Rentals. And I have not been let down. Everyone said how amazing Pirate’s Fest was. It’s only been going on for six years and every year we get a bigger following than the last. As soon as we get all the pictures I’ll post them up here! But for now, here’s the very first one I’ve found of the OFC crew.

Stacye and Lannie at the Buccaneer's Ball

If you find any more out there let us know! We hope you loved it every bit as much as we did, and we’ll see you pirate’s next year.

Who else is excited about this coming weekend? Are you having trouble finding the perfect costume?  If you feel like going all out there’s an amazing store called Acme Costumes that has everything you would ever need to be the perfect pirate. Maybe you don’t feel like spending that much money. Not a big deal. Just stop in to your local goodwill. That’s what we did. You’d be surprised what you can do with a long dress and a little velvet. We’re so excited to see all the homemade outfits. For three days it’s seriously as if the entire island has been taken over by pirates. You only a few days left! Don’t forget to say hello on Saturday during the parade, we’ll be the ones in our very own OFC pirate ship. See you soon!

Here at Oceanfront Cottage Rentals (OFC) we have over one hundred properties. Each one is special to us. Whether it’s Villa by the Sea, our  directly oceanfront five bedroom with the heated pool, or Little Beach Cottage, the simple two bedroom a block and a half away from the popular south beach, we love them all. So when we get new properties we are always excited about them! These homes and their owners are joining our OFC family. We pick the places we rent with care, so that when you come and visit us you will not be dissapointed. Here is our newest addition!

This beautiful three bedroom, two and a half bath lives up to it’s name 17th Dream. It’s small but not crowded.  It was just built this year, and everything in the home is brand new. There is a beautiful large flat screen tv in the living room. With it’s cute screened in porch from which you can see the quick block it is to the water, it is impossible not to fall in love with this cottage as soon as you lay your eyes on it. We have no doubt this little home will be a big hit.

Love It!!

Let us know if you’ve stayed here yet, and if you love this little place as much as we do!

You absolutely have to go out on the water while you’re here. Georgia’s coastal waterways are amazing. Rich in wildlife such as dolphins, crabs, shrimp, birds, it’s a never ending source of beauty. Whether you would like to drift along and watch families of dolphins swim around your boat, or try and catch your very own crabs to eat for dinner, it’s a great way to spend the day. Another option not many people know about is renting a boat to drop you off at a near by island, Little Tybee. This unique place is actually TWICE  the size of Tybee Island, but is an unspoiled, uninhabited nature preserve.  You can stay there over night, for an amazing experience of camping on a beautiful beach. Or perhaps just have a relaxing afternoon of shelling on the beach, away from everyone.

Lighthouse in our Bay

There are several people who will take you out for any amount of time desired. Captain Harvey Ferrelle is a licensed master captain who not only will take you out, but  keep you captivated  with a history of the area.  He’ll not only take you shrimping or crabbing, but teach you how to do it!  You may bring whatever food or drinks aboard you’d like. Spoken from experience, once you enjoy this experience, it’s something you will want to do over and over.

Flipper!!

Perhaps you would like something a little more fancy for your evening out, maybe with a special someone? Then you need to call Standard Bay Charters, they offer to take you out for a romantic evening with a catered dinner. Or perhaps a photo shoot, so that you may remember the evening as if it happened that very day.

Are you already a seasoned captain? Then rent your own boat to explore the many inlets of Georgia’s coast. Tybee Island Bait and Tackle offers anywhere from one hour to weekly rentals!

There are options for everyone, from couples to large groups. But either way, don’t miss out on this experience!