Trying to find the perfect destination for New Year's Eve to enjoy all the festivities, while maintaining your RV lifestyle? Look no further than Tybee Island, 15 miles away from downtown Savannah. There you will find River's End Campground & RV Park. Tybee Island holds a celebration on New Year's Eve that has the largest firework display in the Southeast United States, right over the Atlantic Ocean.
"This area has a family-friendly home feeling and we like to offer that at the campground, too," says Kim Fickes, Office Supervisor at River's End.
River's End Campground has RV sites, tent sites, camping cabins and other amenities to accommodate all. The tons of amenities include a pool, Wi-Fi, fitness center, dog park and more.
For holidays, they do different celebrations, such as a potluck gathering on Thanksgiving and movies and cookies with Santa for Christmas. "We sell out for every holiday," says Fickes.
Interestingly, the campground is owned by the City of Tybee Island. Fickes explains that the property was bought from the original owner over a decade ago. "The person who owned the campground wanted to turn it into a condo community, but the city didn't want that so they made an offer on the property," Fickes informed The Buzz. An addition of another condo community would have added more traffic and more strain on resources, as well as would have taken away from some of the natural beauty of the area. "Every year we make upgrades to the property and make it better and better," Fickes says.
RV sites at River's End Campground and RV Park. [Photo/City of Tybee Island]
The care the city puts into the property shows - on Google, there are over 500 reviews at 4.5 stars. A recent review reads, "A large campground and RV park, the only one on Tybee Island. Pull through and back-in sites, tent sites, and cabins are available. Many sites are shaded. There is a swimming pool and individual shower/bathrooms. The beach is within walking distance. The grounds are well-maintained and the staff is friendly and accommodating. There is a large dog park adjacent to the campground."
Besides a New Year's Eve bash, there is plenty to do and see on Tybee Island. The most popular sight is Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse at Tybee Island Light Station and Museum. The light station has been in operation since 1732 and, "has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 285 years," explains the lighthouse website. There are many buildings that are available for tour from that time period, a museum of Tybee Island history and, of course, the lighthouse - which people can walk 178 steps up to the top to get an astounding view. Of Note - the lighthouse portion of the site will be closed from January 1st until March of 2020 for restoration, according to the website.
One user says, "This is such a beautiful and fun place to visit. This is a vital part of our nation's history preserved and presented for current and future generations. Make it a must do when on Tybee Island or a day excursion from Savannah and you won't be disappointed! Take the walk up the 178 steps of the lighthouse to see the view from the top! If you are fortunate you may even meet a family member of the last lighthouse caretaker."
Of course, the island sits right on the Atlantic Ocean and, as such, has wonderful beaches. The most famous is South Beach, with its iconic Pier. South Beach is where the New Year's Eve celebration will be held. "Tybee’s South Beach neighborhood is considered the downtown district of the island and is loaded with shops, restaurants, bars and attractions for the entire crew," according to the Visit Tybee Island website.
The beach itself is clean and family-friendly. On New Year's Day, they have a polar plunge at the beach for brave individuals who want to plunge into the Atlantic. The event attracts more than 1000 people.
Though the Savannah, Georgia area is not as far south as most snowbirds go, the weather stays pretty mild during the winter, with usually only one or two nights dropping below 32. "Our main winter guests are snowbirds, but we get families through the holidays and during the Christmas Break," explains Fickes.
As the weather is a bit cooler than Florida, there is a lot less crowds and gives people the opportunity to do all sorts of things on the island, such as kayaking, deep-sea fishing, bird watching and more. So if you are looking for a fun New Year’s Eve time or a place to relax on the ocean this winter, check out River’s End Campground in Tybee Island, Georgia.