New Year’s on Tybee Island

A person is standing on the beach watching a fireworks display.

If you don’t know much about Savannah’s beach, Tybee Island, the New Year presents a timely opportunity to get acquainted with this special isle. Tybee isn’t your typical languid beach community; we know how to get festive! The island really sparkles and shines throughout the entire holiday season, but Tybee’s New Year’s celebration is the pinnacle of parties in the Southeast region. How you start and end the year is symbolic; if your New Year’s plans are anything less than spectacular, then ditch the dull and make your way here to kick off 2018 Tybee-style.

Fireworks Celebration

Our New Year’s celebration is two-fold, starting, of course, on December 31. Grab a comfy lawn chair and your favorite warm jacket and prepare to spend New Year’s Eve oceanside under the beautiful night sky. Admire the distant celestial lights as we countdown to midnight, then watch fireworks explode overhead in vibrant hue once we shift into 2018. The annual New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show will launch from our beloved Pier and Pavilion. Tybee’s fireworks display is the biggest and boldest in the Lowcountry and will be visible from several hotspots around the island; so, you can enjoy the show over a meal at one of Tybee’s premier eateries or from the comfort of your hotel balcony.

Tybee Polar Plunge

After ending 2017 with a bang, be sure to head back to the Pier and Pavilion on New Year’s Day for a truly invigorating way to start your 2018. Now in it’s 18th year, the annual Tybee Polar Plunge is one of the best ways to ring in the New Year. Thousands of people flock to the isle every New Year to take the plunge, inviting adventure, bravery and a little crazy into their year. The 2018 Polar Plunge will kick off at 11 am with the “Gang of Goofs” costume contest and parade. Polar plungers forming groups of three or more and donning their kookiest, wackiest and wildest attire are encouraged to register for the event. The best-dressed bunch will be chosen by an esteemed panel of judges and awarded Le “Gang of Goofs” trophy, to be engraved with the winning team’s name and displayed at an island location of their choosing.

Even if you don’t fancy yourself as a goof, the Polar Plunge is still a great time for the whole family. The plunge will take place at 12 pm sharp, and it’s really something special. Rush into the chilly Atlantic Ocean waters alongside countless others to start your New Year off right. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Your registration fee includes the official Plunge T-shirt – a coveted souvenir. This will be a time to remember, and it’s not to be missed. Register today for the New Year’s celebration to beat all others.