nls

I am looking for more information on this island and am not even sure if I am spelling it correctly. Where is it? How is it? Is it expensive. ANy info. would be great, as we have a toddler with health issues and someone mentioned it in passing to me. We will be driving from NJ also. Want somewhere clean and warm in April/May/June time frame.

al

If it's down by Savannah, it's Skidaway Island.

nls

do you know anything about the island itself?

al

I may have even been there many years ago but don't remember much of anything.

Check the internet, there are a few Skidaway-related websites.

Tandoori_Girl

Here's what I know about it. I went there once with a friend whose boyfriend worked at the Skidway Research Institute, and oceanographic place. He took us to a hundred-year-old brick chair that was designed to hold one in place if a hurricane came. There were holes on either side of the chair so that you could slip a tree trunk through them and that would hold you down. The problem of course is that you would drown. But those were just technicalities 100 years ago.

OO

nls...the "islands" around Savannah won't really strike you as islands, with the exception of Tybee. Sometimes you'll just cross a very small waterway, getting to "the island"...something you'd hardly notice, and Skidaway is one of those areas. It is primarily a residential area...and although I say "primarily", actually, I don't know of any place at all to stay there, and I don't think it has any beach, if you are looking for that. The access to water (boating) would be in the Landings, which is a gated community.

Are you looking to move there, rather than vacation? I wasn't sure from your note which you meant. It's not a vacation spot, but there is some good residential housing there.

nls

Thanks to all. OO we were looking to vacation somewhere warm at the end of April and they mentioned SI. We are in NJ and we have to drive due to a toddler's health issue. It seems to me that we might as well drive to Florida for the nice sandy beaches I have in mind, I was hoping someone had other ideas. Thanks for the insight.

OO

Tybee Island, just off Savannah, has a beach nls, but the sand isn't particularly nice and the water won't be warm enough the end of April.

FL is a good bet for beautiful beaches. The Tampa area adds another 4.5-5 hours onto your drive over the drive to Savannah area, but for the quality of beaches, it is time well spent. The beaches in this area are beautiful, and the Gulf water calm enough for toddlers.

minette20

Skidaway Island has a lovely State Park that is ideal for a camper or tenting. Quiet with lots of raccoons, possums and deer. April's weather will be perfect with lots of flowers abloom. May get's some gnats and other bugs, and June will be way too humid.

There are numerous motels just 15 minutes away on Montgomery St. and a nice shopping mall.
M.

oliviadawg

I went down to Skidaway about five years ago to the research center for a university project. It's perfectly lush and natural, but I don't remember any place for tourists (although another poster mentions a camp site?). I don't have kids myself but I can't imagine taking a toddler there.

I agree that the Florida beaches (especially the panhandle) are probably your best bet for what you have in mind, but there are a number of closer beach areas.

North Carolina has great beaches (although it's more brown sand, rather than white) and is generally more affordable than Florida, but there's also less activity. The Outer Banks are quite popular, but there are a number of small towns near Wilmington that are great get-away-from-it-all beach towns where you can rent a little house and kick back.

Edisto Island in South Carolina is also quite nice and relatively affordable. Hilton Head is a little pricier and more resort-oriented, but also good and very family-oriented. There is a good beach just north of Myrtle Beach (I think it's called Garden Beach??) but I would avoid Myrtle Beach itself.

One other thing to keep in mind -- a lot of kids hit the beach for graduation in late April and May, so do your research to avoid heavy party areas. Many beaches will be fine, but places like Panama City, Fla., Myrtle Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale usually aren't very family-friendly during these times.