Kids still buzzing after sunset? Step off the campground, aim your flashlight at Tybee’s moon-lit sand, and watch dozens of “little ghosts” zip by at 10 m.p.h. Ghost-crab hunting is the no-screens, no-tickets, all-smiles night adventure that starts just 45 minutes from your RV door.
Key Takeaways
• Ghost-crab hunting is a free, no-screens night game on Tybee Island, only 45 minutes from Savannah Lakes RV Resort.
• Best time: arrive 30 minutes before low tide; explore for about 90 minutes. Check NOAA’s tide chart first.
• Pack light: red-filter headlamp, closed-toe water shoes, and one water bottle per person (plus optional glow stick and sand shovel).
• Spot crabs by sweeping the red light low; they can sprint 10 m.p.h. Watch or photograph, then release within 4 minutes.
• Safety first: keep shoes on, use a buddy system, listen for the rising tide, and avoid bare-hand grabs.
• Protect the beach: walk around dunes, use only red lights, pick up trash, and leave crabs where you found them.
• Easy access: park at North Beach or 14th Street lots for restrooms, lights, and wheelchair mats. Cell signal is strong.
• After the hunt, rinse sandy feet, snag late-night tacos or ice cream, and enjoy a quiet RV ride back with tired, happy campers.
Keep reading if you want to know:
• The exact low-tide window that wears the kiddos out—yet gets retirees back to bed on time.
• One headlamp trick that lets photographers snag sharp shots without blinding wildlife.
• The three-item gear list that fits in a single beach tote (yes, even for snowbirds).
• Where to park, rinse sandy feet, and grab late-night ice cream before rolling home.
Curious? Let’s light up the beach and meet the ghosts!
Why Ghost-Crabbing Belongs on Your RV Itinerary
Ghost crabs, officially called Ocypode quadrata, live only where rolling dunes meet the Atlantic’s edge. That means your stay at Savannah Lakes RV Resort in Hardeeville, South Carolina puts you a short, scenic drive from a wild nighttime show few visitors ever see. The 30-mile trip along I-95, I-16 E, and US-80 E drops you on Tybee Island’s wide, hard-packed sand before most beachgoers have even finished dinner.
Once you park, the cost is practically nothing—just a meter swipe and a headlamp battery. Families ditch tablets, retirees skip TV reruns, and adventure travelers collect bragging rights the moment a pale crab freezes in their red beam. Mild walking on level sand counts as cardio, yet everyone sleeps easier afterward, from first-graders to snowbirds.
Campsite to Shore: Five Simple Steps
Step one starts at your picnic table: pull up tonight’s low-tide time on the free NOAA tide table and set a phone alarm two hours ahead. That buffer covers traffic through downtown Savannah and time to grab a snack on US-80. Doing this early also gives you wiggle room to apply bug spray or coax kids into lightweight jackets.
Next, roll out 60–90 minutes before the alarm. Follow I-95 south for one exit, merge onto I-16 E, then glide along GA-404 Spur/US-80 E until the Tybee lighthouse appears. Park at North Beach Parking Lot or the roomy 14th Street Lot; both accept the Park TYB app and have lit restrooms. Clip a glow stick to the boardwalk railing so you can find the same path in the dark. A five-minute stroll lands you at the mid-beach line, lights off, ears open, hearts thumping.
Timing the Ocean’s Clock
Crabs love the buffet that low tide exposes. Arrive about 30 minutes before and plan to stay 60 minutes after the official ebb; during that 90-minute slice the wet sand teems with mole crabs and clams. Full-moon nights cast enough silver light that the crabs stick close to the wave wash, so you’ll hug the water’s edge.
Retirees and anyone dodging crowds should circle weeknights on the calendar. The beach quiets, temps dip a few degrees, and you can study burrow patterns without skateboarders zipping past. Spring and fall king-tide weeks pull the water even farther out; allow extra steps for the return walk as the Atlantic rebounds quickly.
Pack Light, Play Hard
Forget bulky beach carts. A single tote handles the must-haves: red-filter headlamps, closed-toe water shoes, and one bottle of water per person. Toss in thin long sleeves for mosquito defense and a plastic sand shovel if kids want a closer look.
At the vehicle, stash a gallon of fresh water and a hand towel. A quick rinse keeps sand from lodging in RV drains and spares everyone gritty bunks. Photographers can tuck a palm-sized tripod between snacks; snowbirds rarely notice the added weight.
Find, Watch, and Release
Stand still where wet meets dry and let your eyes adjust. Scan with a slow, waist-high sweep of red light. Tiny sand “bubbles” mark breathing burrows; sudden pale dashes are the crabs themselves launching into a sprint that can top 10 m.p.h.
When the beam freezes a crab, sidestep closer, keeping the light at the edge of its vision. Kids can gently scoop with the shovel into a bucket holding a layer of damp sand. Limit viewing to four minutes, then tip the bucket near the capture spot while everyone whispers “Sleep tight!” Photographers stabilize the phone low to the ground, bump ISO to 800, set 1/15-second shutter, use burst mode, and dim the light just before pressing the shutter.
Safety and Comfort for All Ages
Ghost crabs pinch hard, so skip bare-hand grabs. Closed-toe shoes shield from sharp shells, and a buddy rule ensures no one drifts beyond sight. Keep an ear on the surf; Tybee’s 6- to 9-foot tide swing can cut off a sandbar in minutes.
Mobility concerns? Choose the 14th Street access where wheel mats and handrails ease the short walk. Cell reception stays strong island-wide, handy for live streaming to grandkids or checking tide updates. A whistle blast brings wandering children back faster than a shouted name in the dark.
Fun Facts to Share With the Crew
Each ghost crab eye sees almost 360 degrees, so sneaking up feels like a mission-impossible game for kids. Their burrows stretch nearly four feet—about the height of an average six-year-old—and twist to confuse predators. Knowing these details turns a simple walk into a living science lesson that sparks endless questions.
Listen closely: a soft growl may drift across the sand. That’s two crab legs rubbing like a tiny violin. And while they live on land, their gills must stay damp, making low tide prime time for both breathing and hunting.
Tread Lightly, Love the Beach
Tybee’s dunes shelter sea-turtle nests from May through October, so always walk around vegetation. Red lights protect night vision and disturb wildlife far less than a white beam. Handle crabs gently, release them where found, and never take them back to the RV in a cooler.
Turn cleanup into a treasure hunt: kids tote a mesh bag for stray bottle caps, while adults snag snack wrappers. The Atlantic breeze feels even sweeter when you leave the sand cleaner than you found it, a nod to the Leave No Trace ethic. Even a single handful of litter removed keeps the shoreline pristine for the next night’s explorers.
After the Hunt
Back at the car, rinse feet and gear, then slide into flip-flops. Tybee Island Social Club serves tacos and live music until 10 p.m., and Zunzibar on US-80 keeps the fryers hot until 11 p.m.—perfect for a late cone or fries. Those late-night bites taste better when you’ve earned them trekking the tide line.
The 45-minute cruise north returns you to Savannah Lakes RV Resort with salt still in your hair and children asleep before you clear the Talmadge Bridge. One low-tide night, a sprinkle of starlight, and a few scuttling “ghosts” turn an ordinary stay into a campfire story everyone will repeat for years. It’s a simple equation: less screen time, more seaside thrills, and memories that glow brighter than any smartphone.
Ghost-crabbing proves that big memories can fit inside one beach tote—and they’re even sweeter when you can return to a Heated Pool, hot shower, and star-filled sky at Savannah Lakes RV Resort. Whether you’ll be uploading burst-mode photos over our fast Wi-Fi, swapping stories with neighbors around the firepit, or simply drifting off to the sound of tree frogs, your retreat is only 45 relaxing minutes from Tybee’s nighttime magic. Dive into the Lowcountry, discover the “ghosts,” then unwind in comfort: reserve your spacious, full-hookup site at Savannah Lakes RV Resort today and let us be home base for every bright, flashlight-lit adventure still to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is ghost-crab hunting safe for young kids?
A: Yes, when you stick to basic rules—closed-toe shoes, red lights, a buddy system, and staying within sight of adults—the activity is as safe as an evening beach walk, and the gentle exercise usually has little ones yawning on the ride back to the resort.
Q: How late is low tide tonight and how do I check?
A: Open the free NOAA Tide Table site or any reliable tide app, enter “Tybee Island, GA,” and look for the next low-tide time; plan to arrive 30 minutes before that mark and leave about an hour after, so most outings end well before 10 p.m. on typical summer nights.
Q: What is the bare-minimum gear to bring?
A: A red-filter headlamp, closed-toe water shoes, and one water bottle per person fit in a single tote, and optional extras like a plastic sand shovel or phone tripod hardly add weight if you have room.
Q: Why do we use red lights instead of white flashlights?
A: Red beams protect your own night vision and bother wildlife far less, which means crabs freeze instead of bolting and everyone sees more action without the harsh glare that spoils photos and upsets nesting sea turtles.
Q: How far is Tybee Island from Savannah Lakes RV Resort?
A: The drive is roughly 30 miles and takes about 45 minutes via I-95, I-16 E, and US-80 E, making it an easy round-trip after dinner with plenty of time left to relax back at your campsite.
Q: Where should we park and are restrooms nearby?
A: The North Beach Lot and the 14th Street Lot both accept the Park TYB app, stay lit at night, and sit beside public restrooms, so you can step straight onto the sand without wandering dark streets.
Q: Will my phone get service on the beach for live streaming or tide updates?
A: Tybee Island enjoys solid cell coverage from all major carriers, so you can check tide charts, upload a quick Instagram story, or even take a work call if you must, though the crabs recommend airplane mode for full immersion.
Q: How strenuous is the walk for seniors or anyone with mobility concerns?
A: Choose the 14th Street access where wheel-friendly mats and railings meet firm, level sand; most visitors stroll less than half a mile total, and benches along the boardwalk offer easy rest spots.
Q: Can we touch or keep the crabs?
A: Briefly scooping a crab with a shovel or bucket for a closer look is fine, but Georgia law and good ethics require you to release it exactly where found within a few minutes and never take it home or to the RV.
Q: What camera settings help capture a clear photo of these fast movers?
A: Set your phone or DSLR to ISO 800–1600, a shutter speed around 1/15 second, burst mode, and keep the red light low and steady just off the crab’s side so the sensor catches detail without washout.
Q: How long does the whole outing take door-to-door?
A: From pulling out of the RV pad to rinsing sandy feet back at the resort, most families and retirees spend about two and a half hours, making it an easy add-on even after a full daytime agenda.
Q: Are late-night food options open when we finish?
A: Yes, Tybee Island Social Club serves tacos and live music until 10 p.m., and Zunzibar keeps its kitchen running until 11 p.m., so you can swap crab tales over fries or ice cream before heading home.
Q: Is ghost-crab spotting allowed year-round?
A: Absolutely, but the busiest and warmest months are May through September; in cooler seasons you’ll want a light jacket, and October–April weeknights are delightfully uncrowded for those seeking solitude.
Q: How do we rinse off sand before getting back in the RV?
A: Keep a jug of fresh water or use the public showers beside both parking lots, then towel off at your tailgate so sand stays outside and your RV plumbing stays happy.
Q: Are pets allowed on Tybee Beach at night?
A: No, Tybee Island prohibits dogs and other pets on the beach 24/7, so plan to leave furry friends chilling in the climate-controlled RV or schedule a quick pet-sitter check-in.
Q: How can we make this adventure eco-friendly?
A: Stay on wet sand to avoid dune plants, use red lights, pack out every wrapper you bring—and maybe one you didn’t—and limit crab viewing to a couple of minutes so these “ghosts” keep haunting Tybee for generations to come.
