Parents magazine recently honored Tybee Island, a historic barrier island located just 20 minutes east of downtown Savannah, as one of America’s “Best Beaches for Families.”

The South Beach on Tybee Island was named the #14 best beach for families in the United States out of more than 1,000 candidates. Tybee Island is the only Georgia beach included in this prestigious annual ranking.

“As we gear up for our summer beach season, this Parents magazine honor is particularly timely,” said Lindsay Fruchtl, marketing director of the Tybee Island Tourism Council. “We’re proud to share Tybee Island’s sandy beaches, natural beauty and island charm with visitors from across the United States and are delighted to receive this national recognition.”

The article raves about Tybee Island: “This sand dune-laden beach about 20 miles from Savannah is a hop, skip, and jump from the Tybee Marine Science Center (it offers low-cost beach discovery walks for families) and the Tybee Pier (for awesome fishing).”

The staff at Parents combed through water quality reports, beach closings and ocean advisories for more than 1,000 beaches in the United States. Additional factors included access to public restrooms, calm surf, on-site lifeguards and nearby nature trails.

The top 10 list includes beaches in Florida, Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Wisconsin and South Carolina. The article is posted online on at Parents.com/beaches.