Georgia beaches are just as nice as those of its more famous neighbors. It has 100 miles of calm shoreline, barrier islands, and protected environments. Both tourists and locals will be able to relax on a variety of quiet beaches that have something for everyone, from families to nature fans to lovers.
When you go to the beach, the barrier islands add a bit of history and interesting nature to your day. There is beautiful white sand with lots of shells, gently rolling dunes, and protected maritime woods for guests to enjoy. While signs of life in the 1800s linger just around the corner.
Some of Georgia’s best beaches take you away from the busyness of everyday life. Some, on the other hand, have lots of features that make them great for younger families. In other words, the Peach State has every kind of beach you could want.
List of 11 Georgia Beaches
1. Great Dunes Park, Jekyll Island
The beautiful Golden Isles run from Savannah, Georgia, to Jacksonville, Florida. These are four barrier islands, and each one is just as clean as the last. But Jekyll Island might be the most interesting. After you get there, go to the most famous park on the island, Great Dunes Park.
The beach makes the famous nature of the island more visible while still being fun for the whole family. The big beach has a lot of space and is a good place to swim. But it’s the variety of things to do that makes Great Dunes stand out. Behind the dunes are parks, mini-golf courses, and a place to start the 20 miles of bike trails on the island. You can have lunch or use the grills in the park before going back for a swim.
2. Sea Island
A day at the beach can be natural and rough, fun for the whole family, or fancy. Sea Island is the place to go if you want to be spoiled. Enjoy the award-winning Sea Island Beach Club, which has 5 miles of private beach, pools, spas, and restaurants right on the property.
You can wake up in luxury and then walk along the private beach. Take in the sounds of the waves crashing with almost no one else around before you try one of the water sports the club offers. You can kayak, sail, or kiteboard, and then you can relax at one of their high-end restaurants.
If the weather gets bad, you can bowl or check out the Sea Island Nature Center.
3. Acworth Beach
Families like to go to Acworth Beach, which is on the north shore of Lake Acworth. A roped-off area for diving and the lack of waves make it a great place for a safe and fun swim. Besides swimming, people can paddle around the lake, fish, or walk along the edge of the lake.
It’s easy to relax and enjoy the warm Georgian sun on the beach, which has a large area of sand. On the beach, there are also playgrounds where little kids can run wild and volleyball fields where everyone can play for fun.
Acworth Beach, which is just north of Atlanta, is a great place to go if you want to get away from the east coast.
4. Glory Beach, Jekyll Island
Glory Beach lives up to its name at the southern end of the island. Beachgoers can park their cars in plenty of spaces behind the beach and then walk along a raised path that goes across the tall dunes covered in sea oats. When you get there, you’ll find a beach with rich golden sand that is away from the rest of Jekyll Island.
On Glory Beach, a day is easy: lay out in the sun, swim, and read a book or two. On a hot summer day, the breeze can be nice and cool, and it’s also great for kite flying and sailing. You can walk on the beach or ride your bike while taking in views of the ocean and Cumberland Island. The sand can be packed down firmly.
5. St. Andrews Beach, Jekyll Island
Even though Jekyll Island has beautiful beaches, there is a lot more to life there than sun, sand, and water. Like Driftwood Beach below, St. Andrews Beach has a different kind of beach day.
St. Andrews Beach is at the southern tip of Jekyll Island. People who like to watch birds and animals will want to check it out. With the beach, the linked park, and Jekyll Point, you can get to both the Atlantic and Jekyll Sound, as well as see the many animals that come to the area.
After lying out in the sun, go to the wildlife viewing tower that goes up into the canopy and lets you see many migratory birds that visit the island. After that, take a walk along the interesting Wanderer Memory Trail. It’s a self-guided path that focuses on the Wander, which was the last known slave ship in the United States.
6. North Beach, Tybee Island
Many tourists go straight to the popular South Beach when they get to Tybee Island. North Beach, on the other hand, is not only bigger, but it also has fewer people, so it’s easier to get to. The beach is very big and has golden sand that is full of interesting shells. It’s a great place to swim, and there are shops, restaurants, and sights nearby.
As you lay down on the beach, you’ll see the famous, rolling dunes of the island. It goes well with the ocean and makes for a beautiful view no matter which way you look. At lunchtime, it will only be a short walk into the nearby city to eat. After, take a walk at your own pace to the Tybee Island Light Station, which is Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse and also has a museum.
At the end of the day at North Beach, watch the sunset, which is always a highlight.
7. Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island
Around the start of the 20th century, only wealthy people lived on Jekyll Island. That may not be true anymore, but at the beautiful Driftwood Beach, you can see why rich people liked coming to the island.
There are dozens of miles of soft white sand beaches on Jekyll Island, which is surrounded by historic buildings and a forest that keeps taking back land. But Driftwood Beach is the place to be for shooters and lovers.
The trees are scattered across the land like broken toys because the sand can’t hold onto them because of weathering. The wind, rain, and salt spray have bleached them over time, making for beautiful scenery. People come to this beach to enjoy the peace and quiet, take unique pictures, and sometimes see a quiet wedding.
8. Cumberland Island National Seashore
The Cumberland Island National Seashore has twenty miles of wild beaches that can only be reached by boat. Take the Cumberland Island Ferry to the southernmost of the state’s Golden Isles instead of driving your car.
When you get off the ferry, you’ll find an untouched paradise with only a few old signs of human settlement. For a day, you can forget about the real world and enjoy peace and quiet. There is no traffic, restaurants, or bars nearby.
Sitting in a beach chair and taking in the view for the whole day is possible. But a big part of the fun here is discovering the island that no one lives on. The Dungeness Ruins of the Plum Orchard Mansion are a great place to go hiking and learn about almost twenty environments.
9. East Beach, St. Simons Island
East Beach runs for several miles along the sunny coast, with its back to the Atlantic Ocean. The most famous beach on St. Simons Island, the largest of the four Golden Isles, is the one that lets dogs stay. Soak up the sun and swim there. But now that the Atlantic has finished its long trip, people in the area and visitors can enjoy the many water sports that are available.
You can watch the sun go down from East Beach. You’ll be facing the rising sun, and the hard-packed sand makes it fun to walk (or even run) with a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Come back for a day on the sand after you clean up. Kiteboarders, windsurfers, and boogie boarders are all enjoying the scene, and kids are looking for rocks on the beach.
10. Main Beach, Little St. Simons Island
A unique beach experience can be had on Little St. Simons Island, which is private and only for people who live there. Some islands that don’t allow cars have ferries that let you get to the beach and nature on those islands. But Little St. Simons isn’t like those. People who stay at The Lodge are the only ones who can really use this beach, so lucky tourists have it all to themselves.
Conservation and protection of the island’s natural features are very important to the Lodge. There is room for just over 30 people, so it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of the island and feel calm and peaceful. To get away from the noise, lie down on the soft sand and enjoy a day of peace.
11. Nanny Goat Beach, Sapelo Island
Nanny Goat Beach is both beautiful and important for the environment. It has two miles of pristine beachfront. For people to visit the beach, they have to either book a tour or stay the night. The beach is in the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Take a short ferry ride to get to Sapelo Island. Then, go to the southeast tip of the island to find bright white sand backed by seaside woods and rolling dunes. After taking it easy, look for shells and try to spot ospreys and bald eagles that like to hang out in the woods.
