Best Beaches in Georgia
Georgia’s coastline may be small, but it’s full of charm, history, and natural beauty that make its beaches truly unforgettable. From wide sandy stretches to peaceful barrier islands, the Georgia coast offers a unique blend of Southern hospitality and coastal serenity. These beaches have become some of my favorite places to unwind, whether I’m walking along quiet shores, exploring tidal marshes, or watching the sun rise over the Atlantic.
I discovered lively waterfronts, pristine natural escapes, and beaches that invite you to swim, stroll, or simply relax by the water. With family-friendly spots, historic seaside towns, and breathtaking views, Georgia’s beaches offer a little something for everyone. Here are the ones I recommend, and I think you’ll enjoy them too.
1. Tybee Island
I found Tybee Island to be a breezy, sun-drenched coastal escape with a slightly more playful, beach-town personality compared to the Golden Isles’ genteel Southern charm.
I thought that Tybee Island was one of the best beaches in Georgia. Why? Wide sandy beaches, pastel-colored cottages with rocking chairs on their porches, lively seafood shacks, and the ever-present call of seabirds gave it that quintessential "Atlantic seaside holiday" feel.
Just 20 minutes east of historic Savannah, the drive over the causeway set the mood perfectly: marsh grasses waving in the wind, shrimp boats at dock, and the vast Atlantic opening up on the horizon. I spent three easygoing days at 3-star Hotel Tybee The pace was relaxed and barefoot-casual – I climbed the iconic Tybee Island Lighthouse for sweeping coastal views, wandered the quiet trails at North Beach where dolphins sometimes surface offshore, kayaked through the winding backwater creeks alive with egrets and herons, and lingered over sunset at the Tybee Pier while local musicians strummed beachy tunes.
- Check prices at Hotel Tybee
- Location: Map & Directions
2. Cumberland Island National Seashore
Cumberland Island felt like stepping back into a wilder, quieter world — a place where nature reclaims the landscape and history lingers in soft ruins. With windswept dunes, untouched maritime forests, miles of deserted beaches, and wild horses grazing in the surf, it has a raw, untamed beauty that’s unlike any other Georgia barrier island.
Reaching the island required a scenic 45-minute ferry ride from St. Marys, Georgia — already setting the mood for an off-the-grid adventure. For three days, I traded car horns for the sound of surf and rustling palmettos, staying at the rustic Sea Camp campground under a canopy of twisting live oaks.
The pace was truly unplugged — I wandered along the untouched 17 miles of beach without seeing another soul, biked sandy trails through forest and marsh where armadillos scurried across my path, explored the haunting ruins of the Gilded Age Dungeness Mansion, and marveled at loggerhead sea turtle nesting sites along the shore. At night, the sky turned into a glittering planetarium with no city lights to interrupt.
- Location: Map & Directions
3. Cabretta Beach
Cabretta Beach felt like a secret, tucked-away stretch of shoreline where solitude and nature still rule. Located on Sapelo Island — one of Georgia’s most secluded barrier islands — it offered wide, windswept sands edged by salt marshes and maritime forest. With no boardwalk bustle or commercial strip, the beach carried a wonderfully raw, untouched quality, as if time had slowed to the rhythm of the tides.
Reaching it required a bit of adventure: a passenger ferry from the mainland town of Darien to Sapelo Island, followed by a ride across the island to the north end where Cabretta’s long, wild strand unfurls. I set up camp at the rustic Cabretta Campground, just steps from the dunes, where live oaks draped in Spanish moss created a shaded retreat.
- Location: Map & Directions
4. Driftwood Beach
Driftwood Beach felt like wandering into a natural sculpture garden, where time, tide, and storm have carved the shoreline into something both haunting and beautiful. Tangled bleached oaks and gnarled pines, their roots exposed and trunks toppled, lay like giant sculptures across the sand — each one a reminder of the island’s ever-shifting edge.
I thought that Driftwood Beach was one of the best beaches in Georgia. Why? Located on the northern tip of Jekyll Island, Driftwood is easily accessible yet feels far removed from the bustle of more resort-like stretches of coast.
- Location: Map & Directions
I visited in the late afternoon, when golden light slanted through the branches, my personal highlight.
5. East Beach on St. Simons Island
East Beach was the epitome of a classic, sun-soaked Atlantic shoreline — broad, golden, and endlessly walkable. The sand was firm and flat, perfect for biking or long barefoot strolls, and at low tide it stretched out into a mirrorlike expanse that reflected the sky. Families built sandcastles near the dunes, kite surfers skimmed the waves, and herons patrolled the tidal pools — it was the kind of beach that felt lively yet never crowded.
Set on the eastern edge of St. Simons Island, it was an easy stop from my inn near the village. The approach wound past marshes and live oaks, opening suddenly onto a sweeping view of dunes and surf. I spent a sun-drenched afternoon here — reading on a towel, watching dolphins crest just offshore, and walking nearly a mile north until I felt like I had the beach all to myself.
- Location: Map & Directions
6. Glory Beach
Glory Beach was one of the most serene and cinematic spots I found on Georgia’s coast — a long stretch of pale sand reached by a wooden boardwalk that winds gracefully through wide salt marshes and dunes. With its sweeping, unspoiled shoreline and peaceful atmosphere, it felt both expansive and secluded, the kind of beach where the horizon seems to go on forever.
The beach earned its name from the 1989 film Glory, which filmed scenes of Civil War troops along this very stretch of sand. Standing there, with only the sound of the surf and gulls overhead, I understood why filmmakers chose it — the place carries a natural grandeur, untouched and evocative.
- Location: Map & Directions
7. Gould's Inlet, St. Simons Island
Gould’s Inlet felt like the quiet, contemplative side of St. Simons — less about swimming and sunbathing, more about watching the rhythms of tide and wildlife unfold. It’s where the Atlantic meets the marsh, creating shifting sandbars, tidal pools, and ever-changing channels that attract shorebirds, fishermen, and those who love simply to pause and take in the view.
Perched at the north end of East Beach, the inlet is reached by a wooden observation deck and boardwalk.
- Location: Map & Directions
8. Great Dunes Park
Great Dunes Park had that classic “day-at-the-beach” feel — open, family-friendly, and effortlessly inviting. Rolling dunes topped with sea oats framed a wide stretch of golden sand where beachgoers set up umbrellas, kids ran laughing into the surf, and bicyclists cruised the boardwalk paths nearby. It felt like the heart of Jekyll’s beach scene, blending natural beauty with an easygoing social energy. The park is set along the island’s eastern shore, just north of the Jekyll Island Convention Center.
- Location: Map & Directions
9. John Tanner State Park
John Tanner State Park was a refreshing inland surprise — a place where sandy beaches and freshwater lakes brought a hint of the coast to the rolling hills of west Georgia. Centered around two spring-fed lakes, the park had an old-fashioned summertime feel: families picnicking under the pines, kids splashing in the shallows, fishermen casting lines from shady banks, and the hum of cicadas carrying through the warm air.
10. Lake Lanier Beach
Lake Lanier’s beaches felt like a summer escape stitched into the foothills of North Georgia — wide, sandy stretches set against a sparkling blue reservoir, with pine-draped coves and rolling hills in the distance. It was a curious blend of mountain lake scenery and beachy leisure: people tossing frisbees on the sand, kids squealing in the shallows, pontoon boats cruising by, and jet skis buzzing across the water.
I visited Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, the lake’s most famous beach park, where rows of umbrellas dotted the shoreline and the vibe leaned festive and energetic. The sand was soft beneath my feet, the water surprisingly clear, and the whole scene felt more like a coastal boardwalk than an inland lake — complete with music, food stalls, and a waterpark just steps away.
Away from the main hub, I explored quieter corners of Lake Lanier’s shoreline — smaller beach parks like Van Pugh, Mary Alice, and War Hill, where families barbecued, anglers cast lines, and the pace slowed to match the lap of waves against the shore. In the evening, watching the sun sink low over the lake turned everything golden, the water catching fire as boats drifted back to their docks.
Conclusion
From the wild solitude of Cumberland and Cabretta, to the nostalgic village charm of St. Simons, the surreal driftwood sculptures of Jekyll, and even the inland sands of Lanier and John Tanner — Georgia’s watersides reveal an incredible variety of moods and landscapes. Each shore tells its own story, whether it’s history in the ruins, sunsets over marsh grass, or the simple joy of toes in the sand. Together, they weave a portrait of a state where the call of the water is never far away.
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