Located on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge, one of Georgia’s most pristine barrier islands. Accessible only by boat, featuring seven miles of undeveloped beaches, maritime forest, and salt marshes. Day use only with no facilities or overnight camping.
Georgia Beaches
Georgia’s 100-mile Atlantic shoreline is defined by the Golden Isles and a chain of largely undeveloped barrier islands buffered by vast tidal salt marshes. Only four of Georgia’s barrier islands are reachable by car via causeways: Tybee Island near Savannah, St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island (where visitors pay a daily per-vehicle island entry fee). Other renowned coastal destinations, including Cumberland Island National Seashore, Sapelo Island, and Little St. Simon’s Island, are accessible only by scheduled passenger ferry or private boat and require advance reservations. Because Georgia lies at the center of the South Atlantic Bight, its beaches experience a 6-foot to 9-foot semi-diurnal tidal swing that dramatically exposes wide hard-packed sandbars at low tide for beachcombing and cycling while narrowing dry sand at high tide. Check local tide tables, Tybee and Jekyll hourly parking rules, seasonal dog zones, and Georgia Coastal Resources Division water quality alerts before arrival. Use the filters below to explore Georgia’s Golden Isles and barrier island beaches by activity, including swimming, cycling on hard-packed low-tide sand, surf fishing, kayaking tidal creeks, bird watching, and wilderness camping. Because Georgia’s 6-foot to 9-foot tidal range reshapes the dry beach every six hours, visitors should consult the nearest NOAA tide gauge (such as Fort Pulaski or St. Simons Lighthouse) and check Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division beach water advisories prior to swimming.
Nanny Goat Beach (Sapelo Island)
Named for the goats that once grazed here, this remote beach on Sapelo Island offers excellent shell collecting and swimming opportunities. Near the University of Georgia Marine Institute and accessible through guided tours or by reservation.
Ossabaw Island Beach
Protected barrier island accessible only with permission for research, education, or cultural purposes. Features pristine beaches, abundant wildlife, and historic sites. Managed by the Ossabaw Island Foundation with very limited public access.