Day at the Beach - Beach Info, Safety & Rules

A favorite summertime activity in the Golden Isles is spending a day at the beach, but there’s no bad season to walk along the shoreline, whether you’re getting exercise, listening to the waves, watching the sun rise, or chasing sunsets.

Of St. Simons Island’s four miles of beaches, the most popular area is East Beach, with main access points at the Coast Guard Station (First Street access to East Beach), Gould’s Inlet (the northern-most access point on East Beach at 15th Street), and Massengale Park (1350 Ocean Boulevard). Coast Guard and Massengale access points have large parking areas and convenient facilities. Massengale has a shaded picnic area and playground.

Jekyll Island boasts approximately ten miles of beaches. There, you’ll find the center of the beach scene at Great Dunes Park in the middle of the island, where Ben Fortson Parkway meets N. Beachview Drive. Other beautiful beach areas on Jekyll that draw photographers, nature lovers, and are Driftwood Beach with its iconic otherworldly landscape, the pristine sand dunes and sea oats of Glory Beach, and the gorgeous sunsets at St. Andrews Beach.

The beaches on Sea Island and Little St. Simons Island are private access only.

Find your favorite spot and go put your toes in the sand!

BEACH SAFETY

Lifeguards are only on duty from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily at Coast Guard and Massengale beaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day. While they can provide assistance, you swim at

your own risk. During this time, there is a Warning Flag system in place to notify visitors of hazardous conditions. The flag key is posted at main beach access sites. Please pay attention to the flags and do not swim in hazardous conditions.

Please DO NOT swim to visible sand bars, because our tides change very quickly and submerge the sand bars completely by as much as six to eight feet of water. The differential between ocean levels at low and high tide here is one of the highest on the East Coast, so it is essential to know the times of the tide change. Even strong swimmers have difficulty when that change occurs and the rip currents swirl, because the water can be moving as fast as ten miles per hour. You want to know when the tide is coming in, so you can be well away from sandbars before then. Tide charts are available at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov or download an app such as Tide Alert (NOAA) – USA, My Tide Times, or Tide Charts. If you fish, the Fishing Points: GPS, Tides & Fishing Forecast app is a good one. 

Rip currents, which are difficult to see and much more dangerous than undertow, are very common here. More than 100 people die annually in the U.S. from drowning in rip currents. They can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. If you are caught in one, don’t fight it. Do your best to swim out of the current in a direction parallel to the beach and then make your way back to the shore. If you can’t escape the current, tread water or float on your back. If you need help, do not hesitate to call out and wave your arms for assistance. Most importantly, stay calm. You do not want to exhaust yourself trying to fight the current and frantically attempting to swim back to shore. It’s best to allow yourself to float out in order to break the grip of the rip current and wait until you can make headway swimming parallel to the beach to try to make it safely to the shore. 

HELPFUL SSI BEACH RULES

  • Vehicles are prohibited on the beach. 
  • Fires on the beach are prohibited without a permit from the Glynn County Fire Department. 
  • Pets are not allowed on the beach from 16th St. (East Beach South) to Mallery St. (Pier) from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Labor Day between the hours of 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. During allowable times and in non-summer months, dogs are permitted on any portion of the beach but must be within close proximity and under the immediate control of the owner/handler. If handler is unable to control pet via voice-command, a 10' leash is required. Owners must clean up after their pets.
  • Glass and hard plastic containers are prohibited.
  • All beach areas on St. Simons Island are Trash Free Beaches, subject to a “carry in, carry out” rule. There are no trash receptacles on the beach, so beach-goers are responsible for making sure all trash they generate is picked up and carried out to be disposed of properly in the receptacles provided in the parking areas or at home upon their departure. Please plan accordingly. Additionally, it is unlawful to leave tents, tent frames, and chairs on the beach overnight. Any such items left on the beach overnight will be removed and properly disposed of. Littering carries a fine of up to $1,000.
  • It is illegal in Georgia to collect and kill live animals from the beach, including sand dollars. If a sand dollar is brown/purple and has bristles, it is likely alive. Only take the white/grey, non-bristled skeletons. You’re welcome to load up on shells though, and might even find a shark tooth if you’re lucky! 

Take memories home with you, leave only your footprints behind.