St. Simons Island Locals’ Beach Guide (2026)

If you’re heading to the Golden Isles and have a beach vacation in mind, St. Simons Island is a great place to be!

The St. Simons Island beaches are all on the east coast of the island facing the St. Simons Sound. Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of all the beaches and all the information you need to make the most of your St. Simons beach vacation!

Planning a trip to St. Simons Island? Start here for all the basic information you’ll need to get started. This is St. Simons Island At a Glance.

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Tide Charts

The most important thing to know when going to any of the beaches here on St. Simons Island is how the tides affect the beaches. Everything from where you put your towel to whether or not the beach exists at all depends on the tides, so be sure to check below to see when low tide and high tide will be during your trip.

Can you have dogs on the beach?

The official rule is that dog are allowed on the beach any time from Labor Day to Memorial Day (fall, winter, and spring). From Memorial Day to Labor Day (in the summer) the allowable times for dogs on the beach is before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.

During these times dogs are allowed to be off-leash on any of the beaches. There is a clause to know, though- dogs must be under the immediate control of the owner. That means that if you call your dog and they don’t come immediately, they should stay on the leash.

Insider Tip: If you’re looking into a great place to bring your dog, you should also check out our post on pet friendly Jekyll Island! Generally speaking St. Simons and Jekyll Islands are the most dog friendly beaches in Coastal Georgia

East Beach (Coast Guard Station Beach)

PLEASE NOTE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: This beach is impacted by construction throughout 2026 as new facilities and parking are being constructed as well as erosion control work being done. While parking is limited or unavailable pedestrian access to the beach should not be impacted. We recommend that you go south a short distance to Massengale Beach during this time.

The largest and most popular beach is East Beach, also known as Coast Guard Station Beach for the historic coast guard station found here.

This beach is wide and flat with plenty of room to spread out. When you first arrive, you’ll find a large parking lots, public restrooms, and (in season) concession stand.

As you approach the pathway to the beach, be sure to check the warning flag system posted to the left to see what the currents are like today- they can be much stronger than they look!

This beach is wide a flat with plenty of room to spread out, but be sure to check the tide chart in this article (up above)! The water comes way farther up the beach than you think during high tide, so if you are setting up your chairs and umbrella closer to low tide than high tide, you’ll want to be quite a ways back from the water.

Be sure to hit up a bike rental during your trip- at low tide you can ride your bikes on the hard-packed sands of east beach!

Massengale Park

Just down the road from East Beach, you’ll find Massengale Park. This is a favorite beach for families because of the opportunities to go back in the shade of the forest for lunch at the picnic tables and time on the playgrounds.

If you’ve brought your dog with you, you’ll love knowing that there is a water fountain just for your fur babies at the park near the restroom facilities.

Keep an eye out for sea turtle nests in this area and be sure to keep your distance. Remember that it’s illegal to disturb a sea turtle or their nests!

Gould’s Inlet

This is one of our favorite places to take a sunset stroll with our dog after dinner. You’ll find a small parking lot for Gould’s Inlet on 16th Street down at the northernmost end of Ocean Boulevard.

The beach has a small boardwalk that goes over the tide pools (you can also walk right through them like our dog does, but beware of the crabs!) and then you’ll find a gorgeous narrow beach nestled between the sand dunes and the inlet. Dolphins often play in the water here and it’s a popular place for bird watching, so keep your eyes peeled!

While this is a popular spot for beach picnics, sunset photo shoots, and strolling on the beach, this is not the place to take your kids for a day of playing in the water. The rip currents are especially strong here and the sand has sudden drop offs that will take you from knee-deep water to in-over-your-head with just one step.

The sand bars out in the water are incredible because you can walk right to them at tow tide and you’re on your own private island. Pay attention to the tide chart, though, and don’t plan on being there long- the sand bars will disappear during high tide and you’ll find yourself in strong currents far away from the beach.

King & Prince Beach Resort

If you’re staying at King & Prince Resort, you’ll love the private beach. It’s located at the southern end of east beach just before village and is one of our favorite places to stay on St. Simons.

While you have to be a guest of the hotel to stay here for the day, be sure to check out ECHO, the hotel’s beachfront restaurant. It’s one of the best restaurants on the island and one of our favorite places to grab a drink looking out over the water. It’s even a good spot for breakfast with a view.

Fishing Pier Beach

I have to include this, just because it’s a question I always hear from friends who go to St. Simons Island. They go to the village, walk toward the water and gasp… “There’s no beach!” Well, this is partially true.

In the pier village area at the Southern end of the island, you’ll find the popular fishing pier and, at low tide only a small, narrow beach. It isn’t there for long, so this isn’t a place to bring a cooler and chairs, but if you just want to feel the sand between your toes, walk down one of the boardwalks during low tide and catch a quick stroll along Neptune Park.

In the park you’ll also find picnic tables and grills set underneath huge live oak trees looking out over the water, so this is a popular spot for family reunions.

Public Beach Access Points

If you’re driving, you’ll want to park at East Beach or Massengale Park for the day. If you’re staying along Ocean Boulevard, though, you’ll find several public beach access points that you can walk to.

Check out the map below!

Enjoy the beautiful beaches here on the largest of the golden isles!

Before You Go…

If you haven’t found a place to stay on St. Simosn Island yet, you’ll want to enter your dates and the number of guests in your party in the map below – It’ll show you the best hotel and vacation rental prices close to the beach!

If you’re planning a trip to St. Simons Island, you’ll want to check out these other articles about the area as well:

• The Best Date Night Spots on St. Simons Island
• Great Breakfast Spots on St. Simons Island – 2025
• 12 Best Seafood Restaurants in St Simons Island GA (2025)
• Top 15 Things to Do on St Simons Island (2025)
• Best Places to Stay at St. Simons Island (2025)
• The Best Sea Island, GA Places to Stay 2025
• 14 Best Bars on St Simons Island (2025 Nightlife Guide)
• St. Simons a “Best Small Town on the Georgia Coast for Retirement“
• Eat Like a Local (this is where we take friends and family when they visit)
• St. Simons is one of the 15 Must Visit Barrier Islands Off the Coast of Georgia
• See how the St. Simons beaches measure up in Georgia Beaches Ranked by a Local
• St. Simons Best Happy Hour Deals
• Art Scene of the Golden Isles: Galleries, Events & Classes
• Walkable Places to Stay: St. Simons Island
• Bike Rental Guide
• St. Simons Island Day Trip from Savannah: A Local’s Guide
• 8 Reasons to Pick Georgia Over Florida This Summer