The best beaches to visit near Atlanta
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We've rounded up eight of the best beaches near Atlanta, including several chosen by readers in our recent bracket competition.
Why it matters: Summer is the best time to hit the beach. Plan a trip while it's still here.
St. Simons Island
🏝️ The No. 1 beach destination as decided by our readers, St. Simons Island is popular for travelers seeking great restaurants, bike trails and a relaxed beach.
Great for: Young families and professionals and retirees from Atlanta seeking coastal casual.
- During the annual UGA-Florida game in Jacksonville, East Beach becomes a magnet for Bulldogs fans.
Check out: Grab a plate at Southern Soul Barbeque and make a trip to Fort Frederica National Monument, a British fort founded to defend against Spanish forces.
Distance: Roughly five hours from Atlanta.
Jekyll Island
🏝️ This barrier island's pet-friendly shorelines feature naturally-created driftwood sculptures and adorable sea turtles.
Great for: Golfers seeking a challenge at the Jekyll Island Golf Club, Georgia's largest public golf resort. The famous island is also a must-see attraction for history buffs and wildlife enthusiasts.
- Cyclists also have over 24 miles of paths and trails on the island.
Check out: Driftwood Beach and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the Peach State's sole sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility.
- You can also partake in dolphin tours and the water park.
Distance: Roughly five hours from Atlanta.
- Vehicle access is $10 a day or $100 for a 12-month parking pass.
Tybee Island
🏝️ Located minutes from Downtown Savannah, this barrier island has three public beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and two riverfront beaches.
Great for: Coastal dining and people watching, as well as dolphin watching with drinks to-go on South Beach.
Check out: The Tybee Island Light Station & Museum, South Beach, Mid Beach and North Beach.
Distance: Roughly five hours from Atlanta.
Sapelo Island
🏝️ This state-managed barrier island is the fourth-largest in the chain of coastal Georgia islands between the Savannah and St. Mary's rivers.
Great for: Small groups eager to soak up history and watch herds of wild cattle roam freely on the peacefully, naturally-protected island.
Check out: Sapelo's island tours, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and the Reynolds Mansion.
- You can also visit Hog Hammock, a preserved historic village believed to be one of America's last intact island-based Gullah-Geechee communities.
Distance: Nearly six hours from Atlanta. Sapelo Island is only accessible by ferry, and reservations are required.
Cumberland Island
🏝️ Cumberland Island is a historic and hauntingly beautiful beach accessible only by boat.
Great for: Day trippers and campers looking to get lost under Spanish moss and in the Dungeness ruins, or spot a wild horse on the sand.
- Rooms at the historic Greyfield Inn, the island's only hotel, start at $825 with a two-night minimum.
Check out: The one-room African Baptist Church on the island's northern end was founded in the 1890s by emancipated people who had been born into slavery.
- The church was rebuilt in the 1930s and was most recently notable for being the site of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s wedding to Carolyn Bessette.
Distance: Roughly 5.5 hours from Atlanta.
Go deeper: A guide to camping on Cumberland Island
Ossabaw Island
🏝️ The state-owned barrier island was a retreat for artists and scholars in the 1960s.
Great for: Campers and day trippers wanting to explore an overlooked barrier island's rich flora and fauna.
Check out: The Ossabaw Island Foundation offers accommodations from campsites to large historic houses and planned trips and retreats.
Distance: Roughly five hours from Atlanta.
- The island is only accessible by boat. The Ossabaw Island Foundation says beach access is allowed from sunrise to sunset up to the dunes.
- Beyond the dunes is the Heritage Preserve, where visits are solely for research, study, and natural, scientific or cultural education.
Charleston
🏝️ The beach destination where you can always imagine living.
Great for: Folly Beach for beach bums who are into surfing, people watching and walkability to bars, restaurants and shopping.
- Sullivan's Island for the families who want a group photo in matching khakis at sunset.
- Isle of Palms for a resort-style stay.
- Kiawah Island for golf, beauty and an air of exclusivity. Plus occasional deer sightings.
- Downtown Charleston for the people who want to go to the beach but only for like, an hour.
Check out: Find a well-reviewed spot near where you're staying — but book that Resy in advance, because space fills up fast.
- Don't miss the chance to see history up close. There are notable Revolutionary (Fort Moultrie) and Civil War (Fort Sumter) landmarks throughout the area. The International African American Museum and the Children's Museum are great indoor options if your beach day is rained out.
Distance: About five hours from Atlanta.
Fernandina Beach
🏝️ A Florida beach with a significant African-American history and not many high-rises.
Great for: Finding a not-too-crazy beach destination north of Jacksonville and south of St. Simons Island.
Check out: Downtown Fernandina Beach, the historic and pleasantly walkable dining, hotel and shopping district.
Distance: Roughly 5.5 hours from Atlanta.