St. Simons Public Beach (East Beach)

Sandy beach
4202 1st St, St Simons, GA 31522, USA
67 miles from Savannah, GA
Cleanliness
Water quality
Crowded
Impressions
Overall
Grades suggested by our reviewer
Water Quality
Unknown (read more)

Beach amenities

  • Pet friendlyBring your little friends!
  • ParkingCar parking nearby
  • WCPublic restrooms nearby
  • LifeguardsLifeguard on duty
  • Changing roomsDressing rooms on the beach
  • RestaurantsF&B places nearby
  • ShowerPublic showers available
👉 Download a FREE PDF map

About this beach

East Beach, or St. Simons Island Beach, provides a wide range of beach activities from swimming and tanning through shelling and birdwatching to surfboarding and kiteboarding. It’s not commercialized and ‘touristy’ at all and the only reason why this beach sometimes looks crowded in high season is its rather small size.

The beach is located in a beautiful neighborhood good for picnicking or bird watching and not far from eateries. If you take a stroll around the neighborhood, you are quite likely to see some turtles or even rabbits.

Not a ‘Tourist Trap’

It’s a wild place, in some sense, and you’ll hardly find numerous hotdog stands, or bike rentals, or restaurants on site. Nevertheless, all such things are easy to find further up the road in case you may need them.

Practically deserted in low season, the beach is a fabulous place for a family outing or for a calm walk alone or with a date – the ocean and the dunes have a wild and relaxing look. If you’re a dog owner, don’t forget to take your pet with you since East Beach permits access with dogs!

There are no trash cans at every turn but the beach is neat and clean. Although there aren’t many tourist activities available on the island itself, it’s just an hour's drive north to Savannah or south to Jacksonville where you can enjoy much more varied entertainment opportunities.

All Standard Amenities

East Beach is almost never too crowded, although sometimes it may look otherwise in high season. Despite the fact that it cannot boast numerous tourist attractions, it’s a nice and cozy beach with a lifeguard station and all the standard amenities like bathrooms, rinsing showers, changing areas, and locker rooms.

If you go by car, you can use a free parking lot. It’s ample but make sure you come early enough to find a space on holidays or weekends in high season.

Long Sandbars And Shallow Water Pools

There is one thing about East Beach that many of its visitors find amazing – long, up to ¼-mile sandbars running off the shore into the sea during low tide. At the same time, shallow tidepools appear – a perfect place for kids to safely play in the water, which is especially important on windy days when the waves are strong.

Driving Time

  • 5 minutes from Downtown St. Simons, GA
  • 1 hour 20 minutes from Jacksonville, FL
  • 1 hour 30 minutes from Savannah, GA

Hotels and rentals

If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:

Beaches nearby

Additionally, there's a number of beaches near St. Simons Public Beach (East Beach) which you can visit:

Beach reviewed by:
Angie
Photos from Google Maps
East BeachPeople in the sea wavesWhite sandSt. Simons Public BeachSharkSt. Simons BeachWelcome to St. Simons
Show rooms near this beach×

Visitor questions:

Question: We went to the beach here and the water was super dirty. Is there a time of year when the water isn’t so gross?
Asked by Aboli over 1 year ago
Answer: The water on St. Simons Public Beach is brown because of the numerous rivers flowing right into the ocean here (East River, Mackay River, Hampton River). The water color is the same all year round.
Question: Do they have cabana or umbrella rentals at East Beach? If so, do you know the rates?
Asked by SANDY COLLINS over 2 years ago
Answer: No, there are no cabana and umbrella rentals at East Beach. Visitors bring theirs.

St. Simons Public Beach (East Beach) videos

Saint Simons Island, Georgia
A wonderful drone made video of the beach
Pilot Whales
An incredible video of the whales near the beach

Weather conditions

Current weather at the beach and 3 day forecast

Best times to visit

Average temperature (°F)
Beach map and directions
The beach is located in St. Simon's Island, Georgia 4202 1st St, St Simons, GA 31522, USA (Open on Google Maps)
Drag and zoom the map to view lodging options near the beach.
Other beaches nearby
Explore other beaches near St. Simon's Island, Georgia
Gould’s Inlet Beach
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1 mi away
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Brunswick, Georgia
3 mi away
St. Simons Public Beach (East Beach) reviews and photos
Reviewed on: August 7, 2019