Jekyll Island Beach

Enjoy Beautiful Beaches That Feature Unique Formations

Jekyll Island’s 10 miles of unspoiled beaches are perfect for sunbathing or swimming, for leisurely walks or invigorating jogs. Perhaps best known for their natural bounty, Jekyll Island’s beaches offer shell collecting for guests young and old. Many live creatures abound as well, including hermit crabs and sand dollars. Though it is tempting to collect these interesting creatures, you can help preserve the Island’s shoreline environment by leaving them as you find them, and by limiting your “catch” of shells.

As a barrier island, Jekyll Island’s beaches feature unique formations and are ever-changing. The ebb and flow of the tide many times determine the size and unusual characteristics of the beach. Each year, due tidal changes, wind and water currents, sand and silt from the marshlands of the northern coast are deposited on the beaches of the southern coast causing the entire island and ecosystems to evolve.

From May through August, under cover of darkness, a silent drama is played out on Jekyll Island's beach. Female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta-caretta) swim ashore, make their way across the sand, dig their nests and lay their eggs. Designated a threatened species by state and federal law, loggerhead sea turtles have found safe haven on Jekyll Island. Their nests, tucked among the dunes of Jekyll Island's clean, white beach, have made the island a major site for conservation and education.

Sea turtle nests are marked and monitored by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Please help us protect the sea turtles. Do not disturb the nests. If you see a nest being disturbed or find a nest that has not been marked, please note its location and call the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at (912) 635-4444.

* Public showers and restrooms are located at several sites and picnic areas. For more information,
call 1-877-4JEKYLL or (912) 635-3636

VACATION AND BEACH SAFETY

Every entrance to Jekyll Island beaches is marked with an Access number. Quality Inn and Suites is located at Access 25. Be sure to share this number with your children and Senior citizens as you go to the beach. It will be helpful to them and to authorities should your child or family member gets separated from your group.

There are other helpful signs as you enter the beach area regarding tide conditions and sandbar conditions. Be sure to read and heed these signs. Each access point also has a water quality sign ensuring that the water is acceptable for swimming. Locate this sign and use it to determine the best times to enter the water. By following the above helpful hints, you can assure you and your family has a safe day at the beach.