Updated August 2026
Best beaches in Georgia by water quality
Georgia has 42 public beaches in the EPA monitoring dataset, 21 of them with enough bacteria samples to grade. 8 earn an A for consistently clean water. Full ranking below. National lists: cleanest beaches in the US and beaches that exceed bacteria limits most often.
Georgia beaches on the map
Ways to pick a Georgia beach
Cleanest water (Grade A)
- Contentment Bluff Sandbar — McIntosh
- South Ossabaw — Chatham
- Bradley (Ossabaw) — Chatham
- South Dunes Beach (Jekyll) — Glynn
| Grade | Beach | County | % over limit | Samples | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Contentment Bluff Sandbar | McIntosh | 0% | 40 | Excellent |
| A | South Ossabaw | Chatham | 0% | 33 | Excellent |
| A | Bradley (Ossabaw) | Chatham | 0% | 33 | Excellent |
| A | South Dunes Beach (Jekyll) | Glynn | 1.3% | 228 | Excellent |
| A | Glory Beach | Glynn | 1.3% | 225 | Excellent |
| A | Tybee Island North | Chatham | 2.2% | 227 | Excellent |
| A | Tybee Island Strand | Chatham | 2.4% | 464 | Excellent |
| A | Sea Island North | Glynn | 2.9% | 68 | Excellent |
| B | Dallas Bluff Sandbar | McIntosh | 3.1% | 32 | Good |
| B | Oceanview Beach | Glynn | 3.4% | 233 | Good |
| B | Tybee Island Polk St. | Chatham | 3.5% | 457 | Good |
| B | Great Dunes Beach | Glynn | 3.9% | 232 | Good |
| B | Blythe Island Regional Park Sandbar | Glynn | 4.7% | 43 | Good |
| B | East Beach Old Coast Guard (Ssi) | Glynn | 5.1% | 235 | Good |
| B | St. Andrews Beach (Jekyll) | Glynn | 5.6% | 249 | Good |
| B | Jekyll Clam Creek Beach | Glynn | 5.7% | 264 | Good |
| B | Massengale (Ssi) | Glynn | 5.9% | 237 | Good |
| C | 12 St. Goulds Inlet (Ssi) | Glynn | 7.1% | 241 | Fair |
| C | St. Simons Island Lighthouse | Glynn | 7.5% | 492 | Fair |
| D | Reimolds Pasture (Little Ssi) | Glynn | 12.5% | 32 | Poor |
| D | Skidaway Narrows | Chatham | 20.4% | 54 | Poor |
Download the full Georgia beach safety ranking
All 21 graded Georgia beaches with their Beach Safety Grade, exceedance rate, sample counts, and program status — from EPA monitoring data. Enter your email to download. A grade is a multi-year classification, not a same-day safety clearance.
Georgia beach grade updates
Get new grades and water-quality updates for Georgia beaches by email.
Where to stay near Georgia beaches
Find beachfront hotels, condos, and vacation rentals across Georgia — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Georgia beaches
Prices for Oct 2–4, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Georgia beach grades
Get an email when a graded Georgia beach posts a new sample or swim advisory.
Frequently Asked Questions
The table ranks Georgia beaches by Beach Safety Grade from EPA bacteria samples. Grade A beaches have the fewest exceedances of the safe-swimming limit.
Hotels, condos, and vacation rentals for Georgia beaches are on the map on this page. Compare water quality in the table, then book from the town you actually want to swim from.
Georgia beaches vary. Of 21 graded beaches, 8 earn an A for the fewest bacteria exceedances and 0 earn an F for exceeding the safe-swimming limit most often. A grade is a multi-year record, not a same-day clearance — check the county advisory the day you swim.
The day you swim. A grade is a history of samples, not a same-day clearance — check the county advisory before you get in.