Island info
Tybee's beach ordinances are enforced by beach patrol year-round, and the fines are real. None of it is complicated — but two rules catch almost every first-time visitor: no dogs on the sand, and nothing left on the beach overnight.
Dogs are not permitted on the beach, the dune crossovers or the pier — not even carried, not even at dawn. They are welcome on leash along the sidewalks and side streets, and off leash at the fenced Tybee dog park on Van Horne Avenue. If a beach week with the dog is the whole point of the trip, book a cottage with a fenced yard and plan river-side walks instead.
No glass containers of any kind and no alcohol on the beach, the dunes or the pier. Cans and cups are fine for everything else. Cigarette butts count as litter and beach patrol treats them that way; most crossovers have a bin at the top.
Everything you carry on has to come off the same day — tents, chairs, umbrellas, coolers and toys must be off the sand by 9pm, or they get collected as debris. Shade tents are limited in size so they don't block the view of lifeguards; a standard beach umbrella is always safe.
Stay off the dunes and out of the sea oats — they hold the island together and they're protected by state law. Sea turtles nest May through October: no flashlights or phone torches on the beach at night, and fill in any holes you dig. Bonfires require a permit from the city fire department, and drones are restricted near the pier and the lighthouse.