Butter Bean Beach: A Guide to Savannah’s “Secret” Beach

When thinking about beaches in Savannah, most people think of the beaches on nearby Tybee Island…but Savannah is home to its own little somewhat-hidden beach, and it’s known as Butter Bean Beach.

Here’s everything you need to know about this fun and almost secret spot!

Butter Bean Beach

Butter Bean Beach is located just off the Diamond Causeway in Savannah, right before you cross the bridge onto Skidaway Island. If you ever find yourself heading to Skidaway Island State Park or nearby Wormsloe State Historic Site — you are driving right by it and you probably don’t even know it.

I wouldn’t think of Butter Bean Beach as a destination in itself, but if you were nearby, this is a great stop. The beach here is small — it’s more like an access point to the water — but there is enough sand and plenty of water to have a lot of fun.

We visited on a weekday in July and there were already people out and swimming by lunchtime. By the time we left, there were kids digging in the sand and a couple of families enjoying the water for some summer fun. We were staying at Skidaway Island State Park, which is just 5 minutes down the road from Butter Bean Beach. The state park doesn’t have swimming access, so this was a great choice for us.

Savannah summers get hot — and this “secret beach” is an easy and relaxing option to help cool off. It was not crowded when we visited…which we loved! My daughter collected shells and my son looked for crabs, and it really was such a fun way to spend the day.

Butter Bean Beach has FREE parking and restrooms on site. There are no lifeguards, so it’s a swim-at-your-own-risk situation. We loved that there was a “Life Jacket Loaner Station” set up here that offered a couple of life jackets for kids to use if they needed it.

Boat Ramp, Picnicking, and More

Not only is the beach and swimming access a draw here, but there are a few other things the area has to offer.

• Butter Bean Beach is home to a popular public boat ramp, officially named the Rodney J. Hall Boat Ramp. This is the name you’ll see on the sign when making the turn off the Causeway to the beach. The location here gives boaters easy access to the Skidaway Narrows.

• There’s a bait shop here, known as Bandy’s Bait & Tackle. You’ll find bait of course, but also a few drinks if you forgot to bring your own. Their hours are known to vary, so I wouldn’t count on it for drinks unless you’ve called ahead. (There’s also a Kroger nearby, so you can get supplies there too.)

• Moon River Kayak offers kayak tours that begin right here at Butter Bean Beach. You can tour the marshes and rivers while checking out wildlife. Their tours have to be booked online in advance.

• One of my favorite parts about visiting Butter Bean Beach was all the picnic table options. They’ve got tables overlooking the water and under shady trees, as well as a couple of picnic pavilions too. The area is beautiful, so having such a gorgeous setting for enjoying lunch before heading out to the water really makes for an amazing day.

• Food trucks are known to set up here during lunchtime in the summer, so you may luck out with some awesome food options!

DIRECTIONS: To get here, you can put “Butter Bean Beach” into your GPS. We used Google Maps and had no problems. As we mentioned above, you’re looking for the “Rodney J. Hall Boat Ramp” sign for the entrance, just before the bridge over to Skidaway Island.

MORE BUTTER BEAN BEACH PHOTOS

MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR TRIP TO SAVANNAH

• YOUR GEORGIA VACATION
• BEACHES: Beaches In Savannah: 7+ Spots Near Savannah Perfect For Fun In The Sun
• HOTELS: 29+ Hotels in Savannah GA Ideal for Bringing the Family: B&Bs, On the Water, Budget and More
• GHOST TOURS: 25+ Savannah Ghost Tours & Pirate Events Guaranteed To Thrill
• PET-FRIENDLY HOTELS: 10 ‘Paw-some’ Pet Friendly Hotels Savannah GA Offers for Your Next Vacation