Tybee Island Sunset Spots — A Local Operator’s Guide (Not a Tourist List)
Most Tybee Island sunset articles list the same five spots. They miss the parts that decide whether you actually see the sun set: the tide, the wind, the parking lot you can still get into at 7:30 in July. We manage 100+ properties across Savannah and Tybee Island, so we field Tybee Island sunset questions from guests every single day. Here is what we tell them.
When the Tybee Island Sunset Actually Happens, Month by Month
Tybee Island is in the Eastern time zone. These are approximate local sunset times by month — close enough to plan around. Arrive 30–40 minutes before to catch the full buildup. The 20 minutes after the sun drops below the horizon (the “blue hour”) is often better than the sunset itself for photos: the sky turns pink and purple over the marsh, and the light is soft rather than blown out.
| Month | Sunset Time (EDT/EST) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January | 5:35 – 5:55 PM | EST; cold, almost no crowds |
| February | 5:55 – 6:25 PM | EST; days getting longer |
| March | 6:30 – 7:50 PM | DST starts second Sunday; big jump mid-month |
| April | 7:55 – 8:15 PM | EDT; warm evenings, crowds building |
| May | 8:15 – 8:30 PM | EDT; peak season begins |
| June | 8:30 – 8:35 PM | EDT; latest sunsets of the year |
| July | 8:30 – 8:20 PM | EDT; starts shortening after solstice |
| August | 8:15 – 7:45 PM | EDT; noticeable shortening by month-end |
| September | 7:45 – 7:15 PM | EDT; shoulder season, thinner crowds |
| October | 7:15 – 6:40 PM | EDT/EST; DST ends first Sunday in November |
| November | 5:30 – 5:25 PM | EST; clock falls back, sudden early sunsets |
| December | 5:25 – 5:35 PM | EST; shortest days, almost no wait at any spot |
For exact times on your specific date, use the Tybee Island tide and sunset chart — it shows both sunset and tide height on the same view, which matters at Back River.
The Five Best Tybee Island Sunset Spots — Ranked the Way Locals Rank Them
1. Back River Beach (Polk Street access) — the actual sunset beach
This is the only west-facing beach on Tybee Island, which is why it delivers the definitive Tybee Island sunset. The sun sets directly over the water and the marsh. Every other spot on this list is a compromise; Back River is not.
Getting There and Reading the Tide
Access and parking: Polk Street parking lot, west end of the south tip of the island, with roughly 50 spaces. It’s paid via the ParkTybee app — $3.50/hour in season. Because the lot fills 90 minutes before sunset from May through September, plan accordingly; alternatively, arrive early or bike in, since the ride from mid-island is flat and under 10 minutes.
Tide matters here more than anywhere else. At low tide, for example, a wide sandbar is exposed, and you can wade out 150–200 feet and stand in ankle-deep water with an unobstructed 180-degree view of the sun dropping over the Savannah River channel. However, at high tide, that sandbar disappears and you are squeezed against the dune line — same beach, but a completely different experience. So check the tide chart before you go: low or falling tide is what you want.
Rules, Wildlife, and Local Timing
Wind and bugs: Tybee’s prevailing summer wind is from the southwest, which keeps no-see-ums off the beach. However, on nights when wind comes from the east, no-see-ums move in about 30 minutes after sunset. Therefore, check the forecast — if it’s an east-wind evening, bring insect repellent or leave before the sun fully drops.
Pets: Leashed dogs are allowed at Back River from September through May. Dogs are prohibited June through August. This is enforced.
Restrooms: None at the Polk Street access point. The nearest facility is the marina, a short walk south. Plan before you arrive.
Drones: Prohibited. City of Tybee ordinance. Do not fly a drone here.
Local timing tip: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings see roughly 60% fewer people than Friday and Saturday at Back River. Same sunset. Far fewer bodies in your photos and far easier parking.
2. North Beach near the Lighthouse — the photo spot
North Beach does not face due west, so the sun does not set over the water from here the way it does at Back River. Instead, what it does offer is the Tybee Island Light Station silhouette against the evening sky — and from October through February, when the sun arcs farther south, the alignment is close to perfect.
Access and parking: Meddin Drive parking lot, at $4/hour via the ParkTybee app. With over 250 spaces, it’s significantly easier than Back River, even in peak season.
Facilities: Bathhouse with restrooms and outdoor showers at North Beach. One of the few sunset spots with reliable public bathrooms on-site.
What to shoot: Position yourself so the lighthouse is to your left, angled against the western sky. The lighthouse is 154 feet tall and catches the last golden light well after the sun has moved below the horizon. October through February is the best window — longer shadows, lower sun angle, warmer sky tones.
Pets: The rules here are the same as Back River, so leashed dogs are allowed September–May, but no dogs are allowed June–August.
3. The North Pier and Pavilion — sunset plus a drink
The wood-and-concrete pier at North Beach extends roughly 300 feet over the water, so you get a horizon, open sky, and a different perspective than standing on the sand. The sun drops to your back-right from the pier, not directly ahead — this is Atlantic-facing, not west-facing — but the open water view and the elevation are worth it if you want to combine sunset with a meal or a drink.
Access: This is free public access via the North Beach parking lot, and there is no admission fee.
Restaurants with sunset views nearby:
- North Beach Bar & Grill (1A Van Horne Ave) — 4-minute walk from the pier. Outdoor patio faces west. Get there by 6 PM in summer if you want an outside table. Casual, local crowd, consistent food.
- Sea Wolf Tybee (one block from North Beach Bar) — rooftop seating with an unobstructed western sunset view. Opens at 5 PM. In peak season, the rooftop fills quickly. Go early or be ready to wait.
4. Lazaretto Creek and the Marsh (Highway 80 bridges) — the easiest sunset
This is the most underrated option on the list. Between Tybee Island and Savannah, Highway 80 crosses open salt marsh at Lazaretto Creek, where pull-offs sit on the north side of the road, westbound. From there, you stand 30 feet above water and watch the sun drop across miles of unbroken marsh grass. Best of all, it’s free, almost never crowded, and just six minutes from the south end of Tybee.
The light here is different from the beach — the marsh grass picks up orange and gold tones that you do not get on open sand. On a clear evening this is legitimately one of the better views in coastal Georgia.
Tybee Time bar: The Sunset Pier charter dock at the Lazaretto Creek marina has a small outdoor bar called Tybee Time. Marsh views, casual, cash-friendly. Not a restaurant — bar food only. Worth knowing about if you want a cold drink with the view.
Parking: Free. Pull-offs are gravel and informal — a few cars fit at each one. Not a formal lot.
5. Little Tybee Island (kayak access only)
Little Tybee is an uninhabited barrier island directly south of Tybee, with no roads and no development. Because the only way to reach it is by kayak, paddleboard, or boat, the Tybee Island sunset from here is as clean and undisturbed as this coast gets.
Guided option: Sea Kayak Georgia (1102 Highway 80, Tybee Island) runs sunset paddles March through November for $65 per person, departing approximately two hours before sunset. Because they know the tides and the channels, this is especially useful if you have not paddled coastal Georgia before — in that case, go with a guide.
What Most Tybee Sunset Roundups Get Wrong
The most common recommendation in published Tybee sunset guides is South Beach near the Tybee Pier. However, South Beach faces east, so the sun sets behind the dunes and houses from there, not over water. It is a fine, active beach, but it is not a sunset beach. If someone sends you to the Pier for sunset, they have not watched a sunset from Tybee.
The other common recommendation is the Savannah Riverfront on River Street. Indeed, River Street faces west, and you can see a sunset over the Savannah River there. However, that requires a 25-minute drive from Tybee, paid garage parking, and walking into a tourist district — in other words, you have left the coast to watch the sun go down over a city waterfront. That is a different kind of evening: perfectly fine, just not a Tybee sunset.
The five spots ranked above are how the people who live and work on Tybee Island actually think about a Tybee Island sunset. Back River comes first, every time; the others depend instead on what you want — a lighthouse photo, a drink, a marsh view, or an uninhabited island.
Photo Settings for the Amateur
A Tybee Island sunset over open water and marsh is a high-contrast scene at golden hour. Because phones and cameras default to exposing for the brightest part of the frame — usually the sky — they blow out the colors and turn the sunset white-orange instead of pink-red-purple. Here is how to avoid that.
Phone (iPhone or Android): Tap a point in the mid-sky — not the sun itself, but the area of color 20–30 degrees above the horizon. This forces the phone to expose for the color instead of the brightness. Then, long-press on that point to lock focus and exposure so it does not readjust. Also, avoid using portrait mode, since you want depth in the scene, not a blurred background.
Camera (mirrorless or DSLR):
- At sunset: f/8, ISO 100, shutter 1/125
- At blue hour (20 min after sunset): f/8, ISO 400, shutter 1/30 — or use a tripod and drop to 1/8
- Shoot in RAW if your camera supports it. Blue hour recovery in post is far better from RAW than JPEG
Timing: The 20 minutes after sunset — the “blue hour” — is when the sky turns pink-purple over the marsh. That is the shot. Most people pack up when the sun hits the horizon. The people who stay 20 minutes longer get the better photograph.
Where to Stay So You Can Walk to the Tybee Island Sunset
Logistics are simpler when you are not racing across the island to catch the Tybee Island sunset at 7:45 PM. That’s why we manage Tybee Island vacation rentals within walking distance of both Back River and North Beach — properties where you can carry your chair out at 7 PM and be standing on the beach before the light turns.
Most of our Tybee guests rebook. On the second visit, they know to pick Back River for a Tuesday or Wednesday evening; they also know to check the tide before they go and to stay for the blue hour afterward. In short, the first visit is the orientation, while the second is the actual thing.
We also manage properties in Savannah’s Historic District and midtown neighborhoods for guests who want the city and the coast on the same trip. Browse the full inventory at sidwashere.com, or get in touch if you have a specific question about which property puts you closest to what you want.
If you own property on Tybee or in Savannah and want to understand what professional property management looks like at this scale, reach out. We have the data.
