Best day trips from Savannah: how to get there and what to see

Match the trip to the time you have and whether you are driving. Tybee Island is the default for a half day and the only option that works reasonably without a car. Beaufort and Hilton Head fit a relaxed half or full day. Jekyll Island and Charleston are full days, and Charleston is better as an overnight if you can spare one.

Distances are short by US standards but traffic on I-16, I-95 and the islands' bridges adds time, especially on summer weekends and holiday Mondays.

Tybee Island is Savannah's beach: a wide strand, a pier, a small lighthouse you can climb, and casual seafood places along the main road. It is the easiest add-on to a Savannah trip and works as a morning or an afternoon. Summer weekends fill the parking lots early.

Beaufort, South Carolina, is a small waterfront town with antebellum houses, a walkable downtown and a riverfront park. It suits a half day of strolling and lunch. Hilton Head Island is larger and more resort-like, with hard-packed beaches for biking and a network of paved paths.

Jekyll Island is a state park island south of Savannah, reached via I-95 and the causeway. It has beaches, a historic district of former club buildings, and the famous driftwood-covered beach at the island's north end. St. Simons Island, just before it, has a compact village, a lighthouse and a pier.

Charleston, South Carolina, is a full city in its own right: historic streets, a city market, museums and a strong restaurant scene. Two hours each way plus city traffic makes it a long day; an overnight is better if your schedule allows.

Costs below are 2026 estimates for one person, assuming you share a car or take a tour. Fuel in Georgia and South Carolina is usually cheaper than the US average; parking is the bigger variable near beaches and in Charleston.

Tours from Savannah to Tybee, Beaufort or Charleston run as half-day or full-day vans with hotel pickup; prices vary by season and operator, so compare before booking.

Leave early. On summer weekends the Tybee road and the island bridges back up from mid-morning, and afternoon thunderstorms are common from June to September.

If you are not driving, book a tour or use a rideshare for Tybee; rideshare to Beaufort, Hilton Head or Jekyll Island is expensive and return availability is thin. Public transport between Savannah and these towns is limited, so treat a car as the default.

Check the date against Savannah's calendar: during St. Patrick's Day events and big festival weekends, roads close and rental cars sell out. In winter, some beach businesses on Tybee and the islands run shorter hours.