Tybee Island Visitor Guide: Parking Rates, Which Beach, the Lighthouse and Dog Rules

Tybee parking is $4 an hour, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. every day, or $25 for a day pass. Dogs are banned from the beach ($300 fine). The lighthouse is $14 and closed Tuesdays.

By Hank Whitlock·Updated September 21, 2026·11 min read

Parking on Tybee Island costs $4 an hour, charged 8 a.m.–8 p.m. every day of the year through the Park TYB app (zone 2100) or a kiosk, or $25 for a day pass bought online. Dogs are banned from the beach and its structures, with a fine of up to $300. The Tybee Island Light Station is $14 for adults and $12 for ages 6–17 (on a price list the Historical Society labels 2025), sold only at the gate, and closed on Tuesdays.

Figures below come from the City of Tybee Island, the Tybee Island Historical Society, the Marine Science Center, the National Park Service and the National Weather Service (checked September 21, 2026). Bringing children? Our Tybee Island with kids guide covers beach sections, strollers and restrooms. Still choosing an island? See Tybee vs Jekyll.

What does a day on Tybee Island cost?

What each operator publishes (checked September 21, 2026):

What	Price	Hours	Good to know
City parking (any legal public space)	$4.00 an hour; $25 day pass (online only)	Paid 8 a.m.–8 p.m., year-round, weekends and holidays included	No coins or cash. Park TYB app (zone 2100) or kiosk. The city puts a full day on the meter at $48
Tybee Island Light Station and Museum (30 Meddin Dr.)	$14 adults; $12 seniors 62+, ages 6–17 and military; 5 and under free	Wed–Mon, last ticket 4:30 p.m.; closed Tuesdays	Tickets on site only, no online sales. Includes the Tybee Museum in Battery Garland. Two hours’ free parking in the lighthouse lot
Tybee Island Marine Science Center (37 Meddin Dr.)	$15 adults; $12 ages 5–12, seniors and military; 4 and under free	Wed–Mon 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., last admission 4:30; closed Tuesdays	No lot of its own: park in the city’s North Beach lot. No pets
Fort Pulaski National Monument (on US-80, before the island)	$10 per person 16 and up; 15 and under free	Park 9 a.m.–5 p.m., last entry 4:30; fort 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.	Card only. Valid 7 days. Leashed dogs allowed in the fort
Beach, pier and Fort Screven walking tour	Free (you pay only for parking)	—	Lifeguards May 1–Oct. 31, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., per Visit Tybee

How much is parking on Tybee Island, and how do you pay?

The City of Tybee Island charges for parking citywide from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., year-round, including weekends and holidays. It no longer accepts coins or cash (checked September 21, 2026). You have three ways to pay:

Park TYB app or a kiosk: $4.00 an hour. The city’s parking page tells app users to enter zone 2100.
Day pass: $25 a day, ending at midnight, bought online at TybeeIsland.CMRPay.com up to 30 days ahead. You can buy up to 7 consecutive days ($175). At $4 an hour, the pass costs less than the meter once you stay seven hours or more (6 hours on the meter is $24).
Annual decal: $304, or $404 for a transferable pass. Drivers aged 62 or older whose name is on the registration pay $179. Decals are tied to one vehicle; the transferable pass isn’t.

Fines the city lists: $65 for expired time or no payment, $55 for parking against traffic, $120 at a yellow curb and $305 at a hydrant or in a disabled space without a permit. RVs and campers aren’t allowed in any city lot. Parking Services: 1509 Strand Ave., Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m., 912-472-5101.

Not confirmed by the operator. The city says “free customer parking is available across from” its parking office at 1509 Strand Ave. but doesn’t say whether beachgoers may use it all day. Visit Tybee, the tourism site, gives different decal prices ($300; $175 seniors) and calls the day pass “24 hours”, where the city says it ends at midnight. The city’s page also shows a ParkMobile logo without saying whether ParkMobile is accepted. We’ve used the City of Tybee Island’s Parking Services page, as of September 21, 2026. Tell us if you know more.

Where are the main parking lots?

The city’s public parking map shows metered spaces along Butler Avenue (US-80) for most of the island’s length, plus these lots with public restrooms:

North Beach Parking Lot, across from the lighthouse in the old Fort Screven area. It’s also the Marine Science Center’s parking.
Memorial Park, near City Hall (403 Butler Ave.) in mid-island.
14th Street lots, one at the beach crossover and one at the southwest corner by the Tybee Pier and Pavilion (1509 Strand Ave.).
Strand Parking Lot, between the 17th and 18th Street crossovers.

The map also marks restrooms at the Visitor Center (802 1st St.), Jaycee Park and Fisherman’s Walk. (Its legend still shows change machines, though the city no longer takes cash.) The city says the island has about 2,100 parking spaces, and parking is “extremely limited” on busy weekends, especially at the south end.

Which Tybee beach should you go to?

Tybee’s beach faces the Atlantic, and where you park decides where you land:

North Beach: the North Beach lot faces the lighthouse and ends at the Marine Science Center, so it suits a lighthouse-and-beach day.
Mid-island: metered spaces off Butler Avenue, with restrooms at Memorial Park.
South Beach: the lots between 14th and 18th Streets surround the Tybee Pier and Pavilion, the end where the city says parking is tightest. The NWS warns that even on low-risk days, “life-threatening rip currents often occur” near piers and jetties.

For which section suits toddlers and older kids, see the Tybee with kids guide. Before swimming, check the National Weather Service Charleston office’s beach forecast. It gives Tybee’s daily rip current risk (low, moderate or high), surf height and tide times. Flags, per Visit Tybee: green calm, yellow moderate surf, red strong currents or high danger, purple dangerous marine life, double red water closed.

How do Tybee Island Lighthouse tickets work?

There are no advance tickets: the Tybee Island Historical Society says to buy them at the light station when you arrive and doesn’t pre-sell online (checked September 21, 2026). A ticket covers the whole light station and the Tybee Museum in Battery Garland.

Price: $14 adults; $12 for seniors 62+, ages 6–17 and military with ID; free for ages 5 and under and the Coast Guard.
Hours: daily except Tuesday from 9 a.m.; last ticket 4:30 p.m., lighthouse closes 5 p.m. Closed New Year’s Day, Savannah’s St. Patrick’s parade day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; last ticket at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
The climb: 178 steps, with a landing every 25. No elevator; expect a line at busy times.
Not allowed: backpacks of any size, pets (service animals only), food, drinks other than water, beach towels and large beach bags. Shirts and shoes required; swimsuits must be covered.
Parking: two hours in the lighthouse lot with a ticket, then move to the public lot across the street.

Not confirmed by the operator. The Historical Society’s general-information page labels the $14/$12 prices “Prices – 2025”; no 2026 list is posted, and its home page shows the same prices without a year. Its history page gives museum hours of 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., which don’t match the 4:30 p.m. last ticket on its other pages. Checked on tybeelighthouse.org as of September 21, 2026; call 912-786-5801 before you go. Tell us if you know more.

What is Fort Screven?

Fort Screven was the Army post on the north end from 1897 to 1945, according to the Historical Society. Of its seven batteries, Battery Garland (1899) now holds the Tybee Museum; the rest can be seen from the street and beach but aren’t open. The Society links free self-guided tours of Fort Screven and the Tybee Island Black History Trail.

Is the Tybee Island Marine Science Center worth it?

It’s the island’s indoor stop, with live coastal animals, touch tanks and a fossil room, at the end of the North Beach lot. The center says a visit takes 45–60 minutes. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for ages 5–12, seniors and military, and free for 4 and under. It’s open Wednesday–Monday 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. (last admission 4:30) and closed Tuesdays for tank maintenance (checked September 21, 2026). Guided walks, talks and marsh treks (admission included) start at $22 and run on Tuesdays too. No pets or outside food; there’s a ramp and an elevator.

Can you bring a dog to Tybee Island?

Not onto the beach. City ordinance makes it unlawful to take any dog or other pet onto the beaches “or structures erected thereon”. The fine is $300, with no seasonal exception (checked September 21, 2026). Trained guide and service dogs are exempt. Everywhere else on public property a dog must be leashed or under your control (another $300 fine), except inside a city dog park.

Where dogs can go: leashed on streets, and at Fort Pulaski on a leash of 6 feet or less (fort and trails, not the visitor center).
Where they can’t: the beach, the lighthouse grounds and the Marine Science Center.
Off-leash: the city’s parking map marks a dog park on the north end near the police department.

Not confirmed by the operator. The only city page we found describing the dog parks is its New Resident guide, last updated September 2018: two parks, large and small dogs, between River’s End Campground and the police department. No current city page gives dog-park hours or rules, as of September 21, 2026. Tell us if you know more.

If the dog needs beach time, Jekyll allows leashed dogs on most beaches: see our Jekyll Island guide.

Can you drink alcohol on Tybee beach? Glass and other rules

Glass is the rule the city publishes. No glass or breakable containers on the beach or its structures, and no glass bottles or cups for drinks in public parking lots, sidewalks and walkways; each is a $300 fine. The city also fines $300 for smoking or vaping on the beach, littering (balloon and sky-lantern releases included) and walking in the dunes (checked September 21, 2026).

The city’s pages don’t say whether alcohol itself is allowed. The Savannah Morning News (May 10, 2026) reported that it is, in non-glass containers such as plastic cups, and that beer kegs are banned. The city warns a DUI on Tybee can mean arrest and fines over $1,000.

Not confirmed by the operator. Alcohol being allowed on the beach, and the keg ban, come from a Savannah Morning News report (May 10, 2026), not a city page. The city’s Beach Rules and Citations & Ordinances pages, checked as of September 21, 2026, mention only the glass ban. Tell us if you know more.

How do you get to Tybee Island from Savannah?

Drive east on US-80 (the Islands Expressway), which becomes Butler Avenue on the island. Tybee is 18 miles from downtown Savannah, about 25–30 minutes, per our Tybee with kids guide. On the way, US-80 passes the entrance to Fort Pulaski National Monument ($10 per person 16+, card only, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day). The NPS says it’s 13 miles along US-80 from Victory Drive. Fort Pulaski and the rest of Savannah’s costs are in our Savannah visitor guide.

From Atlanta, the NPS’s Fort Pulaski directions page (last updated 2016) gives 265 miles and 4.5 hours; our own guides use about 4 hours 15 minutes via I-16. On busy weekends the city runs an emergency lane on US-80 and barricades on Butler Avenue.

Without a car: Chatham Area Transit’s current route list (service changes from August 31, 2026) has no route to Tybee, and we found no city-run or CAT shuttle.

What should you do in your situation?

Day trip from Savannah: Stop at Fort Pulaski when it opens at 9 a.m., then use the North Beach lot for the lighthouse and Marine Science Center (not Tuesdays) and spend the afternoon on the sand. Staying seven hours or more? Buy the $25 day pass online first.
With a dog: Skip the sand (no season is exempt; $300 fine). Do Fort Pulaski on a 6-foot leash, a leashed walk through town and the dog park.
On a budget: Park once: the day pass is $25 against $48 for a full day on the meter. Walk the free Fort Screven tour. For two adults and two kids aged 6–12 the lighthouse is $52 and the Marine Science Center $54, so pick one. Under-16s are free at Fort Pulaski.
Off-season (November–April): Parking is still charged 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily. There are no lifeguards outside May 1–Oct. 31 (per Visit Tybee), so check the NWS rip current risk first. Watch the holiday closures listed above for the lighthouse and Fort Pulaski.
On a Tuesday: The lighthouse and Marine Science Center galleries are closed; Fort Pulaski and the center’s guided walks aren’t.

Doing the whole coast? Our Georgia coast road trip starts in Savannah, and every Georgia beach and barrier island is compared on one page.

FAQ

How much is parking on Tybee Island?

The City of Tybee Island charges $4.00 an hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the year, paid through the Park TYB app (zone 2100) or a kiosk; no cash. A $25 day pass, valid until midnight, is sold online. A full day on the meter costs $48 (checked September 21, 2026).

Are dogs allowed on Tybee Island beaches?

No. City ordinance bans dogs and other pets from Tybee’s beaches and the structures on them, all year, with a $300 fine. Guide and service dogs are exempt. Elsewhere dogs must be leashed or under control, except in a city dog park.

How much are Tybee Island Lighthouse tickets?

$14 for adults and $12 for seniors 62+, ages 6–17 and military; 5 and under free. Tickets are sold only at the light station, include the Tybee Museum in Battery Garland, and aren’t sold on Tuesdays, when it’s closed. The last ticket is at 4:30 p.m. One Historical Society page labels these prices 2025; no 2026 list was posted as of September 21, 2026.

Can you drink alcohol on the beach at Tybee Island?

The city’s published beach rules ban glass and breakable containers ($300 fine) but don’t address alcohol itself. The Savannah Morning News reported on May 10, 2026 that alcohol is allowed in non-glass containers such as plastic cups and that kegs are banned.

Is there a bus from Savannah to Tybee Island?

No route to Tybee appears in Chatham Area Transit’s current route list (service changes from August 31, 2026), and we found no city or CAT shuttle. Most visitors drive US-80 east, past the entrance to Fort Pulaski National Monument.

How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on September 21, 2026. Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.

Sources

About Hank Whitlock

Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.