There is a public-access road leading to the beach, and the posh Elbow Beach Hotel facilities, which include lockers, towels, changing rooms and freshwater showers, are available for use at a nominal charge. Informal lunches and snacks are served at the Surf Club. During College Weeks, many springtime activities are held on the beach. It is also a popular spot for local fishermen. Facilities are available to the public.
Public conveniences are available.
The North Shore has fewer beaches because of the rugged character of the shoreline, and the number of public beaches decreases as one travels farther to the northeast. Hamilton Parish Shelly Bay Beach, named not for the shells but for an early colonist, Henry Shelly, is located in Hamilton Parish on the western side of Harrington Sound. About 200 yards long, it is the North Shore's largest beach with facilities open to the public. Visitors can wade in water that abounds with tropical fish for quite a distance before the sea floor drops. The Shelly Bay Nature Reserve is right next door, and there's a playground nearby.