1. Harbour Town Lighthouse

0

Hilton Head Island, SC

Cancel

Open app

Search

Harbour Town Lighthouse

3.7 (124 reviews)
Closed • 10:00 am - 6:30 pm
Updated 3 weeks ago

Harbour Town Lighthouse Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Harbour Town Lighthouse

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Tawny V.

From their website, it's described as a legendary Lowcountry location, and I'd say that's spot on. A visit to The Sea Pines Resort isn't complete without a trip to the Harbour Town Lighthouse. Its museum-like setting offers visitors the chance to explore the rich history of the island while climbing the 114 steps of the iconic red-and-white-striped structure. The museum features a fascinating collection of memorabilia from the Heritage Classic, now known as the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, along with artifacts from the island's historic eras, including the Civil War. At the top of the lighthouse, you're rewarded with panoramic views of the Lowcountry and the island's most elevated shopping experience at the Top of the Lighthouse Shoppe. Honestly, the entry fee was only $7.50 -- a small price to pay for such a beautiful view. Even on a super windy day, the scenery was breathtaking and definitely worth the climb, a must-do activity! Great service!

Suzie R.

A must see and do if you're in Harbour Town in Hilton Head Island. This part of the island is what I would call private. It costs money just to enter the town. I would recommend heading there somewhat on the early side. Parking can fill up fast depending on the season and there are tons of parking lots but still that area near the lighthouse fills up! That's how fancy schmancy it is. We also just happened to see and climb the lighthouse on national lighthouse day! It does cost money to check out the lighthouse and they even have a gift shop at the very top. They also have a really cool photo opportunity via their website if you get the camera mounted on the lighthouse at the right angle and time. I also enjoyed learning the history of the town along the way while climbing up inside of it.

Harbour Town
Shanel B.

This was a cool attraction, but the inside is small and tight. We purchased tickets we weren't notified of any construction, but the entire lighthouse was under construction during our visit; making outside pictures u attractive. They appeared either low staffed in the lit house or unprepared for the crowd. The lighthouse is a self guided tour, worth the value of the tickets. The view from the top is breathtaking and completely worth the hike up several flights of stairs.

Ethan T.

My wife and I popped into this location just to check out the gifts as we weren't planning to head to the top as we had already seen the views from the Quarter deck. We were the only ones so it was not busy and there was no greeting such as 'welcome in' for either of us. We're friendly and approachable types so the no greeting was quite odd. Most amazingly, both my wife and I greeted her with a hello (my wife as we entered and I as I departed) and she chose not to respond, engage, or acknowledge. We found this lack of hospitality divergent from almost all the boutiques in Harbour Town where the shopkeepers are quite welcoming, friendly, and engaging.

Harbour Town Lighthouse
Terry L.

Lighthouse Harbor Town SC 2-28-25 I had to stop by this Lighthouse in Harbor Town Hilton head Sc. This Lighhouse is in a shopping area with lots of stores and restaurants around it. This is a great area to spend some time just walking and browsing. The Light house is in great shape with a Gift shop in the bottom of it. You can walk the 114 steps to the top for a small fee. This Lighthouse still flashes every 20 seconds. This area is a must see and shop, go make a day of it. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Follow Me On FB For More Reviews Gulf Coast Terry

Emilie W.

This was a really fun attraction! When you first walk in there is a gift shop where you can buy your tickets which was $7.50. It will be a tad bit cramped but once you start going up the stairs it's not all that bad. Each floor had some type of "attraction" including photos and a photo booth or a smashed penny which was fun to do. Once I got to the top the view was perfect! I really enjoyed walking the 360 view and taking it all in. Once I was done I walked around the second giftshop overall it was fun and a great bucket list to check off.

Katie C.

Fun day team museum/sight seeing to check out in Harbour town. Lot of historic facts and cute finds in the gift shops.

Inside the lighthouse gift shop
Dave O.

Well if you've never been to the area and have already paid the $9.00 entrance fee to enter Sea Pines you might as well pay the additional $6.25 per person to climb the 114 steps to the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse. You don't need to go very far back in history to know everything there is to know about this iconic structure since it was completed in 1970. Some call it a fake lighthouse or a tourist attraction but it's officially known as a "private navigational aid" yep it officially recognized by the US Coast Guard even in the modern age of GPS and Satellite Navigational Technology I can only think it's like getting an Honorary Doctorate from Southern New Hampshire University nothing personal against SNHU they have great commercials. You won't find many lighthouses that can boast so many accolades of being a tourist and wedding destination that features a museum with gift shops at the bottom and top of the lighthouse, you should really check them out they offer some beautiful golf club covers and miniature replicas of its likeness. I've made several trips to the top over the years so I passed on the opportunity to get some extra steps in today but I do recommend everyone do the climb at least once at the very least you can check off another lighthouse adventure from your bucket list, it gets a big okay from me...

The lighthouse is awesome
Ann C.

Such a fun activity. I challenged myself to walk to the top of the lighthouse, and I did it! 114 stairs. Not for the faint of heart. The lady at first desk on the bottom floor was very polite. When you get upstairs, there's a gift shop with interesting selections. Lots of cool things to choose from. On the way up is the interesting part. Tons of history about the area. It used to be free, but it doesn't bother me that they charge because keeping things like that running isn't cheap.

Deborah K.

Beautiful place and great gift shop. Next year we will come back and eat at the restaurant that looked quite lovely.

Lynn R.

This is beautiful, nautical area to visit at Hilton Head Island. There's a variety of shops and places to dine. The view is stunning and the lighthouse is well kept. There's roughly over 100 steps to climb to the top of your so inclined to do so. The cool breeze and friendly vibe is inviting. The morning time is less crowded and a little cooler out. There's lots to see and do here and the nice part is they appeal to families, retirees and others.

Hemen B.

Situated in the sea pine resort area of Hilton Head Sourh Carolina is Harbour Town Lighthouse and museum. Beautiful lighthouse and surrounding area with shops and restaurants. The pier is a great place to watch the sunset from. You can spot dolphins too and we saw plenty of them! The entry into Sea pines has a cash fee of $9 so have some cash handy! Beautiful area as a whole!

Lighthouse
Jennifer E.

We got a 2 for 1 admission with our condo rental. What they didn't tell us was that it would cost $9 to get into the community to see the lighthouse. Cash only. The Sea Pines area is gated. The lighthouse was interesting. We found out things about the area we did not know. We found the history interesting. At the top there is another shop, there is one at the bottom as well. Then you can walk outside around the entire thing. There is also a webcam that I now know about. As such, I can get online and see how things are there. Overall, a nice experience.

View of the sea and docks

See all

Reviews are mixed. Many highlight the iconic local landmark, historical exhibits, and panoramic views. The fun gift shops are also popular.

Read the full review summary in the app

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Gary H.
0
37
11

28 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Tawny V.
2186
1356
12155

1 year ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Ethan T.
120
962
15635

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Katie C.
143
18
90

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 47
Thanks 4
Love this 34
Oh no 1
Photo of Ann C.
157
420
3061

3 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Deborah K.
1
109
174

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Bruce K.
2442
26523
79298

7 years ago

Helpful 13
Thanks 0
Love this 13
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 27
Thanks 0
Love this 26
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

A fun tour with interesting highlights. If you love golf, this is a must see. Will bring back good memories.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Bill S.
1682
860
9415

7 years ago

Helpful 15
Thanks 0
Love this 10
Oh no 0
Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Sam S.
494
1862
3339

5 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 4

Ask the Community - Harbour Town Lighthouse

What is the cost?

$4.95 per person. Children 5 and under are free.

Is there a height requirement to climb the lighthouse?

There were very small children at the top, so doubtful.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Harbour Town Lighthouse

“The view is beautiful from the top as you can see the 18th hole of Harbour Town Golf Links, the host of the PGA Tour tournament...”

Mentioned in 3 reviews

Read more highlights

Coastal Discovery Museum

Coastal Discovery Museum

4.6(75 reviews)
6.4 mi

What an amazing museum complex and grounds! Beautiful walking paths and gardens. The info inside…read morethe museum was interesting. I attended a photography class inside one of the buildings and it was a great setting for it.

The Coastal Discovery Museum came up in a search of things to do on a rainy day in Hilton Head…read more While there is a museum component in the main house, much of the attractions are outdoors, so something to keep in mind should you visit when it's raining or when the weather isn't ideal. The outdoor component includes several boardwalks, sculptures, a butterfly enclosure, and gardens. It's meant to introduce you to the coastal ecosystem and marsh life, which makes it quite unique. Admission is complimentary and there's a decent amount of parking. The main house and museum (the Discovery House) I would rate a 3.5 out of 5 stars. The volunteers on hand do a good job in welcoming guests and introducing the site so that guests aren't just left to wander on their own. While the permanent exhibits explaining the local area, ecosystem, and history were decent, I felt the more modern artwork was quite underwhelming, with many of the works on display having price tags (leads me to believe it was amateur artwork for sale). It left me wishing the weather was nice so I could explore the grounds, but that wasn't meant to be as there was a downpour of rain outside. If you have free time in Hilton Head, I'd recommend a visit to the Coastal Discovery Museum, but probably moreso when the weather is nice so you can explore the grounds.

Photos
Coastal Discovery Museum
Coastal Discovery Museum - Talking area.

Talking area.

Coastal Discovery Museum - Entrance to the museum is through this porch.

See all

Entrance to the museum is through this porch.

Tybee Island Light Station and Museum - Lighthouse!

Tybee Island Light Station and Museum

4.4(225 reviews)
8.3 mi

We took a day trip from Savannah Georgia, where we were staying over to Tybee Island, which is a…read morequick jaunt and it was worth the day trip. We headed over to the lighthouse and got the tickets. They have senior discounts, military discounts, and various deals, but the price is very reasonable and it includes your trip up the lighthouse and you also have the museum across the street that has so much detail you can spend hours there. The view from the top of the lighthouse gives you such an amazing perspective of Tybee Island and the beach is enormous and you can see quite a bit of it from the top of the lighthouse. Make sure you're in good physical condition to walk up 196 stairs, which is like six levels up. They limit the number of people that can go up the lighthouse all at one time so it doesn't get congested up at the top. They keep just a handful of people going at one time.

Having been married at a lighthouse, our family has made it a fun goal to go a lighthouse on every…read morefamily trip. This trip was Savannah, Georgia. Tybee Island is around 30 minutes away in a cozy little coastal town. The rate to go in the lighthouse covers the lighthouse and their museum. We only had time for the lighthouse. The price is $12 for adults and $10 for children. Children 5 and under are free. I was surprised they allow children of all ages. Normally there is a height restriction. My youngest (4) was thrilled because he's always wanted to join on our family tradition but was too short or young. He did a excellent job along with our (8) year old and my husband walking up the 178 steps. This is the tallest lighthouse in Georgia and the climb is fairly easy in my opinion. There is a break at every 25 steps where you can look out a window or just take a breath and let people pass if needed. The view from above is beautiful. You can see the water. There is no staff member at the top and the staff do not spend long explaining the lighthouse but there are signs to read. Overall it was a good experience and it's a beautiful lighthouse. Worth the visit. Next time we will carve time for the m

Photos
Tybee Island Light Station and Museum - Main keepers house

Main keepers house

Tybee Island Light Station and Museum - Lighthouse

Lighthouse

Tybee Island Light Station and Museum

See all

The Daufuskie Difference - The beach on Daufuskie Island was almost completely deserted on this 47 degree winter day!

The Daufuskie Difference

3.5(2 reviews)
4.6 mi

I've been coming to Hilton Head Island for over a decade now and there was one thing I'd always…read morewanted to do but never found the time: Take a ferry ride over to Daufuskie Island to explore with my family. We chose The Daufuskie Difference because their winter special ferry rates were cheaper than any other tour company. ~ THE SCENE First off, if you've never been to Hilton Head Island, you're missing a beautiful place to bring your family for a quiet and relaxing beach getaway vacation. I've never been on the island in the summer, so I don't know how much the atmosphere changes with the summer beach-goer crowds. But Fall and Winter are our favorite times to go because we practically have the island to ourselves. Many times it's not warm enough to go out into the water, but still warm enough to ride bikes on the beach without a coat. We've come to Hilton Head Island so many times that it feels as if we've done all there is to do and were looking for a new experience. Daufuskie Island was our last unexplored frontier in the area, and although it was a particularly brisk day, we booked a ferry ride anyway. ~ THE EXPERIENCE I called just one day prior to our visit and reserved our ferry seats and golf cart rental. The launching dock was conveniently located less than 5 minutes from our bungalow. Parking was plentiful & getting on the ferry was simple. Just walk up to the tiny little outpost building, give them your reservation name, pay your fees (if you didn't already do so over the phone) and walk their super long boardwalk out to the ferry dock. We were chartered on their alternate boat because the main ferry, the Delta Lady, was being serviced. According to the check-in office, the Delta Lady had recently been used by Disney to film the LIVE ACTION version of Lady & the Tramp, coming to theaters later this year (2019). Its radar equipment was removed for filming to keep an authentic look to the period of the movie. One of the ferry's crew members served as an extra in the movie... so we took a picture with him. The 50-minute ferry ride was smooth and uneventful. The crew pointed out a few interesting facts along the way, which was delightful and welcoming to someone like me who enjoys little informational tidbits when in a new environment. Once we docked, the golf cart rental office/store was not far away. [ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ] Golf cart rentals are for self-guided tours. Find an online map of Daufuskie Island streets and print it BEFORE you arrive. The map they give you at the rental office is trash!!! Many of the intersections on the map don't match the street names on the actual street signs. It was EXTREMELY confusing to use. Also, it doesn't seem to be drawn to scale because some distances were longer and some shorter than they appeared to be on the map. SIDE NOTE: I'm an excellent map reader. The allure of the island has always been that it remains natural. I was surprised to see actual vehicles on the island since I was told no cars are allowed. The homes we saw, for the most part, were modest shacks. However, there is a section of the island named Haig Point with million dollar homes that we were not allowed to explore. The map IS useful for pointing you in the general direction of all the island's places of interest. Of the 15 points of interest, the most interesting were: * BEACH NATURE WALK where over a mile of beach was completely ours to explore with very few visible humans in sight! (temps were in the upper 40's). * BLOODY POINT LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM also sits near Silver Dew Winery. Be forewarned the lighthouse isn't really your typical lighthouse. The name is derived from bloody Indian battles fought here. * COMMUNITY FARM where little ones can play with farm animals * OLD DAUFUSKIE CRAB CO. where the staff allowed us to wait inside since it was so cold outside. They even provided us all with sodas on the house! * LUCY BELL'S CAFE where we ate a wonderful meal! (review coming soon) TIP - Other tour companies use the public dock, which is much closer to points of interest. ~ FINAL THOUGHTS I do wish we'd had more time to explore the cemeteries (some with graves dating back to the 1700's) and Haig Point Lighthouse, which is no longer operational. The map confusion and the slow speed of the golf carts caused us to fear making it back on time for the ferry. So we ceded about 45 minutes of our time since not much is very close to the marina. Still, we enjoyed the visit and suspect we would have REALLY loved it had the day been warmer. I recommend taking one of the offered tours to get the full experience of the island. No tours were available during our visit since it was Christmas week, but I hope to return someday to experience Sallie Ann's Native Gullah Tour. She's been featured on The Food Network, Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmern and in National Geographic & Southern Living magazine. Enjoy! 2019/1

Different. If you don't mind a slow golf cart ride on a dirt road to hardly nowhere, if you find…read moresome places open on the brochure, relax and enjoy the sights. Do stop at the winery, get a bottle of wine, drink and then enjoy. I would wait till afterwards to enjoy the crab cake and Sheet Metal drink.

Photos
The Daufuskie Difference - Ticket office on the Hilton Head side of the ferry ride

Ticket office on the Hilton Head side of the ferry ride

The Daufuskie Difference - Filling gout paperwork for our golf carts before we get to the island.

Filling gout paperwork for our golf carts before we get to the island.

The Daufuskie Difference - This crew member will be in the upcoming live action version of Disney's Lady & The Tramp!

See all

This crew member will be in the upcoming live action version of Disney's Lady & The Tramp!

Beaufort Tours

Beaufort Tours

4.4(46 reviews)
21.8 mi

DO NOT MISS THIS .. What a great time we had with Bill ... he loves Beaufort and it shows …read more. Through him we fell in love with Beaufort too. He knows his town, it's history, architecture and MOVIE his knowledge is awesome. Plus thev A-list movies filmed in the surrouding areas ... It's a mere hour drive from HIlton Head and worth the trip. Thanks again Bill ( p.s. hope you enjoyed the El Camino) Lis - J and Mo

When you book this walking history tour ask if Janet will be giving you tour. If not don't take…read moreit !!!!! Our Charleston based tour planner and staff at our Beaufort B and B raved about Janet's tour and how she brings the city of Beaufort and its magnificent homes and history to life. Unfortunately her delegate who gave us our tour on June 5 was UNACCEPTABLE. I believer we would have enjoyed our two hours more just walking around on our own. We learned more of Beaufort's history, houses and residents on our Dolphins Adventures Tour than we did with this replacement guide. There were only 4 of us on the tour and the guide spent the entire time talking with two phd child psychology students, a couple, trying to impress them with his knowledge of their field of study. He spent more time on this than talking about Beaufort. We traditionally love walking tours as it allows for engagement with the guide etc. We were ignored like we were not even on the tour zero engagement the exact opposite of every other one of our tours on our two week trip. . A church was unlocked for us to walk in. Unfortunately a number of others sauntered in the open door and we had to wait a good 15 minutes while the others moseyed around the interior used the bathroom (queued) etc. as our guide had to wait until they left. Because he had to lock up.

Photos
Beaufort Tours
Beaufort Tours - Pat Conroy's desk

Pat Conroy's desk

Beaufort Tours

See all

Harbour Town Lighthouse - museums - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...