Harbour Town Lighthouse

It was my first time going there with family. It was such a nice visit on a beautiful day, took a stroll around and bought some souvenirs, captured some gorgeous photos. If you want a quick getaway to unwind and relax with friends, family and loved ones this is the place to be. I can't wait to come back.

Visited in Dec 2025 during Christmas. It was quiet and only a few folks there. Weather was fantastic. Totally enjoyed the tranquility around the light tower with o crowd.

Had the opportunity to visit this landmark that I have always seen on the PGA tour, and now personally for myself. Took the opportunity to visit the store and look at all the cute items they have for sale. Did not have time to actually climb the lighthouse, perhaps next time. The store is full of lots of great items to commemorate your visit. Apparel, souvenirs, jewelry, and lots of books. It is a great place to bring your kids as there are a lot of fantastic items for them. Given that the shop is located in the lighthouse and not a huge footprint of space, and it is tight. So if there are a lot of visitors, it’s kind of tough to move around and see everything. However, it is well worth your time and effort. So stop on by and check it out.

My husband and I had fun at the lighthouse. There is a $9 fee to get into the Sea Pines area and then $7.50 per person to go up the lighthouse. There is a store at the bottom and at the top. Up the stairs on each level are artifacts and history of the island and the lighthouse. Outside the lighthouse is lots of seating, stores, and restaurants. It was very cute and quaint.

My husband and I LOVED the lighthouse! We got free admission as part of our stay at Sea Pines, and I am so glad that we went! The sky was very clear when we went and it made for an amazing photo opportunity. Additionally, we loved all of the historical artifacts inside the lighthouse to see when walking up the stairs. The gift shop is also very cute and we left with some souvenirs. An amazing experience and we highly recommend. Great place to catch the sunset and an evening smooch 😀

The face of Hilton head. Pretty lighthouse with nice views. Truly iconic. The surrounding shops are ok and the restaurants are expensive. Just know before you go that to enter the neighborhood is 9 dollars and to go up the light house is 7.

The light house was great! We had a several families with us. The stairs weren't too much. They have a lot of learning facts on every stair platform and all throughout the walls. The kids loved looking and reading about various points in history. I would definitely recommend! The view was spectacular. When youre done you can get something to eat, walk the beach or walk the pier.

​Discrimination, Dangerous Waters, and Unacceptable Management Rating: 1/5 Stars ​ I am writing this to warn other boaters about the dangerous conditions approaching this marina and the shocking discrimination we faced from the staff. ​I am the owner of a 58-foot Vicem, Amazing Grace. While approaching the area, our steering became disabled after striking a sunken shrimp boat in 14 feet of water (we draw 5 feet). There are hazards here that are not properly marked. The Coast Guard assisted us and placed us on the end of the Harbour Town gas dock to assess the situation. ​Initially, Harbour Master Leslie Whitener was polite. The staff asked if we could move to a slip because we were occupying a portion of the gas dock—their "money maker." As the gas dock attendant referred to it as, I readily agreed to move once a tow arrived or the wind calmed enough for me to use my thrusters. I even offered to financially compensate the marina for any potential lost fuel sales while we waited, though the dock was empty most of the day. ​When the tow boat was delayed, I informed the dock attendant that the wind had died down and I could now move the vessel myself. Instead of assistance, the attendant became irate, accusing me of lying about the tow. When I tried to reason with him, the situation turned ugly. He told me, "We don't want any Damn Yankees in our marina anyway," and threatened to have me kicked out. ​I have traveled extensively and have never experienced discrimination until this moment. I am a white male from the Northeast, a father of four daughters (one in Heaven), and we run a foundation dedicated to grace and charity (4AGF.com). To be treated with such hatred and harassment while dealing with a disabled vessel was appalling. ​What is worse is that the Harbour Master, Leslie Whitener, spoke with this employee and chose to side with him. Rather than de-escalating the situation or accepting a paying customer’s money, she kicked us out. I was forced to pay thousands of dollars for an emergency tow to a different marina while awaiting a haul-out at Hinckley. ​I had hoped to make Harbour Town a yearly family destination. Instead, I left feeling harassed and hated simply for being from the North. Discrimination is alive and well at Harbour Town Yacht Basin. I strongly advise transient boaters to steer clear.

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

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...

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.

The light house was unique. It's 114 steps to the top of the light house. The light house itself is the museum. Has you go up, there are different pictures to, items to look at, and things to read. The view from the top is beautiful. If the route you take to light house has you go through the Sea Pines Resort community, you will need to purchase a daily visitors pass. The visitors pass is $9 dollars and it's CASH ONLY. When you come up to the security gate, use the right lane to purchase your pass.

Iconic Hilton Head Unless you are the Grinch, do enjoy the Iconic Harbour Town Light House... Many, many years ago, we observed, "Is this all there is?" This Iconic Harbour Town Light House is inviting and worth a visit. One does not have to climb to the top to appreciate. Years ago, we purchased a crystal Harbour Town Light House to display for our home - Many pleasant memories.

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.

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!

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.

Amazing! Small fee to go up into the lighthouse but the value is totally worth it, especially around sunset! You can stay as long as you like up until closing and there's lots of history in the staircase leading up to the top. Be prepared to walk up a lot of stairs but it goes quickly w everything to read and observe. The gift shop at the top is super cute and everyone that worked there were super nice and helpful. There are also several squished penny machines along the way, so bring change if you're into collecting those. Highly recommend!

I've probably been up 6 or 7 lighthouses in my time and this was probably the least interesting of them all. I mean its a lighthouse so you know what it is going in, but this one is fine; not very tall with a view that is not that great. A highlight was each 'floor' has a history section with pictures/props, I would estimate 6 of the floors have this? The last 3 or 4 just have modern stuff talking about golf and the coast guard so it definitely got less interesting as it went along. Both the top and bottom floors were gift shops which wasn't too surprising but something to note nonetheless. Also the entrance is like hidden? Just kind of weird to surround the icon of the island with big buildings.

Great little lighthouse with lots of history. The 114 steps going up is definitely worth the $5.75 per person. We had a nice time reading about the history, and enjoyed the stunning views on a bright sunny day. There are many shops and restaurants around. Parking was hard to find. I highly recommend parking a little bit farther and walk the 5 minutes to the lighthouse.

$9 bucks just to drive in. The residents dont much care for you driving throught their sea pines neighborhood and lets face it, its a harbor, with a bunch of upscale shops and a lighthouse. If thats your thing and you enjoy throwing money away, then youll have a great time.

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

Beautiful area, harbor, and light house. We found good ice cream and nice lunch. No one told us there is a $9.00 entrance fee / toll to drive through a state park to get there. Then and additional $7 to climb the steps to the light house. Very disappointing!

For many years I have enjoyed the televised Heritage golf tournament, where one would notice the Harbour Town Lighthouse in the town marina at Hilton Head Island. It was interesting to learn that the Lighthouse was privately built for a private aid to navigation. I visit family in Sea Pines Resort Hilton Head often and always find time to visit the Town Marina day and night. The Lighthouse has a red observation deck below the lantern where I have been often. The Sea Pines Resort is fortunate to have the Harbour Lighthouse on its real estate.

I enjoyed the Harbour Town Lighthouse as something to do for 30 minutes. The steps are no joke but the view at the top is worth it. The gift shop got the job done but was nothing too impressive. Staff was friendly.

Amazing history and a neat experience. We stayed in the area and saw the light house everyday. We initially didn't realized we could go inside. When we did, we paid our $5 to go to the top. We walked up the stair which had facts, pictures, and artifacts all along the way - especially on the landings. It was so interesting! At the top you can go outside and see full 360 degree views of the area and ocean. It was a super windy day when we went, but it was very safe. It also had beautiful views. It was worth the climb. The quaint Harbor Town is a great attraction in itself with the harbor, ocean, golf course, and shops.

A cool spot but I am not in shape to climb nearly 100 feet in the air for the view. It's only $4.50 to climb and we were already in Harbour Town for our vacation rental so we didn't have to pay to enter the community. Candy-striped and hexagonal, the lighthouse was completed in 1970. It is allegedly the first privately financed lighthouse built since the early 1800s. 114 steps to the top. Take a deep breath and give it a go. Enjoy the gift shop at the top. [Review 12420 overall, 2207 of 2019.]

Harbour Town is the "downtown" of the Sea Pines community on Hilton Head. Harbour Town consists of a shopping center with about 30 stores. There are a few dining options, including sitting outdoors right along the adjacent marina. Here you can look out at the yachts you will never be able to afford and very often there are local musicians doing their thing. There's a playground for the little kids and benches for the adults to just take it all in. You can set off on cruises or rent a jet ski right from one of the marina offices. Of course there's also the scenic photo opportunity with the Sea Pines light house. I first became familiar with this landmark from none other than the Golden Tee video golf game. As a visitor to Hilton Head Island it costs $8 for a car day pass into Sea Pines. If you've spent that amount, Harbour Town becomes a "must stop" during your exploration.

Don't be fooled by the Sticker.. was expecting a bumper sticker- was tiny to say the least.

Visited while in town celebrating a girlfriends birthday. This is truly a popular hang out spot. Lots of shops including souvenirs, places to eat, and lovely ice cream. There's a live entertainment area, boats, a beach to pick seashells and even a great spot to watch the sunset. It is in a private neighborhood so a few is required for entry if you don't have a parking pass. The fee was worth the views and the relaxed environment. Will definitely be back.

This is a very nice lighthouse you are able to climb to th top and walk out and see from the top. As you walk to the top there is a landing after each flight of steps for you to take a break and be able to read all of the information about the lighthouse and the local coast guard. There is a gift shop at the top and one on the bottom entry.

History museum inside the lighthouse. Easy 114 steps up with multiple landings. Great displays and beautiful view at the top

112 steps the the top. Nice size viewing area all around. The cost wasn't bad $5 for adults. They kind of packed items all around the base making hard to get a get photo near it. Walk along the sea wall put some boats in and that should be a good photo. If you catch a great sunset then what great photo you should have. Our day was windy and rain coming so no great photos. Money wise it costs $1.25 for the toll road and $9.00 for a car pass to get down to the lighthouse area. There are places there to eat, most reviews tell you they are over rated. Go to A Low country Backyard. It's only 5-10 minutes and really great food. Not on the water, but do you want great food or so-so food and the view. You decide.

The Harbour Town Lighthouse was surprisingly interesting! As you climb the steps to the top of the 90-foot Lighthouse, there are numerous historical artifacts and signs about the regional history. Lots to see and to read! The Lighthouse features two gift shops, one at the bottom and one on top. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children five and under. At the top, you have a fantastic view of Harbour Town and the surrounding area.

Iconic fake lighthouse in beloved Harbour Town in scenic Sea Pines is sure to become a favorite memory maker if you visit here! Sunsets are stunning! Gregg Russell singing to the kids every summer evening under the huge liberty oak. This red and white lighthouse = Hilton Head Island.....one of my favorite places to go. As Greg Russell says, I've been around the world and there's no place I'd rather be....

My friends and I enjoyed our visit and lunch near the lighthouse. $8.00 cash to enter the area and of you want to walk up the lighthouse it's 4.50 each which is reasonable. The view is nice and the area is quaint. People are nice and it's picturesque. This is a nice place to stroll and take a few selfies.

We hit this right at sunset! Absolutely beautiful! I wish there was more space to read all the history going up and down the stairs but it is way to narrow and we were there on Thanksgiving weekend so pretty packed. Very friendly staff, glad we took the tome to visit!

Lady greeting us was awesome! Very friendly and personable. There is a lot of things on the way up the lighthouse that elaborate on the history of SC and the lighthouse. We had two kids that just wanted to get to the top. Probably takes 5 mins without really stopping. View was pretty good at the top. My first lighthouse experience was successful

Great lighthouse in Harbour Town! Not too tall, family friendly, and has lots of history packed inside of it as you ascend to the top, all about the history of the island, lighthouse, and the island's history surrounding The Civil War. At the top, there's a store with air conditioning. 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...The RBC Heritage. The view also features the many beautiful homes from up above and the sound. Surprisingly affordable as well.

What a charming lighthouse back in the exclusive Sea Pines area of Hilton Head! Super busy area with shopping and restaurants. This is the only place where I saw people standing in line to be able to get into stores (during Covid). You do have to pay to go up into the lighthouse. Worth a visit!

Great views from the top! The walk up is a small museum about the area and the Coast Guard. $4.50 and well worth just for the view. Highly recommended.

Nice pleasant place to spend a day. $10 for two people to go in the lighthouse plus $10 for us to enter the town. Great view once you lug yourself up the stairs.

We went to the Harbour Town lighthouse gift shop again this year. We had visited two years ago and came back to see the interesting boat models. After entering the store, I showed my daughter a globe assembly and picked it up to check the price. At this point, the shopkeeper immediately yelled at me to not touch anything in the shop, as things were temperamental. I had a flashback to two years ago when the same ass was rude to a different customer in the same shop. I remember now why I won't return to this shop. If you are seeking the verbal abuse of an obtuse shopkeeper who doesn't know how her globes work, and you feel the need to be debased by a snarky jerk, this is the shop for you!

My family and I took a one day trip to Hilton Head Islands. We took a few hours in the morning to walk at the beach and planned to go to another beach area but my son injured himself because his cheap Walmart flip flops broke and cut himself on the rocks. Because of that reason, we stopped by TJ Maxx to buy him another flip flop, a good one and rush to Kroger to buy alcohol and bandaid. I decided to look to see if Hilton Head Islands had any lighthouse since I enjoyed the lighthouse at Tybee Island. Load and behold, there is one. I read that it will be $4.50 per person to get on top which is okay with me. Little did I know there would be a $6 fee to get in the gated community. Now, not complaining since I thought it was a decent price but I didn't expect it. Honestly, not sure if I would've came if I knew or not. Going in the community, I'm impressed with it. For some reason, it reminded me of Serenbe Farms cause it's like in a different world. I felt I was somewhere else. It is huge! There are shops and a cute playground at the area near the lighthouse. There is limited parking space. Lucky for us, we found one! Yes! It is free too. The lighthouse is smaller than I would have thought, only cause I'm comparing it with Tybee Island. It wasn't that many stairs. Gift shop is on bottom and top. In between rest time between stairs, is history of the light house. On top is much roomier and I liked that. I saw the pier from above that I wanted to check out While leaving the community, we saw parking space in the way front and lots of shuttle buses/trolleys taking people to wherever they need to go. Overall, my family and I enjoyed. Honestly, I didn't have any high expectations so maybe that's why. 62/2018

Perhaps if the residents worked harder they wouldn't need a toll booth in the front of their house to offset the HOA fee????

The museum is small, but chock full of wonderful bits of local and state history. I learned more about the area than I had previously known. I feel it's Geared towards adults, though there were small children with their parents. The view from the top is quite breathtaking. Admission was affordable. There is a smal gift shop upstairs and downstairs. You can visit the gift shop downstairs without admission to the museum. They had many unique items and books. Great place to shop for gifts.

I absolutely loved the lighthouse! The only reason that I give 4 stars instead is 5 is because the parking situation is very difficult. If you are able to find a parking spot, you most likely will have to walk a good distance to get to the lighthouse and this could be troubling if you have someone with a medical condition as we did. The view is beautiful and the staff is wonderful as well. If you get a chance to go to get lighthouse, take it. It is well worth the time and money.

We very much enjoyed the lighthouse. It's 114 steps and even my mother in law with a sprained ankle made it to the top. There are lots of pictures and historical signs to read. There is a nice gift shop at the bottom and another one at the top. My kids were super excited about the 3 penny machines and got all three for their penny books. The view from the top is beautiful. There was a golf tournament going on and we could see some of it from the top. It's $4.95 a person to go up, so not bad at all. I'd definitely recommend it!

I'm sorry to say but I'm actually quite disappointed in this place. It's nothing like I expected and it fell below my expectations. The light house in pictures looks sooo much larger than it actually is and than you have to pay $4.00 just to climb to the top. The flight of stairs is actually not that high and goes pretty quick. It was hot in the light house but they had fans at the top of each stairs. If you really wanted to read and look at the history about it you can they had all types of articles and fun facts about it. So getting to the top its nice but it wasn't all that especially from what I've seen on post cards they had an amazing shots. So you get to the top walk around take pictures and that's about it. Once your done you can check out the gift shop and look at all the overpriced items they were selling mind you nothing caught my eye here. All in all I have to say I'm a little dissapointed the pictures I saw online were kinda different than what I expected. I definitely wouldn't go back.

This is a great bang for your buck. As of this writing, it is only $5.75 per person. There is lots of history (photos, etc) as you walk up the steps to the top. While the lighthouse is not extremely tall, you do get some nice views of the area. And the climb up the stairs is not difficult.

Went this morning and was greeted by this lovely blonde woman who was super helpful. I loved her fun colorful shirt! No AC in the lighthouse so it was a little warm and with my week knees the stairs definitely wore me out. But the view from the top was priceless (worth the admission). My children had a blast and I think this lighthouse saved my marriage.

The red and white candy-striped lighthouse at Harbour Town is a symbol of both the Sea Pines Resort and of Hilton Head Island as a whole. For golfers, the Harbour Town Lighthouse is recognizable because it prominently sits behind the 18th green at Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the PGA Tour's annual spring Heritage tournament. The private lighthouse is "medium" sized at 90 feet tall. The tallest lighthouses in the country are 150+ feet tall. It takes 114 steps to get to the top. They've managed to fit a small museum and gift shop inside. The gift shop is located at the top. The whole lighthouse itself is a museum. As you make your way up, you can look at historic photographs and artifacts, some from the Civil War era and earlier. There are informational placards aplenty, chock full of text explaining Harbour Town's surprisingly rich history. There's also golf memorabilia pertaining to the Heritage golf tournament that golf fans will find interesting. The top of the lighthouse has scenic views of Harbour Town's boutique shops and restaurants below, the yacht basin (marina), the 18th hole of the golf links, and the beautiful Calibogue Sound. One of the best and most popular times to visit the lighthouse is at sunset. Note you can't visit at sunrise since the lighthouse doesn't open until 10 in the morning. I grew up vacationing with my family in Hilton Head beginning in the 1980s. I remember when access to this lighthouse used to be free. Over the last several years, they've instituted a fee and it's increased. At the time of writing this review, the cost of admission to the lighthouse is $4 per person. After payment, they'll give you a wristband and allow you to proceed. Unless you're a property owner or guest of Sea Pines, there's a $6 fee to enter the resort. The shop at the top of the lighthouse has great gift items such as crystal pieces, jewelry (e.g. Harbour Town Lighthouse earrings), compasses, clocks, books, artwork, and lighthouse trinkets. The lighthouse hosts events such as a New Year's ball drop and weddings. Several couples have gotten engaged at the lighthouse. If you've ever visited a lighthouse along the east coast US, particularly in the south (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia), then you'll know what to expect. Harbour Town's lighthouse is charming and should be considered an essential stop when touring Harbour Town and the greater Sea Pines Resort.

My family and I visited this place a few times during our visit and really enjoyed ourselves. The cost to enter the Sea Pines Plantation is just $6 dollars. This is probably due to this area being a 5,200 acre private gated community that houses many residential properties that average at least $1.6M in value. This area also houses one of the most well-known golf courses, Harbour Town Golf Links, which was designed by world golf hall of famer Jack Nicklaus and golf course designer Pete Dye. The Harbour Town Lighthouse offers a niche of fine stores, these stores appear to have been here for decades and have warmness about them. These are high end shops and not something for the average person. Then again, if you are visiting Hilton Head Island, this should be expected, HHI is not for people who live off minimum wage. The lighthouse charges a $3.75 (Update as of 2015 it is now $4), kids 5 and under are free. The lighthouse only has about 114 steps and after walking up to each flight, there is a collection of artifacts that talk about the history of Hilton Head Island. For all those who previously complained about the stairs, my wife was born with a rare disease (less than 100 cases documented in medical literature) which required her to have a total hip replacement, she wanted to visit the top and never complained. If someone who has screws, pins and a titanium rod implanted between the shaft of their femur and has a replaced acetabulum can manage to walkup this little lighthouse, what is their excuse? This lighthouse is fairly new considering that it was only built in 1970, but that doesn't take away from the awesome view when visiting the top and from taking beautiful pictures. For those who complain about the gift shop. Yes, the gift shop is in business to sell items and to make as much money as possible, but that is a business, to maximize their profits and this is taught in any business course. They do have a few cool items in the shop and it is worth at least checking out. My family and I really enjoyed our time at the Harbour Town Marina, the playground is excellent for kids, the cool yachts are nice to look at, the pier is worth walking up early in the day and as the sunsets, visitors can see dolphins jumping in the water and many beautiful pictures can be taken here. I highly recommend visiting this area, everyone who visits this place takes away something different from the next, it is what you get out of it. My wife and two boys enjoyed ourselves, my two year old kept crying when we left, because he loved being on the beach, he always left by waving and saying goodbye; hopefully, you will too will enjoy this place as much as we did. [Review #193]

Great views of Hilton ahead Island, the marina, and it has its own stores in the lighthouse. Don't miss it on your trip to the Palmetto State.

The Harbour Town Lighthouse is a symbol of this beautiful island. Those of us that have been coming to the Island for years and years see it as a symbol of being home. This is my 25th summer in Sea Pines, Hilton Head Island and once I see those red and white stripes I smile from ear to ear. The best photo spot to get the lighthouse in it's full glory is under the old liberty oak tree. Stand near the dock under the old oak tree in Harbour Town and click away. Another cool pic is to head around the harbour to the 18th Green after the last golfer has been through. You can score sunset pictures from this direction also. I would recommend you come to the Lighthouse in the evening and stay and stroll around Harbour Town. You can make a night of it by stopping under the Old Liberty Oak Tree to hear Greg Russell perform. There is also a playground for children and a dock to walk out over the water. Do you need to go up in the Lighthouse to see it's beauty- no. It is worth the journey up the stairs for epic HHI pics, to keep the kids busy for a hour, or to propose - absolutely!!! When I am at the top of the lighthouse, I am flooded with family memories of the past 25 summers in HHI, and for that, I cannot put a price.

Sure Hilton Head is known for the beach and restaurants, but if you don't make your way to this part of the island you are missing a vital part of the experience. At the center of it all is the Lighthouse. This is a newer lighthouse, which explains the wider structure. And there is a small admission ($4.50), but don't let that scare you off. The 10 levels you climb is worth the price alone. It is one continuous history lesson as you view artifacts and read the signs. The top though is where you want to spend your time (and not just to rest from all of the stairs). You behold a different view as you slowly walk around each corner. And keep in mind you can reserve the Lighthouse for special events. Enjoy!

The area/shopping center around the Lighthouse is fun but it is nothing truly exciting. The area is driven to provide entertainment for tourists, so there are no restaurants the locals would go to. There are many little gift boutiques, however, if you're looking for a fun place to pick up souvenirs or small hostess gifts. The lighthouse itself is fun and is a great workout. There is no AC or elevator is it's a long way up, especially in the summer. At the top there is a gift shop and the view from the lighthouse, which is nice for a short while but nothing spectacular. If you do climb the lighthouse though, definitely get some ice cream from on of the two ice cream spots in the area. It's a great treat after all of that walking.

Everyone on the island will tell you to go here. The secret - go during off hours and you'll have a lot of time to explore. Go up and along the way there is a lot of information to consume and you'll get a bit of history and interesting bits of history as you climb the 5 flights. Of course pay the $4.50 to go to the top and hang out A tourist place so fairly welcoming. The staff are mostly young kids and probably there to run the registers. But it is nice to see a range of people there (the only lack is that this is a fairly selective crowd in terms of socioeconomics. Of course the intention is to make it seem like a lighthouse but with all the tourist stuff it feels more like a gift shop. PRO - not many things to do other than shop and eat so this is a nice change. CON - during the season I am sure this place can get very crowded and there is not much room. Cost of the gift shop items are really high - I would not buy anything here but enjoy the light house experience and some of the history. Overall - it is an icon for the Island so you should visit. Plan to spend 30 min. exploring. When you get tired there are many shops and food options nearby as well as a number of chairs to sit and soak in the weather.