Tybee Island Light Station and Museum

I’ve always had a fascination with lighthouses. I like to visit them along my travels when I can. Since I was staying here for a few days in Savannah, GA, I was able to make time to visit this beautiful lighthouse. I got here right around the time the lighthouse opened, which was 9 am.
To get your tickets, you go into the gift shop. As of the time of this review, it is $ 9 for adults to go in, with a discount of $ 7 for seniors. Your ticket is a wristband with the name of the place listed on it. They give you a quick overview of what buildings are available to go in. When you go outside, it looks like you are taking a step back in time. Many of the quarters are available to go in, and some of the items are original to the time period.
Obviously, my first stop was to go to the lighthouse and make it to the top. The weather was nice that morning with temperatures near 60. There was a bit of a breeze down at the ground level; however, it was a different story after taking the 178 steps to the top. It was very windy up on the catwalk, but that didn’t deter me. The sky was crystal clear without a cloud in sight. It was a perfect day to come to this lighthouse.
After coming back down to the ground, I walked around the grounds a bit before leaving. I would have stayed longer, but there was quite a few things I wanted to accomplish on the last day in Savannah.
Overall, this is a great lighthouse and totally worth visiting. The drive from Savannah to here and back is actually quite nice going through the marshes and such. If you are in this area, you should definitely check this beautiful lighthouse out.

You’re going to want to know the number of stairs.
The total: 178.
Not bad. Especially having recently checked out the St. Augustine lighthouse, which is about two stories or so taller. Tybee’s lighthouse felt like a warm-​up in comparison.
This particular lighthouse is visually stunning for a number of reasons. First, the black and white day mark contrast is gorgeous, along with the red top roof of its base building.
Also, it is so very close to the ocean foot, so views of the beach are quite captivating in more than 180 degrees. Apparently this light house has a sordid past. It was destroyed in storms and soldiers multiple times and had to be rebuilt several times.
Be very careful when you’re climbing the steps. Not only are they steep, but vibration from the walking disturbs the structure. There is a docent on-​site who keeps track of the number of people going up and down, so there is a chance that you may have to wait in line for a turn to reach the top. There are a number of offshoots along the way were you can rest and get a view.
Couple of tidbits of information I found interesting:
Mariners recognize light houses by their pain patterns. These patterns are called day marks.
The lighthouse was converted to electricity in 1933.
There were several keepers at the lake house, and they have found homes. They are all still standing. Apparently this makes the lighthouse one of the most intact in the nation.
The initial our house was built in 1773. It was destroyed several times by storms and Confederates. The lighthouse was reconstructed in 1867.
Also, be sure to check out the keepers cottage. The kitchen is pretty sweet. All that cast iron!
The Tybee Island Museum is across the street and included in the price of admission: $ 9 for general admission; $ 7 for everyone else.
Be forewarned: the lighthouse has a pretty strict policy against backpacks. Even if you were using it as a diaper bag for your little one, be prepared to defend taking it along.
The battery was part of the closstal defense system and was decommissioned in 1945.
Apparently, the Tybee Island Historical Society offers. memberships at $ 35 for seniors and students. $ 45 for singles. $ 60 for couples and $ 75 for households.

Visiting a lighthouse is marked off my bucket list now.
You pay around $ 9/​person for admission to the lighthouse. I was able to use my credit card. With that paid admission, you get to visit the museum across the street and even the a few houses on display for you to see how it was back in the days. Those houses reminded me of the houses on display when I went to the Atlanta History Museum.
The best part of coming to Tybee Island is for the lighthouse. It is roughing 175 steps of stairs? I don’t even remember. I just am glad, there is a rest area for every 25 stairs or so. When you get close to the top, the stairs are more narrow. I suggest letting one person go at a time and avoid incoming/​outcoming traffic. I always give courtesy to the other person and let them go because I seriously do not want to be tumbling down the stairs. That’ll be embarrassing.
I love being on top of the lighthouse looking out. There really isn’t much room walking around but enough. It can be crowded on top. I really enjoy the view and took lots of pictures. While exiting the area, you will enter the gift shop. I bought two long sleeve Tybee Island shirts. They were cool and stylish and got a free handbag since I spent over $ 50
We went to the museum across the street. It was small and informative. We also went on top, not as high as the lighthouse and got a good closer view of the beach. We smell yummy food coming from A-J’s.
Overall, the lighthouse is worth visiting.

Headed to the lighthouse after Ft. Pulaski and it was a bust. The observation deck & museum was closed, yet tickets were still required and full price.

We had went several places in Florida and detoured our way back to Ohio to spend a day or two in Savannah. I’m a fan of lighthouses so we made a quick trip to Tybee. We didn’t go inside the lighthouse but I was really glad we took a look and went back at night when we could see if it would light up which it did.

Visited here because there isn’t much to do at the island except eat and relax by the beach. The lighthouse and house are beautiful but the museum is lacking. If you’re running late, start at the top of the museum which is the top of the fort because it’s the first place they close. The museum mostly had posters on the wall with history and some artifacts. It’s a must do but don’t expect to be wowed if you’ve been to other lighthouses and forts before.

Amazing views from the top, love visiting and exploring places. The walk to the top is tiring and if you are afraid of heights I don’t recommend it. Well worth the cost, the many museums to explore are a great insight to the life of a light house keeper. The lighthouse is closed if there is rain or lightening so prepare and plan accordingly!

I’m usually not in to lighthouses but we stopped off here on the way out to waste some time. The area is surrounded by large walls from the ‘batteries’ where they had large guns protecting the coastline during war. The lighthouse and the buildings are off away from the water and have been reconditioned to their 1890 – 1910 condition.
The cost was $ 9 for adults and $ 7 for kids (4 – 17). There is usually a waiting line to climb the tower which took us roughly twenty minutes to wait in line.
There are 178 steps and it is compact. The spiral staircase has small rest areas every 35 steps. As you get to the top you’ll need to give way to those coming down. They only allow 20 – 25 people in the tower at a time but try to be friendly and step to one side AND WAIT for them to pass.
If the system is working well, when they leave as you are going up it will leave the catwalk up on top basically empty for you to take pictures and view the coast. The view from 144 feet is cool, but if you are afraid of heights you can still stay inside the top and look out the door or the window.
The museum and the restored houses are a quick visit. They aren’t much to talk about. I wish they kept the large guns there. That would have been cool to see. However if you are a bit of a history buff you will enjoy the two museums they have in place, which don’t cost any more. It is included with the entry fee to the lighthouse.
We didn’t get to go, but there is a sunset/​evening tour which we hear is the best time to visit.

I visited the lighthouse once as a little girl, then again recently since I moved to the Coastal Empire. The history here is so rich. They’ve done a lovely job at preserving older cottages to give you the feel of what it was like back then.
I will give you some encouragement: no matter how much you knees tell you to stop going, continue to the top of lighthouse. The view is well worth the effort.
Once you pay for entry to the lighthouse museum, you’re given admission into the old battery. Even more artifacts and information on what the beach used to look like, and how far it has come!
A great way to spend a day on Tybee.

This was a great time! The entire family enjoyed the lighthouse and historical buildings, as there was plenty for the adults and kids to experience and have fun with. Price is also great at $ 9 for adults, $ 7 for kids 6 – 17, and kids under 5 are FREE! The attractions includes the lighthouse, several historic homes, lots of history, and the batteries across from the lighthouse. The history and detail are amazing. There are plenty of indoor and shaded options at the fort but you’ll be outdoors for most of it, exposed to the sun and bugs. Make sure to bring sunblock and bug repellent just to be safe. Overall, a must attraction for a family or historian.

Great preservation of this great historic site. It was great to see all the old appliances and tools that were used in the life of the lighthouse keepers and their families. The history of Tybee, Fort Screven, and the batteries is also very informative and entertaining. Fair warning — they quit selling tickets at 4:30, and the site closes at 5:30

Very beautifully restored lighthouse. The stairs to the top are spacious with many landings. Friendly attendants. The women’s bathroom could use some appropriately sized stall doors. The bottom of the stall doors are above the height of the toilet… awkward!

I enjoyed the lighthouse visit; it was one of the spots I wanted to explore since I never even knew there’s a lighthouse in the area during my previous visits to the island. Truth is it’s quite «hidden» in the north side of the island, and due to tall trees in the area, it’s not something you can easily spot from the main highway (Hwy 80).
There is dedicated parking lot for the lighthouse and the neighboring museum (from what I can see it is free as long as you are a paid patron of the lighthouse). Feel free to drive. Instead, my friend and I didn’t know about the easy parking and decided to WALK from the beach house we rented off 7^th Street… let’s say I got myself plenty of exercise that day.
There is a $ 9 charge, which give you access to the top of the lighthouse (178 steps later) and the Tybee Island Museum. Bring cash, I don’t know if they take cards for sure.
This is definitely something fun to do in the area. We didn’t have enough time to really enjoy the museum exhibit. My suggestion: allocate an hour just to walk through the exhibit if you like to read everything.

We really loved the visit to Tybee Island Light Station and Museum. The climb to the top is not easy, but the lighthouse itself is so well maintained and the staff so friendly and helpful it is definitely worth it. For only $ 9.00 pp you can park all day and tour the lighthouse, the beautifully restored homes, and part of the fort across the street as well as walk out to the beach. We saw places on Tybee Island that charged double that just to park for the day. The grounds are so beautifully manicured and the buildings so intricate, you really can make a full day activity out of this stop.

Great attraction in Tybee. Great views of the beaches, houses, and parks. Stairs up the lighthouse are tight and narrow, but totally worth the trip.

If you enjoy lighthouses then you really enjoy the Tybee island Lighthouse and Museum. The museum is filled with historical things about the lighthouse and the island. going to the top is a must although it is a very tough climb. The views are a nice reward and are spectacular. A must stop in Tybee.

This is a nice place to visit if you are into light houses, and the view is nice from the top, providing a great photo op. It seems like somewhat of a tourist trap to me. It’s 9.00 a ticket, to walk up 278 stairs to get to the top and take a few pictures. Worth it? I would say it’s worth a one-​time visit. The lighthouse itself is very crowded, and you often run into people trying to walk up the curly stairs to get to the top, and it’s somewhat hot. There is a small gift shop that you can purchase touristy things for a small fortune. The overall experience was good, I just don’t see it being at the top of my list of things to do.

Tybee Island light has seen its share of changes over the years.
It seems weird that this lighthouse (number four) is located so far inland, but when you discover that the three previous lighthouses has so much trouble, you understand why. The first lighthouse was built in 1736, but was swept away by a storm in 1741. The second lighthouse was already under construction when the first was destroyed. It was completed in 1742 further inland, but within 5 years the sea was within 30 feet of the foundation and it was apparent another lighthouse would need to be built SOON! By 1773 a third lighthouse was completed further inland, but burned by confederate soldiers in 1862 to keep Federal troops from using it. After the Civil War, the lighthouse was rebuilt by adding to the first 60 feet of the third lighthouse instead of building from scratch. It now stands 154 feet tall.
There are other historic buildings on the property as well as Fort Screven just across the street. There you will find even more history of the lighthouse and Tybee Island (once known as Savannah Beach).
INTERESTING FACTS
* A daymark is the paint pattern used on lighthouses for visual recognition in the daytime. I found a few articles that said all the lighthouses in the United States have a different daymark and that no two are the same. But I’m not entirely certain that is true. This summer we visited Maine and in my opinion, Nubble & Portsmouth Harbor are identical in shape and daymark color. The lens color is the only visible difference.
* Six different daymark designs have been used on Tybee Island Light since 1867.
* All American lighthouses also have a different light pattern @ night.
* Only 122 of approximately 850 lighthouses still standing in America are open to the public.
* Tybee Island light is also only one of seven Colonial lighthouses of this design.
* The light used in this lighthouse does not rotate.
* In 1999, the lighthouse changed its design back to the fourth day mark, which was the longest lasting design (from 1916 – 1965).
FINAL THOUGHTS
I really enjoyed one of the Rangers at Ft. Screvens whom shared the story of one of the pictures on the entrance wall. He was surprised to hear a man talking one day saying he knew all the ladies in the picture (taken in the 1930’s). He pointed them out all by name and although the Ranger was aware of some of the names, he wasn’t sure of the order until this gentleman showed up decades later. Take time to listen if you aren’t in too much of a hurry. Not my favorite lighthouse (all the black makes it look so gloomy to me), but still impressive. It will literally leave you breathless after climbing its 178 stairs to the iron observation deck. Cost is about $ 9 for adults and $ 7 for kids 6 – 17. Children five and under are free. ENJOY!

If you like private tours, reserve a spot in their sunset lighthouse tour. You and only 14 others get to tour the lighthouse and watch the sun set from the top. If you want a tour of the other light keepers’ homes, you can enter for free the following day.
The view from the top was great! Perfect escape from the city and made for a nice date night.
It’s a great attraction on this little island. Go and have a nice climb… work those calves!

Needing a break from the beach, we decided to go check out the Tybee Island Lighthouse and museum. Tickets are $ 9.00 for adults and $ 7.00 for children and members of the military (Nice!). Also, you must enter and exit in through their gift shop, so you have two chances to spend some of your moolah on practically anything lighthouse related.
Since there was no line or wait (apparently a rarity), we decided to first walk up the 178 spiraling stairs to the top of the lighthouse, a very nice workout for the legs! Once we arrived at the top, we were met by Gus, who highlighted some history of the surrounding area, pointed out some of the major sights and gave us some recommendations on local restaurants to try. He was so friendly and interesting and we really enjoyed talking with him for awhile. Naturally, the view of the ocean and surrounding residential areas was amazing.
After descending back down to the bottom of the lighthouse, we walked through a couple of the historic lighthouse keeper cottages and actually witnessed a marriage proposal (yeah, fo real) before leaving to get some lunch. The lighthouse is definitely a must-​see if you’re visiting the island. Just make sure you park in their lot for free and don’t go on a Tuesday (closed).