Climb
Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse has been guiding ships into the Savannah River since 1736, and it still throws a beam nearly eighteen miles out to sea. The climb is the single best thing you can do on your first morning on the island.
The staircase spirals up inside the brick tower in nine landings, each with a window and a bench — take them. The air cools as you rise, the salt smell sharpens, and the last flight opens onto the gallery deck 145 feet above the dunes. From up there you can see Little Tybee's wild marsh to the south, Hilton Head hazy to the north, and container ships stacking up offshore waiting for the pilot boat.
One ticket covers the tower, the head keeper's cottage, the assistant keepers' quarters, the 1899 summer kitchen and the Tybee Island Museum inside Battery Garland across the street. Budget ninety minutes to two hours to do all of it properly. The first-order Fresnel lens at the top is original and still in service.
Arrive within the first hour of opening. The stairwell is unconditioned and by noon in July it holds the heat like a chimney. Mornings also give you flat light over the marsh and thin crowds on the narrow deck. Weekdays in April, May, September and October are the sweet spot.
There is no elevator, the stairs are steep and open-riser, and children must be at least 40 inches tall to go up. Wear closed shoes, leave big bags in the car, and hold small hands the whole way. The site closes on Tuesdays in the off season and on major holidays — check the day before if you're driving out specially.