Hilton Head's lighthouse, with the only female lighthouse keeper in North America, was built in 1970 and is prettily perched at the Harbour Town marina on the island's southern end, tucked away on Sea Pines Plantation. The 114 steps to the top are a museum, filled with Civil War artifacts, island history and regional lighthouse history, which certainly makes climbing them more interesting than otherwise. In addition to the admission, you'll pay a $6 day-pass fee for Sea Pines.
The entryway downstairs doubles as a maritime gift gallery, with nautical items and South Carolina books and memorabilia, and there's also a gift shop at the top.
