Georgia Lighthouses: Tybee, Cockspur, St. Simons, and Sapelo

Georgia’s coast has some of the oldest lighthouses in the country, and you can see them on a single trip. Two stand on the Tybee Island side of Savannah, one guards St. Simons Island, and one is reached by ferry from the mainland at Sapelo Island. Here is how each one came to be, and how to visit.

General James Oglethorpe ordered a lighthouse at the mouth of the Savannah River, and the first tower on Tybee Island went up in 1736. At 90 feet, it was the tallest structure of its kind in America. Today the Tybee Island Lighthouse stands about 145 feet tall, and visitors can climb its 178 steps for a view of the whole island.

The five-acre light station is one of the most intact in the country, with its historic keeper’s houses, a summer kitchen built in 1812, and an oil house. Admission to the Tybee Island Museum includes access to the lighthouse and grounds, so you can see both in one stop. The station is at 30 Meddin Avenue on Tybee Island.

Just before you reach Tybee, the Cockspur Island Lighthouse stands on a small islet of oyster shell and marsh grass off the southeastern tip of Cockspur Island, marking the South Channel of the Savannah River. The first brick tower here was built as a daymark between 1837 and 1839, and an illuminated station followed in 1848. A hurricane destroyed the structure in 1854, and it was rebuilt and enlarged the next year.

The light was put out for good on June 1, 1909, when the busy Savannah port routed ships to the deeper North Channel. The National Park Service has cared for it since 1958. Access to the islet is limited by the terrain, but an overlook trail at Fort Pulaski National Monument gives you the best close look.

On October 17, 1804, plantation owner John Couper deeded four acres at the south end of St. Simons Island to the federal government for one dollar so a lighthouse could be built. James Gould of Massachusetts was hired to build it in 1807, and President Madison appointed him the first keeper in 1810. The keeper’s house was home to the lighthouse keepers from 1872 until 1950, and the light was fully automated in 1953.

Today the St. Simons Lighthouse is owned by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and still shines seaward every night as an aid to navigation. The site also has a museum and gift shop, and a small admission fee is charged. To get there from Brunswick, cross the F. J. Torras Causeway, then follow Kings Way to Ocean Boulevard and on to 12th Street.

The lighthouse on Sapelo Island was built in 1820 and stayed in service until 1905. After a restoration in 1998, it became a working aid to navigation again. It is the hardest of the four to reach, since Sapelo is a barrier island served by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources ferry from the mainland dock in Meridian.

A trip to the island requires a ferry reservation, and the state requires every visitor to be pre-registered by a landowning host or tour operator who books the ferry for you. Guided island tours include the lighthouse on certain days, so check the Sapelo Island Visitor Center for the current tour schedule before you plan around it.

See two in a day: Cockspur and Tybee are only a few miles apart, so Fort Pulaski, the Cockspur overlook, the Tybee Island Lighthouse, and the museum fit neatly into one day. Our 3-Day Georgia Coast Itinerary builds that day into a longer trip and adds St. Simons Island.

Check before you go: Hours, admission, and tour schedules change, and climbing a lighthouse can be closed for repairs or weather. Confirm current details on each lighthouse’s own page or with the site before you drive.

For more on the region, see our Coast & Islands page and the full list of Georgia travel guides.

Can you climb Georgia’s lighthouses?
You can climb the 178 steps of the Tybee Island Lighthouse. The Cockspur Island Lighthouse is best seen from an overlook trail, because access to its islet is limited by the terrain.

How do you get to the Sapelo Island Lighthouse?
Sapelo Island is reached by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources ferry from the mainland dock in Meridian. A ferry reservation is required, and every visitor must be pre-registered by a landowning host or tour operator.