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Lighthouses in South Carolina

29 lighthouses in South Carolina with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Charleston County has the most (11). The darkest skies are at Georgetown Light (Bortle 2).

Top lighthouses

Georgetown LightLighthouse
Georgetown LightGeorgetown County
Hunting Island LightLighthouse
Hunting Island LightBeaufort County
Morris Island LightLighthouse
Morris Island LightCharleston County
Charleston LightLighthouse
Charleston LightCharleston County
Harbour Town LighthouseLighthouse
Harbour Town LighthouseBeaufort County
Fort Sumter Range LightsLighthouse
Fort Sumter Range LightsCharleston County
Hilton Head Range Rear LightLighthouse
Hilton Head Range Rear LightBeaufort County
Castle Pinckney LightLighthouse
Castle Pinckney LightCharleston County
Sullivan's Island Range LightsLighthouse
Sullivan's Island Range LightsCharleston County
Lighthouse
Haig Point Range LightsBeaufort County
Lighthouse
Fort Ripley Shoal LightCharleston County
Lighthouse
Combahee Bank LightBeaufort County

Lighthouses by county

All lighthouses (29)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Georgetown LightGeorgetown County7 mGeorgetown2
Hunting Island LightBeaufort County3 mBeaufort3
Morris Island LightCharleston County—Folly Beach5
Charleston LightFort Sumter and Fort MoultrieCharleston County—Sullivans Island7
Harbour Town LighthouseBeaufort County—Hilton Head Island5
Fort Sumter Range LightsFort Sumter and Fort MoultrieCharleston County—Sullivans Island7
Hilton Head Range Rear LightBeaufort County—Hilton Head Island7
Castle Pinckney LightCharleston County—Charleston8
Sullivan's Island Range LightsFort Sumter and Fort MoultrieCharleston County—Sullivans Island7
Haig Point Range LightsBeaufort County—Bluffton5
Fort Ripley Shoal LightCharleston County—Charleston8
Combahee Bank LightBeaufort County—Beaufort3
Bloody Point Range LightsBeaufort County—Tybee Island4
Bulls Bay LightCharleston County—Awendaw3
Parris Island Range LightsBeaufort County—Port Royal4
Old Cape Romain LighthouseCharleston County—Awendaw2
Haig Point Range front lightBeaufort County—Hilton Head Island4
Haig Point Range rear lightBeaufort County—Bluffton5
Cape Romain LighthousesCharleston County2 mAwendaw2
Lighthouse One Hundred SixteenHorry County1 mCalabash5
Lighthouse One Hundred NineteenHorry County—Calabash5
Lighthouse One Hundred SeventeenHorry County—Calabash5
Lighthouse SixHorry County—Calabash5
Lighthouse Thirty-threeHorry County—Little River5
Lighthouse TwelveHorry County—Little River5
Lighthouse Twenty-threeHorry County—Little River5
Savannah Lighthouse (historical)Fort PulaskiChatham County—Tybee Island4
Fort Sumter Range Rear LightCharleston County—Charleston8
Sullivan's Island LighthouseCharleston County—Sullivans Island7

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph lighthouses

Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.

  • During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
  • Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
  • Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
  • A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
  • Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.

Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.