Whenever I travel to the coastal regions, the first thing I research is whether there are any lighthouses near the destination I am visiting. It doesn't matter if they are close or not. As long as they are within a two-hour drive, I put them on the itinerary (if they are close, a sunrise or sunset visit is in order).
We spent a week in Hilton Head, and wanted to spend a day in nearby Savannah ( a 40-minute drive). Of course, since Savannah is only about 20-miles from the Atlantic Ocean, there had to be a lighthouse somewhere close, right? Of course there was --Tybee Island Lighthouse. This light was a little unusual, in that it is located in the middle of a neighborhood. It was originally built in 1736 to guard the entrance to the Savannah River from the Atlantic Ocean. An interesting fact about the light is that it has been rebuilt four times, with the first two iterations not being illuminated (I wonder if it was called a lighthouse then?). In any case, the current iteration was built in the 1860's after being burned down by the Confederate Army. It now stands 154 feet and is beautifully maintained, as can be seen in this photo..