Hilton Head trades skyscrapers for lighthouses and live oaks — its landmarks lean toward maritime history, Gullah heritage, and the antebellum plantations the island was carved from.
The island's most photographed landmark — a candy-striped, 90-foot lighthouse built in 1970 overlooking Calibogue Sound. Climb 114 steps for a rooftop view over Harbour Town Marina and the Harbour Town Golf Links 18th hole.
The site of the first self-governed town of formerly enslaved African Americans in the United States, founded in 1862. Interpretive trails and a reconstructed cabin tell the origin story of Hilton Head's Gullah community.
A 4,000-year-old Native American shell midden tucked inside Sea Pines Forest Preserve — one of the best-preserved ceremonial shell rings on the Atlantic coast, reachable via a short forest trail.
Tabby-and-brick ruins of an early-1800s plantation house and slave quarters, standing quietly among the pines of Sea Pines Forest Preserve as a reminder of the island's antebellum cotton economy.
Tips for Landmarks & Monuments
- Harbour Town Lighthouse charges a small climb fee, cash or card at the base.
- Combine Mitchelville with a Gullah heritage tour for deeper historical context.
- Sea Pines requires a gate pass for non-resident vehicles — budget extra time at the entrance.