Tybee Island Light Station & Museum — Attraction in Tybee Island

My two star review is based on the unfortunately memorable experience with one rude employee. We visited today, 31 May 2025, in the afternoon and the woman manning the entrance gate was the rudest museum, parking lot, or greeter staff in all of lighthouses, museums, or parking lots so far in life between both my wife and I.

We were greeted with a very unfriendly and pointed sounding "Can I help you?" as we arrived to park. We believe it was likely based on her having to end her conversation with someone else to the side as we arrived and we were looking for whether she or someone else was there to direct parking intake as she was not clearly the person. She directed us to park in a spot right across from her and advised us that parking was for a "minimum of 2hrs" which both my wife and I agreed was in error as we parked.

The tour of the lighthouse itself went well enough. The view is good and agree with some that pricing is a little high but it's in a pricey island. We had a great conversation with the woman controlling upstairs traffic limits and she was entirely pleasant to both us and our toddler man.

After we finished, we went back to grab some beach stuff thinking we could use the remaining hour and a half to get our toddler a little beach time. After watching us gear up in front of her, the first woman decided to walk over aggressively as we headed out and asked "What do you think you're doing?" in an angry and confrontational tone. We told her headed to the beach for a few. She then got more condescending and angry as she told us that she said we couldn't go the beach when we parked. I told her not only did she not say that but she'd said it was a "minimum of two hours" which seemed wrong but there was nothing about not going to see the beach within that timeframe. She agreed she'd said minimum but didn't comment about her insisting she'd said anything about the beach before. We had taken a few minutes to get ready to tour the grounds and sunscreen up us and the toddler before we left the area for touring. In that time, we heard her warmly greet a few people behind us and never mentioned anything but the parking time limit to them so I don't think she usually says that.

She apologized for not mentioning the no beach part on arrival but it was in a tone and look that clearly rung more of a New Jersey "have a nice day". As a 21 year career Navy aviator and world traveler and my wife with experience herself as a museum tour guide and staff, this employee was the rudest and most unnecessarily confrontational person we've ever encountered traveling. Interaction with her will hopefully never be repeated or exceeded in terms of rudeness while traveling. I'm hopeful there will be an honest effort to reiterate how to be professional while doing that job and that whether it's an employee or volunteer who is interacting with the public. There is no reason to be a jerk. I have no doubt she could have stopped to mention the policy to us in a nicer manner earlier instead of watching us gear up and scooping in like a harpy as we started to walk away parked directly in front of her. This is the only negative interaction with anyone touring Savannah and the local area for several days. Notably, the Georgia State Railroad Museum was the best represented for friendly attitude and tour commentary provided...

Great Experience at Tybee Island Light Station & Museum!!! August 2024

My wife and I recently visited the Tybee Island Light Station & Museum from our riverfront hotel in downtown Savannah, Georgia. The drive was a pleasant and quick 25-minute journey. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly guard at the parking lot entrance, who directed us to get our tickets. On-site parking is conveniently located at the base of the lighthouse, allowing visitors to park for approximately two hours.

Exploring the lighthouse and the three original houses below took us about an hour. The climb up the lighthouse stairs was a fun and memorable experience, even though it was quite a hike! For families with little kids, it might take a bit longer, but the effort is well worth it. Reaching the top was particularly rewarding as the wind provided a refreshing break from the August heat and humidity, with temperatures soaring in the 90s.

The views from the top of the lighthouse were absolutely breathtaking. We enjoyed panoramic views of the beach, nearby houses, and especially the historic battery gun bases along the beach, about 100 yards beyond the lighthouse. These views offered a unique glimpse into the past, showcasing the strategic importance of the area in the early 18th and 19th centuries.

Our visit also included a tour of the museum and the original guard houses at the base of the lighthouse. Each house took about 30 minutes to explore and provided interesting historical insights. We were fortunate to meet Don, a helpful and knowledgeable gentleman at the museum. Don gave us a brief, five-minute private tour, explaining the workings of the artillery and how ammunition was brought in through the gates at the front of the museum. His enthusiasm and expertise added a special touch to our visit.

While we didn't get a chance to visit the beach this time, it's definitely on our to-do list for our next trip. We recommend street parking or using the nearby beach parking lot for a more extended visit.

Overall, our experience at the Tybee Island Light Station & Museum was fantastic. The staff were kind and sweet, and the entire visit was enjoyable and educational. We highly recommend this attraction to families and anyone looking for a memorable day trip. We look forward to...

What a beautiful lighthouse. I am a homeschool mom. Our homeschool's theme is a lighthouse. The best part of this is that my daughter learned something from every single subject that is taught in schools but in person and in a different learning environment.

When going into the light house be prepared to wait a bit. You are given a special card to carry to the top to allow the staff member to know how many people are up at the top. You have to bring that card back down with you. In order to get to the top of the light house you have to climb 178 steps. It was eye opening to see the views and to walk what the steps the keepers had to in order to deal with the maintenance of the light. The place is steeped in history and gives a lot of information. I loved that they even had a real growing veggie garden to give my girl an idea of how they grew their own food because back in the 1800s there wasn't a Walmart or Amazon.

I also loved that in the little girls themed room it had a "playroom" set up for viewing. That was the highlight of my girl's visit. She thought it was the cutest thing. I also loved that the Head Keeper's house was set up in the way they would have had it back in the 1800s to give you an idea of how "simple" living it was during that time.

Make sure you wear shoes that are good for walking because it is a lot of walking. Especially up the stairs.

Also be prepared to leave your purse/backpack/diaper bags in your car. I saw only fanny packs being allowed. And there's no food or gum or drink allowed.

Tickets for an adult is $12.00 and for a kid is $10.00. The visit is well...