Charleston Lighthouse
South Carolina
Charleston Lighthouse is a lighthouse in South Carolina, first lit in 1960. Its official name is Charleston Light. The tower stands 141 feet tall. The nearest other lighthouse is Sullivan's Island Range Lights, 0.5 mi away. The grounds are open to walk.
Charleston Lighthouse at a glance
Visiting
Grounds open
First lit
1960
Tower height
141 ft
Light 164 ft above water
Official name
Charleston Light
About Charleston Lighthouse
Charleston Light, also known as Sullivan's Island Lighthouse, is located on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, which is the northern entrance to Charleston Harbor. Designed by Thomas Sullivan, the lighthouse was erected to replace the defunct Morris Island Light on Morris Island, which was at risk of being destroyed by erosion, but which remains standing and was stabilized in 2010.
Charleston Lighthouse sits at 32.7579, -79.8432 in South Carolina. The closest other lighthouses are Sullivan's Island Range Lights (0.5 mi), Fort Sumter Range Lights (1.9 mi) and Fort Ripley Shoal Lighthouse (3.5 mi). South Carolina has 15 lighthouses in all.
Visiting Charleston Lighthouse
There are no regular tours inside Charleston Lighthouse, but you can walk the grounds and see the tower up close. The tower itself is closed to climbing.
Places to stay near Charleston Lighthouse
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Tours and Tickets Near Charleston Lighthouse
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Lighthouses near Charleston Lighthouse
All lighthouses in South Carolina →
Sullivan's Island Range Lights
0.5 mi away
Fort Sumter Range Lights
1.9 mi away
Fort Ripley Shoal Lighthouse
3.5 mi away
Castle Pinckney Lighthouse
4.1 mi away
Morris Island Lighthouse
4.9 mi away
Bulls Bay Lighthouse
20 mi away
Also close to Charleston Lighthouse: Combahee Bank Lighthouse 40 mi · Hunting Island Lighthouse 44 mi
Questions about Charleston Lighthouse
Where is Charleston Lighthouse?
Charleston Lighthouse is in South Carolina, at 32.7579, -79.8432. The nearest other lighthouse is Sullivan's Island Range Lights, 0.5 mi away.
Can you visit Charleston Lighthouse?
Partly. There are no regular tours inside Charleston Lighthouse, but you can walk the grounds and see it up close.
Can you climb Charleston Lighthouse?
No. The tower at Charleston Lighthouse is not open for climbing.
When was Charleston Lighthouse built?
Charleston Lighthouse was first lit in 1960.
How tall is Charleston Lighthouse?
The tower is 141 feet (43 m) tall, and its light sits 164 feet above the water.
What lighthouses are near Charleston Lighthouse?
The closest are Sullivan's Island Range Lights (0.5 mi), Fort Sumter Range Lights (1.9 mi) and Fort Ripley Shoal Lighthouse (3.5 mi).
Sources: history and visiting details from the Wikipedia article on Charleston Light (CC BY-SA 4.0); facts and location from Wikidata. Photo credits are listed under each photo and on the photo credits page.