A Perfect Getaway

The fortunate folks who have experienced it know that the view from the Harbour Town Lighthouse is unlike any other. The sky, the sea, the whole community of fun and relaxation that surrounds us all the way to the horizon presents a picture people never forget. So, unlike the everyday, and yet so easy to reach for so many, it is no wonder we became America’s favorite vacation island, the perfect getaway.

And yet, like many landmarks, we run the risk of being overlooked by the people nearest to us. Just as New Yorkers rarely go to the Statue of Liberty until someone comes to visit, Hilton Head Islanders sometimes forget to refresh their sense of inspiration and gratitude by coming back to the Harbour Town Lighthouse for another look.

Now that so many are so near, we want to offer this reminder to take advantage of a true treasure. Whether we are at your doorstep or a day’s drive away, your welcome at the Harbour Town Lighthouse will be ready and as fresh as ever.

Leading a Trend

The Southeast became a magnet for migration during the years of Hilton Head Island’s remarkable entrance on the scene. Surely, there is a chicken-or-the-egg factor in this relationship, because while millions of families came to visit, tens of thousands decided to stay. Yet, remarkable as the growth of Hilton Head Island became, it was never out of control, thanks to two key factors.

First, we set aside large portions of our precious island to remain unspoiled. Sea Pines Founder Charles Fraser began in 1970 with 600 acres, designated the Sea Pines Forest Preserve. This practice was continued throughout the island by thoughtful civic officials who designated several spots as nature sanctuaries.

Second, the precedents set here in Sea Pines of blending the resort with nature became so influential that the rest of the island followed much of the Sea Pines example. In fact, the whole industry of resort development so thoroughly adopted this approach that it takes a historian – or someone who was there at the time, of whom we at the lighthouse are blessed to know a handful – to recall just how original the idea was in the beginning.

Everybody Moved Closer

It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that since Hilton Head Island became a vacation destination, America just moved closer. A leading factor in the sunbelt migration of the late 20^th century, people increasingly found careers that weren’t tied to a factory. And as generations reached retirement, their choice in millions of cases was to move to a kinder climate. With the digital age, more and more people don’t even have to go to an office every day.

The net result is that millions more Americans are within an easy drive of the Harbour Town Lighthouse today than when it was completed in 1969. A friend put it this way: “It is hard to imagine getting so far away at a place that is so easy to reach.”

Please accept our invitation. We look forward to welcoming you and serving as your own guidepost to the perfect getaway.