Morris Island Lighthouse
Morris Island Lighthouse
Morris Island Lighthouse
4.5
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
438 reviews
Excellent
266
Very good
123
Average
40
Poor
7
Terrible
2
William C
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
The view at Morris Island was truly stunning. Everyone we met was so awesomely friendly. The kite surfers spent 30 minutes talking to us about their experiences. There is ample cheap public parking within walking distance to the beach. This is a must see area.
Written December 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mazma5
Georgia532 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
I love visiting lighthouses and this one is the tallest in SC. You have to walk an easy paved path covered with graffiti of which some is some amazing art work to a small sandy hill. You can walk along the beach to view the lighthouse.
Written February 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terri
Rocky Mount, VA61 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
We spent the day at Folly Beach and then just as the sun was going down, headed down to Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve. It is a quick 15 minute drive down W Ashley Avenue from the beach area. Once there, you can park on the side of the road for free. (Just not in front of someone's house driveway.) There is pay parking as well. From there it is an easy 1/2 mile walk to the beach. The paved road leading to it is nicely "graffiti" with positive messages and pictures. (We only saw a couple inappropriate writings). Once at the beach, you can get a nice picture of the lighthouse and driftwood on the beach. Absolutely beautiful. Worth the visit.
Written June 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ngachick
Chatsworth, GA148 contributions
Aug 2021
The lighthouse is lovely but the city of Folly Beach is very unwelcoming to visitors to this lighthouse. They have one public beach parking area that holds maybe 20 cars at the most. They also place 'no parking' signs along the dead end roadway for about a quarter mile past the dead end. Even if you park past all of the posted no parking places you still get a packing ticket. I can understand residents being frustrated if people are parking down in their yards or blocking driveways, etc but not if they are parallel parked on the side of the road.....if you're going to buy a house next to a tourist attraction with very limited parking options having people parallel park on the street in front of your house is part of what you are signing up for. City should go past the barriers and create additional parking areas or at least offer a trolley service from the main part of town for visitors who might want to visit the lighthouse but can't due to unavailability of parking. They should also be clearer on boundaries of the no parking areas. Town was lovely and as a first time visitor I probably would have returned, but as there are plenty of beach towns accessible from Charleston I'll likely seek out others that are more welcoming when in the area again.
Written July 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cynthia B
Jefferson, GA283 contributions
Apr 2022
How this light can still be standing is amazing. It is surrounded by water, and can only be appraoched by boat , kayak, or on foot at low tide. It is an impressive lighthouse.
We did not start our walk on the paved walkway. We took the right hand, sandy trail straight to the beach. We enjoyed our short beach walk to the left, to the point and around a seawall, ending up across from the light house. We returned to our car on the grafitti path others mentioned.
We did not start our walk on the paved walkway. We took the right hand, sandy trail straight to the beach. We enjoyed our short beach walk to the left, to the point and around a seawall, ending up across from the light house. We returned to our car on the grafitti path others mentioned.
Written June 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jbrenz
Chicago, IL1,558 contributions
Oct 2021 • Friends
Would’ve enjoyed this a lot more if I wasn’t swarmed by mosquitoes and no-seeums the minute I stepped out of the car and started walking the path towards the beach. Found a beautiful sand dollar on the beach and it was nice to see the lighthouse, but the biting bugs ruined it for me. The walk was interesting as it was all a canvas for street artists/graffiti artists.
Written October 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lynnridge
Fishers, IN181 contributions
Oct 2021 • Family
We visited in mid October on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. We had read about the dolphins strand feeding near the lighthouse so headed out within an hour of low tide to see if we could see any. There is no parking lot but street parking along Ashley Avenue. There’s a paved quarter mile walk to the sand. Once we approached the sand, we headed left toward all of the dead driftwood trees. Once we passed that area and looked towards the lighthouse, we were in luck. There was a pod of dolphins strand feeding. We stayed about an hour. Kids built sandcastles on the beach while we watched the dolphins. Plenty of places to walk along the shore. No restroom facilities that we could see though.
Written October 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alberto T
Orange County, CA308 contributions
Jan 2022
Morris Island Lighthouse is a beautiful, old lighthouse that sits just a bit off-shore from the beach, but still close enough to get a really good look (though if you want to a take a good photo, you'll need a good camera). There is paid parking lot nearby ($2) where you have to park, and there is a .5 mile cement walkway with a bunch of graffiti written on it all along the way that leads to a beautiful beach where you can have a look at the lighthouse. There's also some cool looking dead trees on one part of the beach.
Written January 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
C P M
235 contributions
Aug 2019
Once upon a time this light house stood on Morris Island but now it is out to sea. The island has washed away over time. A foundation is trying to keep it standing. It is mounted on a wood foundation driven into the sand. One time it helped guide ships into Charleston Harbor. Interesting bit of history.
Written March 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MG117
2 contributions
Sep 2020
I was in Folly for a girls' weekend and decided to go see the lighthouse one morning with coffee in hand. I used Google Maps and drove to nearly the end of Ashley Rd to what I deemed as close as I could get to it via car. I found a parking place among houses at end of the road (noted other cars parked beside the road as well) It was about a 15 minute walk along the beach to what I would call the point where you could see the lighthouse, still a bit in the distance but it was worth it. The walk was beautiful along the beach, which wasn't crowded and the ocean was gorgeous. Another 15 minutes or so and I was back to my car, but with a surprise...a parking ticket! I had parked inadvertently in front of a fire hydrant. There was a also a police/safety officer driving up in golf cart and his words were "oh he beat me to it". These folks take parking very seriously! And from now on I will too. There is parking what seems like way down the road where you are supposed to park and pay. I have read other reviews about the walk via the paved path, and though I wish I had known about that and been more careful with parking. However I rather enjoyed the beach walk so I would still recommend that.
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you go in the lighthouse?
Written January 12, 2020
No. It is offshore and being fixed so it doesn't tip over.
Written October 31, 2020
Can you see where Fort Wagner was from the lighthouse?
Written July 25, 2018
According to the website, no pets are allowed.
Written October 31, 2020
morsesa
Portland, Oregon
Ames Society is seeking info on their kin, John William Ames. What info do you have on him. When the story of him and his children are done, we will share it with you.
Written March 18, 2018
Several writers mentioned a boat trip to see the lighthouse better. Where do you get this boat??
Written February 12, 2018
We were just there this past week and used Absolute Reel Screamer charters. Our captain was named Gresh Meggett. We had a wonderful time!
Written September 1, 2018
Wisedee
Dunkirk, New York
What is the price on tickets to tour the Morris Island lighthouse?
Written August 10, 2015
would this be a good spot for an engagement pictures shoot? I am visiting family in the area this summer and would love this kind of scenery.
Written April 2, 2015
I think it would be a beautiful spot for any photo. But remember you have to walk about a quarter of a mile to get to the spot so in the heat of a Charleston summer it may be quite hot and it is on the ocean so it will be breezy. Getting equipment, etc there might be difficult unless you have a golf cart. Best wishes.
Written April 3, 2015
1877 Feb 12 John William Ames , assistant keeper at Charleston Main Light.
1877 Nov 17 appointment renewed. John Ames was lighthouse keeper at the Morris Island Lighthouse in St. Andrews Parish, Charleston, SC, 1877 - 1881, 1882, 1883, as shown in the 1880 US census. He died at 52 in 1896, and by the 1900 US census, his two oldest sons were lighthouse keeping in Brunswick, GA, at the Little Cumberland Island lighthouse.
1877 Nov 17 John W Ames at Charleston Light House ( main light) , South Carolina, assistant keeper with salary $400
Written March 8, 2015
Now live in Savannah, Ga. I hope someday to visit the lighthouse.
Looking for photos of any of the Ames that cared for the Charleston Main Lighthouse, Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse, Morris Island Lighthouse and the Dames Point Lighthouse in Jacksonville, FL.
Stafford-Ames Morse
1st Savannah Sq
Savannah, Ga 31406
Written July 15, 2016
Prince-som
Fargo, North Dakota
How far is this hotel from the nearest airport?
Written February 15, 2015
The Morris Island attraction, which showed to be your question, is about 30+ miles from Folly Beach--which is where you walk to a beach that is in front of the lighthouse.
Written March 9, 2015
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