Written by Lauren Johnson
From our quiet tidal creeks to the brackish waters of the harbor estuary to tumbling ocean surf, the Lowcountry is awash with waterfront wonders for anglers, paddlers, boaters, and boarders. “You’ve done Charleston wrong if you don’t get on the water in some capacity,” says Ben-Jamin Toy, owner of paddling outfitter Nature Adventures. With 90 miles of pristine coastline to explore, you’ll find a flood of opportunities to hone your sea legs. Whether you want to catch a wave or cruise in style, let us float some of the coolest channels for riding the tides.
Historic Charleston Boat Tours
- Charleston Harbor Tours offers narrated sightseeing trips aboard the classic tour boat Carolina Belle as well as harbor outings on the tall ship Schooner Pride, modeled after an 18th-century trading vessel. charlestonharbortours.com
Fort Sumter Tours operates a fleet of four ferries and is the only boat service permitted to dock at Fort Sumter, site of the first shots of the Civil War. fortsumtertours.com
Charleston Outdoor Adventures pilots a skiff from Bowens Island behind Folly Beach through tidal creeks and marshes to the uninhabited barrier island of Morris Island, on which sits South Carolina’s tallest but now defunct lighthouse. charlestonoutdooradventures.com.
Did you know? The rare Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins seen frocklicking in our nearshore waters became a recognized species just last year.
Nature & Eco Based Boat Tours
- Nature Adventures hosts kayak and paddleboard outings led by marine biologists, pro birders, and master naturalists. Explore up to eight miles of tidal waters surrounding Shem Creek, working shrimp boats, and protected bird sanctuary Crab Bank Island. kayakcharlestonsc.com
Barrier Island Eco Tours leads naturalist-guided trips through local salt marshes to Capers Island Heritage Preserve, a barrier island accessible only by boat. nature-tours.com
- Botany Bay Eco Tours welcomes guests to the ACE Basin in search of the wild dolphin pods that these guides have been observing for more than two decades. botanybayecotours.com
Coastal Expeditions runs the Bulls Island Ferry to Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, a 66,000-acre home to hundreds of bird species, bottlenose dolphins, and nesting loggerheads. coastalexpeditions.com
Relaxing Boat Tours
- SpiritLine Harbor Tours operates a four-vessel fleet, including the luxury yacht Spirit of Carolina for dining cruises and custom touring boat Palmetto Spirit for trips around Charleston Harbor. spiritlinecruises.com
- Schooner Pride welcomes passengers to cruise on their 3 mast tall ship for daytime dolphin watching and evening sunset harbor sails. charlestonharbortours.com
- Aqua Safaris regularly hosts public dolphin-watching, harbor, and sunset cruises from April through October aboard its large-capacity sailing catamaran, Palmetto Breeze. aqua-safaris.com
- Charleston Water Taxi ferries riders across the harbor between Mount Pleasant and Downtown aboard roomy covered catamarans, often passing dolphins along the way. One-way ticket and all-day passes available. charlestonwatertaxi.com
Sport or Adventure Based Boat Tours
- Full Circle Fishing Charters reels in top-notch sportfishing experiences aboard a custom-designed 37-foot Knowles. Reel in tuna, marlin, and mahi-mahi on a deep-sea charter, or stay nearer the shore to cast for redfish, speckled trout, and cobia. fullcirclefishingcharters.com
- Tidalwave Watersports zips along Shem Creek with parasailing adventures and jet-ski tours and rentals. Open seasonally and by appointment. tidalwavewatersports.com
- Isla Surf School helps Bennys drop in on the Folly Beach break through private, semi-private, and group lessons with experienced instructors. islasurfschool-charleston.com
- Speedboat Adventures delivers full-throttle fun, allowing guests to captain their own mini speedboats while providing tour narration over a two-way radio. speedboatadventures.com
- Sandlapper Water Tours scares up pirate tales of Blackbeard, Captain Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonney, and more during a spooky ghost tour through Charleston Harbor. sandlappertours.com