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Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
Recommended by 99% of travelersCharleston, USA
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Cruise through Lowcountry tidal creeks and marshes en route to the uninhabited Morris Island on this boat cruise from the Charleston area. A private boat company launches from Bowens Island for the scenic ride through an estuary rich in biodiversity before a soft landing on Morris Island. Spend free time to taking photos of the historic Morris Island Lighthouse, combing for seashells, and looking out for birds, sea turtles, and dolphins before your return.
- Cruise through an estuary, marshes, and other Lowcountry landscapes
- Opportunities to see bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, and more
- Free time to explore Morris Island upon arrival, known for its historical lighthouse
- Multiple departure times throughout the day
What's Included
- 2.5-Hour Tidal Creeks Eco Boat Cruise in Charleston
- See wildlife including Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, wading birds, pelicans, sea turtles, and more
- Learn information about the local ecosystems and history from your Naturalist Captain
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1871 Bowens Island Rd, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
Drive to the end of Bowens Island Road and find our office by the marsh. The parking lot is located on the right as you drive in.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Your experience on the water begins at the tour office on Bowens Island. Once you’ve signed in with your captain, hop aboard your eco boat—smaller and less-crowded than many other similar sightseeing vessels—and head out on the water.
This leisurely tour encourages you to soak up the peaceful ambiance and to discover a side of the Charleston region that many visitors overlook. As you sail towards Morris Island, your guide will share in-depth stories about the region that you wouldn’t encounter on your own.
Upon arrival at Morris Island, make the most of the scenery and have the freedom to explore at your own pace. Look out for wildlife, comb the beach for shells, and immerse yourself in the unspoiled coastal habitat.
Finally, return by boat to your departure point just a few hours after setting off, leaving you plenty of time to continue your Charleston sightseeing.
This leisurely tour encourages you to soak up the peaceful ambiance and to discover a side of the Charleston region that many visitors overlook. As you sail towards Morris Island, your guide will share in-depth stories about the region that you wouldn’t encounter on your own.
Upon arrival at Morris Island, make the most of the scenery and have the freedom to explore at your own pace. Look out for wildlife, comb the beach for shells, and immerse yourself in the unspoiled coastal habitat.
Finally, return by boat to your departure point just a few hours after setting off, leaving you plenty of time to continue your Charleston sightseeing.
Charleston Outdoor Adventures (Pass By)
Morris Island Lighthouse
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
South Carolina
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Remember to bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a camera, and a bag for shell collecting if desired. These essentials will help ensure you stay comfortable and prepared throughout the adventure.
- Dress for the weather with clothes and shoes that are suitable for beach walking. Comfortable, weather-appropriate attire and sturdy footwear will help you fully enjoy the experience on Morris Island.
- Please note there is a stop at Morris Island where travelers can visit for about 45 minutes to an hour. During this time, you can walk around and explore the island. However, this may pose an issue for wheelchair accessibility. Travelers have the option to remain onboard during this stop if they choose.
Frequently Asked Questions (8)
Q:What type of boat is used for the Charleston's Tidal Creeks Eco Boat Cruise with Stop at Morris Island Lighthouse?
A:We use a comfortable Carolina Skiff bay boat for this tour.
Mar 2021
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Questions?
Visit the Viator Help Centre for any further questions.
Product code: 50458P2
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
Katherine_B
Captain Luke was a fantastic tour guide!!! He was very knowledgeable, entertaining and really made this tour what it was…. The Best Tour in the Charleston Area!!!! We had a great time and highly recommend this tour to all. You will not be disappointed!!!!!
Reviews
4.9
1,872 reviews
Ester_H, Jan 2025
A great experience, despite the cold! Our captain was so knowledgeable about the ecosystem and did his best to ensure we were comfortable on our excursion. Learned a lot and had a great time. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you for joining Charleston Outdoor Adventures and sharing your experience! It’s great to hear that even the chilly weather didn’t dampen your spirits. Our captains take pride in sharing their knowledge of the local ecosystem and ensuring every guest feels comfortable and engaged throughout the trip. We’re so glad you learned a lot and had a wonderful time. Your recommendation means so much, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure—hopefully on a warmer day!
Susan_M, Jan 2025
Amazing trip! Recommend to everyone! Learned a lot and enjoyed looking for shells and fossils. Beautiful sky’s.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm about your trip with Charleston Outdoor Adventures! It’s wonderful to hear that you had such a memorable experience searching for shells and fossils under those beautiful skies. Our team always aims to make each outing educational and enjoyable, so we're thrilled you learned a lot along the way. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again for another exploration of Charleston’s natural beauty!
Nicole_D, Jan 2025
Great activity. Would recommend it to anyone looking to get out onto the water in Charleston, even in the winter.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you for recommending Charleston Outdoor Adventures! We’re so glad you enjoyed your time on the water, even during the cooler winter months. Exploring Charleston’s waterways is always a treat, no matter the season, and we’re thrilled you found it to be such a worthwhile experience. We’d love to have you join us again for more adventures the next time you’re in town!
Ilene_M, Dec 2024
please be sure to wear a windbreaker, at least in December, for when the boat is moving rapidly, the effect is chilling. Our pilot Jacob was excellent—quite knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
It’s great to hear you had a memorable experience with Charleston Outdoor Adventures! Your suggestion to wear a windbreaker in December is very helpful—those chilly winds can definitely catch you by surprise on the water. Jacob's knowledge and expertise clearly added to the experience, making the trip even more enjoyable. Thank you for sharing your tips and feedback!
Matt_A, Dec 2024
Dallas and Will were great guides! Very knowledgeable and great area to view. Saw alot of wildlife and had a great time learning about the eco system.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience! Dallas and Will are indeed exceptional guides who bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to every tour. It’s great to hear you enjoyed learning about the ecosystem while spotting plenty of wildlife. Exploring this beautiful area with such a rich diversity of nature makes for a truly memorable outing. We hope you’ll join us again for another adventure on the water!
Cindy_W, Nov 2024
Captain George was awesome! Very informative of the history of the island and gave us a full hour at morris island to look for shells etc. It’s a beautiful beach and will definitely be going back again! Highly recommend this tour !
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for the kind words about the tour and Captain George! We are so glad you were able to enjoy your time on Morris Island! We look forward to seeing you again!
Kelvin_K, Nov 2024
We went on the eco boat tour for our twenty year wedding anniversary with Trip (who was amazing!) as our Captain. We had the best time, made great memories and learned about the awesome estuary and eco system. The lighthouse is breathtaking and the shells all over the island make for so much fun shell hunting. We HIGHLY recommend anyone who is thinking about this to do it, you won’t regret it!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you Kelvin for the recommendation! We are glad to hear you had a great time making memories here at Charleston Outdoor Adventures. We are so glad you had a great day with Captain Tripp!
Melissa_S, Nov 2024
Brought me back to when i grew up around there. Great time thinking about my past. Weather was perfect. Information was great.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank yo Melissa for the wonderful feedback! I am so glad you were able to visit your old home and we hope to see you out again!
nancy_e, Nov 2024
Interesting boat ride to Morris island. Informative about wildlife, nature and lighthouse history. Saw dolphins
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for your kind words about the Morris Island Lighthouse tour! We are so glad you were able to see some of our resident dolphins!
Madyson_H, Nov 2024
This is the second tour we’ve taken with this company, our first trip was amazing. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and humorous, the island was almost empty, and the trip back wasn’t rushed. This second was a complete 180. We book for a group of max 10 we start to board the skiff and it ended up being 18 crammed together. I brought it up and the guide just said it was an 18 person boat and it’s what we book. (Absolutely not) Our guide was ok, not as knowledgeable, mostly wanting to sit and talk rather than get into science behind his words. Wouldn’t really stop long enough at the areas the dolphins were compared to when he would just pull up to a random mud bank along the way. Once we got to the island it was so crowded between the other tour group we were supposed to be with or other shelling enthusiasts. It was amazing once we were able to walk around the clumps of people to the lighthouse side of the island. On the boat ride back, he spent so much time talking about Alaska we had to rush through the marsh before our time was up. I brought up why we were out with the bigger group when all of the reservations (email and text) said max of 10. There was no explanation other than that one fills up quick and we have a bigger one we put you in. We were never made aware there would ever be more than 10 in any group on either trip we went to. After I explained our dissatisfaction, about how the trip went, I was asked if I wanted to leave a tip. I understand there being an off day it being a Saturday and all but that was just so unwarranted. Why would I want to leave a tip for a tour that was the opposite of the first one? If you get to the bottom of this review, just book on a Monday or Tuesday and hopefully there isn’t this issue again and they are more up front about the group arrangements so people get what they paid for.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for sharing your feedback about your recent tour with us. I’m really sorry to hear that this experience was so different from your first one. It's important to us that each tour is enjoyable and informative, and it sounds like we fell short in several areas this time around.
I can understand your frustration with the larger group size, especially when you were expecting a more intimate experience. Our team should have communicated the group size more clearly and addressed your concerns when you raised them. It’s also concerning to hear that the guide's level of engagement and the pace of the trip didn’t match the high standards we aim for, particularly in terms of providing educational content about the wildlife and ecosystems.
As for the crowded conditions on Morris Island, we strive to ensure that everyone has a comfortable and enjoyable experience, and it’s unfortunate that wasn’t the case during your visit. Morris Island is a public island where as we can't control the amount of locals and out of town visitors. We do try to recommend weekdays vs. weekends. I also apologize for the lack of explanation regarding the larger boat and the issues with timing on the return leg of the trip.
I truly appreciate you bringing these issues to our attention. We will take this feedback seriously to improve our operations and communication moving forward, especially about guest expectations. If you'd like to discuss the situation further or if you feel we could make it right, I’d be happy to have a conversation with you.
Thank you again for your honesty, and I hope we have the opportunity to offer you a better experience in the future.
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