Folly Beach Dolphin Viewing Boat Excursion and Estuary Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Charleston, USA

High interest

Booked 4 times today.

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0

· Luis_L ·

Apr 2026

Excellent. Great guide. Very informative. Learned a lot about estuary life in Charleston. We saw a ton of dolphins. Perfect length of trip. Perfect weather. Boat and amount of people was great. Not crowded. 8 people on a boat that can take up to 14. Will bring family for this trip in future.

· Tina_A ·

Jun 2026

We saw many dolphins and learned so much about the ecosystem from our captain. Paired with the sunset and the views of the lighthouse this tour shouldn't be missed. It was one of our last stops in Charleston that I'm glad we didn't skip.

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Overview

Explore the waters around Folly Island on this small-group bottlenose dolphin-spotting tour. Let your captain sail you through the tidal creeks behind Folly Beach in the hopes of spotting the dolphins and observing their behavior in the wild. Listen as your guide explains more about the flora and fauna you see along the way.

See Morris Island Lighthouse on this Folly Beach tour
There’s plenty of time for photos
Great fun for visitors and locals alike
Feel free to pick your captain’s brain

What's Included

USCG Licensed Captain and Eco Guide
27' Carolina Skiff with Cushioned Bench Seating
Cooler full of ice
Restroom facilities at departing location
Ample Parking

Drinks or Snacks
Sunscreen or Bugspray
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

2223 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
Please arrive 15 minutes before trip departure time! Our office is the small yellow building in the same parking lot as Crosby's Fish & Shrimp co. This is where you will check in for the boat trip and sign liability waivers. In the summertime there can be beach traffic - please plan accordingly!

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Morris Island Lighthouse (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Jorg_V

We had an unforgettable experience with Castaway Island Excursions on the sunset dolphin cruise! From the moment we arrived, Hailey and Captain Luke welcomed us warmly and made us feel right at home. The timing couldn’t have been more magical as we watched the sun set while a full moon rose over the water. It wasn’t just about the dolphins (though they were incredible to see!). My son loved seeing the treasures they’ve collected, and he was thrilled to share how he found an antique bottle during his visit. Along the way, we glided through the stunning creeks and learned about how these waterways function and it’s clear how much Hailey and Captain Luke care about protecting them. Their passion for the environment and the work they do really shines through. This cruise is perfect for families, nature lovers, and anyone who wants to experience the beauty of Folly Beach while supporting people who genuinely care about the waterways. We can’t recommend it enough! Lovely people.

Reviews

5.0

based on 177 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great Time!

Susan_S, Jun 2026

Our Captain was phenomenal! He shared a plethora of information about the marine life, ecosystem, and history. He also had a charming sense of humor. We had a relaxing & enjoyable time on the water.

Very knowledgeable. Capt...

Nick_R, Jun 2026

Very knowledgeable. Capt Luke was a very good tour boat operator. Lots of local knowledge. Easy to find easy to get on

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thanks Nick! We are so glad that you had a great experience with us. We definitely take pride in our location - it is very accessible, right off of Folly Rd. Thanks again!

Best Experience this Trip!

Tina_A, Jun 2026

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for this wonderful review, Tina! You truly can't beat watching a sunset while out on the water. Combined with the lighthouse and dolphins, it truly is incredible. Thanks again for coming out with us. Cheers!

We saw so many Dolphins....

Teresa_J, Jun 2026

We saw so many Dolphins. Our tour guide Luke was funny & had our kids laughing while learning so much about the marine life.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

We are so glad that you and your fam had a great time out on the water with Captain Luke (and saw so many dolphins)! Thank you for the awesome review, Teresa! We hope to have y'all out again some time.

You will see loads of...

Katey_H, Jun 2026

You will see loads of wildlife on this excursion as well as gain some knowledge about the areas various functions and its history. I thinks most people come for the dolphins and we saw probably over 20. If you come in the summer you’ll probably see new babies. They have a resident population that always hangs out here so I doubt you could ever go and not see dolphins. We also saw lots of birds for any fellow birders out there. My captain, Haley, was very knowledgeable, personable, and friendly.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thanks for the incredible review Katey! We are so glad that you enjoyed your dolphin trip with Haley (and saw a bunch of dolphins & babies). Seeing all of our native birds is an added bonus as well! We hope you come back and visit us again in the future. Cheers!

This was a great tour,...

Rory_M, Jun 2026

This was a great tour, Luke was awesome, we saw lots of dolphins and learn so many fun facts from Luke

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thanks Rory!! We are so glad that you had an excellent time on the dolphin trip. Cheers!

Fun!

Priyanka_V, Jun 2026

Our favorite activity during our trip to Charleston! My toddlers loved it. Fun for all ages and the tour guide customized it to the groups interests.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for leaving this wonderful review, Priyanka! It make us so happy to hear that your experience on our trip was the highlight of your vacation. We really do try to make it fun for everyone! Come back and see us the next time that you are in Charleston. Thanks again!

We saw Dolphins and learned lots!!

Maya_T, Jun 2026

Captain Luke was very informative. Had a great personality and filled as full of a lot of fun facts and definitely some new things that we didn’t know about the area. Absolutely loved our tour got to see the dolphins. I’m actually even got to stop and jump in the water for just a second and that was really nice. He’s very passionate and you can tell he really loves what he does!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for the wonderful review, Maya! We're thrilled to hear that you and your family had a great time out on the water with Captain Luke. We really appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you back for another adventure with Castway!

Dolphins and rain!

Peggy_W, Jun 2026

Fun experience to see dolphins! Educated and fun guide! Getting caught in a big rain storm was somewhat magical!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience with us Peggy! We're glad you enjoyed seeing the dolphins and appreciated your guides knowledge of the area. We apologize for the rainstorm, summertime on the coast sends us some unpredictable pop up showers. Sounds like y'all made the most of it though! We hope to have the opportunity to host you again for more memorable moments.

Multi generational tour from 8-80

Jeanne_F, Jun 2026

Great experience for the whole family! Personalized for our interests. Accessible for older folks with canes/walkers. Captain Luke took the time to explain the ecology of the area in a fun and enlightening way. Would highly recommend.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much for this incredible review Jeanne! We are so glad that your whole family had a wonderful time on the dolphin trip. We love creating memories for all! Come see us the next time that you are in town. Cheers!

10/10 recommendation

Whitney_A, Jun 2026

Very knowledgeable in the area, fun, friendly, would do this again. My dad is from the area and wants do it again.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Captain Hailey said she had a great time out on the water with you and your family. Thanks for coming out Whitney! Hope to see y'all again some time!

Wonderful Experience

Mary_C, Jun 2026

Absolutely amazing experience. We got to see many dolphins. Captain Luke was friendly and knowledgeable. Hands down worth the money.. Would highly recommend. Just book it...

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you Mary! We are so glad that you had an excellent time with Captain Luke. We hope to see you again in the future!

Awesome experience!

Kristi_S, Jun 2026

Captain Luke was extremely knowledgable and friendly. We saw a newborn dolphin and a several pods of dolphins. The highlight of our trip!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

The baby dolphins are definitely a highlight! We are so glad that you were able to experience them. Thank you for this wonderful review. Cheers!

Dolphin tour

Allen_C, Jun 2026

Luke was great we experienced a lot of wildlife. Luke was knowledgeable about the estuary and explained in terms of everybody would understand

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you Allen! We are so glad that you had an excellent time on the dolphin tour with Captain Luke. We hope to see you again in the future!

Definitely recommend!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Crystal_I, Jun 2026

Captain Luke was awesome. Our trip was fun and a learning experience! Definitely recommend!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Response from Host, Jun 2026

We are so glad that you had a wonderful time out on our dolphin trip! Thank you so much for coming out with us and leaving a 5 star review!

Amazing tour!

Melissa_S, Jun 2026

Captain Luke was very knowledgeable and great fun. We saw so many dolphins, including newborn calves. Very peaceful and beautiful out in the tidal creeks, and we learned a lot about the ecosystem here

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you Melissa!! We are so glad that y'all had an amazing time out on the water with Captain Luke (and got to see some of the sweet new babies on the creek!) It is certainly a wonderful time to enjoy our waterways. We hope to see you again in the future. Cheers!

Wonderful experience

Dianna_M, May 2026

Great experience seeing the dolphins and learning the history of Charleston. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, personable and even made it fun for our toddler. Overall had an amazing time and will definitely recommend!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for the excellent review Dianna! We are so glad that the dolphin trip was fun for everyone! Thank you for the recommendation and we hope to get you back on the water in the future :)

10/10 would highly...

Jeremy_S, May 2026

10/10 would highly recommend! Such a fun experience exploring the estuary and seeing all of the dolphins and wildlife. If you really want to see dolphins upclose, so is the activity you don't want to miss.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for the excellent review Jeremey! We're so glad that we could make your birthday so much better by showing you our resident dolphins! Come see us again the next time that y'all are in town!

Rebecca P.

Rebecca_P, May 2026

We loved Captain Luke! He does an excellent job on the tour and is so very knowledgeable about the area, habitat and history. He has such a warm and hospitable personality - anyone would enjoy a tour🤠🩷

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for the 5-star review Rebecca! We are so glad that you had a great time out on the water with Captain Luke! We hope to see you again in the future - cheers!

Must do!!

Kim_K, May 2026

I was a little overwhelmed while planning the itinerary for a short trip to Charleston. There is so much to chose from and I wanted to get the most bang for my buck (and time). This tour had great reviews so I took a chance and it was well worth it. The captain, Luke, was so friendly and informative. The size of the boat was perfect. There were 3 other couples on board with us. We saw a lot of dolphins and the Morris Island Lighthouse. For Outer Banks fans, you'll see where a lot of scenes were filmed as well as John B's house. It was an absolutely perfect experience.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you, Kim, for sharing your wonderful experience with us! You are so right, it truly is hard to figure out what to do in Charleston when you are visiting because there's so much to do. I definitely think that getting out on our waterways is a must! I'm so glad that you thoroughly enjoyed seeing dolphins, the Morris Island Lighthouse, and some filming locations from Outer Banks—sounds like a perfect adventure! We appreciate your kind words and are glad you had an absolutely perfect experience. We hope to welcome you back for more memorable outings in the future!

Tour

Jane_D, May 2026

Very interesting tour. Guide was very knowledgable about the marsh life, current and past. Beautiful evening.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for the 5 stars Jane! We are so glad that you had a wonderful time out on our dolphin tour. We hope to see you again in the future!

Interesting, fascinating...

Susan, May 2026

Interesting, fascinating but everyone should be told to wear a heavy sweatshirt with a hoody. Very windy even on a sunny day.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience Susan! We appreciate your feedback about the weather conditions and your recommendation to dress warmly during windy spring days. We're so glad that you had a great trip overall and enjoyed all that our estuary has to offer!

Dolphins galore!!

Cheryl_W, Apr 2026

This was a great trip! Luke was exceptional. So knowledgeable and fun! The dolphins were spectacular. There were nine of us and everyone would highly recommend this tour.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing your wonderful experience! We're so happy to hear that y'all had a great time out on the water with Captain Luke! We appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you and the fam back for another great adventure in the future! Cheers!

Captain Luke is excellent!

Katie_B, Apr 2026

The tour was perfect! Gorgeous morning out on the water. Beautiful scenery with thorough explanation of the estuary. We saw lots of dolphins. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for this wonderful review Katie! You truly can't beat a morning out on the water - the best way to start your day! We are so glad that you had a great time on the dolphin tour. We hope to see you again in the future!

It was a great...

Tony_F, Apr 2026

It was a great experience. Luke our captain explained a lot about the life of dolphins. We got to see around 20 dolphins. He also explained the ecosystem for this area.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for this excellent review Tony! 20 dolphins?? Sounds like y'all had a great trip! We look forward to getting y'all out on the water again in the future. Thanks again!

Dolphins and Oysters!

Renee_T, Apr 2026

Amazing and educational! This was the best part of our trip. Our captain was very knowledgeable and fun.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Dolphins and oysters - what more could one want? :) We are so glad that you had a great trip! It means so much to hear that our tour was the highlight of your trip to Charleston. Come see us the next time that you are in town. Thanks again!

One of the better ones.

Luis_L, Apr 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Luis for this excellent review! I think you certainly hit all of the highlights! We are so glad that you had a great time out on the water with us exploring the estuary and seeing our resident dolphins. Come see us again. Cheers!

Folly Dolphin Excursion

Diana_W, Apr 2026

Our captain Luke was very knowledgeable about the history of this region. He was very couteous. We saw lots of dolphins. A must do for all ages.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Diana!! We are so glad that you had an excellent time. You're right - the trip is great for all ages! We hope to see y'all again in the future!

A must!!!

Jorg_V, Apr 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you so much, Jorg, for this incredible review and for choosing Castaway for your family adventure! You are right, we could not have asked for a better combination of the sunset and moonrise - it was an incredible evening! Hailey and Captain Luke love sharing their knowledge and dedication to the waterways with you. It’s guests like you who make our efforts so rewarding! We hope to see you and your wonderful family again in the future! Until then, take care and keep exploring. Thanks again - Cheers! 🌅🐬