Folly Beach Dolphin Viewing Boat Excursion and Estuary Tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Charleston, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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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
Featured review
Martin_D
This your was fantastic. We not only saw some beautiful natural areas and wildlife, we were also super well informed by our guide and captain Luke. This gent is as good as they come, super knowledgeable and very friendly. I highly recommend this tour.
Reviews
5.0
based on 197 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Wade_D, Aug 2026
Luke did a fantastic job. We so enjoyed the tour. It was very interesting and educational. We had a blast. Plenty of dolphins also.
Michelle_P, Aug 2026
Our captain Luke was so knowledgeable. He’s obviously worked these waters for some time. We saw at least 20 dolphins and many had names. I learned so much about the estuary life. Will do it again
Donna_J, Aug 2026
So enjoyable. Nature lovers will love this. Sunset was so beautiful. So many dolphins encountered. Guide gave us so much info
Pamela_E, Aug 2026
The Captain provided a great experience during the dolphin tour. We learned some history, some biological information, and enjoyed a peaceful morning in the water. Saw lots of dolphins, including some small ones that were born recently. It was clear that the Captain knows the waters and the dolphins very well. Highly recommend!!
Catherine_B, Aug 2026
This is a great tour and you can get up close to many dolphins! We learned lots from Captain Luke, he’s super knowledgeable and great fun.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for coming out with us Catherine! We are glad that you thoroughly enjoyed seeing our resident dolphins out on the creek!
Lesley_W, Aug 2026
Our guide (Luke) was super knowledgeable, and the dolphins put on a show for our small group! The waters were very clam which made the ride very enjoyable.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review Lesley! We are so glad that y'all had a great time out on the water with Captain Luke. Come see us again!
Callie_S, Aug 2026
Our tour guide Luke gave an amazing tour and even took our pictures with the lighthouse! He was so knowledgeable and funny. We saw so many dolphins
Response from Host, Aug 2026
So glad that y'all had a great trip with Captain Luke! Thank you so much for the review. Come see us again!
Ashley_B, Jul 2026
It was an awesome experience! Captain Luke showed us so many dolphins and took us to the lighthouse. He was very knowledgeable about the area. They had child and infant life vests as well! I definitely recommend checking out this tour!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you, Ashley! We are so glad that you and your family had a wonderful time on the dolphin/sunset trip with Captain Luke! And yes, we have all sizes of life vests for the kiddos. We hope to get y'all back out on the water in the future. Thanks again!
Abby_F, Jul 2026
This experience was so much fun and our guide was amazing! Would recommend for anyone to do! We had the best time
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the excellent review and recommendation, Abby! It means so much. We are very glad that you thoroughly enjoyed your time out on the water with us. Cheers!
Traci_G, Jul 2026
The experience was amazing. We saw numerous pods of dolphins, even a newborn. Luke is very knowledgeable and entertaining. We would highly recommend this adventure to anyone.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you Traci! We are so glad that y'all had such a wonderful time on the dolphin trip (and even saw one of our newborns!). Come see us the next time that you are in town!
Buddy_B, Jul 2026
This was the single best experience we had in Charleston! Captain Luke is the best of the best! If I could give it 20 stars I would!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Buddy for the 20 stars! It means so much to our small business. We are so glad that y'all had such an amazing time on our dolphin tour. Can't wait to get you back out on the water in the future!
Kelly_C, Jul 2026
Captain Luke was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and we had amazing views of dolphins! The sunset was A++++! Would definitely do it again!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the review, Kelly! Sunset is such a great time to be out on the water! We look forward to having you out again. Cheers!
Brian_T, Jul 2026
Excellent guide! Very informative and entertaining. Lots of dolphins and gorgeous views. Definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks Brian! We are so glad that you had a great time on the dolphin tour. You're right - the views are gorgeous. Come see us the next time that you are in town!
Kayla_J, Jul 2026
We loved our tour with Captain Luke, he was very knowledgeable with calm personality. We saw around 20 dolphins and a beautiful sunset. 🌅 🐬
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for this review Kayla! Sunset trips really are the best and dolphins are always an added bonus. Thanks for coming out on the water with us!
Amanda_M, Jul 2026
Captain Luke was very funny and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed it. We saw plenty of dolphins. Very nice tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We are so glad you had a great time out on the dolphin trip with Luke! Thanks again, Amanda. Cheers!
Donna_B, Jul 2026
Captain Luke was very well informed and we learned a lot about the ecosystem. We didn’t know prior to the tour about all of the area history.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you Donna!! We are so glad that you had an excellent time out on the water with Captain Luke. Come see us the next time that you are visiting Charleston!
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.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you Susan! We really appreciate it and we are so glad that you had a great time out on the dolphin tour while learning a lot! We hope to get out back out on the water in the future.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
From $56.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Folly Beach Dolphin Viewing Boat Excursion and Estuary Tour
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