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Beyond Hilton Head Island

America's Cup 12-Meter Yacht Afternoon Sail from Hilton Head

Badge of Excellence
Hilton Head Island, USA
Popular pick
Booked 10+ times last week!
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.6
·
· roger_w ·
Jul 2026
friendly captain and hand decks! relaxing experience and learned about sailing saw dolphins and sea birds
· Sandra_L ·
Apr 2026
A great sail between Hilton Head and Daufuskie islands. The crew did a great job! It was an exciting sail especially as we did our come about several times. Most guests are seated on cushions on deck during the sail. A few seats for those with mobility impairments. Arrive early and stay nearby if special seating is needed.

Overview

A sailboat cruise from Hilton Head is a peaceful way to see stunning Lowcountry landscapes without the noise of a moor. Join a captain and crew aboard a 39-foot long (12 meter) sailboat that competed in America’s Cup—head through quiet waters and past gorgeous scenery without the roar of a motor. You can even try your hand on deck and help out with the sails.
  • Hilton Head sailboat cruise aboard a 39-foot vessel
  • Admire views of the coastline and Intracoastal Waterway
  • Peaceful way to explore Lowcountry scenery
  • Alcoholic beverages available for purchase

What's Included

  • 90-minute Sail aboard the America's Cup - 12 Meter
  • An opportunity to participate as a crew member
  • Beautiful low-country views
  • Sea Pines Resort vehicle entry fee
  • Beverages (soda, water, beer, and wine can be purchased on board)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • 149 Lighthouse Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA

    The Vagabond Cruise reservation office is located just behind the Harbour Town Lighthouse. If you have your mobile ticket you are able to go directly to the boat (Stars & Stripes America's Cup) 30-minutes before departure to board which is located on the pier in front of the Lighthouse.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Harbour Town Lighthouse and Museum (Pass By)

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • We don't offer any infant rates for this trip as the tickets are a per person rate. All ages will need a ticket.
  • The seating for this cruise is on cushions on the deck of the boat.
  • Private charters are available for Stars & Stripes. Please contact Vagabond Cruise if you are interested to learn more about this option.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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

Anita_R
Absolutely lovely experience!
 Last summer, I cruised with my family and we had a blast—so much so that I booked it again this year when I brought some friends to the island. We all thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and the wonderful crew. Both Ian and Claudine were incredibly friendly and helpful throughout the trip. And Captain Peter? He’s an absolute rockstar! He shared fascinating facts about the island, patiently answered all our questions, and made sure everyone got great photos on their phones. He truly went above and beyond to make it special. Thanks for the memories!

Reviews

4.6
based on 545 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most insightful

A Must Do!!

Patricia_A, Jul 2026
We had an amazing time sailing aboard the America's Cup - 12 Meter yacht! The captain and his crew were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and helpful from start to finish, making the entire experience relaxing and enjoyable. One of the highlights was seeing dolphins in the wild, which made the trip even more memorable. We were also offered refreshments, which was a thoughtful touch and added to the overall experience. I especially loved getting the chance to ride the sailboat. We got to take some beautiful photos. This cruise was absolutely worth it, and I would definitely do it again. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable day on the water!

Great to see a competition boat in action and learn about the waterways

JAMES_M, Jul 2026
Tool my sister visiting for the fourth and she loved it. Perfect length and excellent crew! Great way to spend an hour in the afternoon.

enjoyable experience

roger_w, Jul 2026
friendly captain and hand decks! relaxing experience and learned about sailing saw dolphins and sea birds

Highly recommend this...

Sylvia_F, Jul 2026
Highly recommend this activity. We saw dolphins, sailed away with gentle breeze. Fun crew! It can get hot waiting to board as we started at 3 pm but once we got moving, it was pleasant

Great Family Adventure

MichaelC_L, Jun 2026
Sailing an America’s Cup 12 meter is a rare opportunity. Stars & Stripes was significant to the USA recapturing the America Cup. Captain Pete is s legend and fun host allowing passengers to help raise sails and take the helm or just sit back and enjoy a beautiful sail. The crew of young ladies were welcoming, friendly, attentive and amazing at hoisting and trimming sails. A truly wonderful family experience.

Bucket list experience

Anonymous, Jun 2026
Come very early to get a good seat is yiu are over 80. Folks that have extensive sailing experience might get a chance to stear the boat for a while.

Wonderful sail on The Stars and Stripes!

Brad_B, May 2026
Peter and his first mates were very helpful and knowledgeable about the history of the boat, the area and wildlife. Very accommodating...we had someone in our group w a bad back and they loaded her first and gave her a spot she was comfortable in for the entire hour and a half.

Had fun with FAMILY...

Laura_E, May 2026
Had fun with FAMILY Sailing on the stars and stripes. The crew was kind they helped us take pictures and make sure we were comfortable.

Review

Peggy_S, May 2026
A fun way to see the island from the water. The crew was friendly and knowledgable. Would highly recommend this adventure!

Captain and Crew were...

Chester_B, Apr 2026
Captain and Crew were amazing and Very knowledgeable, a very enjoyable time however the cushions were not very comfortable!

Awesome Sailing Experience

Erin_W, Apr 2026
So much fun! Worth it. Would definitely go again. Drinks are for purchase on the boat. Beer, bubbles, soda, etc

Fair wind and following seas

Sandra_L, Apr 2026
A great sail between Hilton Head and Daufuskie islands. The crew did a great job! It was an exciting sail especially as we did our come about several times. Most guests are seated on cushions on deck during the sail. A few seats for those with mobility impairments. Arrive early and stay nearby if special seating is needed.

Fun sail with a pro tip

Steve_E, Apr 2026
Captain Peter and his mates made for a very enjoyable time. Pro tip-- sit in the back by the captain; more comfy and more stories.

Love Stars & Stripes

Lisa_W, Mar 2026
It was really fun, great experience with Captain Pete and the crew. Great way to see Hilton Head Island from the water. If you never been on large sailboat, this is a must. And we saw dolphins.

Girls Trip High Light

Lilian_H, Mar 2026
Captain Peter, Ian, and Ella were wonderful! We had an amazing time! The crew was knowledgeable and welcoming.

Worthwhile sail!

bxallen, Mar 2026
Best done on a warm sunny afternoon with a good wind! Be prepared for an exciting trip when the boat heels. Captain is friendly and engaging and confident sailors can steer the boat under strict supervision. It's a worthwhile trip!

We had a wonderful time!...

Molly_S, Mar 2026
We had a wonderful time! Sam, Ella, and Peter were great and very knowledgeable. They did a great job including my 7 and 9 year olds in some of the tasks. We all had a great time!

Relaxing time on Caliboque Sound!

Janet_N, Mar 2026
This was a fun & relaxing excursion on the Stars & Stripes sailboat! The weather was nice and the crew was very friendly. One word of warning, though. There is not much real space to move around once you find a spot to sit on your cushion.

Disappointed!

john_d, Nov 2025
trip was cancelled TWICE! Original date was 11/10 and second cancellation was 11/14. Alternate dolphin cruise offered and declined. Yacht won't sail without a minimum number of paying guests signing on.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi John, we’re very sorry your trip was canceled twice. Our yacht requires a minimum number of paying guests to sail, and unfortunately that wasn’t met on your dates. We understand how frustrating this was and appreciate your patience. We hope you’ll give us another chance to provide a great experience in the future.

Super fun time! Skipper...

Mary_A, Nov 2025
Super fun time! Skipper and crew were so caring and wanted to make sure you had the best experience.

Great experience

Susan_S, Oct 2025
The captain and crew were wonderful . Sailing was a great experience and I would definitely recommend it.

Sailing with giants

Robert_A, Oct 2025
Capt Pete, Sam, and Derrick were outstanding from boarding through docking. They were professional, friendly and knowledgeable. It’s a very relaxing trip and for sailors like me, it’s an opportunity to stand in the footsteps of giants of USA Sailing. don’t miss this one.

I’d go again right now

Laura_D, Oct 2025
Great guides and hosts. We were under sail for well over an hour! Everyone had an opportunity to help raise the sails or steer. Saw dolphins almost the entire time. And I happened to spot a man o ray jump five feet out of the water! So impressive and exciting because I’d never seen one. Super relaxing and peaceful. Great value too! Our crew included Ian, Derek and Capt Peter.

Outstanding! The boat...

Melissa_B, Oct 2025
Outstanding! The boat was amazing. We saw more dolphins than we had seen on any previous dolphin tours which was great for the kids on board. Great first mate!! He explained things well and shared his knowledge on the area. It was a really fun afternoon.

Great couples activity

Debbie_F, Oct 2025
Crew and captain were very friendly and entertaining. Definitely a great and fun experience. The only thing I would like to see changed is the seating. You sit on the deck with a thin cushion which gets uncomfortable after about 30 minutes. I would like to see thicker cushions for comfort.

Wonderful trip on the Stars & Stripes

Christopher_G, Sep 2025
Helpful and accommodating staff people. Perfect trip around the bay that included a number of dolphins rising around the boat. Peter the Captain did a nice job making sure pictures were taken with great backgrounds. Had fun when sails were running full and you could feel what it must have been like to race. Great trip.

Great sunset cruise!

Cindy_L, Sep 2025
This sailing experience was awesome. Captain Peter was very experienced and made you feel comfortable. So much knowledge in sailing and the area kept you interested in the experience. My husband was able to steer the Sailboat for an hour, WOW. Highly recommend the trip, the sunset was so beautiful. I suggest sitting in the back vs the cushions up front if you are not flexible.

My first Sailing

Frances_A, Sep 2025
Captain loved ensuring everyone had good time. He voluntered to take pictures. He shared a lot of HH history. Crew was very friendly.

Awesome sailing experience!!

Michael_C, Sep 2025
This was a fantastic experience, and well worth the very reasonable price. My wife and I really enjoyed ourselves and I especially appreciated the opportunity to have a hand helping raising the mainsail and taking a turn at the wheel! The wind wasn't super strong but we still got some good stiff breezes and got some decent heeling going on. The captain knows his stuff and had lots of interesting info and trivia about the boat and the area in general. Also we saw lots of dolphins which was icing on the cake for sure!

Sailing and sightseeing!

Mark_S, Sep 2025
Just a great day on the water with some friendly, knowledgeable people! I would go back in a heartbeat!

From $55.00

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 25 days in advance.

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