Skip to main content

Hilton Head Island Ocean Dolphin Cruise

Badge of Excellence
Hilton Head Island, USA
High interest
Booked 2 times today.
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.5
·
· David_P ·
Dec 2025
It was very relaxing. You move very slowly, the captain calls out the dolphins around you…..and we saw a lot of dolphins. Then we slowly went out to the open ocean, saw the lighthouses and returned to the docks. Quiet and relaxing.
· Tammy_C ·
Apr 2026
It was a great Crew and the information that was given was great the dolphins was by far the best my grandkids really enjoyed it to

Overview

On this dolphin watching cruise from Hilton Head, you have the chance to see wildlife, check out local landmarks, and admire the coastline as you cruise out on the Calibogue Sound and Atlantic Ocean. Your guide narrates the entire trip as you sail past Bull Island, the Haig Point Lighthouse, and more, all while looking out for dolphins, egrets, herons, and other animals in the wild.
  • Hilton Head dolphin watching cruise
  • Narrated cruise provides information and entertainment on board
  • Chances to see dolphins, egrets, herons, and more in the wild
  • Great way to relax and admire coastal views

What's Included

  • Guaranteed wild dolphin sightings
  • Narration by our Captain who brings the history and wildlife to life
  • Breathtaking views of egrets, herons, pelicans, and more
  • Cruise with Hilton Head’s original sightseeing company
  • Adult beverages available for purchase
  • Departs daily from under the famous Harbour Town Lighthouse
  • Snacks and drinks available for purchase beer, wine, soda, water
  • Gratuities
  • Sea Pines Resort vehicle entry fee

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 (Vagabond) 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.

What To Expect

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infant seats available
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If the cruise is canceled due to poor weather, guests will have the option to reschedule for another date or receive a full refund.
  • Infants ages 2 and under cruise free, but a ticket is still required to account for them.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 99 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

Lori_P
Excellent trip - we saw many dolphins! The captain and crew were terrific! We would definitely recommend!

Reviews

4.5
based on 404 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Vacation

Tammy_C, Apr 2026
It was a great Crew and the information that was given was great the dolphins was by far the best my grandkids really enjoyed it to

Learning more about...

Esther_P, Apr 2026
Learning more about Hilton Head Island and the surrounding islands, their history, and the wildlife plus dolphin watching

Great hotel

Betty_B, Mar 2026
Great hotel except the beds are firm and my husband could not sleep.. Breakfast was awesome each morning

Wonderful experience

Rhett_L, Mar 2026
The boat was clean. Everyone was friendly and professional. The tour itself was the perfect length of time. It was wonderful.

Was not allowed boarding...

Michael_G, Dec 2025
Was not allowed boarding at 2 pm scheduled time, boat crew stated it was too late had to be rebook for 4 pm. Ridiculous trying to park at the site, get there 30 mins prior.

Relaxing

David_P, Dec 2025
It was very relaxing. You move very slowly, the captain calls out the dolphins around you…..and we saw a lot of dolphins. Then we slowly went out to the open ocean, saw the lighthouses and returned to the docks. Quiet and relaxing.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for the kind review! We’re glad you enjoyed a relaxing cruise, spotting dolphins, and taking in the lighthouses. 🐬⛵

Lots of dolphins!

Lori_P, Dec 2025
Excellent trip - we saw many dolphins! The captain and crew were terrific! We would definitely recommend!

Fun jumping dolphins

Mary_G, Dec 2025
Dolphin sightings. Great information about area and birds, Only problem is it was hard to hear pilots muffled voice

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for your feedback Mary! We’re glad you enjoyed the dolphin sightings and learning about the area and birds. We appreciate your note about the audio and will look into improving clarity for future tours. 🐬🦅⛵

Great time and great...

Greg_M, Nov 2025
Great time and great crew. We saw a lot of dolphins. Recommend to all. The weather was nice and sunny and the dolphins were out.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you Greg! We’re thrilled you had a great time and spotted so many dolphins. We’ll share your kind words with the crew. So glad the weather was perfect. We hope to see you on the water again soon! 🐬☀️⛵

Dolphin cruise

Christie_S, Oct 2025
Captain Windows and Sam and Kelly were amazing. Very knowledgeable and friendly. They kept a positive fun vibe throughout the tour.

Loved it!!!

Angela_T, Oct 2025
Great experience! Great captain and mates. Overall, great trip! We saw lots and lots of dolphins and enjoyed every second of it!

First booking was...

Jacqueline_P, Oct 2025
First booking was canceled due to unfavorable weather conditions but was able to rebook for another day which turned out to be a beautiful experience. Weather was perfect and had an enjoyable cruise with many dolphin sightings.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad your rescheduled cruise turned out beautifully and that you enjoyed great weather and lots of dolphin sightings. We appreciate your patience with the weather cancellation and hope to welcome you aboard again soon! 🐬⛵☀️

Good ahead, you will enjoy

Elizabeth_T, Oct 2025
Nice people, nice trip, saw a lot of dolphins. The first mate came around and talked about the animals we were seeing, checked with everyone to make sure everyone was having fun. The boat captain keep the ship turned to the dolphins.

Boat captain was very...

Wendy_F, Sep 2025
Boat captain was very knowledgeable and knew exactly where to find a LOT of dolphins and gave us informative facts. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip.

The cottages

Stella_P, Sep 2025
I had an awesome 👌 time! The cottage had everything in it and it was very close to the pool. I enjoyed the pool and the jacuzzi and the island was easy to navigate. The bank bar was next door and enjoyed music there

Totally worth every penny!

Pam_E, Sep 2025
From the minute we pulled out of the harbor we spotted the first of many dolphins. We even found a nursery pod with lots of mama’s with their babies. We saw more dolphins hanging around a shrimp boat. Get there early and snag a seat in the front of the boat!

Great

Gisselle_V, Aug 2025
Perfect cruise for the family. We saw quite a few dolphins. The captain was so knowledgeable. Definitely would recommend this cruise.

Wonderful cruise

Rose_G, Aug 2025
The crew were very knowledgeable about the area and gave lots of information during the cruise. It was comfortable and safe, and we saw so many dolphins

Fun!

Jeffrey_L, Jul 2025
The crew was great! It was very hot that day, but the crew made the best of it. Saw a lot of dolphins.

A must!

Caitlyn_C, Jul 2025
This was a family favorite! We seen tons of dolphins! The captain was very informative. The kids asked tons of questions and he answered everyone! Very friendly and fun!

Great trip!

Myra_P, Jul 2025
I highly recommend this Dolphin watching cruise. We saw a mom and her calf and altered our course to enjoy watching them. We also saw a large and very active pod! They were speed leaping for miles! Captain and crew were knowledgeable and helpful. Thanks!!

The trip was Extremely...

Shanita_F, Jul 2025
The trip was Extremely fun! We would definitely do it again next time we come to Hilton head………………..

Dolphin Watching

Orman_S, Jun 2025
You will see dolphins and the boat was cool had drinks and snacks. The crew was knowledgeable and friendly and the captain turned the boat to the left and right yo view the dolphins.

Cancelled twice

Rhonda_L, Apr 2025
Afternoon voyage cancelled due to lack of interest. Rescheduled for 6:00pm , cancelled due to weather.

Big boat, friendly and...

Lindsey_E, Jan 2025
Big boat, friendly and knowledgeable staff, enclosed and they had heat which was nice in January! Full bar and snacks, reasonably priced. Kid friendly. Great time.

Saw lots of dolphins 🐬, very nice...

Errica_M, Dec 2024
Very nice. 🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬 great. You should try them.. wished we out further but I guess that's where they play mostly played

Great experience, highly...

Stephanie_M, Dec 2024
Great experience, highly recommend! It was a bit chilly for me but went in December. Crew was kind and knowledgeable, spotted a lot of dolphin in the water and great cruise around the harbour. Captured beautiful pictures and video, the souvenir photo is a wonderful memento.

Relaxing boat ride

Patrick_M, Nov 2024
We had a great time on the relaxing boat excursion. The dolphin-loving skipper and mate kept the passengers entertained and educated. Their numbers were abundant.

Good Way To Spend The Afternoon

Dave_H, Sep 2024
Boat was clean, narration interesting and informative, and price reasonable. Lots of dolphin seen. Good way to spend the afternoon!

Can't get to the port by trolley

Sonya_M, Jul 2024
It was explained there was a few to get into the port but it was not explained that you MUST DRIVE to it. The trolleys don't go close enough to walk from the stop to the ports so the trip was missed completely.

From $44.00

per person

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

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 11 days in advance.

Compare Similar Experiences

1 / 3
Current
Hilton Head Island Ocean Dolphin Cruise


1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$44.00
Hilton Head Island Dolphin Boat Cruise


1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$39.99
Hilton Head Dolphin Tour with Stop at Disappearing Island


2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$55.00
Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Watching Cruise


1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$50.00
$45.00