Charleston Tours
Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting
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Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting

By Charleston Water Taxi
Recommended by 95% of travelers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guarantee

Ages 0-105, max of 40 per group
Duration: 1–11 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket


  • Dolphin cruise included in every trip.Dolphin sightings frequent but not guaranteed.
  • Entry/Admission - Charleston Waterfront Park
What's not included
  • Admission to local attractions not included.
  • Entry/Admission - Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
  • Entry/Admission - Charleston
  • Entry/Admission - Mount Pleasant


Start:Multiple meeting point options.
  • Option 1
    International African American Museum, 14 Wharfside St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
    Aquarium wharf. Look for the Red Flag
  • Option 2
    Waterfront Park Pier, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
    Look for the Red Flag on pier. Take left just past flag pole.
  • Option 3
    24 Patriots Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA
    Look for Red Flag behind the USSYorktown aircraft carrier.
  • Option 4
    20 Patriots Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA
    Look for the Red Flag by dock office on pier. Water Taxis depart from "A" dock.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 87113P2

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers

    • All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 87113P2

    From
    $17.00
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Charleston Water Taxi
      1,781
      United States
      Joined in February 2010
    • mlsm722024
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Finally took the water taxi!
      I've lived here for seven years and finally took the water taxi! We had our grandchildren with us and thought they would love this adventure... and we all did! Great crew.. easy ordering tickets... and on time. Even pointed out where to see the dolphins that were playing in the water for our grandson! Definitely will be doing this again!
      Written November 16, 2024
    • pierce2613
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great deal must do!!
      We had a great time with chip on the water taxi ! He was super friendly and a great source of information about the area. We saw lots of dolphins it was great. After we toured the carrier and destroyer we rode a bigger taxi back (same company)and the two people working in that one were also awesome ! Very great price for all day pass and super friendly people . Must do!!
      Written November 9, 2024
    • ionvrhnyanski
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sightseeing from Water Taxi
      We were looking to find a way to see Charleston and the surroundings from the water, so our choice was WaterTaxi. Were able to see not only Charleston but also Yorktown, the battle ship, The Marina, the beautiful bridge and even far away Fort Sumter.
      Written November 1, 2024
    • kimberly31731
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      For a great experience on the water in Charleston without breaking the bank!
      This was so perfect! Very comfortable, great path around the harbor! Beautiful scenery and so inexpensive for such a great boat ride!
      Written October 28, 2024
    • CityofSunshine
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      I officially LOVE Charleston‼️
      This was a quick Girls Trip for me and some friends. We used this service and LOVED everything about it❤
      Written October 22, 2024
    • jessieweir
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great boat ride
      We saw dolphins and sunset . Well worth it. Great way to travel around Charleston. Highly recommended
      Written October 16, 2024
    • rmcirish
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Experience
      Very easy way to get from the Harbor Inn to downtown without having to drive and find a place to park.
      Written October 15, 2024
    • 1emilye09
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Easy to board and ride for how ever long you wanted.! Super friendly crew and captain!
      Easy to board the boat! You could hop on and off or just ride. The crew and captain was super friendly and polite. They went it of their way to for us to see dolphins. I would highly recommend!
      Written October 9, 2024
    • tlpowers21
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Fun Trip
      We hopped on a late morning taxi ride simply to ride on the boat and see where it stops. It was about an hour round trip to get back to where we started. To our surprise, it was the right time of year when dolphins are in the bay. The crew was extremely friendly and helpful with any questions raised by customers riding the taxi. We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Charleston Water Taxi! Highly recommend!
      Written October 6, 2024
    • BethWiles
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best Deal in Charleston!
      It was such a great day to be on the water. The sun was shining, the dolphins were showing off, the breeze was blowing, and the staff was delightful and they ferried me around the harbor! It’s the best $17 I spent during my whole trip!!
      Written September 27, 2024
    • M8924FPelizabethp
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Loved it!
      I will never drive into Charleston again. The water taxi was so much fun and drops you off in 2 Charleston location. The crew was wonderful. They took photos of everyone on board and stopped for dolphin viewing. Thanks for a wonderful time.
      Written September 23, 2024
    • Kim F
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Captain and First Mate top rated!
      The Captain is knowledgeable and offered several recommendations for dinner when we asked. We tried one of his recommendations (SNOB) and it was excellent! The First Mate is attentive and knowledgeable and offered information about dolphins seen and how they throw fish against the hull of the docked ships to kill it before eating. Amazing!
      Written September 21, 2024
    • Michael W
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very convenient, and clear sailing (when it wasn't raining)
      Very convenient to where we were staying. Took the taxi to Patriot's Point (USS Yorktown and USS Laffey). On the return trip, the rain was heavy for a stretch (you couldn't see the shore on the other side of the waterway, but the Captain waited out the storm. Very convenient for what we decided to do! Will definitely use it again when we go back to the area
      Written September 15, 2024
    • Daydream56856
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Enjoyed our tour
      Absolutely enjoyed our tour....We basically just road the whole "tour" to see the sites and take a break from walking. Very enjoyable and will def do it again when we visit...
      Written September 12, 2024
    • frizle222024
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Will use again next time!
      Visited a few relatives that lives in the Charleston area. Took the family out for a fun day at downtown Charleston and used Water Taxi to get to the other side of the harbor. Very good price for an all day ticket. We encountered a thunder storm while crossing the harbor and we had to stay put until the storm passed until we arrive at our stop back at the aquarium, the captain was very nice and even offered free water for everyone on board.
      Written September 12, 2024
    See all 1,781 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles480 reviews
    Excellent
    442
    Very good
    17
    Average
    9
    Poor
    6
    Terrible
    6

    Lynn H
    PA148 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2024 • Solo
    Took this trip solo with my golden retriever while my hubby visited the Patriot's Point museum. The staff was very welcoming & polite and conversational. I got off at the Waterfront Park and what a great stop just to relax, grab lunch, gelato and take some photos. The town is very walkable and quaint in this area. Plenty of places to eat! Right off the landing about .25 mile straight is the best gelato shop - OMG!! I was going to the go to the City Market - advertisements say it is a block away, it's actually 4/10 of a mile and was a little too warm for my doggo to walk that day. Saw many dolphins swimming on the ride and you can choose to sit up front in the sun or in the back under cover. Would recommend for an easy way to get around Charleston. I parked at the Harbor Resort - signage wasn't really great there but you walk to the water taxi landing down along the right side of the hotel. You will have to pay about $10+ for parking and in March I was able to park in front of the hotel.
    Written March 29, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Nichelle W
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2024 • Family
    Great experience. The driver and attendant were very cool and laid back. We were very impressed by how they were able to make the ride smooth through the kind of choppy waters we were having that day. I especially loved how they entertained my kids or allowed my kids to entertain them! Definitely recommend for getting around to different checkpoints of downtown Charleston. It’s for sure cheaper than what you’d pay for an Uber and you can always hop back on free of charge with an all day pass.
    Written April 8, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Allen K
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2023 • Couples
    Great way to get from one side of the Charleston Harbor. Crew was extremely friendly and attentive. Water taxi was very prompt with departure and arrival times. Very helpful if you are on a tight schedule. Highly recommend getting the $14 all day pass so you can c9me and go as many times as you like.
    Written July 2, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Kathleen S
    Mount Dora, FL27 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2024 • Family
    I scheduled this tour for my daughter and I for early August, 2024. Unfortunately, Hurricane Debbie made her entrance to the Charleston area the day before the tour was scheduled to depart. The Mayor of Charleston issued a State of Emergency and requested everyone to stay off the roads. I called and left a message to cancel our reservation as we were leaving town immediately to get out of the way of the hurricane. This company disregarded the Mayor's edict and held their tour anyway, refusing to give us a refund. Clearly they are more concerned with their money than guests' safety and wellbeing or the government of the city of Charleston. There are other options. Don't use this one!
    Written September 4, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Rachael M
    1 contribution
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2024 • Family
    Beware before buying the all day pass. As a family of 6 with 4 young kids, we had a great experience leaving from Charleston Harbor to the Waterfront Park. We had a nice lunch in Charleston but, unfortunately, were never able to get back on the taxi due to the amount of people waiting! We arrived at the dock early (in 90 degree heat) and waited as two different taxis came and filled with too many people. The taxis were also 20 minutes late. There is no way to reserve a spot online, there is no line formation system and it's a crazy free-for-all of people trying to push their way to the front of the line. You can't do that with little kids and strollers. In theory it's a great idea, but if you are travelling with kids or don't want to wait 2+ hours at the dock, I wouldn't recommend it. We ended up having to pay for an Uber back to our car after we wasted money on 5 all day fares.
    Written July 6, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Brian O
    Concord, MA81 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2023
    My wife and I used the Charleston Water Taxi to go from the city to Patriots Point and back later in the day It was a beautify day, and they pilots were pleasant and pointed out the sights and dolphins who were swimming in different areas. They were on-time and it is a very cost effective way to travel if you don't have a rental car. A nice way to get to where you need to go - and see the scenery at the same time!
    Written October 27, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Heidi G
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2022
    My kids loved the water taxi so much that we rode it twice, just in circles. I had originally planned to take it from the Mt Pleasant side over to the aquarium as a method of transportation, but we missed the turn into the Charleston Harbor hotel road, so we just went over the bridge and parked at the aquarium parking garage. Then we got on the taxi and rode around to Waterfront Park, got off and had lunch, walked to the aquarium (1 mile, 2 kids under 8, 90 degree heat). Then the kids wanted to ride the boat again, so we got back in line. It was a holiday weekend and the water taxi was pretty busy, so they sent a second boat. The crew was really nice to us, answered questions about dolphins, told us where they had seen a manatee. They also helped another group on the boat to figure out where to site see for some architecturally interesting homes downtown, even drew on a map for them. For $14/adult and $10/kid this was totally worth it. And it was a nice way to cool off.
    Written June 1, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    amy g
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2023 • Family
    The water taxi is the only way to travel! Colin was very personable and shared his knowledge of the area and it's surroundings. He took his time when dolphins were around the boat and made the whole ride very enjoyable. Water taxi is dog friendly and they even supply water to the pups on the journey if needed. It stops at 4 different locations giving you plenty of opportunity to hop off, enjoy that area and then get back on to continue your visit.
    Written October 9, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Douglas Jones
    Mauldin, SC3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience, easy way to get from Mt Pleasant to downtown Charleston without the worry of driving and parking. Four stops that will satisfy anyone who is staying in Mt Pleasant on vacation and desire to go downtown. We stopped at the Waterfront Park and caught the free shuttle bus and from there went all over the city, sightseeing, dining and shopping
    Written August 27, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    shelbi c
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2022
    As a local Charlestonian, my boyfriend and I were downtown and decided to take the taxi on a whim. We have both lived in Charleston for some time, and realized we had never taken it before. You don't need any reservations, just tickets, which were very easy to purchase. This is such a fun, easy, and affordable way to cruise the harbor. Tickets were available to purchase online (or on the taxi). It runs every hour, and is easy to get on and off. Tickets were $14/person for a full day pass, which is incredibly reasonable for Charleston. We got picked up at waterfront part, and just rode all the way around. There are usually dolphins in the harbor, and they were really cool to see up close. It was a great experience, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, inexpensive activity to do last minute.
    Written April 13, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting provided by Charleston Water Taxi

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