Traveler Overview

5.0 1,437 reviews

Excellent93%
Very good4%
Average1%
Poor1%
Terrible1%

Travelers talk about

“captain cody”(152 reviews)

“sand dollars”(222 reviews)

“sunset cruise”(117 reviews)

About

With over 30 years experience in dolphin and nature cruises around Hilton Head Island, Capt. Jim Harkins and Island Explorer offers unique and memorable tours. With both 12-passenger and 6-passenger boats, Island Explorer can accommodate large...more

Open Now

Hours Today: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM

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Contact

101 Marshland Rd, Hilton Head, SC 29926-2306

Website

+1 843-785-2100

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Reviews (1,437)

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1 - 10 of 1,436 reviews

Relax20920469379

1

Reviewed yesterday

Great adventure!

Captain Jared was terrific. The day was sunny and all of us..4 adults, 2 children 7 and 4, loved being out on the water..seeing dolphins and finding sand dollars on Vanishing Island.we highly recommend!

Review collected in partnership with this attraction

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank Relax20920469379

Sunshine31692446854

Greer, South Carolina

1

Reviewed 2 days ago

Great tour!

We are so glad we decided to do this tour. Not only was Jared super nice he was full of interesting information. Definitely recommend this tour to anyone that wants to see dolphins and learn all about the area.

Review collected in partnership with this attraction

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank Sunshine31692446854

dougk77

Marietta, Georgia

1912

Reviewed 5 days ago via mobile

Vanishing Island - well worth the visit!

A truly memorable tour last week while in Hilton Head, SC. The staff including Captain Jim; Captain Chad; our Captain Thad in addition to three special guests that accompanied us made for a great excursion. Our “vanishing island tour” was everything and more! We learned...More

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank dougk77

Thank you for taking time to write such a thorough and positive review. It's always our pleasure to share the beauty of the Lowcountry with our wonderul guests. Our goal is to create a unique and memorable experience for each and every guest - one...More

Carol M

Tucson

124

Reviewed 1 week ago

Great Island Exploration

Captain Jared made our dolphin and nature tour one of the best experiences we had during our stay on Hilton Head Island. He was informative, pleasant, responsive, knowlegable . .. He was great. Thanks for a wonderful time.More

Review collected in partnership with this attraction

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank Carol M

Hello Carol, The entire staff at Island Explorer was thrilled to read your wonderful review. We're proud to have Captain Jared among our team of excellent captains, all of whom strive to offer our guests a first class experience. We couldn't be more flattered than...More

elizabetha68

Blaine, Minnesota

71

Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

Vanishing Island!

Jerod took us on a really fun 3-hour-tour around Broad Creek and the surrounding waterways. He really made our trip special, as he was very knowledgeable about the oysters, dolphins, birds, ecology and history of the area. The highlight was visiting Vanishing Island for an...More

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank elizabetha68

Hi Elizabeth, Thanks so much for your recommendation and wonderful review of your experience with Island Explorer. It's our goal to offer every guest a unique and memorable experience on the waters of the Lowcountry. The Vanishing Island Expedition™ was originated by Island Explorer and...More

mikejaypost

Laurens, South Carolina

2

Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

Three hour vanishing island tour

My wife and I had the best time watching the dolphins swim up close to the boat as well as collecting sea shells and sand dollars on Vanishing Island. Captain Jared was phenomenal! He was always ready to answer a question and he kept things...More

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank mikejaypost

We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Captain Jared. Our unique Vanishing Island Expedition™ is designed to give our guests a bit of everything that's wonderful about the Lowcountry eco-system. We carefully choose and train our captains to offer a tour that's...More

Sandy L

Midland, Michigan

4

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

Great experience!

Chilly day but great shell gathering. Jared was a terrific host and captain. He had lots of information on local cuisine and activities. Both of our teenagers loved it as well! Always a hit when that happensMore

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank Sandy L

Hi Sandy, Thanks for braving the chilly weather and joining our tour. We're so glad that you had a "great experience." It's always our goal to offer our guests a safe, fun and educational experience, and we're proud of Captain Jared and our entire team...More

dbgsmm

North Carolina

9441

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

A Fantastic Experience with Captain Jared

We were lucky enough to be on the first Vanishing Island Excursion for the 2019 season. Even though we started off with a cloudy day, captain Jared made it the bright highlight of our weekend. He has a wealth of knowledge about the island and...More

Date of experience: March 2019

1 Thank dbgsmm

Thanks for your great review of our very first tour of the season. Captain Jared and the entire staff at Island Explorer really appreciate you kind words and glowing review. We are so lucky to live and work in such a beautiful place, and it...More

maryrochelle224

4

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

Best dolphin excursion!

I took the Vanishing Island tour for 3 hours. Captain Jared was informative and entertaining. He can spot all types of water fowl and dolphins faster than I have ever seen! He showed us how oysters grow and when we went to the Vanishing Island,...More

Date of experience: March 2019

Thank maryrochelle224

Everyone at Island Explorer is so happy that you had an "excellent adventure" with Captain Jared on your Vanishing Island Expedition™. It's our goal to offer a tour that is both fun and educational, and each of our captains is specially chosen and trained to...More

218daisy

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

2

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

Amazing Experience!!!

Our family decided to try something different so we booked the sunset cruise. What an amazing experience that we will now do year after year on our family vacation to HHI. During the cruise we were able to see lots of wildlife, dolphins and a...More

Date of experience: July 2018

Thank 218daisy

Thanks for letting us know that you had an "amazing experience" on your tour. It's always our goal to offer a unique and memorable experience to our guests, and it is a pleasure to see them return year after year. We look forward to having...More

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Questions & Answers

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See all 17 questions

toniab780

Coming down to visit at the end of October. How rough are the waters then?

October 22, 2018|

Answer

Hello, October is usually one of the most beautiful months of the year. All of our tours take place on the calm inland waters of Broad Creek and the Calibogue Sound. On the rare occasion of a very windy day with rougher... More

dianep852

We are a group of 4 adults. We would love to have a sunset cruise on September 13 or 14. Is this available? Amazed at all your 5 star reviews Thanks so much!

August 23, 2018|

AnswerShow all 2 answers

Hello Diane P. Please excuse our delay in responding here in TripAdvisor. Somehow we did not get a notification of your question. On September 13, because of the tides we offer our 3-Hour "Vanishing Island Expedition" at... More

Rachel60134

Are boat tours suitable for young children? My husband and I will be traveling to HHI in August and with our 2 1/2 year old and 7 month old. If so, are life preservers provided for adults and children? Thanks in advance for your help answering these questions!

July 12, 2018|

AnswerShow all 3 answers

Hello Rachel, Thanks for contacting Island Explorer We strongly suggest our 1-Hour Dolphin & Nature Tour for families with younger children, but they are welcomed on any tour that you think you would enjoy as a family. We... More