The tour was very enjoyable and we were able to get see numerous dolphins along the way. Shea was a great guide with extensive knowledge on dolphins and their habitat and the general area as well. Strongly recommend this tour.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Bottled water
- Licensed Captain and Naturalist
- See wildlife including Atlantic bottlenose dolphins
Excludes
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Our kiosk is located in Shelter Cove Marina right next to Ela's On the Water Restaurant. There is additional parking available near San Miguels Restaurant.
Return
- Our kiosk is located in Shelter Cove Marina right next to Ela's On the Water Restaurant. There is additional parking available near San Miguels Restaurant.
Itinerary
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are a must-see while staying in Hilton Head! Outside Hilton Head’s Dolphin Eco Tour is one of the most popular tours on Hilton Head Island, providing an unforgettable experience for nature lovers, families, and anyone looking for a fun and educational adventure on the water. This tour is led by experienced captains who are passionate about the local ecosystem, ensuring that guests have an unforgettable experience while also learning about the region’s unique wildlife and marine habitat.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
What a fabulous trip the staff went above and beyond the call of duty to assist my friend with mobility issues the captain of the boat was very informative throughout the journey Thank you for a lasting memory of my first trip to the island
Captain Dean was very informative and accommodating for all of us. He made sure that we saw and hung out with dolphins and gave great historic presentations about the area. It was a wonderful time. Highly recommended.
This was a great tour. We saw lots of dolphins and enjoyed learning the history of the area. The weather was iffy, but Captain Dan kept watch on it while giving us a great experience. Highly Recommend
We had a great time, and captain Greg made the trip very informative. While we did not get to see a lot of dolphin, we enjoyed the trip.
Very nice experience with Sebastian as our guide, very experienced and knowledgeable
While it was an extremely hot day the ride was great. Our Captain was fabulous with all sorts of very interesting information and cute stories for the children keeping their attention. He was very considerate of each passenger! He kept each of us involved and definitely entertained. We were hesitant because of the weather and honestly weren't truly optimistic that we would actually see dolphins. We were wrong!
Knowledgable and friendly captain. Perfect day for a short cruise. We were able to spot some dolphins close to the boat
Very enjoyable outing on a hot August day. Shea, our captain, was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and local landmarks.
We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon. Captain Joe was extremely knowledgeable with the area and kept us entertained. We learned about the Hilton head ecosystem, which we found very interesting and informative. We highly recommend us tour and we would definitely go on this tour again.
We had a great time! Even our littlest 2 1/2 year old loved it - “go fast! YeeHaw!” We saw dolphins and learned a bit about the waters, oysters and birds around Hilton Head Island. Captain Andy was knowledgeable and knew all the places the dolphins like to visit. I was very impressed.
We had two great guides today. They were informative and entertaining, and did a great job of ensuring a safe experience for our visually-impaired campers. Thank you Wendy and Patty.
Absolutely the best experience we’ve had on a dolphin cruise! Captain Shea did amazing. Highly recommend them if you have kids who love dolphins.
Guide was very nice and knowledgeable, we got to see the wildlife and they had life jackets for the little ones.
Our guide-Joe was so knowledgeable. Many dolphins were seen, but we enjoyed all the information he shared equally! Highly recommend!
Steve was very knowledgeable! We saw dolphins, but I would have had a great time if I hadn’t seen them!
Capt Steve was our guide and he was incredible. His love of nature was apparent. Capt Steve was safety conscious and briefed us on what to do in an emergency. It was just our family of 9 and it was very comfortable. I would definitely recommend the early boat ride.
Captain Dean was fantastic and extremely knowledgeable, he was very friendly and patient towards my son as well. He even let my son drive the boat with him together, it was the best experience at the vacation .
Excellent and knowledgeable captain.
A fun site seeing experience. Knowledgable captain Great for all ages See what Hilton head has to offer
Our captain was great and we saw numerous dolphins. We saw several pairs of dolphins, some dingles, and even a mom with a calf. Wonderful experience
Captain Steve was so good! He was so knowledgeable and was able to get close enough for us to see several dolphins. It was fun and educational! Thanks Captain Steve!
This one will be under the category of ‘memories of a lifetime’ for us, our kids and our grandsons! Captain Dean was friendly, knowledgeable and patient. He gave us a beautiful tour with interesting information about the dolphins and everything else around us. He answered all our questions and offered our grandsons to drive the boat. They were beyond thrilled! This tour was one of the highlights of our family trip to Hilton Head. Thank you for helping to create beautiful memories for our family.
Took my adult children and grandchildren on the cruise. It was a great experience. So relaxing yet exciting. Thank you
Captain Carter was awesome! We were his first but he acted like he’d hosted many tours already. A very nice a professional young man!
Great time Dean Hager was amazing…friendly and smiling when he greeted us, even remembered my name Marilee. He is so informative, went out of his way to answer all questions even politely responding when I thought I saw a seal. There was 5 in our group and we all give him a solid 10 . Thanks so much for awesome day.
Captain Dan was friendly and shared so many interesting facts about the dolphins and the area. We saw two dolphin pods and he was respectful of the dolphins. He explained everything on the trip. He took us to where he had seen manta rays earlier and we saw those also. Coming back to dock we saw an alligator. We enjoyed it so much we booked a sunset cruise for the next evening.
Hope was very comfortable and loved that it had a cover over the seating area. Great captain…. Exceptionally nice and very informative. Would definitely do this again.
This tour will educate and entertain you about the waters of Hilton Head Island. Captain Sebastian really knows the area.
We saw many dolphins and got close. Not much other nature was mentioned, discussed or seen so tour name should really be dolphin cruise.
Neat experience, nice comfortable boat, and Capn Dan was an excellent guide showing us the area and providing an interesting an educational experience. Saw several pods of dolphins, too.
Event scheduled & paid for was not on the 1:30 tour schedule at the dock!!! They had no evidence of our reservation. Person in charge was able to call a Captain who came to take us out for only a 60 minute time period. We were disappointed, but thankful for “Outside” making it happen!
Riley was great. We got to see lots of dolphins and the surrounding area. He had lots of interesting information to share and answers all our questions that we had.
We had an incredible experience with Outside Hilton Head Dolphin Tours! From start to finish, the tour was relaxing, beautiful, and memorable. Our captain, Riley King, was fantastic. He was very informative, personable, and clearly knew the waterways well. Being local, born and raised, he brought such an authentic perspective to the tour and made the experience feel even more special. He shared great information about the area, the wildlife, and Hilton Head in a way that was easy to enjoy and appreciate. The scenery was beautiful, the dolphins were amazing to see, and the entire experience had such good vibes. This was a highlight of our time in Hilton Head, and I would highly recommend Outside Hilton Head Dolphin Tours to anyone visiting the island. Definitely a five-star experience!
The experience was fine. Booking through TripAdvisor was frustrating. I had no access to the address which made finding it challenging. No name or phone number was provided by TripAdvisor. I will not be booking through you again
Capt Tim took us on a great nature tour down the back creek. He was very good about identifying the birds and animals we saw. Many Dolphins, birds, Osprey and Bald Eagles. Recommended.
Captain dean was excellent!! I’ve done numerous dolphin tours but I learned several new facts this time.
Excellent tour lead by Dean H. Really appreciated his knowledge of the area, sharing about the wildlife of the island and his keen eye to find dolphins. Dean also had terrific restaurant recommendations. Look forward to booking another, longer tour when we come back to HHI in the future.
We highly recommend taking the 90 minute Dolphin and Nature tour offered by Outside Hilton Head. Captain Dean Hager was fantastic and very knowledgeable. Not only did he find dolphins to watch (including 2 moms and their calves playing), he also pointed out numerous birds in the area, including 2 bald eagles and their nest, pelicans, osprey, cormorant, heron, ibis and more. He also shared some history of the area and pointed out the Harbourside Lighthouse and Dafuskie Island. We would take this tour with him again!
Despite the cold, we booked the dolphin cruise and were thrilled with our experience. We loved Captain Dean, who was knowledgable about the area, and who made our tour extremely enjoyable! We saw a group of 2 moms and 2 dolphin calves who were having fun playing and whom we got a good look at because they were curious and swam close to and under our boat to get a good look at it! It was phenomenal. And we also saw two other solo, probably male, dolphins from a little farther away. Captain Dean also pointed out numerous birds and a highlight was seeing two bald eagles and a bald eagle nest. He also shared some history of Hilton Head and surrounding Islas, and we saw the Harbourside Lighthouse. Captain Dean even had blankets in case we needed them because of the cold, and provided bottles of water. We highly recommend this experience!
Tis is great value, you see a lot, lovely boat and scenery. Very enjoyable. HJighly suggest this, and we say dolphins, birds, landscape...
Captain Andy was a great guide for our dolphin tour. He was knowledgeable about the area, sharing info on the wildlife, landscape and Hilton Head history. We saw dolphins, and got incredible pictures and videos. It was a beautiful way to spend our morning. Would definitely recommend and will go back another time.
It was fun as well as very informative. Weather was beautiful. Our tour guide was wonderful and a lot of fun.
Had a great tour with Captain Dan. Saw a bunch of dolphin and coastal birds. Good commentary on cultural and ecological history. We've seen hundreds of dolphins and really just wanted to be out on the water. We got that plus the dolphins!
Captain Andy provided a fun and educational trip. The boat was comfortable and everyone was extremely welcoming. We had so much fun and saw dolphins, pelicans, oyster walls, lighthouses and more. This was an excursion that you must try!
Had a great time and Captain Dean was the BEST! Extremely kind, knowledgeable, patient and funny. Saw tons of wildlife including many dolphins.
Captain Riley was very informative, very pleasant and knew where to go to find the dolphins. The 90 minutes went by very very fast!
The ride was very smooth and most importantly, the weather was great. the captain was awesome and very knowledgeable
Captin was very professional, friendly and a great host.. very knowledgeable about wildlife and the island. He is an asset to you business. I will do your tour next time I am in hilton head. Thank you for a great day.
We had such a great time with Captain Grant! We had 4 adults and 2 kids (8,5) on board. He was knowledgeable and engaging with everyone. We were able to see dolphins and aviary wildlife throughout our tour!
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
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