We always say to people considering a private Hilton Head Boat Tour that the best way to experience Hilton Head Island is from the water. That’s why group boat tours are perennially at the top of the list of things to do in Hilton Head. There are many different options on how you see it from the water but also, what you see from the water. For our money, the best experience on the water has to be our private two-hour Hilton Head Sunset Cruise.
The easiest way that I can describe what makes this experience so special is that you are getting two tour experiences for the price of one. The first experience is one of our Hilton Head Dolphin Tours, where you get to have an up close and personal dolphin encounter with some of our local Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in their natural environment. There just isn’t anything better than being out on the water for your own Hilton Head Dolphin Cruise.
Part two of what makes the experience so great is the sunset portion of our tour where you get to drink in one of the majestic sunsets that Hilton Head Island is known for. There’s nothing like capturing that perfect sunset, and no two sunsets are the same. These cruises are also great if you are planning a Friendsaversary, or a wedding activity, or even a Hilton Head Bachelorette party.
Pretty cool right?
The third part of our sunset tour offering that makes it so popular has to do with the diversity of routes that you can choose for your group. For us at Hilton Head Boat Charters, there are three main routes to choose from and it all depends on what kind of experience our guests are looking for. There are two really popular routes that our guests like to take – the Port Royal / Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge / Dolphin Head Route, and the Calibogue Sound Route. Each tour offers our guests a unique opportunity to experience the backwaters of Hilton Head Island.
Port Royal / Pinckney Island / Dolphin Head
This route is a real crowd-pleaser and has something in it for the entire family. On this two-hour private cruise, we spend the majority of our time circumnavigating Pinckney Island. Along the way, we will cruise through Skull Creek and past Dockside, Boathouse, and Hudson’s restaurants. Stopping at any of the three locations is easy for those eager to grab a quick snack or adult beverage. From there, we make our way through Hilton Head Plantation on our way to the Port Royal Sound. Before we enter the Port Royal Sound – we have the option of stopping at a remote beach called Dolphin Head. This is a great opportunity to get out and hit this spectacular remote beach, collect some shells, and get your toes in the water/sand.
After Dolphin Head, our cruise takes us out into the sound and then back behind Pinckney Island to an area we affectionately call “Cocktail Cove”. This backwater part of Mackey Creek is fantastic for dropping anchor, cutting the motor to enjoy nothing but complete silence and amazing marsh views. Should time allow, this is an absolutely perfect place to take a quick dip. From Cocktail Cove we generally catch the sunset either in Mackey Creek or over in front of Windmill Harbor. Both locations frame up the sunset in a true low country style. From there, it is only a short jaunt back to the dock to complete the tour.
The Calibogue Sound
This is hands down our most popular sunset tour. From the dock, this cruise heads out into Skull Creek and directly past Windmill Harbor. The May River and Spanish Wells come into view as we make our way toward the Calibogue Sound. Both Spanish Wells and Windmill Harbor make for some fun real estate window shopping if you are looking for your forever home.
At the end of Spanish Wells, we dip into Broad Creek for a hot second and head behind Buck Island. This is the slow and low portion of our tour and is usually where the corks are popped, and the meat and cheese plates come out. This route eventually puts us right in the middle of the Calibogue Sound with Daufuskie Island and the Harbour Town Lighthouse clear view. This is where we set the boat up for the long sunset view over the Cooper River. As the sun drops below the horizon, that’s our queue to reverse our tracks and head past Bull Island through Middle Channel and back to our dock.
Should you find yourself wanting to get out there on the water for an unforgettable sunset, please feel free to give us a call or check us out online at www.hhiboatcharters.com
