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Looking for something special to do on your next Hilton Head Island vacation that isn’t the beach?
While the beach is great, it can be fun to shake it up a little and add a different activity to your travel itinerary. And that’s exactly what my family and I did during our most recent trip to Hilton Head. We took a Hilton Head dolphin tour and had a wonderful time!
Today, I’ll share our family’s experiences on our 90 minute Hilton Head dolphin and nature tour. And this includes letting you know how you can get it at the lowest price!
Before the Tour
So first, we bought the tour.
Here’s where you can get the dolphin watching tour at the lowest price. It’s literally guaranteed!
We were told to arrive 30 minutes before the departure time (and you really want to do this – more on that later).
We headed to 18 Simmons Road, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29926 (as in, that’s the address we put into OnStar). Then we took the first right off Simmons Road, where the two American flags are. That’s where you’ll find a free parking lot. There appeared to be two sides of the parking lot, one for the boat tours and one for Adventure Hilton Head. We parked on the boat tour side.
From there, we walked to the back of the parking lot, where on the right side there’s an entrance to a wooden dock.
We were allowed on the boat around 25 minutes before our scheduled tour time. And we left about 5 to 7 minutes early, so make sure you’re not running late. (If you are running late, give them a call at 843-681-2522 so they’ll know you’re still coming!)
During the Tour
The tour travels up and down Broad Creek, in the middle of Hilton Head Island. During the tour, you’ll get to see birds, marshes, beautiful houses and boats, and of course dolphins!
In fact, the Dolphin and Nature Tour is first and foremost a dolphin watching tour. At least, that’s how it seemed to me. The captain and first mate did a great job of locating dolphins and getting closer to them. It was fun to help them spot dolphins, too, by looking for a dorsal fin sticking up out of the water.
All in all, we saw several dolphins during our tour.
The captain also shared information regarding dolphins, birds (such as great egrets, snowy egrets, and anhingas), marsh life, and the tides and water on and around Hilton Head Island. He struck a nice balance of making the tour educational without going into information overload.
During the tour, a small selection of drinks and snacks were available, like Cokes, water, and chips. You can also bring your own snacks and drinks onto the boat, as long as you don’t have anything that’s glass (such as glass cups or containers).
Now, I will say that three of my family members (myself included) got a little seasick during the tour. So I can’t really imagine wanting to eat anything on board. I was, however, grateful that I’d brought a water bottle, as it can get very hot.
It can also get very windy, so make sure any hat you wear is secure! The boat is covered, but my hat provided additional help for keeping the sun off my face. I did hold it for part of the tour, though, as I was worried about it flying off.
In addition to learning about the local wildlife, the captain also told us about some of the waterfront homes we saw during the tour. In fact, when he discussed how the Palmetto Bay Marina was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew and rebuilt, the first mate even showed everyone on board a couple of laminated photos so we could see what it looked like both before and after the damage.
Near the end of the tour, you’ll get a chance to pose for a photograph on the boat with your entire group. I appreciated the fact that it was offered to everyone, but they didn’t push it if you declined.
And if you have a child with you, at some point, they may even get to drive the boat!
Conclusion
The Hilton Head dolphin and nature tour was a fun way to see part of the island from a different perspective. I enjoyed learning more about Hilton Head and its wildlife. And the staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
I highly recommend this tour for your next Hilton Head Island trip. And make sure you get the dolphin and nature tour at the lowest price!