Charleston Creek Kayak Tour: Wildlife and History

Embark on a thrilling wildlife kayak tour of Charleston’s Shem Creek. Discover native animals, learn local history, and paddle through oyster-lined marshes. Book your adventure now!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Coastal Expeditions on Shem Creek - Once you check in at Coastal Expeditions, your guides will prepare your group for the adventure by fitting your gear and offering a brief safety and instruction on how to sea kayak. Once we’re on the water, we’ll take a minute to get our “sea legs” before we paddle down towards the historic portion of Shem Creek and Charleston Harbor. We will return to this point at the end of the tour.
What's Included
  • Certified Professional Guide
  • Complete Kayaking Gear Provided
  • Dry Bag for Personal Items
  • 2-Hour Guided Eco Kayak Tour
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Discover the charm of Charleston’s renowned creek through a sea kayak journey. Witness indigenous creatures and gain knowledge about the area’s history along the way. As we navigate around the oyster-encrusted marshlands and past the shrimp vessels, we’ll observe creatures such as bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, egrets and others. During the summer, manatees and sea turtles also inhabit this creek. The experienced guides from Coastal Expeditions spearhead this voyage, ensuring a secure and enjoyable adventure for participants of every age.

Location
514 Mill St
Mill Street
Coastal Expeditions is located at the end of Mill Street on the left. Parking is available in the private lot. If the lot is full, public parking is available on Mill or Scott Streets. Check in upstairs in the Coastal Expeditions office.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(306 Ratings)
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Bbluther
Oct 6, 2024
Kiawah River Kayak Adventure - We had an EXCELLENT experience. Every part of our Kayak adventure was wonderful from the moment we checked in. We met Tate and Gracie and were warmly welcomed and oriented to the space and given an overview of the day. When it was time to learn about the kayaks and oars, Gracie gave an informative session for beginners but also included those who have kayaked in the past. She was helpful, supportive and kind. Getting set up was easy, quick and seamless. They were patient, supportive and fun! The tour itself was one of my favorite experiences with my children. My boys are 13 and 10, so my older son was able to kayak alone and my younger son and I were in a kayak together. We learned about the low country, the wild life and so much about kayaking in the river and in the ocean. We had an excellent time together and in the group learning from one another. Gracie paced the group so well balancing younger kayakers and older kayakers with a perfect amount of information. The day was beautiful, the equipment was top notch and the instruction was excellent. We are so thankful for this experience and we look forward to more adventures with Coastal Expeditions in the future!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bthmkramer
Sep 29, 2024
Fabulous river kayak tour! - Excellent tour! Highly recommend it. Our guide,Chance, was extremely knowledgeable and super personal. The river is spectacular. I was a first time kayaker and slightly nervous. I had a fabulous time and would definitely go again. Thanks Chance!
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419eddiei
Sep 22, 2024
FANTASTIC! - I give Coastal Expeditions the highest rating possible! The kayak tour I took with my family exceeded our expectations; it was an experience none of us will ever forget. Chance was our guide and we cannot thank him enough for keeping us safe while also sharing his seemingly endless knowledge about all the sites we explored.
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451aaronb
Sep 16, 2024
Perfect outdoor adventure - My family of 7 loved our kayak ecotour of the low country. Tate made all of us feel confidant on the water (including a 5 and 8 year old) while providing helpful sightings and explanations of the flora and fauna. We got to see night herons, a wood stork, and even made friends with a couple alligators while Tate was taking our picture. It was a perfect active family outing. Thanks!
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Cindy
Sep 13, 2024
Great guides and fun time paddling - We had a wonderful time with Morgan and Grace. Morgan was exceptionally enthusiastic and knowledgeable as she shared about the area as well as going through instructions before we ever got in the kayaks. Grace was shadowing but she had extensive background in the local ecosystem so she also was very knowledgeable. They pointed out birds along the way. Although we didn’t see dolphins that day, we did have a beautiful time on the water
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Reneevw9918cm
Sep 12, 2024
Awesome tour of Shem Creek! - Definitely recommend doing a kayak tour here! I did the early 3-hour tour with Chance and the 2-hour tour with Nate. They were both very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife, and you can tell they love their jobs and going out on the water. You will see a ton of sea birds, and if you're lucky some dolphins, turtles, and/or manatees. Definitely worth it regardless and a good tour for paddlers of all levels.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D2794hcamberm
Sep 2, 2024
Lifelong memories - 10/10 My daughter and I had the most amazing experience and it was all due to our amazing guide today. We were totally immersed in the experience when our guide told us facts and also answered any questions any of us had. We enjoyed the various birds, crabs, fish, dragonflies the Lowcountry has to offer. A special guest appearance was the absolute highlight and it was a Sea turtle! We made life long memories today and will absolutely be coming back for more Coastal Expeditions adventures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charlenep673
Aug 28, 2024
Sunrise kayak - A wonderful sunrise trip from Shem Creek! Abby was a fantastic tour guide! It was foggy …so there wasn’t much sunrise…but the fog was exciting and mysterious…
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Globetrotting270075
Aug 28, 2024
SHEM CREEK - Abby was GREAT!!! so informative and fun . LOVED THE SUNRISE) FOG TOUR 😁 WE all enjoyed learning about the birds and wildlife we saw.. She's a great asset to have
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Savannah
Aug 27, 2024
Best kayak tour ever - Morgan was the absolute best tour guide! My mom, dad, and I (24) did the safari kayak on Shem creek. Morgan clearly knows her stuff about all the wildlife around. She kept a great pace with the group and was super personable and informative! We will definitely be back!
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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