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Charleston Kayak Tour in Shem Creek
ExcellentTop 8% in Mount Pleasant
487 reviews · Rated on 1 provider · How we score
- Mount Pleasant
- 2 hrs
- Updated November 2, 2026
Paddle Charleston’s Shem Creek past shrimp boats and saltmarshes, watching for dolphins and other wildlife with a naturalist guide.
About this tour
Paddle into Charleston’s Lowcountry on a guided kayak tour through the tidal waters of historic Shem Creek. From a private dock, follow the creek past shrimp boats and oyster beds, then venture into quiet saltmarshes where wildlife thrives.
Keep watch for bottlenose dolphins surfacing nearby, pelicans diving for fish, and egrets stalking the banks. In summer, manatees and sea turtles may also visit. A naturalist guide shares stories of local history and ecology, while providing safety guidance along the way. The two-hour outing includes a sea kayak, paddle, personal flotation device, and dry bag for your belongings.
Whether you’re new to paddling or have experience on the water, Charleston kayak tours offer a memorable way to see the creek’s working waterfront and wild edges. Book your Shem Creek paddle and discover the Lowcountry from the water.
Highlights
- Paddle past shrimp boats and oyster beds on Shem Creek
- Watch for bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, and egrets
- Explore quiet saltmarshes with a naturalist guide
- Hear stories of Lowcountry history and ecology
What's included
Included
- Sea kayak, paddle, and personal flotation device
- 2-hour guided kayak eco tour
- Professional guide with storytelling and safety skills
- Dry bag for your phone and personal belongings
Not included
- Guide gratuity
Ratings on each provider
The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.
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View on ViatorViator
4.95 / 5 · 487 reviews
Important information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants must sit on an adult’s lap
- Public transportation options are available nearby
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- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Check in upstairs at the Coastal Expeditions office at the end of Mill Street
- Parking is available in the private lot; if full, use public parking on Mill or Scott Streets
How this score is calculated
This score is based on one provider. Viator rates it 4.95 from 487 reviews. We place that rating among all Viator ratings and weight it by its review count. If the tour is found on another provider later, both ratings are combined.
How the score works and rating distribution in Mount Pleasant
- Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
- Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
- Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
- The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 9.1. Top 8% in Mount Pleasant means it ranks in the top 8% of tours in Mount Pleasant by this score.
Provider rating distribution in Mount Pleasant
How many tours in Mount Pleasant have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.
- GetYourGuide
- Viator
from $55
on Viator