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Featured Tour Fort Sumter Tour & Boat Cruise

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Embark on a Historic Adventure

Fort Sumter tours depart daily from two locations: downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant.

Fort Sumter Tours is an authorized National Park Service concessioner. We provide the only commercial boat transportation to Fort Sumter. We offer many departure times daily from two convenient locations: Liberty Square in downtown Charleston or Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.

Board your tour boat and get ready for a relaxing 30-minute cruise to historic Fort Sumter.

Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by National Park Service rangers who will provide programming and answer questions about the history of Fort Sumter and its pivotal role in the American Civil War. Learn about the events that led to the outbreak of America’s most bloody war ( read the tour narration ).

Spend an hour exploring Fort Sumter before boarding the boat for a cruise back to your departure point.

Please note: Men’s Restrooms at Fort Sumter Under Repair

Currently, the men’s restrooms at Fort Sumter are out of service. However, there are restrooms available on the ferry boat, which remains docked at the fort for the duration of your stay.

Grab a snack!

Tour boat concessions offer a variety of drinks and snacks (including healthy options) available for purchase during the cruise to and from the fort.

Please note: No food items are allowed on the Fort Sumter grounds.

Browse the Gift Shop

America’s National Parks Museum Store is located in the Fort Sumter Visitor Center at Liberty Square and at Fort Sumter.

Shop a selection of souvenirs perfect for history buffs, including books, CDs and DVDs about Fort Sumter and the Civil War.

Please Note

Call us at 843-722-2628 with any questions regarding wheelchair accessibility.

During the spring and summer months, our 3:45 p.m. departure from Patriots Point will make a brief interim stop at Liberty Square before and after the tour.

Restrooms and water are available on the boat, which will remain at the dock during your visit.

Boats will Depart Promptly!

Please plan to arrive 30 minutes early.

Ticket Prices

Senior/active military, children (4-11), children 3 and under, details you need to know about fort sumter tours.

Fort Sumter Tour tickets are 100% refundable if canceled 2 hours in advance of the departure time. If tickets are canceled less than 2 hours from departure time they are non-refundable. Rates and times are subject to availability and change without notice.

America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, frequently referred to as the National Parks pass does not apply to the ferry fee. This includes the Interagency Senior, Access, Military, 4th Grade Pass and Annual passes.

Fort Sumter tours cruise in most weather conditions year-round. The Charleston area experiences a high number of lightning strikes during the summer. Know the latest weather conditions and seek safe shelter in the event of lightning or thunder. Lightning identified within 10 miles of Fort Sumter will prompt the closure of the observation deck, and visitors are advised to shelter in the fort’s museum or on the ferry. The National Park Service and Fort Sumter Tours will inform visitors when there is a possibility that storms may impact the length of time visitors can spend at the fort. For more weather information, visit www.nps.gov/fosu .

Accessibility

The Fort Sumter Tour is a boat excursion. Due to changing weather and tide conditions, Fort Sumter Tours cannot and does not guarantee accessibility. The Liberty Square boarding ramp can accommodate electric and manual wheelchairs and scooters except in extreme tide situations. The Patriots Point location cannot accommodate wheelchairs or scooters. To ensure your visit will be fully accessible, we recommend calling Fort Sumter Tours on the day of your visit at 843-722-2628 .

There is a lift at Fort Sumter enabling visitors to access the museum, restrooms, bookstore and top level of Fort Sumter.  In addition, the tour boat does have restrooms and will remain at the fort during your visit. The tour boats are equipped with an elevator/lift and handicapped accessible restrooms. Please visit the National Park Service Accessibility page for more details.

No concealed weapons are allowed on any vessels operated by Fort Sumter Tours.

Pets are not permitted at Fort Sumter due to the high volume of visitors to this secluded island fort. Fort Sumter Tours does not permit pets on board vessels.  Please visit the Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park website for details.

Public Notice

This service is operated by Fort Sumter Tours, a Concessioner under contract with the U.S. Government and administered by the National Park Service. The Concessioner is responsible for conducting the operations in a satisfactory manner. Prices are approved by the National Park Service.

Please address comments to: Superintendent Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie National Historical Park 1214 Middle Street Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 [email protected]

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Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to preserve slavery, construction on a new fort, Fort Sumter, proceeded. The Confederacy fired on the US garrison of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 opening the Civil War, which redefined American freedom.

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Learn about where the American Civil War began and Fort Sumter's role from park rangers and visitors.

Fort Sumter is located in the middle of Charleston Harbor, and is only accessible by ferry rides through Fort Sumter Tours.

Visit Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island to experience 171 years of seacoast defense from 1776 to 1947 (Photo: NPS/ N. Boyd)

The Every Kid Outdoors program provides free access for 4th graders and their families to national parks and other federal lands!

We want you to have the most enjoyable trip possible; therefore, we ask that you refer to our accessibility section to learn more.

See how you can help the effort to conserve rare artifacts at Fort Sumter.

Last updated: April 29, 2024

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Contact info, mailing address:.

1214 Middle Street Sullivan's Island, SC 29482

(843) 883-3123

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Fort Sumter Tours

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Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

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Fort Sumter Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Historic City Tour and Fort Sumter Tour

Quick Details

• Hour Glass Duration: 5 hours
• Map Marker Departure Location: 375 Meeting St, Charleston, SC

Checkmark Easy Cancellations!

Tour the City & Fort Sumter on a Combo Tour

Experience the Old Market area and the historic homes and churches where generations of Charlestonians worked, lived, and worshiped.

Step out of the air-conditioned minibus onto the famous Battery Seawall. See and hear about Fort Sumter, the Harbor of History, and the Aircraft Carrier Yorktown at Patriots Point.

PLUS enjoy a cruise to historic Fort Sumter “where the Civil War began.” The Fort Sumter tour lasts 2 1/4 hours and may be taken with the city tour.

Your Ticket Includes

• 90-minute guided tour of historic Charleston
• Cruise to historic Fort Sumter. Includes a 30-minute cruise to the fort, approx. one hour on Fort Sumter for visitation and a 30-minute return cruise.
• Tours run consecutively. Breaking tours up will not include complimentary transportation.
• Complimentary transportation to the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center.
• Charleston’s Historic Homes
• The Battery Sea Wall
• Historic Churches
• Old Market Area
• The Four Corners of Law
• Rainbow Row
• Fort Sumter
• Aircraft Carrier Yorktown
• America’s longest cable-stayed bridge
• Charleston’s bustling Port

Please Note

• Please confirm date and times before submitting the reservation.
• Times listed denote City Tour portion only. Please allow extra time for combination tours.
• Please note that booking times are exact and not an arrival window.
• Changes may be made on a space-available basis.
• There is no hop on/off service in the city of Charleston.
• Must cancel scheduled tour 24 hours prior to tour departure time in order to receive a full refund.
• All Gray Line City Tours depart from the Charleston Visitors Center located at 375 Meeting Street.
• Boat Vouchers: Gray Line guests will receive vouchers for boat passage to Fort Sumter upon check-in with the Gray Line dispatcher.
• We are committed to responsible tourism and traveler safety.
• No concealed weapons allowed on any boat, bus or van.

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