This review is a few years belated but I saw it in my drafts and had gone to the trouble of writing…read moreit so FWIW.... We took their new express service the day it began. They allowed our 90lb dog which was very kind in the close quarters of a speedboat! There is a whole procedure of parking away from the terminal (since it is so crowded nearby) and boarding at the terminal dock. They were mostly on time and had a helpful friendly attitude. My child fell asleep on the ride so it was smooth and calming enough! My only negative was we'd have appreciated more departure options and flexibility to change times if needed (provided there is room). We had trouble finding a lot of info on things to do with kids on Daufuskie (we learned there is not a lot for them; it is more for Boomers to drink) so we would've valued being able to return sooner, but it is what it is. Just the only drawback we had with service options. But we definitely recommend to others.

The new ferry operator "Low Country Ferry" was put together and operated by a very inexperienced…read moreperson. Not sure how they were able to get this contract. But the fact they bid $375K versus the previous experienced operators ' $ 1M shows how Beaufort County picked the lowest bid versus the most qualified operator. My recommendation for anyone wanting to get to Daufuskie is use Island Head or other operators.

The first time I visited Hilton Head, my family took this sunset cruise because we received a…read morevoucher after our time share presentation. For nostalgic reasons, I decided to treat the family to one on our visit to Hilton Head this year. We were fortunate to find a parking space in the parking lot near the Lighthouse at Sea Pines. We walked around a bit until one of the benches in the harbor opened up. The family stayed there while I went to figure out where to get onto the boat. This gave me the opportunity to take some pictures in the harbor. When we boarded the boat, we were guided to a table on the lower deck which was air conditioned. The sun was blazing through the window and we unfortunately did not have a shade that we could pull down like there were at some of the other tables. We made the best of it. Our server was very friendly. He explained that he was working to meet people and to see what he could learn. By the end of the trip, he exchanged information with my son. The meal was surprisingly good. I was skeptical and thought that it might be bland because it was mass produced. Every dish was prepared well and had good flavor. Everyone in my party truly enjoyed their meals. The sights are tremendous. We saw a few dolphins while the boat was underway. The sunset was breathtaking. I definitely recommend this experience.

Have you ever been on a "Shrimp Trawlin?" When visiting Hilton Head Island, SC, be sure to go on…read morethe 2 hour Vagabond Cruise website to reserve a spot for Shrimp Trawlin for $44 pp. This experience takes you on the harbor towards Tybee Island, GA and any shrimp caught, is yours to keep. If you're lucky, you might see dolphins and sharks like we did. It was a neat experience. You can buy soft drinks and alcoholic beverages during tour be sure to bring cash and sunscreen. Check it out next time you're visiting the area. Happy Yelping :)

If you plan on visiting Daufuskie Island you gotta get there first!…read more It's easy to book your ferry online. However, arrive early for parking on sit. Otherwise, you will be sent to an alternate parking lot and shuttled in. There is a restroom on site (and on the ferry). Plan your luggage accordingly. Carry on, no charge. But there are fees for anything the staff touch. The ferry can quickly become a money pit if you do not plan and review their website. Tipping is welcomed. The staff are friendly, accommodating and polite. Unless you plan on chartering a private boat, have your own boat, this is the only way to get there. We had a great experience. It's a 35-45 minute ride so pack a road soda

Without a bridge to Daufuskie, the ferry is a convenient way to travel to the island. The staff and…read morecaptain are super helpful and inviting. Loading all of your stuff on a boat for a week long vacation can be daunting, but the crew made it so easy. They took care of all of our stuff and made sure we had a comfortable trip over. The trip isn't long and is very comfortable for all ages.

I've been coming to Hilton Head Island for over a decade now and there was one thing I'd always…read morewanted to do but never found the time: Take a ferry ride over to Daufuskie Island to explore with my family. We chose The Daufuskie Difference because their winter special ferry rates were cheaper than any other tour company. ~ THE SCENE First off, if you've never been to Hilton Head Island, you're missing a beautiful place to bring your family for a quiet and relaxing beach getaway vacation. I've never been on the island in the summer, so I don't know how much the atmosphere changes with the summer beach-goer crowds. But Fall and Winter are our favorite times to go because we practically have the island to ourselves. Many times it's not warm enough to go out into the water, but still warm enough to ride bikes on the beach without a coat. We've come to Hilton Head Island so many times that it feels as if we've done all there is to do and were looking for a new experience. Daufuskie Island was our last unexplored frontier in the area, and although it was a particularly brisk day, we booked a ferry ride anyway. ~ THE EXPERIENCE I called just one day prior to our visit and reserved our ferry seats and golf cart rental. The launching dock was conveniently located less than 5 minutes from our bungalow. Parking was plentiful & getting on the ferry was simple. Just walk up to the tiny little outpost building, give them your reservation name, pay your fees (if you didn't already do so over the phone) and walk their super long boardwalk out to the ferry dock. We were chartered on their alternate boat because the main ferry, the Delta Lady, was being serviced. According to the check-in office, the Delta Lady had recently been used by Disney to film the LIVE ACTION version of Lady & the Tramp, coming to theaters later this year (2019). Its radar equipment was removed for filming to keep an authentic look to the period of the movie. One of the ferry's crew members served as an extra in the movie... so we took a picture with him. The 50-minute ferry ride was smooth and uneventful. The crew pointed out a few interesting facts along the way, which was delightful and welcoming to someone like me who enjoys little informational tidbits when in a new environment. Once we docked, the golf cart rental office/store was not far away. [ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ] Golf cart rentals are for self-guided tours. Find an online map of Daufuskie Island streets and print it BEFORE you arrive. The map they give you at the rental office is trash!!! Many of the intersections on the map don't match the street names on the actual street signs. It was EXTREMELY confusing to use. Also, it doesn't seem to be drawn to scale because some distances were longer and some shorter than they appeared to be on the map. SIDE NOTE: I'm an excellent map reader. The allure of the island has always been that it remains natural. I was surprised to see actual vehicles on the island since I was told no cars are allowed. The homes we saw, for the most part, were modest shacks. However, there is a section of the island named Haig Point with million dollar homes that we were not allowed to explore. The map IS useful for pointing you in the general direction of all the island's places of interest. Of the 15 points of interest, the most interesting were: * BEACH NATURE WALK where over a mile of beach was completely ours to explore with very few visible humans in sight! (temps were in the upper 40's). * BLOODY POINT LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM also sits near Silver Dew Winery. Be forewarned the lighthouse isn't really your typical lighthouse. The name is derived from bloody Indian battles fought here. * COMMUNITY FARM where little ones can play with farm animals * OLD DAUFUSKIE CRAB CO. where the staff allowed us to wait inside since it was so cold outside. They even provided us all with sodas on the house! * LUCY BELL'S CAFE where we ate a wonderful meal! (review coming soon) TIP - Other tour companies use the public dock, which is much closer to points of interest. ~ FINAL THOUGHTS I do wish we'd had more time to explore the cemeteries (some with graves dating back to the 1700's) and Haig Point Lighthouse, which is no longer operational. The map confusion and the slow speed of the golf carts caused us to fear making it back on time for the ferry. So we ceded about 45 minutes of our time since not much is very close to the marina. Still, we enjoyed the visit and suspect we would have REALLY loved it had the day been warmer. I recommend taking one of the offered tours to get the full experience of the island. No tours were available during our visit since it was Christmas week, but I hope to return someday to experience Sallie Ann's Native Gullah Tour. She's been featured on The Food Network, Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmern and in National Geographic & Southern Living magazine. Enjoy! 2019/1

Different. If you don't mind a slow golf cart ride on a dirt road to hardly nowhere, if you find…read moresome places open on the brochure, relax and enjoy the sights. Do stop at the winery, get a bottle of wine, drink and then enjoy. I would wait till afterwards to enjoy the crab cake and Sheet Metal drink.

We did the sightseeing riverboat cruise and overall had a really enjoyable experience. It was a…read morerelaxing way to see Savannah from a different perspective while learning about the riverfront and the Port of Savannah. The narration was informative, and seeing the massive cargo ships and waterfront activity was a unique experience. The boat was spacious, with both indoor seating and outdoor viewing areas. We ordered the chicken tenders and fries, and they were surprisingly good--definitely above average for food on a sightseeing cruise. We also opted for the 42 oz souvenir drink, which was well worth it if you plan on enjoying a few drinks during the cruise. It lasts the full three-hour experience, and the bartender was fantastic--friendly, personable, and made a great drink. Unfortunately, it rained during part of our cruise, which likely impacted the experience since we couldn't spend as much time outside taking in the views. Of course, the weather isn't something the company can control, and there was plenty of indoor seating to stay comfortable. Overall, this was a fun and worthwhile experience that I'd recommend to first-time visitors, couples, and families. Between the scenic views, interesting narration, better-than-expected food, and excellent bar service, it was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours on the Savannah River. I'd definitely return--hopefully on a sunny day next time.

Had a good time on the Savannah Riverboat Cruise…read more Honestly, the best part was being able to get out on the water, walk around the boat, and see Savannah from a different perspective. There was some history mixed in along the way, which was interesting, and the whole experience was relaxing. The food was probably the weakest part for me. It was served buffet style with fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, plus fruit. It wasn't bad, but it was all pretty lukewarm and just didn't leave much of an impression. That said, I don't think people are booking this for the food anyway. You're booking it for the views, the boat, and the experience. We had fun, enjoyed the ride, and I'm glad we did it.

Saw this tour advertised before we came down and I thought the kids would enjoy the dolphins and…read morefireworks. It was a perfect night on the water. Captain Cody was so cool and super informative. The kids really enjoyed all the information he shared. Seeing the dolphins up close was so awesome for our 4 year old, the fireworks on the water was the perfect ending to the evening! Highly recommend!

Our guide Kathy was knowledgeable, friendly and fun! We had a great day on the water with her. The…read moretrip is fantastic. We saw and learned about oysters, the tides and how they work. We were given ample time to wonder all over the large sandbar area finding lots of sand dollars and leaving behind anything still living, except the humans. Haha Highly recommend this trip if you are ever in the area.

We enjoyed exploring the island and it was great to have a golf cart. The boat was nice, and the…read morestaff was knowledgeable and friendly. It wasn't the most organized tour we've been on; the boat loaded late, and then when the company realized they had overbooked, we had to change to a larger boat before FINALLY getting underway. Lunch is included in the price of the tour; it's a buffet lunch with a choice of two entrees, several sides, and dessert. It was bland and not so great. The golf cart was nice and we had a blast exploring the island - it really is undeveloped and the beach is terrific.

Totally enjoyed our trip. Did the package with the golf cart. Age ranges from 1.5 year old to 70…read more All had a good time. The food included was good and filling (southern fare, chicken, mac n cheese, collard greens, peach cobbler, etc.) Plenty of portions and then time to see the island via golf cart- so much fun. Probably would take two days to see whole island, next time we are going to check out the costs of the mini cabins there near the dock. The ferry ride in and out were about 45 minutes each. We sat top deck and just enjoyed the views of dolphins and various wildlife. Captain and narrator had some funny stories to share. The intercom cut out a few times but we were having too much fun to notice. This is a laid back tour. Great way to spend a day cooling off from the hot Hilton Head beaches.

We were visiting from Bend Oregon and really wanted to see this island. This was our only day for…read morethis trip and it was wet, cold, blustery with a super high tide. Everyone else cancelled but we persevered. As did Tour Daufuskie and our amazing guide. We learned a lot of history, purchased a beautiful indigo scarf, and even found the only geocache left on the island. We also enjoyed the boat ride and were rewarded with dolphins, how cool is that. It was nice stopping for coffee along the way and we ended the tour with a double Jamison at the dock. Thanks for making this a memorable day

We had the best low key family vacation. Just enough to see and do to keep us doing something every…read moreday and also enjoyed the beach and water a lot!

I went on a four hour self-guided tour through Daufuskie Discoveries and really had no idea what to…read moreexpect since there were no reviews anywhere. But since we were spending the weekend in Savannah, we thought it would be a neat adventure (plus there was a groupon!). We drove to a marina just a few miles out of Savannah and met "Captain Jim" who took us on a 20 minute or so boat ride to the island (the only way you can get there). On the ride there we spotted a few dolphins swimming close by, the closest I've ever seen a wild one swimming and I'm from Miami... Once we got there an "Island Boy" (that's what Captain Jim called him) met us on a golf cart, had us fill out a waiver, gave us a map, and the keys to a golf cart. For the next four hours we drove around on our sport golf cart on paved roads and some dirt roads to points of interest as indicated by the map. Apparently only 150 people or so live on the island now so it was rare to run into other people and if you did they always waved from their golf cart as you passed by. We only saw two people drive cars the whole time there. There were a bunch of historical houses, churches, cemeteries, and a "ruin" to look at. The history of the island is kind of sad going from running a bunch of plantations or so, union control, a bustling oyster shucking business, 80's tourism boom, to not a whole lot going on...It kind of felt like we were exploring an abandoned island. The beach was really pretty as well - I would have liked to spend more time there, but the weather wasn't the best that day. When our time was up we drove back to the marina, met Captain Jim, and he drove us back to the mainland. Overall a very interesting and successful trip!

As one of the few part-time residents of Daufuskie, I've gotten to use Brit, Rusty, and crew many…read moretimes to get from Savannah or Hilton Head Island to Daufuskie Island. Everyone at Daufuskie Discoveries is very friendly and extremely helpful. While DD is great with small groups, they really earned their stripes this weekend in organizing and delivering more than 80 people to Daufuskie for my sister's wedding. Despite all of the delayed flights and schedule changes, Brit managed to deliver everyone safely to and from Daufuskie. They also managed to get us a fleet of golf carts to accommodate everyone. I look forward to my next trip.

This started out as a great trip. The boat ride over was outstanding. Great views of houses on the…read morecoast of Hilton Head. Once you get to Daufuskie it goes downhill. The Crab restaurant on the dock is fair with typical island fare. The golf carts are ok too. Then is where to me it is a waste of time. The map they give you is terrible (use google maps). Then the historic points are a waste of time. The lighthouse is NOT on the water and the free wine tasting was about an ounce of wine. Do yourself a favor just find a boat ride and call it a day.

This was our 2nd trip too Daufuskie Island. We decided to rent golf carts and do the self-guided…read moretour. The ferry ride to and from the island was great. However no where was any mention of the fact that most of the businesses and attractions on the island are closed on Monday's. Are of course we booked a Monday. Other wise I would give 5 stars. Also the map of the island is a bit confusing. We still had a good time riding around the island though.