Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry in Charleston booking from $40.00

Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

Overview

Visit historic Fort Sumter with the only operator in Charleston providing Admission to Fort Sumer National Monument and Round-Trip Ferry Transportation from Liberty Square or Patriots Point.

Cruise by top Charleston sites from your ferry such as Rainbow Row and Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. For those departing from Patriots Point, experience views of the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier from up-close.

Explore the grounds of Fort Sumter and stand where America’s deadliest war began at Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park. The first shots were fired here, igniting a conflict that saw more than 700,000 casualties. Experience the opening battle of the American Civil War and explore its origins with a National Park Ranger who will greet you upon arrival. Your approximate 1-hour visit to Fort Sumter allows ample time to explore well-preserved fort ruins and browse Museum Store souvenirs.

Then enjoy the beautiful views of the city as you ride the ferry back to Charleston.

City: Charleston

Wed 07 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $40.00

Make a reservation

Wed 07 May

Starting at $40.00

Make a reservation

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (175) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (252) Entry Tickets (96) Sporting Events (4) Good for Small Groups (27) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (113) Walking Tours (705) Outdoor Activities (48) Limitied Availability Tours (29) LGBT Friendly Tours (9) Family-friendly Activities (8) Wildlife Activities (6) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (96) Travelers recommend (174) Good for Groups (32) Top Activities (75) Guided Audio Tours (10) Art, Culture & History (406) Attractions to explore (43) Sustainable Tours (1) Limousine Transfers (5) Donut Walking Tour (2) Virtual Experiences (1) Additional fees (7) DSA non-compliant (17)

What's Included

Access to the Fort Sumter Museum, Bookstore, and Souvenir Shop

Experience the opening battle of the American Civil War with a National Park Ranger

Admission to historic Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina

1-hour Self-Guided Tour to explore Fort Sumter and its well-preserved ruins

Round-Trip Ferry Transportation from Liberty Square or Patriots Point (30-minutes each way)

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The ferries are equipped with an elevator/lift and handicapped accessible restrooms. The Liberty Square boarding ramp can accommodate electric & manual wheelchairs and scooters except in extreme tide situations. Although the restrooms on Fort Sumter are accessible only by climbing a flight of stairs, the ferry remains at the Fort so that restrooms on the boat are available during your visit.
There is currently no Elevator Service at Fort Sumter – the museum, restrooms, bookstore and top level of Fort Sumter are only accessible by climbing stairs.
Please note the Fort Sumter Tour is a boat excursion dependent on changing weather and tide conditions, Fort Sumter Tours cannot and does not guarantee accessibility. Ramps used to access the ferry can vary based on tides and adverse conditions.
Tours run rain or shine. Only the Captain has the final say as to whether he feels it needs to be canceled due to weather. That decision is made at the time of departure and throughout the duration of the tour.
3:45 tour departing from Patriots Point is a 3 hour tour in total time.
Charleston County has now dropped into a medium risk level for Covid-19, therefore masks are not required, but optional.

What To Expect

Fort Sumter National Monument

Visit historic Fort Sumter National Monument located in Charleston, SC with the only operator in the city offering Admission to Fort Sumter plus Round-Trip Ferry Service. Experience a relaxing 30minute Narrated Harbor Cruise to historic Fort Sumter, where America’s deadliest war began. You will learn about the events which led to the outbreak of America’s most bloody war. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a National Park Service Ranger, who will provide further details about Fort Sumter and its pivotal role in the American Civil War. On the fort you will find a very informative museum (360 Video of Museum) with many historic artifacts and a souvenir shop. After your roughly one hour visit, you will enjoy a scenic cruise back to your departure point.

Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center

Ferries depart from the Fort Sumter Visitor's Center in downtown Charleston for those who select the Liberty Square departure option during checkout.

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

Enjoy scenic views of top Charleston sites during your cruise to Fort Sumter, including Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

For those departing from Patriots Point, experience views of the historic USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier from up-close.

Fort Moultrie

Fort Moultrie is a series of forts along Sullivan's Island. Enjoy views of the fort as you cruise by or while on Fort Sumter.

Battery & White Point Gardens

Enjoy scenic views of Charleston such as Battery homes during your cruise to Fort Sumter.

Show 3 more stops

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (1000)

Jessica_H

Mar 2025

The ferry ride was fun and informative, the park rangers gave history facts while we were driving up there to help us get started on our knowledge. The actual fort was underwhelming, but still a cool historical site. This would be a tour that you do once and wouldn’t do again. Kids will be bored on this tour unless they are really big into history. As a former history major I really wanted to like this tour but I was ready to go well before the hour was up.

Michael_S

Mar 2025

Very enjoyable tour, especially if you love history . Highly recommend. The ferry ride out was great and there was plenty of time to explore the site. Definitely do this if you’re visiting Charleston!

Alfred_L

Mar 2025

Beautiful day to visit Ft Sumter! Calm seas and great narration on the ferry on the way to the fort. The park rangers at the fort gave an informative and thoughtful presentation that told the history of the fort and the role slaves had in building all the bricks by hand. Seeing their fingerprints in the bricks was sobering. Clouds of gnats on Ft Sumter we’re the only negative of the whole trip.

...

334

Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

Related events

Events in the same area