Savannah: 2-Hour Dolphin & Lowcountry Eco Tour on River Street

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration2h

GroupUp to 45

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two hours watching dolphins work the salt marshes while the Port of Savannah moves cargo past you.

You spend two hours on the Savannah River spotting dolphins and learning the Lowcountry ecosystem from the Captain and First Mate. The boat departs from downtown River Street, includes narration and marine wildlife sightings, and welcomes BYOB beverages. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, with strollers and service animals accommodated.

Step-by-step itinerary

Dolphin eco tour on Savannah river

Board River Explorer on River Street
Learn Savannah history from Captain and First Mate
Travel down river past containerships
Search for Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins
Explore Lowcountry ecosystem and salt marshes

The Experience

You board the River Explorer right on River Street in downtown Savannah, and within minutes you're moving downriver with the Captain and First Mate narrating as you go. The boat heads out into the Lowcountry waterways where the Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins actually live — not in the open ocean, but in the protected salt marshes where the ecosystem starts. You'll pass containerships heading upriver to the Port of Savannah, which sounds industrial until you realize you're watching the actual working side of the city most visitors never see. The whole thing takes two hours, and it's narrated the whole way, so you're not just floating around hoping to spot something.

The dolphins show up because this is where they feed. The Captain knows the patterns — where they hunt, when they surface, what the birds are doing overhead. You learn about the Lowcountry ecosystem as it unfolds in front of you, not as a lecture. Kids sit fine on this tour, and if you've got an infant, a stroller works. The boat moves at a pace that suits all fitness levels, which really just means you sit and watch. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are for sale onboard, but the tour is BYOB for anything stronger — bring your own beer or wine if you want, and drink responsibly. That detail alone changes the vibe from a typical tour boat to something more relaxed.

The River Street location means no long drive, no shuttle, no waiting around. You walk down, you board, you're on the water. The sightings aren't guaranteed — dolphins are wild — but the Captain knows where they usually are, and the narration covers the whole ecosystem whether they show or not. Service animals are welcome, and public transportation is nearby if you're not driving.

What’s included

Two-hour narrated eco-tour on the Savannah River with the Captain and First Mate, dolphin and marine wildlife sightings, views of the Port of Savannah containerships, and education on the Lowcountry salt marsh ecosystem. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks available for purchase; BYOB welcome for adult beverages.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Savannah Harbor Cruises

Is this one for you?Right for travelers staying downtown Savannah who want to see the river and its wildlife without arranging transport — the boat leaves from River Street itself. The two-hour length fits between other plans, and it works for families with young children and strollers.