From food to history, these South Carolina travel tours rank among the nation’s best
South Carolina is home to six of the nation’s “best travel experiences” — including one that was named the most family-friendly activity in the world.
The “90-Minute Private Dolphin Tour” off Hilton Head Island ranks as the world’s No. 1 experience for parents and their kids to enjoy, according to results that the travel review website Tripadvisor published Tuesday, June 20.
In addition to tours for families, Tripadvisor weighed attractions related to food, wine, boating, history, water sports, amusement parks and nature. When compared to other activities within the United States, the rest of the top-ranking South Carolina attractions were:
- “Undiscovered Charleston: Half Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class” at No. 2 for food and culinary experiences
- “Charleston Marsh Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse” at No. 3 for sailing and day cruises
- “Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel” at No. 4 for cultural and historic tours
- “Pirates of Charleston: Pirate Adventures and River cruises” at No. 5 for family-friendly experiences
- “Private Charleston Harbor Sailing Cruise” at No. 6 for sailing and day cruises
To create the list, Tripadvisor said it studied comments that travelers left in the year leading up to May 2023.
“Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best ‘Things to Do’ Awards are determined based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings for experiences, tours, activities and attractions,” Tripadvisor wrote in a news release, adding that businesses must meet certain criteria and fit within each subcategory.
“Fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded Best of the Best, signifying the highest level of excellence in travel,” Tripadvisor said.
About the travel award winners
In South Carolina, Cross Island Cruises runs the top-ranking 90-minute dolphin tour, which costs more than $250. The excursion said it offers an opportunity for up to six people to get a glance of the marine animals.
The tour boasts five out of five stars on Tripadvisor, with fans raving about the chance to see the creatures and learn about their natural surroundings off Hilton Head Island.
On the Tripadvisor lists, many of the other South Carolina tours that landed in the top 10 were near Charleston. That might not come as a surprise, as the city has ranked as one of the world’s “most breathtaking” destinations and a top place for food lovers to visit, McClatchy News reported.
In addition to dividing U.S. travel experiences into subcategories, Tripadvisor named the top ones overall. The “Grand Circle Island and Haleiwa Tour” in Honolulu ranked as the nation’s favorite.
