Get a look behind the scenes of the historic South Carolina shrimping industry with a guided walking tour of Shem Creek. This immersive experience will give you a chance to see this nearly century-old waterfront community at work, as you learn all about the history, ecology, culture, and language of this special place.

Small group walking tour of Shem Creek immerses you in the shrimping industry
See the shrimping fleet at work and whet your appetite for some local seafood
Enjoy a complimentary seaside snack
The tour ends on Mount Pleasant’s charming waterfront boardwalk

What's Included

Snacks

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

111 Coleman Blvd
111 Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA
We will meet on corner of Coleman Boulevard and Mill street outside of the public parking garage/ office space. It is the only 4 story office building in the immediate area. There is a circular flower arrangement on that corner that I will be near usually with a grey hat and tour guide badge on!

Start time

10:00 AM

End point

1313 Shrimp Boat Ln
1313 Shrimp Boat Ln, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA
The tour ends a short walk away from starting location on a beautiful public boardwalk that is next to the creek where guests have the opportunity to explore further.

What To Expect

Shem Creek Park (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Walking distance is around 1.5 miles. Please note especially with summer heat that guests should be able to walk this distance.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

90 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 90 reviews

A must do activity!!

Shawn_C, Sep 2023

Captain Bryan our Tour Guide promptly met us at the designated area and was excited to share his knowledge with us. We were impressed with the depth of his knowledge and history of the Mount Pleasant area. Captain Bryan kept us engaged during our tour and had a wealth of knowledge of the local shrimping/ fishing families and businesses. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together, especially the visits to the two local seafood businesses. Thank you Captain Bryan for sharing your wisdom and your kindness.

Captain Bryan is awesome!

Kathe_R, Sep 2023

This is a quality tour. Captain Bryan was raised in Shem Creek and is very knowledgeable about the history. As we were walking, he seemed to know everyone and they were all friendly.we learned a lot about the background of how the shrimping industry came to be in this area and a few things about catching shrimp (and crab too!). The only downside was the very hot weather, but that’s Charleston! We enjoyed it very much and recommend it. Bring a hat!

I loved this tour!

tara_g, Aug 2023

Best tour in Charleston..hands down ! Brian is fantastic and super knowledgeable about everything Ch arleston has to offer !

Informative and Fun!

Amber_M, Aug 2023

What an informative and neat tour. Captain Bryan really knows his history and is super personable and fun. We really enjoyed learning about the evolution of the shrimping industry in the Mount Pleasant and Charleston areas. We also loved the fish, shrimp and crab catching at the end of the tour...along with the awesome dolphin sightings. Although the shrimp did decide to jump as soon as it hit my hand, we all had a good laugh as I screamed! Highly recommend. We would definitely do another tour with Captain Bryan!

Learn some good history...

Shane_L, Aug 2023

Learn some good history about Charleston as well as the shrimping industry. Captain was great and would recommend the tour to everyone. My kids even enjoyed. Thank you Captain for your time!

Fascinating, learned a lot!

Lori_T, Aug 2023

Captain Bryan really knows his stuff! He tied the history of the area to the start of the shrimping industry, and the challenges facing American shrimpers today. I now know how to look for the freshest shrimp when shopping. It might sound like a strange idea for a tour, but it was quite fascinating! I would definitely recommend this tour to learn more about the area culture.

Captain Bryan's a hoot

Lindsay_R, Jul 2023

Great tour. Very informative, fast paced, and beautiful scenery. Captain Bryan was funny, passionate, and very well connected in the community. He truly cares about the impact of the shrimping industry on the local economy.

Best Charleston Tour I’ve ever been on!

Engran_S, Jul 2023

It was all great! Very informative with a mix of humor. Enjoyed trying to cast the net for shrimp! Sweet parting gift. Would highly recommend this for anyone!

I could do the tour again and still learn more. I have already recommended Bryan’s tour already to family and coworkers

Carol_N, Jun 2023

The shrimping history was engaging. Learning how to catch crab and throw a shrimp net we have wanted to experience for decades. Just the best tour we have ever had😁.

a fun way to spend the afternoon

kathryn_k, May 2023

Bryan is very knowledgeable and energetic, he made sure to interact with all of the group members. he spoke loudly and clearly which was appreciated by my 84 yo parents, who sometimes have difficulty hearing or understand tour guides. you don't need to like shrimp to enjoy this tour, Bryan gave us a brief history of the area and the original families. it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

Great ecperience

Daniel_K, Apr 2023

A terrific experience. Captain was a great and very knowledgeable guide who mad the experience very worthwhile. I would recommend the tour to anyone.

Excellent tour, learned a ton about the Shrimping Industry

Cari_G, Apr 2023

What a great tour! We went into it having no idea what to expect and was blown away by the wealth of knowledge Capt. Bryan had not just about the history of the area, shrimpers and shrimp in general. He did a great job keeping the tour fast paced and my 11 year old loved it.

Outstanding tour

Jon_Y, Mar 2023

Bryan was outstanding with his knowledge of Charleston history, the local history of Mt. Pleasant, and the history of how the shrimping business became the top industry of the area. This tour was superb. Viator needs to show this tour on its first page - not buried on page 3.

Unique Tour with Great Guide

Brian_S, Mar 2023

Capt. Bryan was excellent providing history of the region and its relationship to the shrimping industry. He was fabulous with both the adults and involving young children also on the tour. Fantastic knowledge and variety. He’s a native and was happy to recommendations for everything.

A Walk Thru Shem Creek Waterfront History

Chester_N, Mar 2023

We made our reservation on the only morning we had available and the forecast included showers. Captain Bryan was in constant contact with everyone booked regarding the tour. The final decision was agreed to when a window opened up on radar indicating an earlier break in the weather. Captain Bryan asked if we could meet earlier and everyone agreed. The result was clear sky and a thoroughly fantastic tour of Shem Creek history from pre Revolution through the Civil War to the development of the crab and shrimp industry. Our two grandchildren got a "hands on" experience related to shrimping and totally enjoyed being Captain Bryan's helpers . We even got a look at locations used in the Netflix "Outer Banks" season three production.

Amazing Tour!!

Alaina_L, Mar 2023

Captain Bryan was the best tour guide I have ever had. He was very knowledgeable, friendly, and great for all ages! He took time to answer any questions and really gave us an up close look at the shrimping industry/lifestyle in Shem Creek. Highly recommend!!

Virginia couple

Roger_B, Feb 2023

We had a wonderful time with Bryan as our guide. Very informative, excellent guide. Would go again! Well worth the price. The tour included the history of shrimping, walking through historic area, and demonstration of shrimping and crabing

Don’t miss this tour!

LKIMBY, Dec 2022

Captain Bryan was excellent!! He was knowledgeable, communication was superb, and you can tell he loves his work. Bringing up a crab in the net was very cool. We highly recommend this tour with Captain Bryan. He’s someone we’d love to spend more time with.

A lot of history of Mt Pleasant & Charleston and the shrimp industry

William_L, Nov 2022

Touring shrimp trawlers and their workings from Shem Creek. Overall history of how it is sustained. in the US

Absolutely amazing tour

Elizabeth_e, Nov 2022

The absolute best tour I have ever been on. Bryan was the best. This tour made me fall in love with Charleston. I learned so much about the history and the area. Bryan’s enthusiasm was infectious. I can’t say enough about this tour and everyone we were with felt the same way.