Fort Sumter National Historical Park (ferry from Patriots Point)

The National Park Service charges no entrance fee for Fort Sumter itself, but the island is reachable only by ferry and ferry tickets are required. Fort Sumter Tours is the only NPS-authorized ferry transportation provider and official ticket source; ferry fees are not covered by annual park passes or NPS fee-free days. Published ferry prices: adults $43.00, senior/active military $39.00, children ages 4-11 $26.00, children 3 and under free. Two departure points at identical prices - Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant (40 Patriots Pt. Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464), departing 10:45am and 1:30pm, and Liberty Square downtown (340 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401), departing 9:30am, 12:00pm and 2:45pm. The crossing is about 30 minutes each way with roughly one hour at the fort, for a total experience of about 2 hours 15 minutes. Each tour includes round-trip boat service, admission to the fort, the on-site museum and exhibits, and a ranger-led history presentation.