Patriots Point Dinner Cruise 2026: Parking, Dock & Getting There

Booking choice: The Spirit of Carolina dinner cruise, from $117 per person. Check dates Compare the options below

Many visitors assume a Charleston Harbor cruise leaves from the historic peninsula. The Spirit of Carolina boards at Patriots Point, 40 Patriots Point Road in Mount Pleasant, next to the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown.

Here is how to get there, where to park, and how to get back after the cruise docks at 9:30 PM.

The quick answer

The Spirit of Carolina dinner cruise boards at Patriots Point, 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464, at 6:30 PM. Drive over the Ravenel Bridge from downtown and use the paid parking (card only). The Charleston Water Taxi can take you there, but it stops around 8 PM, so take a taxi or rideshare back.

A catamaran sailing past the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier in Charleston Harbor — The USS Yorktown marks Patriots Point from across the harbor.

Where does the Charleston dinner cruise leave from?

From the SpiritLine dock at Patriots Point, 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.

Patriots Point is on the Mount Pleasant side of the harbor, home of the USS Yorktown museum and one of the two Fort Sumter ferry docks. The cruise ends back at the same dock.

A covered harbor-side boarding building with ramps and stairs down to the water — Allow a few minutes to walk from the car to the boarding ramps.

How do you get there from downtown Charleston?

By car or rideshare over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, a short drive from the historic district.

Allow extra time in the early-evening traffic and to park and walk to the dock. Boarding starts at 6:30 PM and the boat sails at 7:00 PM.

Know how you are getting there? Lock in your table, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Check dates for the Spirit of Carolina dinner cruise

Where do you park, and how much is it?

In the Patriots Point lots, which are paid and card only and run by a separate parking company.

SpiritLine notes that rates vary, so check the signs on arrival rather than relying on old figures online. Parking is not included in any dinner cruise ticket.

Can you take the water taxi to the dinner cruise?

Yes, to get there: the Charleston Water Taxi stops at Patriots Point and costs $13 one way. But its last boats run around 8 PM, before the cruise docks.

The water taxi links Waterfront Park, the Aquarium and Maritime Center, Patriots Point and the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, and runs from late March to mid-November. It is a lovely way to arrive, but you will need a taxi or rideshare back to downtown at 9:30 PM.

A bottlenose dolphin surfacing in Charleston Harbor — Crossing by water taxi, you may spot dolphins on the way.

How do you get back after the cruise?

By taxi or rideshare, or in your own car: the cruise docks at 9:30 PM, after the last water taxi.

Book a ride or agree a pickup before you board; demand can spike when a full boat comes in. Mount Pleasant's Shem Creek restaurants and bars are a few minutes away if you want a nightcap.

Staying downtown without a car? The sunset catamaran leaves from the Maritime Center on the peninsula.

★ 4.8 1,117 reviews · 2 hours · from $60

Explore the sunset catamaran cruise

Where does the Blues and BBQ cruise leave from?

From downtown: Seabreeze Marina, 49 Immigration Street, near the Charleston Maritime Center.

Guests say it can be hard to find, so arrive early and follow the signs. Parking is paid on site. Compare the two in dinner cruise vs BBQ cruise.

The white Charleston Princess cruise boat on the harbor — The Charleston Princess runs the BBQ cruise from downtown.

Prefer to board downtown? The Blues and BBQ cruise leaves from the peninsula side.

Check dates for the Blues and BBQ cruise

What else is at Patriots Point?

The USS Yorktown and the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, plus a Fort Sumter ferry dock.

Make a day of it: the Fort Sumter ferry runs from Patriots Point by day, and the dinner cruise sails past the fort in the evening. More timing tips in sunset times by month.