Tucked away just north of Charleston lies a hidden barrier island that feels entirely separate from the modern world. Bulls Island, part of the 66,000-acre Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, is home to Boneyard Beach—an otherworldly, sun-bleached driftwood forest standing right in the Atlantic surf.
I had seen endless photos of this place online, but nothing could truly prepare my family for the actual experience of walking among those giant, weathered trees strewn across the sand. As locals and tourists alike look for incredible Lowcountry day trips, our team at Kidding Around knew we had to go test this one out firsthand.
Coastal Expeditions provided our family with media tickets to experience the refuge, and it instantly earned a spot at the absolute top of our bucket list recommendations. Here is what it’s actually like out on the island, paired with the real-world tips we learned along the way.
The Journey: The Coastal Expeditions Ferry
Because Bulls Island is a protected wilderness area, there are no roads or bridges. The only way to get there is by water. We booked our trip with Coastal Expeditions, the official refuge concession that handles the ferry transportation. While they offer kayak trips, we opted for the motorized ferry with my two kids (ages 10 and 6).
The ferry departs from Garris Landing in Awendaw, which is a scenic 30 to 45-minute drive north of downtown Charleston. The boat ride itself takes about 30 minutes each way, cutting through pristine salt marshes and winding creeks.
Our guide was an avid birder, and he spent the entire boat ride pointing out various migratory species passing through on their way to the Arctic. The crew also sets up a massive touch table right in the middle of the boat filled with local shells and animal skeletons (like alligator skulls) that completely captivated my kids. Between the live nature lessons—which easily counted as our homeschool science credit for the day—and spotting Atlantic bottlenose dolphins swimming next to the hull, the boat ride flew by.
Exploring Bulls Island: Our Game Plan
When you approach the dock, the guides hand out trail maps and give you a quick briefing on the island’s layout. Pay close attention here: you generally land around 10:00 AM and must be back at the dock by 2:00 PM without exception. Because there are roughly 16 to 18 miles of trails on Bulls Island, you need a concrete game plan before your feet hit the dirt.
The 4.5-Mile Route
We chose to take Beach Road straight through the interior maritime forest to the ocean side, and then walked northward up the shoreline into Boneyard Beach. This created a highly manageable 4.5-mile round-trip hike for our 10 and 6-year-old.
Along the trail and shoreline, we encountered massive native jellyfish in the surf and found beautiful, fully intact sand dollars. While you are strictly forbidden from moving or taking any of the historic driftwood, the refuge allows each visitor to bring home up to one gallon of seashells. For my kids—who love to hoard random items at home—this was music to their ears, though I strictly capped their collecting well under the legal limit!
Spotting Local Alligators
If you want to see alligators, the interior trails are the place to look. Once our family hit the dirt levee road, we spotted a couple of massive mama gators floating in the water with more than a dozen babies swimming right around them.
The guides gave us great safety tips on the boat ride over: look ahead, keep your distance, and if a gator happens to be sunning itself directly on the path, maintain a safe radius and make a bit of noise from afar until it slides back into the water. We never felt unsafe or worried, but keeping children close by your side is an absolute must.
What Boneyard Beach is Really Like
Reaching Boneyard Beach truly feels like stepping onto another planet. Decades of natural coastal erosion have caused the maritime forest to surrender to the sea, leaving hundreds of oaks and palmettos standing directly in the crashing surf.
The elements have completely stripped away the bark and bleached the wood white, transforming the trees into giant, twisting sculptures. Some are completely upended, showcasing massive root systems whitewashed by the tides.
We brought our lunches and ate right among the trees. Despite sharing our ferry with 36 other passengers, the beach is so expansive that we had our entire section of Boneyard Beach completely to ourselves. It was peaceful, serene, and gave us the perfect opportunity to pause, slow down, and check out the intricate patterns in the ancient wood together.
Real-World Tips We Learned on the Trail
- Reservations are Mandatory: You cannot show up to the dock and buy a ticket. Tours are popular and sell out, so book online in advance.
- Pack Everything In: There are absolutely no shops, water fountains, or trash cans on Bulls Island. You must pack your own lunch, snacks, and plenty of extra water.
- The Bug Factor is Real: Because this is an untouched wilderness, biting insects can be intense in the interior forest, especially during the summer. Bring heavy-duty bug spray, sunscreen, and hats.
- Seating Tip: Sit near the front or middle of the ferry boat if you want to hear every word of the guide’s eco-tour. We sat near the back by the engines and missed a few of the wildlife facts over the motor noise.
- You Can Bring Bicycles! Coastal Expeditions has plenty of room on the boat to transport bikes. While you can’t ride them on the sandy beaches, they are a fantastic option if you want to zip through the island’s interior trails rapidly.
- Restroom Logistics: There is a port-a-potty at the mainland dock and a composting restroom facility located about a 10-minute walk inland from the island dock. There are no restrooms on the ferry boat itself, so plan accordingly.
- No Pets allowed: To protect the native shorebirds and wildlife, dogs and other pets are strictly prohibited on the boat and the island.
Quick Reference Details
| Feature | Detail |
| Adult Tickets | $55 |
| Child Tickets (Ages 3–12) | $35 |
| Infants (2 & under) | Free |
| Departure Point | Garris Landing (5801 U.S. 17 North, Awendaw, SC) |
| Contact Info | 843.884.7684 | info@coastalexpeditions.com |
Note: Coastal Expeditions also offers alternative itineraries, including morning Boneyard Beach Sunrise Expeditions, direct Beach Drops, kayak rentals, and local kids’ summer programming.
Coastal Expeditions Website
843.884.7684
info@coastalexpeditions.com
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Charleston, SC? Check out our Kidding Around Guide To Charleston!