Your Own Cooler and a Marsh Sunset Behind Wrightsville Beach
An evening loop through the marsh channels behind Wrightsville Beach, with the crew mixing island history and beach music.
This is a ninety-minute evening run on the sheltered water behind Wrightsville Beach, leaving from the public boat ramp on Causeway Drive. The operator names Masonboro Island, Figure Eight Island, Bradley Creek and Money Island among the places the route may take in, and says the line on a given night follows "season, weather, and whim." Expect marsh, docks and big waterfront homes, with island history from the crew and beach music in between.
Drinks are yours to bring: the operator welcomes coolers and keeps beer, wine, water and soft drinks aboard in limited supply. Bottlenose dolphins are the hoped-for extra. Travelers in 2026 report both outcomes, some watching dolphins close to the boat and others going home without a fin.
Booking is per person. As of October 29, 2026, adults pay 50 dollars and ages 3 to 17 pay 45, and one booking holds up to fifteen travelers including at least one adult.
Wrightsville Beach Sunset CruiseA 90-minute evening cruise on the Intracoastal Waterway with island history and beach music, run by Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours.www.viator.comUnder the Shamrock's Canopy
The boat on this listing is the Shamrock, which the operator describes as a custom-built 27-foot motorized catamaran, inspected by the US Coast Guard and rated for up to 20 passengers. A canopy shades the deck, and the seats are plastic patio chairs. An April traveler found them comfortable for the full ninety minutes; another found them flimsy. Nobody gets off along the way, and the operator's FAQ answers no to that question for sunset tours.
When only a handful of people book, the boat can change: in October 2025 a party of five was moved to a smaller pontoon after a call from the captain. The listing rates the trip easy for all fitness levels and says infants and small children can ride in a stroller or pram. It does not mark the cruise wheelchair accessible, so wheelchair users should call the number on the listing before booking.
Where Sunset Falls in the Ninety Minutes
As of October 29, 2026, the listing sells one daily departure at 5:00 PM, and the operator's own tour page matches it, with arrival at 4:45 PM. From early November through January, US Naval Observatory tables put sunset at Wrightsville Beach between about 5:00 and 5:40 PM, which lands it inside a 5:00 PM cruise.
Summer runs differently. Travelers in June, July and August 2026 describe starting at 6:00 or 6:30 PM and finishing with the sun still up, and one suggested calling it an evening cruise. The start time moves with the season. One July traveler got a text from the operator 45 minutes before the ticketed time with the arrival time and what to bring, so keep your phone on. The air cools quickly once the sun drops and the deck is open to the wind, so carry a layer.
Finding the Ramp and a Place to Park
The boat leaves from Wrightsville Beach Boating Access at 109 Causeway Drive, a public boat ramp. Travelers say it is easy to miss. One wrote that their map app kept placing them in the middle of the bridge, and after 40 minutes of searching they missed the boat; another reached the right address and found no sign to confirm it. On a first visit, leave extra time.
The listing and the operator both suggest eating at Blue Water Grill, 4 Marina Street, before or after the cruise, which lets diners leave the car in the restaurant's lot and walk to the boat. The Town of Wrightsville Beach charges for parking every day from March 1 through October 31, at rates that vary by lot. An April 2026 traveler put the small lot to the left of the ramp at about five dollars an hour between 7 AM and 7 PM, and warned against the spaces meant for boat trailers.
What to Carry Aboard
The operator's packing list for this cruise is short: a camera, your own drinks, a music player and beach clothes. Coolers are welcome, and travelers describe bringing cocktails and snacks aboard. A June traveler with a big family wrote that the guides included the children.
The cruise depends on the weather, and a traveler in March 2026 lost an evening to a cold-weather cancellation. If the operator calls it off for weather, the listing's terms cover you with a new date or a full refund.
📍 Wrightsville Beach Boating Access, 109 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach. Check in with the captain as you board, and the captain confirms the number in your party. Questions on the day go to (910) 200-4002, the number on the listing.
The listing's terms:
- Full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure
- No refund inside 24 hours
- The operator may cancel for weather or too few travelers
Ninety minutes after it leaves, the Shamrock is back at the ramp, and Blue Water Grill is a short walk away for dinner.