Historic Fort Sumter is located in the middle of Charleston Harbor and is only accessible by boat. Currently two ferry departure sites are available for convenient access to Fort Sumter. The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, a new state-of-the-art facility located in downtown Charleston, is the primary ferry departure facility for visiting the fort. The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is located in Liberty Square, a quiet, park-like setting at the eastern end of Calhoun Street on the Cooper River and adjacent to the South Carolina Aquarium. Before your boat ride to the fort, take time in the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center to explore the interpretive exhibits. National Park Service rangers will answer questions and help you achieve a better understanding of the causes of the Civil War, why it began at Fort Sumter and what happened during the war. To reach the ferry departure facility at the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, please follow the Fort Sumter logo signs that are placed along the streets in the city of Charleston. These red, white and blue signs supplement traditional brown and white highway signs to provide clear directions.

A second ferry departure site is in the town of Mount Pleasant at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. To reach the second ferry departure facility, please follow the brown and white “Tour Boats to Fort Sumter” signs to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.

Current prices and ferry schedules may be viewed by visiting Fort Sumter Tours, Inc.