Shem Creek Park
Shem Creek Park
4.5
About
The most picturesque waterway in the Lowcountry. Revel in glorious sunsets over Charleston Harbor as you enjoy a stroll on the docks.
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354 within 5 kms
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279 within 10 kms
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
812 reviews
Excellent
615
Very good
172
Average
21
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Jarrod A
Columbus, OH9 contributions
Apr 2022
So this is a great little side "creek" area. Mostly populated with restaurants and bar-type tap rooms. There is a kayak livery there but other than that, you only need to spend a few hours. I can see it getting crazy with drinkers and partiers so if you're not into that scene I'd keep it as an afternoon getaway.
Written 31 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holiday Utopia
United Kingdom404 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Stunning place to visit and it’s free to park and free to visit.
It was a beautiful June evening to walk the boardwalk and chill at the viewing point and catch the sunset. We watched people fish whilst happy families, cute couples and the odd dog or two came and went, all leaving with smiles.
Such a beautiful peaceful place, and if you fancy you can pop into any of the bar restaurants and enjoy the scenery even more.
It was a beautiful June evening to walk the boardwalk and chill at the viewing point and catch the sunset. We watched people fish whilst happy families, cute couples and the odd dog or two came and went, all leaving with smiles.
Such a beautiful peaceful place, and if you fancy you can pop into any of the bar restaurants and enjoy the scenery even more.
Written 19 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
napngs
Albany, NY354 contributions
Feb 2020
A nice day to walk along Shem's Creek. There is a great pier on both sides of the creek filled w/ bars & restaurants. The wooden walk extend out on to the tidal flats. You can explore the length of it. There are numerous educational signs to explain the habitat and the creatures that live here. Fishing is allowed here. At low tide you can see the abundant clumps of oysters that are the source of the creek's fame. This is also where the shrimp boats dock.
Very popular spot for locals, families, & tourist. You can get a good stretch of the legs over an hour and then head to creekside bars & restaurants for food, drink, and some sitting in the sun. It's open to all sunrise to sunset. Wheelchair & stroller accessible. Great for kids. Photogenic. Paid parking nearby.
Very good walk on a sunny day.
Very popular spot for locals, families, & tourist. You can get a good stretch of the legs over an hour and then head to creekside bars & restaurants for food, drink, and some sitting in the sun. It's open to all sunrise to sunset. Wheelchair & stroller accessible. Great for kids. Photogenic. Paid parking nearby.
Very good walk on a sunny day.
Written 19 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stacyandryan2008
Taylor, Michigan, United States304 contributions
Sept 2020
Very clean, beautiful area. You feel like your in the movie JAWS lol. We went to see if you could find or spot any dolphins. We heard this is the best spot to see them up close. We walked the Pier and watched for awhile and seen nothing. Others have claimed to spot them in 30 min of being there. I have heard that if you take out a kayak on the water, dolphins can be spotted coming right up to you in them. We defiantly want to do this next time we come back down from Michigan. Because there is no way to get into he water here without a kayak , we opted to go to Folly beach instead so we could get in the ocean. There we seen a few pod of dolphins in the distance. This area is very peaceful though and you can spot a lot of Fiddler Crabs ( the ones with the one large claw ) in the Marsh area and around the sidewalks so look for them. They are pretty neat. Lots of great looking restaurants around the area too. We stayed at Bolt farm luxury treehouses on wadamala island just 20-30 min from here.
Written 11 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K Pastore
Hinsdale, IL670 contributions
Feb 2020
This is a small boardwalk surrounded by marshland. Walking out and back might get you a mile, but walking around both sides (one with many restaurants) can get you two. There are many places to stop with information on the area, fish and other animals. It's free, so a nice place to stop and enjoy the outdoors.
Written 28 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susie Snowflake
159 contributions
Jun 2022
Very nice for a morning or evening stroll along the water. Might not be so pleasant in the broiing mid day sun though as there is little if any shade. Shrimp boats and pleasure boats are part of the passing scene. There are descriptive markers along the way that explain the park. You can rent a kayak at one end of the and spend some time paddling or just walk away an hour on the boardwalk. Nice breezes on a good day can be cooling. There was plenty of parking at 10 AM on a weekday.
Written 24 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sherrycat
Burnsville, NC969 contributions
Mar 2021
Oh such a nice place to walk! We stayed at Shem Creek Inn and walked the boardwalk every day looking at all the boats and birds. Fun to watch the fisherman cleaning their daily catches and all the pelicans eagerly awaiting scraps. Nice to read the signs along the way with history and bird, fish and marsh info. Make sure you walk to the very end and also the walk all the way back to the restroom area. Easy walk for all.
Written 1 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ScreenNameAvailabl
Reading, PA16 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
Based on reviews was excited to walk the boardwalk. We started off with dinner at Saltwater Cowboy, which was very good. We were told we needed to drive to the other side of the water to access the boardwalk. We drove over to other side only to find they charged to park by the day, $20. Looking at the boardwalk, we estimated yo be there less than an hour. We had no problem paying to park, but $20 was excessive for up to qn hour. If there was other parking, we were unable to find it. Should have left our car at Saltwater Cowboy and walked over, we realized too late that it was possible.
Written 1 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anthony P
Charleston, SC2,478 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
This little park features a wonderful boardwalk that goes all the way to the Southern end of Shem Creek. The wooden boardwalk provides some of the most beautiful views of Shem Creek and the surrounding marsh. Hang out there for a bit and you are likely to see dolphins and even jumping rays. Just a beautiful spot here in Charleston that is virtually unknown. Highly recommend!
Written 16 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
crystal g
Pickens, SC78 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
I visited here with my 14 and 18 year old. We enjoyed the views and the walk. Next time we will definitely check out one of the restaurants. We got to see boats, dolphins, and it was just a peaceful place to view nature!
Written 18 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan D
Annapolis, Maryland
I was curious if WV is a site of the day, month , etc. it’s advertised on all of your SC pages.
Written 22 July 2021
Are there public docks to tie up and visit the restaurants?
Written 25 March 2021
Mariahawilkins
Charleston, South Carolina
How long does it take to canoe the entire creek?
Written 11 June 2019
Just walked around the park: did NOT get on the water. Sorry
Written 12 June 2019
Mariahawilkins
Charleston, South Carolina
How long does it take to canoe the entire creek?
Written 11 June 2019
I was a canoe instructor at Camp Manitowish, in northern Wisconsin, many decades ago. So, I have some idea of the task you ask about.
I would have to say--it all varies. The lower part of Shem Creek, that empties into the harbor, is wide and about two miles long, the upper part that goes past Highway 17 is another mile or so and narrows significantly.
If you're a lily dipper I'd say a couple of hours. If you're more accomplished canoeists, then an hour, at most. It all depends on where you put in. I'm giving you a "one way" estimate.
Shem Creek is a beautiful area and you will see some amazing wildlife. My wife and I have walked out on the boardwalk about 50 times. We never tire of it.
This all comes with one caveat: I've never canoed Shem Creek. Hopefully, someone who has will also answer your question.
Written 11 June 2019
Not sure. Best suggestion I could offer to learn more about the shrimp boats is to contact the Shem Creek Park staff or TripAdvisor contributors who have visited. On a second visit to a restaurant on Shem Creek, several shrimp boats were seen harbored before dusk across from Shem Creek Park.
Written 5 July 2018
How much does it cost to fish off pier and do you need fishing license
Written 3 May 2018
Free to fish but yes you’ll need a license since it’s a public place.
Written 11 June 2018
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