Nature Programs
All of our outdoor programs are weather permitting. We will meet at the Activity Center unless otherwise noted. We recommend sunscreen and bug spray for all outdoor activities. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Please call us at 843-838-1516 with questions, to check program availability and time, or to reserve a spot. Prices shown are Guest prices.




Nature Programs at Fripp Island
Come check out some of our nature programs! Possible future programs include:
- Critters and Cabernet
- Edible Plants and Fungi
- Flowering Plants
- Alligator Programs & Identification Surveys
Programs vary by season. Call the Activity Center at 843-838-1516 to learn more info about these and our other programs!
Want To Experience Fripp Island to the Fullest?
Click through the tabs below to discover more programs!
Fripp is Certified Wildlife Habitat and an Audubon Important Area. A variety of birds use our beaches, maritime forests, golf courses, ponds, and marshes. This walking tour will depart from the Activity Center and we will search for wading birds, shore birds, and woodland species. Beginners to expert birders are welcome!
- $12 per person, 1 hour
- Scheduled year round
- Meet at Activity Center
Come learn all about the east coast’s coolest crustacean, the blue crab! Learn the life cycle and ecological importance of these edible crabs as we bait our baskets and wait for them to fall into our trap. We will teach you how to handle them and anything else we might catch! Additionally, we will explore the marsh and try to catch some fiddler crabs. This program is catch and release only. Please wear shoes you don't mind getting dirty.
- $12 per person, 1 hour
- March through September only
- Meet at the Activity Center
Come along with our naturalists to explore the natural wildlife that you can find out on Fripp! From alligators, to birds, to fiddler crabs you never know what you will find to learn about. This trip will depart from the Activity Center via van, so spots are limited. Call ahead to reserve a spot on this Island Safari!
- $15 per person, 1 hour
- Scheduled Memorial Day - Labor Day
- Meet at Activity Center
- Reservations required
Be sure to stop by the Activity Center on Fridays to see all of our resident animals get fed! You will get to see all of our snakes, turtles, and alligators eat as well as learn about their diets, feeding habits, and how their bodies are designed to eat the way they do.
- FREE, 1 hour
- Year Round
- Meet at the Activity Center
Fripp Island is home to a ton of alligators! First we’ll introduce you to our baby alligators, Savannah and Veranda. Then our naturalists will take you looking for these prehistoric predators in some of Fripp’s golf course ponds. As we watch for gators you’ll learn all about Fripp’s most awesome predator.
- $15 per person, 1 hour.
- Scheduled year round, but dependent on weather.
- Meet at the Activity Center
Do your little ones love animals, nature, and spending time in the outdoors? Join us for our new junior naturalist program and spend the afternoon shadowing our naturalists. Each day of the week, we will have a different theme: Keeper Day, Research Day, Ocean Day, Marsh Day, and Reptile/Amphibian Day. If your 7-12 year old completes all of the junior naturalist programs, they will receive an official Fripp Island Junior Naturalist certificate.
- $45/child, 1.5 hours
- Summer Only
- Meet at Activity Center
- Reservations required
Looking for a fun activity to dod at night? Look no further! Join us on a nature walk to look for all different kinds of night wildlife that we see on the island, including frogs, toads, alligators, raccoons, opossums, bats, and owls. Our naturalists will teach you all about these wonderful animals as you see them! Some flashlights are provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. Please call ahead of time to reserve your spot.
- $20 per person, 1 hour
- Scheduled Memorial Day - Labor Day
- Meet at the Activity Center
- Reservations required
The best way to experience the winding tidal creeks behind Fripp is by kayak. Share a tandem kayak with a buddy or paddle yourself in a single. On this guided two hour tour we will watch for eagles and ospreys soaring overhead, fiddler crabs and clapper rails walking the mud flats, dolphins splashing on the shore line and so much more! Please call ahead to reserve your spot. Tour departs from the Marina boat ramp.
- Single Kayak $50
- Tandem Kayak $70
- Reservations required by closing time the day before the program
Make sure to drop in for our Meet the Animals program during your stay! Each day, our naturalists have a new animal out for you to interact with and ask questions about. Be sure to get a photo-op with your favorite animal!
- FREE, 1 hour
- Scheduled year round
- Meet at the Activity Center
Come aboard the Fripper II with one of our naturalists for a pontoon boat tour of the tidal creeks and islands around Fripp. Hear stories of pirates and learn about the creatures of the marsh. We will stop to beach comb at Bull Point on Caper’s Island, so bring along a re-useable bag for the shells you find and learn about!
- Adults $50 per person, 3 hours
- March through August
- Reservations required by closing time the day before the program
Gather a team and meet at the Creek House. Set off with a list of clues that will take you on your golf cart cart to explore the island. *Must provide a golf cart and camera* (A team consists of however many people can fit on your golf cart.
- $15 per person, 1.5 hours
- Scheduled Memorial Day - Labor Day
- Meet at the Creek House
Catch our naturalists at various locations around the island with some of our animals! You may get to see Earl the box turtle at the Beach Club or Olaf the corn snake at Excursions.
- FREE
- Year Round
- Meet us at the specified location on the schedule/social media
Join our naturalists for a fun game of golf cart bingo! Race around the island and test your knowledge following different nature related clues to fill out your bingo board and win a prize. This is fun for all ages and does not require a reservation. Guests should meet our naturalists at the Creek House to join in on the fun!
- $15 per team, 1 hour
- Memorial Day through Labor Day
- Meet at the Creek House
The marsh is arguably the best place around Fripp to watch the sunset. On this guided tour we will look for and discus the plants and many animals of the salt marsh. Enjoy the peace and serenity of the tidal creeks and watch the colors of the sky and water change. Make sure you bring a camera and a way to keep it dry!
- Single Kayak $60, 2 hours
- Tandem Kayak $80, 2 hours
- Departs from Marina boat ramp
- Call ahead to reserve your spot
Join our naturalists for an evening beach walk under the stars to try and catch a glimpse of a nesting sea turtle or hatchlings leaving the nest! You will learn about how to safely view sea turtles at night, red lights, and how you can help protect our state reptile.
- $20 per person, 1 hour
- May through September (or when last nest hatches)
Fripp Island’s beach is an important nesting area for endangered sea turtles. Every summer mama loggerhead sea turtles crawl onto our beach at night and lay hundreds of eggs. Join our naturalists for a morning beach walk to check out some of the nests and to learn everything there is about our awesome sea turtles!
- $20 per person, 1 hour
- May through September only (or when last nest hatches)
If you're a budding herpetologist (a person who studies reptiles and amphibians) this is the program for you! Get familiar with some of the Activity Center's resident reptiles and what makes them unique. We will discuss habitats, diets, anatomy, and more. We may even get to spot an alligator or two! Closed-toed shoes are required.
- $12 per person, 1 hour
- Scheduled Memorial Day - Labor Day
- Meet at the Activity Center