parris island sc tours

THE BEST Parris Island Tours & Excursions

Parris island tours.

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1. Morning Beaufort River Tour

Keep the fun going with other experiences in the area.

Hilton Head Island Dolphin Boat Cruise

History and Movie Tour of Beaufort by Golf Cart

Beaufort City Minibus Tour

Beaufort’s #1 Horse & Carriage History Tour

#1 Historical Horse Drawn Carriage Tour

Walking Tour in Beaufort

Kazoo Factory Tour & Museum

2-Hour Hilton Head Guided Kayak Nature Tour

90-Minute Private Dolphin Tour in Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head to Savannah Round-Trip Ferry Ticket

Hilton Head Island Dolphin Watching Nature Cruise

90 Minute Hilton Head Dolphin Tour

Hilton Head Dolphin Tour with Stop at Disappearing Island

Parasailing Adventure at the Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Pirate Ship Adventure Sail aboard the Black Dagger

Daufuskie Island Daily Round Trip Ferry Tickets

America's Cup 12-Meter Yacht Afternoon Sail from Hilton Head

Hilton Head Sunset Dinner Cruise

Historic Tour of Tybee Island

Hilton Head Honey Horn Admission with Guided Tour

Pontoon Boat Rental in Hilton Head Island

Pat Conroy's Beaufort Tour by Golf Cart

Guided Historical Bus and Boat Cruise Tour in Beaufort

Hilton Head Island Jet Ski Adventure

Beaufort Ghost Walking Tours

Hilton Head to Daufuskie Island Round-Trip Ferry Ticket

Beaufort Gullah Heritage Tour

Hilton Head Morning Kayaking & Coffee Guided Tour

Two Hour Dolphin and Nature Tour

Hilton Head Segway Tropical Pathway Ride (90 minutes)

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Parris Island Offers Inside Look at the Marines

Deep in the South Carolina Lowcountry just south of historic Beaufort is a beautiful barrier island surrounded by white sandy beaches, winding creeks and pristine tidal marshes. But this slice of paradise is nothing like the neighboring resorts of Kiawah or Hilton Head Island .

This is Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island , where Marines are made.

Each year, 20,000 young men and women come to the base to endure one of the most rigorous and challenging military training programs in the world. It is a methodical and time-tested 12-week process with one single purpose - to create a hardened Marine prepared for combat.

Made famous in the Stanley Kubrick film "Full Metal Jacket," Parris Island has become an iconic symbol of America's elite fighting force. Tens of thousands of people visit the base annually, lured by the mystique of the legendary Leatherneck.

Although access is limited, the public is welcome to take a self-guided tour of the 3,000-acre training center, play golf on the Legends of Parris Island, watch recruits train in non-restricted areas and visit the Parris Island Museum.

But it's the Friday graduations - held 40 of 52 weeks each year - that draw most visitors to the island. Family and friends of graduating Marines are extended a special invitation to attend the formal ceremony and parade and participate in Family Day, held the Thursday before graduation.

The festivities begin at 7 a.m. with a 2.7-mile "Motivational Run" around the base. Jogging in cadence, the new Marines arrive on Boulevard De France to throngs of cheering visitors wearing T-shirts proudly proclaiming they are the mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, fiancée ... of a U.S. Marine.

Two hours later, the crowd has regrouped in the All-Weather Training Facility for the Liberty Ceremony. After a brief presentation on the Marine Corps training program, the battalion marches into the building sending the audience to its feet in a roar of applause, whoops and whistles.

The Marines are then dismissed for five hours of on-base liberty. It is a joyous moment as families reunite for the first time in three months.

"It's so emotional to see my son and hug him again," said Florangel Rodriguez, who traveled from New York with her two other children to attend her son's graduation ceremony earlier this year. "They took my boy and turned him into a man."

To achieve the transformation from civilian to Marine, recruits are pushed to the breaking point - and then pushed some more.

"It's a lot of pain," her 22-year-old son, Marine Lenin Lopez Rodriguez, said. "What's toughest is the mental part. It's something like I've never experienced before. It changed me."

The intense training culminates with the Crucible, a staggering test of physical and mental strength. During the 54-hour event, the recruits will hike 48 miles carrying 45 pounds of gear, undergo 29 problem-solving exercises and navigate through an endless series of obstacles courses - with only four hours of sleep a night and three ready-to-eat meals.

In one simulated war scenario, the recruits must cross a water obstacle on a log keeping their rifles at the ready, crawl under concertina wire, slog through mud and drag a "wounded" soldier across a field with battle sounds blaring overhead and rapid-fire machine gun blasts coming at them from every direction.

While the Crucible exercises are not open to the public, visitors have the opportunity to see recruits marching and training in other outdoor areas of the base.

Since the recruit depot opened in 1915, more than a million men and women have earned the Eagle, Globe and Anchor - the official emblem and insignia of the United States Marine Corps.

Today, the base serves as the Marine training center for male recruits who live east of the Mississippi and all female recruits. The only other Marine Corps training facility is in San Diego.

If you visit Parris Island, your first stop should be the Douglas Visitors' Center. The Marines on staff can answer any questions you may have about the facility and the recruit training program.

From there, it's a short walk to the Parris Island Museum. One floor of the building is dedicated to Marine Corps history and includes uniforms, weapons, equipment and photographs from World War 1 to the Gulf wars. The other half of the museum showcases Parris Island's history dating back 10,000 years when prehistoric Native Americans occupied the land.

Be sure to catch the two short films on recruit training and the Crucible and pick up a guide to the Iron Mike History Tour, a 15-mile loop that takes you past some of Parris Island's most important buildings, training facilities and monuments, including the site of the 1500s French and Spanish colonies of Charlesfort and Santa Elena.

Visiting Parris Island

To enter the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, drivers must present a valid driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of automobile insurance.

The Parris Island museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Family and Graduation days. Admission is free.

Click here for more information or call the Douglas Visitors' Center at (843) 228-3650.

Articles | Itineraries

History of Ninety Six

Beaufort is a great choice for history, beaches and more

Things to Do Around Parris Island, SC

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Things to Do Around Parris Island, SC (Photo: )

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Parris Island, South Carolina, is best known as the home of the U.S. Marine Corps Eastern Recruiting Division. This is the place where some marine recruits are sent for basic training and preparation for careers in the military. Many parents, family members and friends venture to Parris Island to visit or to attend graduation ceremonies of loved ones. While here, visitors discover other local attractions of interest.

Parris Island Museum

The Parris Island Museum (mcrdpi.usmc.mil) on the grounds of the marine base is open to the public and offers free admission. The museum is home to a collection of thousands of artifacts and images, and presents a complete history of the Marine Corps and the surrounding area known as Port Royal. Open since January of 1975, this 8,000-square-foot museum is a wealth of information, art and history.

Gullah Tours

Experience the African American culture of the low country region by taking a historic tour of St. Helena Island with Gullah-N-Geechie Mahn Tours (gullahngeechietours.net). The Gullah culture is one that evolved in the isolation of island life off the mainland coast of South Carolina. The Gullah people stick closer to their West African roots than other African American cultures in the United States. They speak a unique language, called Gullah, which is a form of Creole that borrows words from the African languages as well as English. The tour takes visitors to the first school to educate freed slaves in America, praise houses, and the Oaks cotton plantation, and imparts historical information about the beliefs and life among Gullah people. You’ll taste some of the traditional Gullah food along the way.

Take a half-day to explore the low country by kayak. Beaufort Kayak Tours (beaufortkayaktours.com) offers tours of the black water rivers of the ACE basin, an estuary formed by the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers. These tours take visitors past the areas that were part of the rice farming culture of years ago and also through cypress tree-lined streams where osprey nest. Other options include the Historic Beaufort Tour. Paddle past the waterfront where antebellum homes still line the river in this historic town. You may even recognize the house that served as the setting for the film “The Big Chill.” Request a saltwater marsh tour where you can see bottle nose dolphin, crabs and oystercatchers.

Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

Relax and enjoy a tour of Beaufort, South Carolina, the way the upper crust enjoyed it when the town was first established. Hop in a horse-drawn buggy with Southurn Rose Buggy tours (southurnrose.com) and bump along the streets of this historic town with a guide who provides a narrated history of this area leading up to and through the Civil War, as well as point out culturally significant locations.

Lee Morgan is a fiction writer and journalist. His writing has appeared for more than 15 years in many news publications including the "Tennesseean," the "Tampa Tribune," "West Hawaii Today," the "Honolulu Star Bulletin" and the "Dickson Herald," where he was sports editor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University.

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Step-On Bus Tour Guides

Contact us for step-on bus tours guides, we have two main itineraries, but can be flexible to arrange for a guide to meet your time and itinerary needs:.

1) Parris Island and Parris Island History Museum

2) Visit to the Penn Center and Darrah Hall (National Park Service museum of the new Reconstruction Era National Park) and a Gullah Art Gallery, all on St. Helena Island

Contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at (843) 838-2747 to discuss putting together an itinerary that meets your group’s needs.

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Information, Tickets and Tours (ITT)

• MCRD Parris Island – Panama Street , Bldg 192 , MCRD Parris Island , SC
• MCRD ITT Phone 843-228-3557 MCRD ITT Alternate Line 843-228-1540
• MCRD ITT Website MCRD ITT Website
• Email ITT Email ITT
• Mon 1000 - 1800 Tue 1000 - 1800 Wed 1000 - 1800 Thu 1000 - 1800 Fri 1000 - 1800 Sat 1000 - 1600 Sun Closed

Information, Tickets, & Tours/Travel (ITT) at MCRD Parris Island is located on Panama St.

The ITT program supports customers as they plan their leisure-time activities, helping them obtain the best and lowest possible pricing in travel arrangements.

The ITT Office can provide tickets to theme parks in your local area and/or around the country, historical sites, and local venue attractions at substantial military discounts.

Seasonal specials such as the Annual Holiday Cruise and popular activities at reasonable prices. Join a casino cruise scheduled regularly which includes entertainment and meals.

ITT has great prices on tickets for Walt Disney World parks, State Park/Beach passes, sports events and races, theme parks, dinner shows, water parks (seasonally), zoos, aquariums and museums. Please ask for current pricing information.

Leave a Review

Reviews 1 review.

Called them, on a Friday 2 hours before they closed didn't pick up the phone. Called them on Monday 30 minutes after they opened NEVER picked up the phone. Called them 2 hours later that same Monday still no one answered the phone.

posted about 9 years ago

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Parris Island Museum

The Parris Island Museum features thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials that illustrate the history of Port Royal and Parris Island, from early Native American inhabitants of Port Royal to the modern Marines. The 10,000-square-foot museum is located on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. The exhibits focus primarily on the long and honored history and traditions of the Marine Corps. On display are artifacts depicting Port Royal's important military role from the American Revolution to the Civil War, along with development of the island into a Marine Corps installation after the Spanish-American War through the present. Alongside Marine Corps history, there are exhibits devoted to the Charlesfort-Santa Elena National Historic Landmark, site of French and Spanish colonies on Parris Island between 1562 and 1587. The Museum is open daily to the public from 10:00am-4:30pm, and 8:00am – 4:30pm on Family and Graduation Days. Holiday closures include New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission is free. For more information on the Parris Island Museum, visit  http://parrisislandmuseum.com/  or call 843.228.2951.

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Class of 2024: Former Marine Seth Bagbey found home among Hokies

• Melody Warnick
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Name: Seth Bagbey

College:  Natural Resources and Environment

Major: Wildlife conservation

Hometown: Clarksville, Virginia

Favorite professor: Kevin Hamed, collegiate associate professor of fish and wildlife conservation. “If anybody has passion, he has it.”

The saying “Once a Marine, always a Marine” was etched in Bagbey’s mind during his four years in the Marine Corps. But after his time at Virginia Tech, he’s added an addendum: “Once a Hokie, always a Hokie.”

“They’re two things I’m extremely proud of,” Bagbey said, noting that he’ll wear both his Marine Corps ring and his Virginia Tech class ring when he walks across the commencement stage in Lane Stadium in May. “I'm forever a Marine, and I'm forever a Hokie.”

But while he always knew he’d join the Marines, he originally had no intention of graduating from Virginia Tech.

Serving his country

Growing up in the tiny town of Clarksville, Bagbey’s obsession was the military. Hard-wired for patriotism, he inhaled news stories and YouTube clips about conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and devoured history books about World War II. “I wanted nothing more than to fight for my country,” Bagbey said.

Before he even graduated high school in 2017, Bagbey enlisted in the Marine Corps, and that summer he shipped off to boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, terrified and elated at the same time.

Soon he was on a ship speeding through the Suez Canal into the Persian Gulf. His Marine Corps tours took him to Greece, Spain, Estonia, Sweden, Latvia, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates, among other places he’d barely imagined. He fell in love with the open ocean, with the thrill of adventure far from home.

But even on the day he and his unit summitted 12,383-foot Mount Fuji in Japan, he wore a reminder of home: a Virginia Tech hoodie.

A life-changing Hokie football game

Bagbey wasn’t exactly a Virginia Tech fan before his enlistment. But when he was home on leave in October 2019, his mom surprised him with tickets to a Hokie football game.

Watching fellow Marines play Madden Football on Xbox during long months at sea had made him a student of the game, but this would be his first in-person football experience. It turned out to be the legendary six-overtime battle against North Carolina. “Enter Sandman” hit his bloodstream like a drug, and he rode the wave of crazy fan energy till the final touchdown.

At that point, Bagbey told his mom, “If I go to college, it's gonna be at Virginia Tech.” After that, if he wasn't in uniform, he was wearing his Tech hoodie.

A community of veterans

After four years, Bagbey decided he’d done what he’d set out to do in the military. He left the Marines and returned home to Clarksville. After substitute teaching in local schools, he eventually decided he might as well get a degree, since the GI Bill was paying.

Virginia Tech was the only school he applied to. He told his mom, “If Virginia Tech doesn't accept me, I'm not going anywhere.” When he got the email that he could start classes in January 2022 — he had enough dual-enrollment credits from high school to apply as a transfer student — his mom cried.

Arriving on campus as a wildlife conservation major, with his German shepherd Zoe in tow, Bagbey threw himself into the Virginia Tech experience. The skills he learned in his military days came in surprisingly handy. For instance, with Bagbey competing in riflery, Virginia Tech’s Wildlife Society came in third of 20 universities at the 2024 TWS Southeastern Student Wildlife Conclave.

Yet when he first arrived, he felt lonely — older and more experienced in a way that made it hard to connect with students.

One day he walked into the Office of Veteran Services and said, “Hey, I just need to talk some veterans.” Those conversations, along with tailgating and playing laser tag with the Veterans@VT student group, finally helped him settle in. “Veterans can talk to any other veteran,” he said. “They can relate.”

This is home

After substituting in public schools, plus working at the Ft. Chiswell Animal Park, Bagbey hopes to launch a career as a wildlife educator. “I love teaching, to see people be like, ‘Wow, that's so cool. I learned something today,’” he said. He wouldn’t mind coaching football too. 

In fact, he’s so committed to staying near his happy place, Lane Stadium, that for now Bagbey and his girlfriend, fellow 2024 Hokie grad Ela Yirmibesoglu, will stay in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech Athletics’ “this is home” mantra means something to him. “It makes me emotional every time I think of it,” he said, “because this place made me feel like this is my home.”

Dave Guerin

540-231-0871

• Blacksburg, Va.
• Class of 2024
• College of Natural Resources and Environment
• Executive Vice President and Provost
• Fish and Wildlife Conservation

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Program Overview

When you’re confident that your child is safe and in good care, everything just seems easier. Our mission is to ensure peace of mind knowing your children are not only well cared for, but also learning and enjoying themselves. Our Child Development Centers (CDC) are open to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our classrooms provide fun, inclusive, and engaging environments, individualized learning experiences that meet the needs of each child, and great opportunities for socialization!

How to Get Started

MilitaryChildCare.com is designed to help eligible families register their children for full time child care at one of our Child Development Centers. Contact the Child Development Centers with questions about eligibility and registration.

Families seeking child care are required to submit their requests through MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC).

To initiate a request, families must first create an account with MilitaryChildCare.com, log in, and complete their household profile using the steps outlined in the link below.

Full Time Child Care

Our Child Development Centers (CDC) foster physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development in a safe and nurturing environment. Each CDC is designed to support children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, ensuring age-appropriate learning guided by the Early Learning Matters (ELM) Curriculum.

Curriculum:

All CDCs use the Early Learning Matters (ELM) curriculum as the primary classroom curriculum. ELM is based on the latest research on child development and best practices in early education and care. ELM offers a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate approach to meaningful learning for all children.

• Whole child focus on skills that bolster school readiness and life success
• Developmentally sequenced activities that embed strategies for individualizing
• Evidence-informed, friendly-to-use resources for classroom staff and families

At the heart of the ELM curriculum are activity plans that build on children's pathways of development in five infant/toddler areas and eight preschool areas. The plans support growth and development with a range of active learning opportunities that include careful attention to differences in children's abilities and interests.

Accreditation & Certification:

CDCs are required to be nationally accredited and must pass an annual Department of Defense inspection to obtain a certificate to operate. 

Hourly Child Care

Hourly child care is available for those moments when you need to run errands, enjoy a lunch date, or alone time to re-energize.

• Hourly child care may be available on your installation for an hourly rate per child.
• Hourly child care does not require parents to make a request on militarychildcare.com.
• Parents need to complete and submit the CDC packet and provide the necessary supporting documents to register their child.
• This service is provided based on space availability or may not be offered at your installation.
• Contact your local installation's CDC for availability.

Prepare for the registration process for your child at the Child Development Center by using the provided list of required forms.

​The following forms are required for registering for child care.

Filling out pdf forms while using a government computer can be limited and recommend using a personal computer.

Please contact your local CDC with any questions, difficulties, or concerns you may have.

• CYP Registration Form
• CYP Health Assessment Form
• CYP Non-Medicated Topical Products Form
• Application for Department of Defense Childcare Fees

Request a Tour

Our child Development Centers (CDC) are open to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our classrooms provide fun, inclusive, and engaging environments, individualized learning experiences that meet the needs of each child, and great opportunities for socialization. Contact your local CDC to schedule a tour of one of our facilities. Not available at all locations.

Moving from one duty station to another can be stressful. Here's some helpful information to make your move easier.

• Connect with community resources and learn valuable information through the Lifestyle, Insights, Networking, Knowledge, and Skills (L.I.N.K.S.) office.
• Contact the Information, Referral, and Relocation office for answers to your questions and information about services and programs offered to military families throughout the military community.
• Ensure a smooth transition between schools by contacting the School Liaison Program.
• Visit usmc-mccs.org for MCCS events, services and support for you and your family.
• Follow your local MCCS Facebook and Instagram to stay connected to your military community and learn about events, resources and programs offered.
• When your family receives PCS orders, visit MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC) to submit a new request for child care at the next duty station. This request will place your child on the waitlist, prior to arrival.

Careers with Child & Youth Programs

The Department of Defense has the largest employer-sponsored child care system in the United States and one of the largest youth development programs in the country. Join our team and support our Military and their families.

Are you looking for a career working with children and youth? You can help shape our country’s youth while their families serve. Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) has openings for directors and assistant directors, training and curriculum specialists, and direct care staff working with children and youth ages 6 weeks to 18 years old.

CYP Employees will receive a 50% discount to the first child enrolled at the Child Development Center (CDC) and School Age Care (SAC) Programs. If an employee has more than one child enrolled, a sibling discount of 20% will be provided to each additional child.

MCCS offers competitive pay and benefits that may include health and life insurance, paid leave, retirement, 401K benefits and tuition assistance. There are also many training, mentoring, professional development and advancement opportunities. Join the greater military community and come grow with us!

Contact Information

Child Development Center - MCAS Beaufort

1142 Geiger Blvd MCAS Beaufort, SC 29904

Phone: 8432287290

Email: [email protected]

Child Development Center - MCRD Parris Island

838 Wake Blvd Bldg 504 MCRD Parris Island, SC 29905

Phone: 8432283514

Resource & Referral - Registration Specialist

205 S. Drayton St. Bldg 564 MCAS Beaufort, SC 29904

Phone: 8432287279

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We make Marines by recruiting quality young men and women and transforming them through the foundations of rigorous basic training, our shared legacy, and a commitment to our core values, preparing them to win our nation’s battles in service to the country.

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Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct night operations over Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., April 29, 2024. The...

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Pvt. Diaz graduated from recruit training with Lima Company on November 21, 2023. She said she is excited to resume her career with a new sense of fulfillment and purpose. “I feel like I’ll be a better police officer,” said Diaz. “I’ve learned more about professionalism and bearing and grown as a person during my time here.”

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How I Serve

Lundgaard said during his career athletic trainers have become a greater part of military culture. He said many athletic trainers who come in now want to provide care to servicemembers at elite units. But for Lundgaard, Parris Island is exactly where he wants to be. “For me this isn’t a job,” said Lundgaard. “This is a calling. This is how I want to serve.”

Mr. and Mrs. Matthews

December 9, 2023, Pfc. Morgan Mathews is awarded her Eagle, Globe, and Anchor from her husband and recruiter SSgt. Charles Mathews. The EGA ceremony is one of the most important events in any Marines life, rarely is there an opportunity for a spouse to present a new Marine with the EGA. This moment was so emotionally impactful that neither party could barely say a word.

Recruit Ties Depot Record for Marksmanship

PFC Flannery graduates recruit training with record for the highest marksmanship score in depot history.

Jack Lowe Designated as Honorary Marine

On November 1, Jack was designated an Honorary Marine at his home in Flowery Branch, Georgia, by Brig. Gen. Walker Field, the commanding general of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and the Eastern Recruiting Region.

4' 7" Marine Stands Tall as Lead Series Guide

Pfc. Nathaniel Laprade, a Marine with Hotel Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, stands tall holding the Lead Series guidon unlike any before him.

Pfc. Robert Ellason Barrow III continues his Family's Legacy

With his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor secure in the palm of his hand, Pfc. Robert Ellason Barrow III added his name to a family legacy of over 80 years of military service.

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