$7 to take your car in the ferry. Best deal in town!! We arrived about 30 minutes early and were one of the first on and first off the ferry. The "terminal" building has a clean restroom, vending machines, and even a little shelf of books to take/leave/trade. Head up to the top deck for an air conditioned cabin view as you cross the river on a ~20 minute ride. read more

The Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry is operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and offers a scenic 35-minute ride across the Cape Fear River. It accommodates a wide range of vehicles and passengers, with multiple daily departures year-round. We had no problem with our ten-foot-tall Sprinter van and no, we did not make any reservations. Just show up and you'll be directed to drive onto the next ferry with space available. There were some pedestrians and cyclists who disembarked in Fort Fisher. This is a great shortcut that would otherwise be a 50 mile drive that takes at least an hour. Enjoy! [Review 1361 of 2025 - 4480 in North Carolina - 24913 overall] read more

Southport Ferry - Welcome to Southport! - Boat Charters Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

Southport is a charming beach town anyway, and the two ferry rides are absolutely classic. For $7, we rode from Southport to Fort Fisher. The 45 minute ride was scenic and we even saw dine dolphins swimming in the inlet!! The ferries operate on time, on and off the boat are easy, and there's even a passenger deck and observation room to take in the sites. read more

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This was a fun 30-minute experience for the whole family on our drive from Fort Fisher to Southport, NC. In late March 2024, it was easy to board the ferry at 1:00pm (we arrived 10 minutes before departure). After paying $7, you'll be directed onto the boat and stay in one of 3 lanes. Once the boat is secured, you can get out of the car and take pictures of sea gulls or go to the upper deck. During the off-season, I was disappointed that the ferry service was limited after 4pm. Be sure to check return times in advance. Our return drive from Southport, NC to Carolina Beach, NC took more than an hour (going up the coast of the Cape Fear River to the heart of downtown Wilmington, and back down the far side of the Cape Fear River to Carolina Beach, NC). read more

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I don't know why, but we enjoy car ferries. It's funny that we tend to seek them out, even when traveling. We loaded from Southport and departed to Fort Fisher- ironically enough, we explored the Fort Fisher beach access the night before! We missed the last ferry ride by minutes, so we managed to explore from the mainland and cross to the beach side the next day. Easy loading and unloading process and the views are so pleasant on the water. read more

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The Southport Ferry was the easiest and fastest way to get to Fort Fisher. The ferry runs at different times depending if it is in season or not and weekday or weekend. So make sure you check the schedule ahead of time. The staff is very friendly and helpful. You need to arrive a few minutes before your departure time to make sure you can get a spot. There are restrooms and a vending area near the parking area if needed. Otherwise after you pay you just get in the line and someone comes to get your driver's license information. Once on the ferry you can get out of your vehicle and enjoy the views either on deck or the elevated section. read more

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It was my first time ever on a ferry. It was efficient and easy. It's $7 one-way. I had never seen so many cars on one ferry in my life... well I guess because I've never been on one. LOL They seemed to be on time, we had an 11:30am trip and we were allowed to get on board on time. I slept the entire ferry ride, so I'm unsure of the customer service, but everyone seemed pleasant. I'd do this again. read more

Southport Ferry - Boat Charters Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

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It is so much fun to take the ferry from Southport to Fort Fisher. It's $7 one-way but may be more or less depending on your vehicle type. Once you park you can get out of your car after they finish loading. We always bring a loaf of bread to feed the seagulls and other birds at the back of the ferry. Check out their website for departure times. read more

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The lady at the gate was pleasant. We arrived 9 minutes before boarding @10am. We had a van and paid only $7 fee to get our car on the ferry. They closed the gate for loading about 10:07am. Once the ferry moved out of port we could come outside and walk around. It was a lovely day & trip lasted 25 about mins. Docked at Fort Fisher to take the family to the aquarium! read more

Southport Ferry - Kids on the ferry heading to Fort Fisher - Boat Charters Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

Great ride on the Ferry. Everything seemed clean, including the restrooms. Air conditioned area to sit and watch out into the water. I feel we paid a fair price for the ride. No complaints & I would recommend read more

This is the best $7.00 you can spend. This ride takes you from one beautiful place to another. There is inside and outside seating and plenty of great views all over. I love riding the ferry to feel like I am on a boat. We do this quite often and it is also like I am on a little vacation. read more

Southport Ferry - Boat Charters Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

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Well worth the $7. Ferry ride is short and scenic. Try to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure time as ferries can sell out. The car ride is about 70 minutes if you need that option. read more

An awesome experience all around, me and my dad arrived at the ferry at 9:59 for the 10:00, and they happily waited for us. Everyone on the crew of the boat was very friendly, and the views from he ride were INTENSE!! read more

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We went from Southport to Ft. Fisher and back. The trips were $7 each way and approximately 30mins. Check online for the schedule and then double check at the gate (we ran into an inaccuracy in times). We were able to get out of the vehicle and roam around the ferry during the cruise. We brought food for the seagulls (big hit). My 2 year old son loved this adventure. read more

I love ferries and this one is no exception (especially since it convenient turns the otherwise hour plus drive from Southport to Fort Fisher into a 20 minute ferry ride). Workers were friendly and efficient. We had no trouble and it was on time! Any time we need to make the trip from Southport to Fort Fisher (or vice versa) this is our plan. Definitely worth the $7. read more

Southport Ferry was a fun experience! Got a chance to drive our car onto the ferry boat. It's about 5 bucks per car. Super cold during the winter, but I hear it's super hot during the summer. They line you up and make you turn off the car. Make sure to check ferry times to go and to come back. We didn't get much time to explore the island since a lot of places were already closed. Got to see some nice scenery and to take pictures at. Overall, I wouldn't mind doing this again and to do some activities next time. read more

Easy on, easy off, the ferry is dirty cheap and fun to ride. You get to take a scenic trip through the water between Fort Fisher and Southport. It's a really beautiful trip and so much quicker than driving all the way around. read more

Going on the Ferry was an amazing experience! For only $7 it took us from Fort Fisher to Southport and the view was fantastic. We fed seagulls, watched the view and explored the ferry. I still can't believe it was only $7 and the staff was friendly and helpful as well. read more

Southport Ferry - Ferry ticket fee and it's only one way to Southport. - Boat Charters Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

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A great way to navigate from Fort Fisher to Southport. The employees and crew with the Southport Ferry are very friendly. They do a great job. A nice view as you make your way in the open water. Our family makes an effort to take this brief trip at least once a season. read more

Why even make a schedule if it's always wrong. People plan their day and around published time and 3/4 times it's wrong. Always an excuse.

Taking the Ferry is sooo much fun! When else do you get to drive your car onto a boat, get out and take a 30 minute cruise!! Only $5 per car! Never gets too crowded because the car limit also limits the people on board. There are decks front and back with a large air conditioned (super frosty) section in the middle. There's a building with snack machines, restrooms, a water fountain and tourist info where you can hang out before driving onto the ferry. This ferry will take you from Southport to the Fort Fisher Recreational Area, Historic Monument and Aquarium. The only negative, is watch the driver next to you getting in and out of their vehicle - spaces are tight and your door may get dinged. A spastic 8 year old put a big ding in my Passat door!! Now he's sleeping with the fishes! read more

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$5 for a 30 minute ferry ride, with beautiful views of the Cape Fear river, and a great view of the Price Creek lighthouse......you can't beat that!!!!!! read more

Southport Ferry - Price Creek lighthouse (1849) from the ferry - Boat Charters Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

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Everyone was so nice! I had a commute there this summer and the staff always helped with my luggage.

Absolute chaos and bull****. Both on the way to BHI and the way back, we were stuck waiting over an hour and a half for a friggen 20min ride. NO employees, NO signs, nothing to guide you or give you information on what the hell the extremely long wait was for. The Cary Cart Rental company was also a total joke. The website lies, they do NOT rent by the hour, so we got stuck paying for a whole day for only 2 hours of use. Too bad they can't get their shit together. Will most definitely not be returning or buying a home in BHI thanks to their severe inefficiencies! read more

A dependable car ferry to Southport with pleasant staff. A beautiful ride to the other side. Might be smart to get there early or avoid peak times so you don't miss it and have to go the long way (I think about 45 minutes...) read more

This ferry is awesome fast efficient, and not overly expensive. They do not have a lot of workers my thought is to keep the cost down we went across for only $5 saving us over an hour and some change on the commute. The directions are easy to follow and the facilities are better on one side compared to the other. Both are good though just one was great. If both had been great this would have been an easy 5 Star. The kids had fun the workers all are nice and everything flowed efficiently. It was an enjoyable ferry ride. read more

Timely, nice ride from Southport to Fort Fisher. My only complaint is the lack of direction from the staff on the ferry. If you hadn't taken it before, you wouldn't really know what to do. Lovely views along the way, and you can't beat the $5 one-way fare. read more

The one way ride is now $7 and still a bargain. I ride weekly and purchase a yearly pass for $150. Crossing the river is a beautiful relaxing ride. The crew is experienced and I always feel safe even in bad weather. One time I even got to watch a man overboard drill. They retrieved the float in no time at all. I see children enjoying the trip all the time. read more

A true North Carolina tradition! As old as time, the outer strands of islands that hug our coast of NC can be only accessed at times by our ferry system. You can access Fort Fisher from the Wilmington area, and Southport, NC from the South. But to go to either one by land you'll be looking at a nearly hour drive. Thankfully this is one of those areas that's connected by our NC Ferry System. For just $5 a car, you can catch a ferry nearly every 45 minutes for the 4 mile trek across the Cape Fear to the adjoining island. It's a neat ride that's typically smooth, great views of the tip of Oak Island and its lighthouse, the ships navigating up to the Port of Wilmington, and the remains of the former Fort Fisher from the Civil War! Once on Fort Fisher you can explore the area or ride through Kure Beach all the way north to Wilmington. Once on land at Southport, you are entering one of the coolest sea towns in all of NC! Dating back to the later 1700's, it's full of historic homes that are easily worth 1/2 million and more! The town itself has such cool eclectic stores and some of the best seafood on the coastline! But certainly don't lose sight of the ferry ride itself and listen for James Taylor singing in your ears, "In My Mind I'm Going To Carolina"! read more

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