Tours in Charleston
No matter whether you’ve visited the Holy City before or if you’re a first-timer, one of the best ways to get to know the city is on a Charleston tour.
Yes, you could wander the labyrinthine streets of Downtown, taking photos of some of the most picturesque buildings, but you won’t learn the stories of the people who built them.
Our favorite tours in Charleston include history tours, walking tours, and food tours.
Types of Tours in Charleston
Charleston Walking Tours
The best way to see Charleston is by walking (though we may be a little bit biased!).
If you want to truly get a feel for the Holy City, book a walking tour. You’ll get a lay of the land Downtown while gazing at gorgeous architecture — and listening to the stories of Charleston’s history.
Charleston Boat Tours
If the best way to see Charleston is by foot, the second best is by boat.
Some of the most stunning views of Charleston can be seen from the harbor or one of the rivers that snake through our city.
The good news is there’s a boat tour for every budget here. Splurge on a dinner cruise, take a quick ferry ride across the harbor, or get a little tipsy with a brews cruise.
Historic Charleston Tours
Nearly every tour in Charleston will probably touch on some lowcountry history. Yet, if you really want to delve into the city’s past, we recommend taking a history tour.
You’ll find historic Charleston tours covering just about every subject under the southern sun, including the history of slavery (and plantation history), Civil War history, and cultural history.
South Carolina Plantation Tours
Visiting a South Carolina plantation is one of the most iconic Charleston activities.
Charleston plantations played a major role in the U.S.’s history and economy. Learn about the history of the local plantations as well as the history of slavery at McLeod Plantation Historic Site, Magnolia Plantation, Drayton Hall, and Boone Plantation.
Charleston Private Tours
If you’re traveling with a large group, want to customize your tour, or simply don’t see a public tour that strikes your interest, book a Charleston private tour!
Just some of the private tours we offer at Walks of Charleston include architecture tours, South Carolina day trips, and history tours.
Carriage Tours in Charleston
Another iconic way to see the city is by horse and carriage.
This is possibly one of the most popular ways to tour the Holy City. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a private or public carriage tour through Downtown with our partner, the Carolina Polo & Carriage Co.
Carolina Polo & Carriage Company’s horse-drawn tour
Charleston Food Tours
Some visitors head to Charleston for the history, some for the shopping, and some for the stunning architecture. But just about everyone we know also comes for the food!
If you want to try several different Charleston iconic foods all at once, book a food tour with our partner, Charleston Culinary Tours.
Just some of the foods you might try? Shrimp and grits, frogmore stew, and oysters.
Tours in Charleston: The Best Tours of the Holy City
Yes, we happen to think our tours in Charleston are some of the best in the city. But we know we’re not the only tour company in the Lowcountry.
If you want to check out some of the best tours of the Holy City, we recommend our own Charleston History Tour and Charleston’s Alleys and Hidden Passages Tour.
Here are some of the other tours we recommend around the city, too.
Charleston History Tour
If you want a crash course in Charleston history, book the Charleston History Tour.
Learn about the history of some of the most iconic sites in Downtown, including Rainbow Row, the French Quarter, the Old Exchange Building, and White Point Gardens.
Dennis with his group at the French Huguenot Church
Charleston’s Alleys and Hidden Passages
If you want to get “behind the scenes” of some of the most iconic streets in Charleston, come with us on a tour of Charleston’s Alleys and Hidden Passages.
You’ll see most of the iconic sites you’d visit on our history tour — plus, you’ll get a sneak peek into the alleyways used by both the common folk and Charleston elite, alike. These alleys and passages are some of the most beautiful streets in the city.
Tour of Philadelphia Alley with Jim
Charleston Culinary Tours
If you’re the type of traveler who wants to eat their way through a city, sign up for one of our favorite Charleston Culinary Tours.
Just a few of our favorite culinary tours include:
- Charleston Downtown Culinary Tour
- Charleston Upper King Street Culinary Tour
- Farm-to-Table Experience
- Dessert with Death
- Death is a Drag
- Pubs, Taverns, and Taprooms
- The S.O.B. Tour
Charleston Pirate Tours
If you have little ones who want to see the city (but you’re afraid they’ll be bored on a walking tour), book a Charleston Pirate Tour. Part tour and part scavenger hunt, you’ll sail the city, searching for lost treasure.
If you’re into pirates but not scavenger hunts, you could always learn about the pirate history of Charleston on the Charleston Pirate Tour.
Charleston Pirate Tours also operates two ghost tours — one at night and one during the day for the more squeamish landlubbers.
Charleston Beer Tours
One of the best ways to see Charleston is with a beer in hand.
Charleston Brews Cruise combines a Charleston history tour with beer (two of our favorite pastimes), showing you the city aboard an air-conditioned bus — all while you sample delicious locally brewed beers.
Book the Happy Hour Bus Tour or the Day Drinking Bus Tour. You’ll get a lay of the land here in Charleston, all while staying cool and refreshed.