Charleston Ghost Tour & 1772 Unitarian Church Graveyard

Walk Charleston's Gas-Lit Streets at Night & Enter a 1772 Graveyard

You walk Charleston's haunted downtown for 90 minutes with a licensed guide, hearing supernatural stories from the bestselling book The Ghosts of Charleston, then enter the 1772 Unitarian Church Graveyard after dark: the tour's main draw, where documented paranormal activity has occurred since 1996. The guide varies stories nightly so repeats don't overlap, and you depart from Buxton Books, where you can grab the book itself before or after.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. St. Michael's Churchpassing by
2. St. Philip's Church10m

Charleston ghost walking tour and graveyard

• Start tour at Buxton Books
• Walk gas lamp lit streets and alleys
• Hear eerie tales from Charleston history
• See St Philip's steeple and graveyard
• Visit historic St Michael's Church area
• Enter Unitarian Church Graveyard
• Listen to ghost stories by licensed guides

The experience

The gas lamps flicker on King Street as your guide stops you in front of St. Michael's Church, and you realize you're about to spend the next 90 minutes hearing stories that didn't make it into the history books. Charleston's Ghosts of Charleston tour has been running for over 30 years, built on Julian Buxton's bestselling book of the same name (more than 100,000 copies sold), and it's the kind of thing locals actually recommend to visitors without irony. The tour departs from Buxton Books several times each evening, and your licensed guide knows the city's 356 years of history in a way that feels less like recitation and more like gossip from someone who's been paying attention.

The real draw, though, is the Unitarian Church Graveyard. Built in 1772, it sits lush and enclosed, nothing like the open graveyards you've seen elsewhere. This one feels separate from the world, and the guide will take you inside after dark. The stories shift nightly, so repeat visitors don't get the same haunts twice. You'll hear "The Spectral Photograph" and other accounts from Buxton's book, but the graveyard itself is where things get strange. Since 1996, people on the tour have reported visual, tactile, and auditory experiences. The kind of thing that makes you check your phone's timestamp to confirm it actually happened. You'll also pass St. Philip's Church and its graveyard, both landmarks with their own weight in the city's story.

The walk covers downtown Charleston's alleys and streets under gas lamp light, which means the architecture and the darkness work together to make the whole thing feel cinematic without trying. It's 90 minutes total, and you're moving at a steady pace, not rushed, not dawdling. The guide is a professional, licensed by the City of Charleston, which means they know what they're talking about and they've done this enough times to read a group and adjust the pacing. If you prefer just the graveyard without the full downtown loop, there's a 1-hour option that skips the walking part and goes straight to the Unitarian Church Graveyard, though most people do the full tour.

What’s included

• Your 90-minute tour includes a professional, City of Charleston licensed tour guide.
• exclusive nighttime access to the historic 1772 Unitarian Church Graveyard.
• walking through downtown Charleston's gas-lit streets and alleys.
• and stories drawn from the bestselling book The Ghosts of Charleston. The tour departs from Buxton Books, an independent bookstore where you can purchase the book before or after your walk.

Options for this experience

2 options

Cemetery-only option (7 pm)Guide in English · 19:00Length: 1 hour. Unitarian Church Graveyard: The tour starts and ends at Buxton Books. Once travelers check in, the tour guide takes them straight to the graveyard. Graveyard only: a 1-hour tour of the Unitarian Graveyard alone. Choose the other option at checkout to add the city tour portion.

Graveyard and city tourGuide in English · 19:30, 20:30, 21:00 and 21:30A 90-minute guided ghost walking tour that includes exclusive entry to the Unitarian Church Graveyard (1772). Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 1h 30m, runs every day, 5 start times, from US$ 35.50 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday and Sunday: 19:30, 20:30, 21:00 and 21:30Tuesday to Saturday: 19:00, 19:30, 20:30, 21:00 and 21:30Last departure this season: 31 DecAnother time? ›

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (under 13)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Tour Charleston, LLC

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Charleston's ghost stories told by someone who knows the city's actual history, and you're genuinely interested in the paranormal accounts documented at the Unitarian Church Graveyard: the nighttime access to that 1772 cemetery is what makes this tour different from a standard downtown walk.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (under 13).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the tour depart?

The Ghosts of Charleston tour departs from Buxton Books several times each evening. Check the booking page for specific departure times on your chosen date.

Is the Unitarian Church Graveyard included in both tour options?

Yes. The 1.5-hour full tour includes the graveyard plus downtown Charleston's haunted streets. The 1-hour Graveyard Only option focuses on the 1772 cemetery itself.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The full 90-minute tour involves walking at a steady pace through downtown streets and alleys. It's suitable for all fitness levels, but not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

What if I'm not interested in the supernatural stories?

The tour is built around ghost stories and paranormal history. If that's not your interest, it's not the right fit: consider a standard Charleston history walking tour instead.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are permitted on the tour.

Is the tour based on a real book?

Yes, The Ghosts of Charleston by Julian Buxton. Over 100,000 copies have been sold, and the tour draws stories directly from it. You can buy a copy at Buxton Books before or after your walk.

Do the stories change if I go on multiple tours?

Yes. The guide varies the ghost stories nightly, so repeat visitors hear different hauntings each time.