Things to do in Charleston
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Haunted Carriage Tours Charleston SC: 45-minute evening rideYou ride through Charleston's old downtown on a horse-drawn carriage for forty-five minutes after dark, listening to your certified guide connect the city's architecture to its ghost stories and haunted history. The tour includes St. Philip's Church, the Circular Church graveyard, the Old Exchange Building, and about thirty blocks of the historic district. Groups cap at fourteen, and you return to the Big Red Barn where you started.Is it for me?A good fit if you want Charleston's history and ghost lore without walking the heat and crowds of daytime tourism — the evening timing is what makes the atmosphere work and keeps the group small enough to hear your guide clearly.
Charleston: USS Yorktown Ghost Tour After Dark & Flight DeckYou spend 90 minutes aboard the USS Yorktown at night, exploring areas closed to daytime visitors and the flight deck after dark. Your guide covers WWII history, maritime superstitions, and the mysterious stories that define the ship's legacy. Entry is included, the tour is guided, and you're back by evening — no arranging transport to Patriots Point or figuring out which parts of the ship are actually open.Is it for me?Right for history buffs and WWII enthusiasts who want the ship's stories told in the spaces where they happened, after the daytime crowds leave. Expect significant walking, narrow stairways, and ladders — that's what gives you access to the parts of the ship most visitors never see.
Charleston: Old Walled City Walking Tour & Fort Sumter ViewsYou walk through Charleston's oldest neighborhoods with a licensed guide who knows the city's full history — from the 1681 Circular Congregational Church through Rainbow Row, the Old Exchange, and down to the High Battery overlooking Fort Sumter. The group caps at 15 people, so you can ask questions and take photos without losing the thread. Two hours, all taxes included, and the route works in any weather if you dress for it.Is it for me?Book this if you want Charleston's core history — from colonial settlement through the Civil War — without arranging your own route or guide, and you prefer a small group where you can actually hear and ask questions.
Charleston: Historic District Walking Tour & Rainbow RowYou walk through Charleston's Historic District with a licensed local guide for two hours, starting at City Hall and moving through the French Quarter and South of Broad. You see Rainbow Row, St. Michael's Church, the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, and the Battery, learning the city's founding story and architecture along the way. The tour is wheelchair accessible and suitable for all fitness levels, so book it if you want the main landmarks and their histories without arranging a guide yourself.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Charleston's main historic landmarks and learn their stories in one focused walk without arranging a guide separately—the two-hour frame fits the core district and keeps the pace steady enough for all fitness levels.
Rainbow Row Walking Tour Charleston: 2 hours, 350 yearsYou walk 2 hours through downtown Charleston with an experienced guide who covers 350 years of the city's history—from the oldest churches and graveyards to the slave market and the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. The tour includes stops at Rainbow Row, the Nathaniel Russell House, and several colonial-era churches, with no separate entry fees. You'll need moderate fitness to walk the route comfortably, and the guide tells the full story, not just the pretty parts.Is it for me?Right for you if you want to understand Charleston's real history—not just its appearance—and you're comfortable walking for 2 hours at a moderate pace through downtown streets. The guide does the research; you just show up and listen.
Charleston: Historic Walking Tour & Four Corners of LawYou’ll meet your certified guide right at City Hall and start weaving through Charleston’s oldest streets—think pre-Revolutionary homes, quiet alleys, and corners where history actually happened. Expect small surprises: locals chatting on porches, church bells echoing down cobblestones, stories that stick with you after you leave. You’ll walk away feeling like you’ve touched something real here.
Charleston French Quarter Food Tour: Walking Tastings & Historic SightsYou’ll wander Charleston’s French Quarter tasting shrimp & grits, she-crab soup, benne wafers, and more—all while hearing local stories from your guide as you pass historic sites like Dock Street Theatre and City Market. Expect laughter over secret dishes and moments where time feels slower here.
Charleston: Ghost & Bar Walking Tour with AppetizersYou’ll wander Charleston’s shadowy streets with a local guide, sip craft beers at two historic bars (with snacks included), brush past old graveyards near Circular Congregational Church, and listen to ghost stories in haunted alleyways. The tour ends at a park steeped in dark history — leaving you just spooked enough to keep glancing over your shoulder.
Folly Beach Dolphin Viewing Boat Tour: Dolphins & LighthouseA 90-minute boat tour departing from Folly Beach that takes you into the local tidal creeks and salt marsh estuary in search of bottlenose dolphins, with a USCG-licensed captain and eco guide who explains the dolphins' feeding techniques, social behaviors, and the ecosystem they inhabit. The tour also passes the historic Morris Island Lighthouse. Sunrise, sunset, or midday departures are available; the boat holds a small group and includes a cooler with ice and cushioned seating.Is it for me?The tour departs from Folly Beach with parking on-site, so if you have a car or rental, you're set. If you're staying in Charleston without a vehicle, you'll need to arrange a taxi or rideshare to reach the boat—once you're there, the captain and guide handle the rest, and you're on the water for the full 90 minutes without worrying about navigation or where the dolphins are likely to be.
Charleston: Women's History Walking Tour & Rainbow RowYou walk for two hours through downtown Charleston with a licensed guide who focuses entirely on the women who shaped the city's history. The tour hits St. Philip's Church, the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, Rainbow Row, and the Nathaniel Russell House. You'll need moderate fitness for the walking distance, and the tour doesn't shy away from difficult history alongside the triumphs.Is it for me?Book this if you want Charleston's actual history instead of the postcard version, and you're comfortable walking for two hours at a steady pace through downtown streets.
Charleston Prohibition Pub Crawl: Speakeasy Sagas TourSpeakeasy Sagas is a two-hour guided pub crawl through Charleston that traces the city's hidden Prohibition-era past, from the U.S. Customs House to St. Philip's Church and two restored bars with rumored bootlegger connections. A live English-speaking guide leads small groups through the streets where federal agents and rumrunners once clashed, stopping at four venues where you can order cocktails on your own tab while hearing how Charleston's underground liquor trade thrived despite the 18th Amendment. Ages 21 and up only.Is it for me?The two-hour pace and ground-level route work for most walkers, but this tour is built around standing in bars and listening to stories, not moving quickly between landmarks. If you want a faster-paced walking tour or prefer to avoid bar environments, a different Charleston history tour may suit you better.
Charleston: Upper King Street Food Tour with TastingsYou’ll walk through Charleston’s Upper King Street with a local guide, sampling creative dishes at four standout restaurants. Expect lively stories, warm bites fresh from the kitchen, and real insight into how Lowcountry cuisine is evolving right now. You’ll leave full — both from good food and genuine moments shared around the table.
Shem Creek: Shrimp Walking Tour with Captain & Local StoriesYou’ll walk Shem Creek with a real shrimper as your guide, pass historic shrimp shacks, meet local families still working the docks, and hear honest stories about life on the water. Smell salt air, see wildlife in Shem Creek Park, learn why only a handful of boats remain — and leave with a small prize plus a new respect for this place.
Charleston: Outer Banks Film Locations Tour & Behind-the-ScenesYou visit 13 Outer Banks filming locations across Charleston and Mount Pleasant in three hours, stopping to photograph and explore each one. Your guide was a background actor on five seasons, so you get behind-the-scenes stories as you move between the Gaillard Center, Wharfside, Lowndes Grove, and Shem Creek. Snacks and water are included, and the small group size (2–4 people) means you're not competing for the guide's attention or space to take photos.Is it for me?Right for Outer Banks fans who want to see actual filming locations with someone who was there, not a generic city tour. The three-hour pace and small group (2–4 people) mean you're not rushed between stops or competing for the guide's attention.
Charleston: Private Photo Session at Rainbow Row & WaterfrontYou’ll wander through Charleston’s most iconic spots with a local photographer who makes you feel comfortable from the start. Expect candid moments along Rainbow Row, laughter under live oaks at The Battery, and real smiles by Waterfront Park’s fountain. Leave with professional photos — but also memories of small details you might’ve missed otherwise.
Charleston: Historical City Tour & Museum AdmissionYou ride a minibus through Charleston's 300-year timeline with a professional guide pointing out over 100 landmarks including Rainbow Row, the Battery, and Fort Sumter views. The tour lasts 90 minutes and includes admission to The Charleston Museum for a self-guided walk after. Hotel pickup isn't mentioned, so confirm your departure point when you book.Is it for me?Choose this if you want Charleston's 300-year history tied together by someone who knows it, without arranging your own transport or buying museum tickets separately — the minibus and the guide do the work of connecting the landmarks into a story.
Charleston: Food & History Tour with 4-Course DiningYou move between three top Charleston restaurants over four courses while a local guide connects the food to the city's history—the port, the cultures that shaped it, the evolution of Lowcountry cooking. You'll see City Market and a 1680 church without leaving air conditioning. The whole experience takes a few hours and includes VIP service at each stop, plus recommendations for the rest of your stay.Is it for me?Book this if you want Charleston's history and food without the heat of a walking tour—the restaurant-based format keeps you cool and fed while a local guide connects what you're eating to how the city became what it is.
Charleston: History Walking Tour with PhD Guide & StoriesYou’ll wander Charleston’s shady streets with a real historian who asks what matters to you before leading you past cobblestones and centuries-old oaks. Expect lively debates, local stories (and dad jokes), plus quiet moments in places like The Battery. You’ll finish feeling more connected — not just to history, but to the city itself.
Charleston: Drayton Hall 1738 Plantation & Interpreter TourYou get a 1-hour guided tour of the house led by an interpreter who knows its history deeply, then self-guided access to the grounds, two galleries, a conservation lab, and an 18th-century cemetery. The ticket covers everything—parking, orientation video, all attractions—so you walk in knowing the full cost. Book ahead to lock in the 9 am slot and skip the risk of a sold-out day.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the oldest preserved plantation house in America without arranging your own research or timing—the interpreter fills in the three centuries of history, and the all-inclusive ticket means you're not hunting for extra fees or deciding what's worth the add-on cost.
Trolley Tour in Wadmalaw Island Tea Garden: 35-40 MinutesA trolley tour on Wadmalaw Island near Charleston takes 35–40 minutes through the only tea garden in North America, with a live English-speaking guide and the founder's recorded narration. The route passes hundreds of thousands of tea bushes across multiple acres, then stops at the greenhouse where you step off to see how new tea plants are propagated. Service animals are welcome, and infants can sit on an adult's lap or use a specialized seat.Is it for me?Pick this if you're without a car—the trolley departs from the plantation itself and includes a greenhouse stop where you walk among the plants, so you see the tea operation hands-on rather than from a distance.
