Historic Charleston Walking Tour: History & Landmarks
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Step into Charleston’s past on a small-group walking tour led by a local Charleston guide. Explore cobblestone streets and hidden alleyways while hearing stories spanning the city’s colonial era, the Civil War, and its ongoing preservation efforts. Discover Charleston’s iconic landmarks, elegant mansions, historic churches, colorful homes, and atmospheric graveyards. Depending on availability, your tour may include entry to 1–3 historic sites, including churches and theaters that remain active and in use by their congregations and communities. See landmarks such as Rainbow Row, The Battery, Washington Square, the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, and Dock Street Theatre while gaining a deeper understanding of the people, events, and architecture that shaped Charleston. What makes this experience special is the combination of local insight, engaging storytelling, historic architecture, and the opportunity to experience the interiors of select historic sites when available.
Inclusions
What's included
- 2-hour guided walking tour of Charleston’s Historic District
- Small-group experience
- Professional local historian and tour guide
- Entry to 1–3 historic sites, subject to availability
What's not
- Gratuities
Itinerary
Explore Washington Square, a peaceful historic park shaded by beautiful live oaks in the heart of Charleston. Discover the statues, monuments, and stories that reflect the city’s rich and complex history.
See Fort Sumter from Charleston’s waterfront and learn about its pivotal role in American history as the site where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. The tour views the fort from afar; guests can visit independently.
Discover Charleston’s famous Four Corners of Law, where four historic buildings represent local, state, federal, and church authority. Learn how this unique intersection reflects Charleston’s history and the city’s distinctive character.
Admire Charleston’s iconic Rainbow Row, a collection of colorful historic homes and one of the city’s most photographed streets. Learn about the history and architecture behind these distinctive pastel-colored buildings.
Discover St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, one of Charleston’s most historic places of worship. Learn about its role in the city’s religious and cultural history and admire its distinctive architecture.
Discover the French Huguenot Church, a historic Charleston landmark and one of the oldest Huguenot congregations in the United States. Learn about the French Protestant community and its important place in Charleston’s history.
Discover the historic Dock Street Theatre, widely recognized as the site of America’s first purpose-built theater. Learn about Charleston’s rich theatrical traditions and the building’s role in the city’s cultural history.
Step into Charleston’s history at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, one of the city’s most important historic landmarks. Learn about its role in the American Revolution, Charleston’s colonial past, and the stories connected to this remarkable building.
Enjoy beautiful views of Charleston Harbor at Waterfront Park, a peaceful green space in the heart of the historic district. Take in the waterfront scenery while learning about the area’s history and its connection to Charleston’s past.
Learn about Charleston’s history and the legacy of slavery at the Old Slave Mart Museum. Explore an important and difficult chapter of the city’s past and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences and resilience of enslaved people.
Walk along Charleston’s historic Battery, a scenic waterfront promenade offering views of Charleston Harbor, historic artillery, and grand mansions. Learn about the area’s strategic importance and its role in the city’s history.
Explore Charleston’s historic French Quarter, known for its charming cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, historic churches, and centuries of fascinating history. Learn how this vibrant district helped shape the story of Charleston.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 552
- 41
- 30
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 53 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Tour meets INSIDE Washington Square Park (98 Meeting Street) (map) Look for your guide next to the statue of George Washington. There are many other tour companies operating in the area, so be sure to look for Eric inside the park!
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 20 travellers
- Operated by
- Charleston by Foot
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Charleston
- Its from-price is 29% below the median of the 319 experiences we list in Charleston.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 115 of 319.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Charleston
Charleston is a South Carolina port city of pastel row houses, cobbled lanes, church steeples, Gullah culture and Lowcountry cooking.
Charleston was settled in 1670 and grew on a peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and it is one of the best-preserved colonial-era cities in the United States. Rainbow Row, thirteen pastel Georgian houses on East Bay Street, is the best-known sight. The Battery, a seafront promenade with old cannon and oak-shaded White Point Garden, looks out to Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861. The city is nicknamed the Holy City for its many church steeples.
Top-ranked sights in Charleston: Charleston City Market, Rainbow Row, Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon.
Special offers in Charleston
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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