Top Charleston How to Get Around in 2026

Charleston's coastal waterways hide an entire ecosystem most visitors never experience up close. This private boat adventure heads out through the marshes and estuaries of Folly River with a local captain, as you scan for dolphins, shorebirds, and other marine life in their natural habitat. There's time to stop at Morris Island to see the Morris Island Lighthouse and stroll on the beach.

Embark on an amazing self-guided audio ghost tour available in twelve languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Arabic, and German. This scary and informative historical ghost tour offers a unique experience in the haunted heart of Charleston, SC. Use your smartphone to navigate this GPS-based tour without the hassle of downloading an app. We do not harvest or re-sell your data (like some competitors). Explore some of the most frightening locations in historic Charleston, where the city's dark past comes to life. Unlike traditional walking tours, this self-guided option allows you to visit areas that are off-limits to group tours, giving you exclusive access to hidden corners and spooky sites. Learn about the chilling tales and haunted history of Charleston at your own pace, with the convenience and flexibility that only a self-guided tour can offer.

The Best Way to Discover Charleston: Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour. Play, learn, and walk! Explore at your own pace with a 100% self-guided activity. Start anytime (24/7) with no guides or schedules. Pause for a photo at Washington Square or a visit to the Gibbes Museum of Art and resume whenever you're ready—even the next day. This unique team-building activity is perfect for couples, families, and groups. The "Complete City" Package - Everything you need in one app: Interactive Game: Solve puzzles and discover 10+ major attractions, plus hidden gems revealed along the way. Learn the history/legends of each site. Insider Tips: Access hand-picked local restaurant and shop recommendations. What you will visit: The Charleston Museum, Marion Square, Charleston City Market, Gibbes Museum of Art, Washington Square, Old Slave Mart Museum, Heyward-Washington House, Rainbow Row, Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, and Waterfront Park.

Travel back in time to the 1700's on this Self-Guided Patriot Escape Scavenger Hunt! Guests will start out with Free Access to the Fireproof Museum and receive instructions on how to "escape" the British occupation of Charleston. After receiving the instruction packet, guests will follow the footsteps of a Patriot Spy trying to escape the city and have to find a multitude of hidden gems including historic structures, secret alleyways, and artifacts. All these sites are directly related to the American Revolution as it would affect Charleston specifically and even find out how certain events would have repercussions for other colonies. This is the ONLY historically accurate scavenger hunt designed by three area historians related to the American Revolution. *As a moderately difficult escape, we recommended for adults only. We do have a child friendly Pirate Escape Scavenger hunt as well. Good luck Patriots as you embark on this historic one of a kind adventure in Charleston.

Discover Charleston's rich history on a captivating 90 minute walking tour through its historic streets and hidden alleys. Beginning at the Shepheards Tavern marker, this journey takes you from the city's 17th-century founding through pivotal events that shaped its identity. Your knowledgeable guide will share engaging stories, encouraging questions and interaction to enrich your understanding of Charleston's complex past. Ideal for first-time visitors, seasoned travelers, and local residents alike, this tour offers an intimate look at the city's heritage while fostering a personal connection with each guest. - Walk through the Old and Historic District, uncovering Charleston’s storied past - Tour lasts approximately 90 minutes, ending near the iconic Rainbow Row - Perfect for history enthusiasts, newcomers, and locals wanting to learn more - Departure from Shepheards Tavern marker at 46 Broad Street, 15 minutes early arrival recommended

Learn about the history of Charleston on a walking tour with a Charleston native who leads you past some of the city's many heritage sites. As you go, hear about local events related to the American Revolution and the Civil War.

Come explore the rich, extensive history of the Holy City! Charleston's streets run deep with stories of glory and pain, of splendor and darkness. In this 120 minute tour you'll see some of Charleston's most storied sights and learn the history that makes our Kingdom by the Sea one of the most beautiful, remarkable, and memorable cities in America! We will share with you our in-depth knowledge of Charleston. There are so many fascinating and innovative people and events that have occurred on such a small little peninsula. Touring with Revolutionary Charleston you will see the City through the eyes of licensed tour guides that cherish Charleston for her beauty and her flaws.

Savannah and Charleston are two of the most historic destinations in the American south, and the road connecting the two cities holds just as much history. This self-guided driving tour dives into the history and scenery of that route. Visit the haunting Old Sheldon Church Ruins, snap photos of the Angel Oak Tree, go birdwatching in the ACE Basin Wildlife Preserve, uncover stories of the Underground Railroad, see historic Drayton Hall, and so much more. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, entering your unique password, and accessing your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.

Join us on an insightfully historic immersion tour which traces the history of Charleston left out of our history books. Charleston's storied past will come alive as we tour the original walled city and learn the how, when and where it all happened by walking in the footsteps of Charleston's living history!

More than just a history and architecture walking tour! Learn the unveiled history of Charleston, from the earliest days, to modern times, and everything in between. In order to talk about the blend of cultures in the Lowcountry and especially our beautiful Creole culture, the Gullah Geechee, we have to talk about all of it, even the dark history, which sadly, a lot of tour companies are still not willing to do. Charleston is a grand city with an intricate, complicated and delicate history that we handle with care, yet this story is engaging, fascinating and endlessly surprising. As you stroll through time with your certified native Charlestonian guide, you will be escorted by sights such as the Waterfront Park's Pineapple Fountain, the City Market, Rainbow Row, the Old Exchange Building, the Old Slave Mart Museum, hidden alleyways, majestic churches, cobblestone streets and more! While we speak freely about our history, this is appropriate for visitors of ages and walks of life!

The Junior Experience transforms Charleston’s history into an engaging nighttime adventure for families with children aged 5–11. This interactive walking tour invites kids to explore historic sites while participating in storytelling, solving challenges, and collecting stickers in their personal passports. Each stop is crafted to highlight kid-friendly facts and imaginative activities, ensuring that learning is both fun and memorable. Parents actively participate, guiding and celebrating their Junior walker, making it a truly shared experience. After the tour, families can enjoy a bonus activity that continues the fun beyond the streets of Charleston. - Nighttime walking tour tailored for families with kids aged 5–11 - Interactive storytelling and hands-on activities at historic locations - Collect stickers in personal passports while solving fun challenges - Includes a bonus activity for continued family adventure after the tour

Get 3 tours in Charleston and explore the city, at your own pace. All highly rated and popular. You'll get the Ghosts of Charleston, Charleston's French Quarter and the Charleston Downtown, Rainbow Row and Battery tour. Step into the story of Charleston like never before with this all-in-one bundle of three immersive, highly rated (with 100's of reviews) self-guided audio tours. Whether you’re wandering the charming streets of the French Quarter, strolling past the iconic mansions along the Battery and Rainbow Row, or exploring the city’s darker, haunted past, this collection lets you experience Charleston at your own pace—on your schedule. Each tour is GPS-guided and professionally narrated, giving you the freedom to start anywhere, pause anytime, and explore at your own pace while still enjoying rich storytelling and local insight. If you want to truly understand Charleston—not just see it—this bundle is the perfect way to explore the Holy City from every angle.

See a spookier side of Charleston as you head off the beaten track on a ghost tour of the city. Hear 10 chilling tales of plagues, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, and battles—supposedly leaving the area with many ghostly residents. This small-group tour makes for a more intimate experience, and is perfect for fans of all things macabre.

History, Haunts, & Hahas! is a small, local, mom-owned business specializing in Ghost Forensics, Ethical Storytelling, Comic Relief, and the Human Behind the Haunting. Southern Spirit Stroll combines a haunted history walk and ghost tour with hidden history, folklore, architecture, and paranormal curiosity. Rather than repeating recycled ghost stories, we explore the real people, events, and historical clues behind Charleston's legends and reported hauntings. Guests learn how to distinguish documented history from folklore, evaluate paranormal claims, recognize common misidentifications such as pareidolia and photographic artifacts, and follow the historical breadcrumbs hiding in plain sight. Small groups and adaptable conversations encourage curiosity and critical thinking. Limited EMF readers may be available. Stories are shared from public spaces outside landmarks and historic sites; admission is not included. Ghost activity can never be guaranteed.

Hear spooky stories all about witches, poltergeists, murder plots, and, of course, ghosts while you explore The Holy City with a guide passionate about local history. You’ll walk the streets of Charleston for an hour while your tour leader shares the darker parts of the city’s past and you see some must-see sights. Tourists and locals alike can enjoy what this experience has to offer.

Step back in time to explore the parts of Charleston that most only dare to talk about. You’ll hear tales about the dead that haven’t quite moved on, visit some of the most haunted places in the city and get to know the spirits that haunt the locals. A costumed tour guide will lead guests through the streets of Charleston, past historic sites and cemeteries, on this 1.5 hour walking tour. *All ages friendly

Treats Walking Tour There's no better way to get to know Charleston than through its food, and this walking tour through the historic downtown makes the city's sweet side the star of the show. Your guide leads you to some of the neighborhood's best-loved bakeries and dessert spots, with tastings along the way and plenty of stories about the city's history and culinary traditions.

A walk-through Charleston is a visit into the past. What better way to experience the beauty and history of the Holy City than with a lifetime local. Licensed by city, and with over 25+ years of storytelling experience, our guides know Charleston inside & out. Hear the whole story, from the 1670 landing to the scourge of piracy, from the Revolutionary war to the Civil war, and everything in between. Ours is a city of tragedy and redemption, destruction and rebirth. Join us for a tour like no other in town.

Visiting both Middleton Place Plantation and Drayton Hall on the same tour offers travelers a richer and more complete perspective of Charleston’s history and heritage. Though located close to one another along the Ashley River, each site tells a very different story. Middleton Place is renowned for its breathtaking landscaped gardens, living history demonstrations, and preserved grounds that highlight the lifestyle and agricultural achievements of one of colonial America’s most influential families. In contrast, Drayton Hall is celebrated for its architectural purity as the finest example of Palladian design in the United States, preserved in its original 18th-century state without modern alterations. Together, these plantations allow visitors to experience both artistic beauty and architectural grandeur, while also engaging with the deeper historical narratives of the Low country, including the lives of the enslaved who made these estates possible.

Discover Charleston, South Carolina with the help of a local to guide you around town and share fun facts about the city’s storied past and vibrant present on this private tour. See popular attractions as well as hidden gems you might have missed without your guide to show you. Get around Charleston in a comfortable, air-conditioned car with hotel pickup included, and save your energy for sightseeing.

This is a unique opportunity to explore and ghost hunt in a historic church before renovations and restorations begin. This old temple from the mid 1850s has been a church, a confederate medical storehouse, a federal forces seizure, and even a historic manuscript and document museum. This building is completely off-limits to the general public. The only way to explore this place is through this gathering. We invite you to be one of the first pioneers to discover the paranormal secrets of Saint James. This is NOT simply a story telling tour. This is an active ghost hunting quest. Yes, you can bring your own ghost hunting equipment, but we will supply a vast assortment of paranormal detection devices for you to use. Come with an open mind to the possibilities of experiencing something supernatural. Come with a skeptical mind and enjoy the raw architecture, history, and creepy vibes.

For 60 minutes, you will be led through the ancient streets of Historic Charleston, hearing the city's oldest myths & monster legends from master storytellers. From Native American spirits and Gullah folklore monsters to sea creatures and real life Dr. Frankensteins, you will find that there is much lurking in the shadows of the Holy City.

Embark on Secret Strolls, a unique walking tour that unveils Charleston's most hidden charms. Your expertly guided journey takes you through exclusive alleyways (some)only accessible on foot, presenting a side of the Holy City rarely seen by the casual visitor. You'll wander past picturesque, cobblestone streets, discover breathtaking architecture, and find serenity among historic churches. The tour showcases quintessential Southern beauty, from majestic Spanish moss-draped live oaks to vibrant crepe myrtles. As you stroll through these tucked-away paths, you'll be immersed in captivating stories steeped in low country tradition, learning the intriguing origins of the alleys and intimate details about Charlestonian life. This experience offers unparalleled photography opportunities and promises a fresh, magnificent perspective on your treasured city.

Take an educational stroll through 350 years of Charleston history on this 1.5-hour walking tour of The Holy City with the help of a guide who’s passionate about the city’s past. Learn all about the people and events that have made this place what it is today, from pirates and earthquakes to the ones who established the town in the first place.