Top Charleston Culture in 2026

A city born in the Age of Sail, there was no guarantee that immigrants would make it to Charleston. Those that came before established societies from each country to welcome their neighbors. These charitable groups became members only clubs that have helped guide the city since 1729. Discover the hidden charitable and fraternal organizations that do so much good in the city without anyone knowing it. History comes alive on this engaging walking tour led by local author and historian Chip Sturgis. Explore the historic streets and iconic landmarks, uncovering the captivating stories and lesser-known facts that shape this beautiful city. Connect with Charleston's vibrant past in a way that goes beyond traditional history lessons. - Discover Charleston's iconic landmarks. - Uncover hidden stories and fascinating tales often missed by visitors - Experience history where it happened with a local expert guide - Perfect for history enthusiasts and curious travelers alike

This self-guided audio tour explores Charleston’s real true crime history through documented cases, criminal trials, and historical records, allowing travelers to explore at their own pace using mobile audio narration.

Charleston is often called a living museum, and this 60-minute walking tour brings its architectural history to life. Starting at the 1841 Greek Revival Market Hall, you’ll stroll Meeting Street to admire landmarks like the Circular Congregational Church and the Fireproof Building, while learning how Charleston’s built environment reflects English, French, and Barbadian influences. You’ll also discover how earthquakes, preservation, and adaptive reuse shaped the city’s landscape, ending the tour back near the Market. Highlights include: • Explore the “Four Corners of Law” with its diverse architectural styles • Examine Charleston’s iconic single house design with breezy side piazzas • Discover Rainbow Row’s colorful past and pastel façades • Learn about the 1886 earthquake’s impact on architecture • Identify French and English ironwork patterns • See South Carolina’s oldest public building, built to withstand explosions • Understand how adaptive reuse keeps historic Charleston alive

Explore Charleston at your own pace on a self-guided walking tour that lives entirely on your smartphone — no app to download and no physical guide required. A clear map links 9 essential landmarks, from the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church to the pastel facades of Rainbow Row and the harbor views of The Battery, with simple directions between each stop. At every location, short audio stories bring Charleston's history and culture to life, and an interactive quiz lets you test what you've learned. Walk solo or team up with friends in multiplayer mode, start and pause whenever you like, and take as long as you want. All you need is a charged smartphone with internet and a comfortable pair of shoes.

My tour is about the people that settled in Charleston and why they chose this city. By the time the Revolutionary war started Charleston was the wealthiest city in America and our homes and gardens reflected this. Status was associated with your house and also your garden. Because of this, Charlestonians employed many Gardeners and Nurserymen from Europe who brought with them plants seen in many gardens today. Charlestonians (women and men) corresponded with the Royal Society of London members and John Bartram of Philadelphia regarding plants both for export and import. The history of the city, its people, architecture and plants is fascinating and I love sharing it.

Just you and your crew will have a guide all to yourself! As you stroll along the City Market, hidden alleyways, majestic churches, cobblestone streets, Waterfront Park‘s Pineapple Fountain, and Rainbow Row, your certified guide, a Charleston native, will unravel the mysteries of the Lowcountry’s intricate history and culture. Take a walk through time, exploring eclectic architecture and intriguing history. Lose yourself in the serene beauty of Charleston’s rich heritage and grand architecture on this journey through the famous Historic District and French Quarter. Find out why Charleston was once a walled city, why it is called the “Holy City,” and many other fascinating details about the port that was once known as the Jewel of the Crown. *Minimum of 4 guests required for this tour.*

Discover the haunted streets and dark tales of Charleston with this self-guided 3-tour bundle. Enjoy three unique tours at your own pace—two ghost tours featuring different eerie legends, and one true crime tour delving into real scandals and mysteries. Perfect for those who want to explore Charleston’s chilling history, this bundle provides an affordable way to experience the city’s rich, atmospheric stories without the constraints of a live guide. With 7 days of access, dive into the depths of Charleston’s haunted past and true crime intrigue. - Three complete audio tours in one bundle - Two distinct ghost tours with unique stories and locations - One true crime tour exploring scandals and mysteries - Self-guided and flexible—explore at your own pace

Walk through Historic Downtown Charleston with a self-guided audio tour that plays automatically on your app. Navigate the city's charming streets as GPS triggers immersive stories about its complex colonial origins and evolution. Pass key historical landmarks like the Old Exchange, St. Michael’s Church, the Powder Magazine, and the Miles Brewton House. Discover how a bustling port built on Atlantic commerce and a plantation economy gave rise to distinctive Georgian architecture, Revolutionary War conflicts, and a diverse but deeply unequal society. Explore at your own pace—pause to admire the architecture, stop for a meal, or take a detour. The audio resumes whenever you’re ready, so you can move freely without keeping up with a group. This is a self-guided experience (no in-person guide). Download the tour in advance and use it anytime—it works offline and follows your location along the route.

This is a self-guided exploration game where you'll be solving a paranormal case involving real people and their wandering ghosts. The file on Charleston has been open since 1949. You, with your detective and observational skills, and a little help from the Questo app, will try to close it in 2 hours. The route takes you through 13 of the Holy City's darkest addresses. Your job is to get the other version of every pretty story, and to find out who has been following you since St Michael's. You'll discover dark stories like the steeple painted black to hide it from British guns, the 22-year-old doctor killed in a duel over an actress, and the rich planter who turned pirate out of boredom. Each location involves inspecting a real-world object and solving a challenge. Best after dark with your phone torch on. About 1.5 miles of walking, with unlimited breaks. Hints and 24/7 support if you get stuck. Perfect for Halloween or any night you're in the mood for creepy ghost stories.

Charleston History. Jewish Soul. Charleston was home to the largest Jewish community in the U.S. until the 1820s — even surpassing New York. Experience iconic landmarks and hidden gems on a private tour that weaves Jewish heritage into the broader story of Charleston. We will explore a fascinating stretch of Charleston’s historic core, visiting homes once owned by Jewish merchants, including a steamship magnate and a successful clothier, as well as the site of America’s first Jewish-owned pharmacy. You’ll also see the Hebrew Orphan Society building and stroll past the colorful facades of Rainbow Row. As we walk, we’ll reflect on the vital role of African Americans in Charleston’s Jewish story and the complex legacy of Jewish involvement in both the city’s slave economy and the Civil War. This is more than a history tour—it’s a meaningful exploration of Jewish identity, community, and continuity in Charleston, led with insight, care, and a storyteller’s heart.

Charleston's rich history and vibrant pub culture come alive on this expertly guided pub tour. Journey through the historic French Quarter, visiting local pubs while savoring craft beer, wine, or cider at each stop. This 3-hour tour offers an engaging mix of education and entertainment, ensuring a memorable experience as you learn about Charleston's past through its '5 P's'—Pints, Pubs, Prostitutes, Pirates, and Politics. With certified guides, indulge in fascinating stories, share appetizers, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for history buffs and beer enthusiasts alike, this tour is for guests 21 and over only. - Professionally guided tour through Charleston's French Quarter - Sample local craft beer, wine, or cider at three pubs - Enjoy at least one sharable appetizer along the way - Maximum of 10-15 minutes walking over the 3-hour duration

History comes alive on this combo tour. The tapestry of the city history is presented in a passionate, well rounded way. We believe history is history, the good, the bad and the ugly of it. After this tour, you will never think of Charleston the same way again. When you are done touring the house, you will stroll, at your leisure, through the oak canopied Wragg Mall on your short walk back to the Charleston Visitors Center. The tour is expected to last approximately 3 hours in total.

See Charleston the Holy City after dark through a completely different lens. This experience combines night photography, ghost hunting, and Charleston’s haunted history into one hands-on walk through shadowy streets, old graveyards, hidden alleys, and centuries-old neighborhoods. Bring anything from a smartphone to professional camera. Learn how to photograph in low light, work with shadows, reflections, movement, long exposures, unusual angles, and the strange available light of Charleston at night—all while hearing stories of the people, places, and legends connected to the haunted past. This isn’t a traditional ghost tour, and it isn’t a classroom-style photography workshop. We’re going out to explore, experiment, and hunt for photographs. Beginners are welcome, experienced photographers can push their creativity, and everyone gets the chance to see Charleston. Sometimes the most interesting photograph of the night is the one you don’t fully understand until you look at it later.

Introducing the Ghost Hunter Experience – Charleston’s Most Haunted Adventure! Get ready to cross the veil between history and the supernatural! The Ghost Hunter Experience is not your average ghost tour, it's a real paranormal investigation through Charleston’s most active and eerie locations. Armed with actual ghost-hunting equipment, you'll join a team of seekers as you walk the shadowy streets and historic sites of this centuries-old city, known as one of the most haunted in America. You won’t just hear ghost stories. You’ll go looking for the spirits themselves using your own Ghost Hunter Kit, in the most haunted parts of Charleston! Yours to keep. Your Ghost Hunter Kit includes the equipment necessary to detect the afterlife. We know this place is haunted, participants catch ghosts in photographs on this experience all the time!

See Charleston differently—and come home with the photographs to prove it. Explore colorful streets, hidden alleyways, historic architecture, reflections, shadows, and changing Lowcountry light while learning directly from a photographer with more than 30 years of photography and teaching experience. This is hands-on, relaxed, and built around your skill level. Learn the exposure triangle—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—along with focus, depth of field, lens choice, composition, framing, perspective, and working creatively with light. More experienced photographers can dive deeper into layering, visual storytelling, and developing their personal style. Bring anything from a smartphone to professional gear. You’ll leave with great photographs of Charleston, a better understanding of your camera, and practical techniques you can use anywhere you shoot next.

Walk through the historic grounds of Middleton Place to enter and explore America's oldest landscaped formal gardens. Your guide will walk you through sweeping vistas, guiding you past dramatic terraced lawns, symmetrical geometric bowers, and calm reflection pools while sharing insights into the site's rich cultural and historical significance of the Middleton family. Middleton Place was the home of American patriots and two of our founding fathers. Embrace the beauty of Middleton as you step back in time. Site admission and private round-trip transportation are included with your reservation, though food, drinks, and personal purchases are at your own expense. Expect to walk across uneven lawns and gravel paths, so wearing comfortable walking shoes and bring sun protection is highly recommended.

Go back in time on a private tour of Charleston. This walking tour will take you from the Battery to Rainbow Row, famous for its colorful houses. From here, you'll continue around town, learning about the city's centuries of history while seeing some of its most spectacular architectural relics, wrapping your tour up with a visit to the City Market.

Explore Charleston's stunning waterfront on a two-hour sunset cruise aboard the Kismet motor yacht. This public charter offers a refined harbor experience, showcasing historic landmarks alongside playful dolphins and diverse bird species. Enjoy curated charcuterie and champagne toast while your captain shares engaging tales of Charleston's maritime history. Perfect for all ages, this cruise combines scenic views with a relaxed atmosphere, making it ideal for families and history enthusiasts alike. - Two-hour public sunset cruise on the elegant Kismet motor yacht - Discover iconic sights like The Battery, Waterfront Park, and Fort Sumter - Engage with local history through captivating stories from the captain - BYOB with a cooler provided for your refreshments - Charcuterie platter Champagne toast included

Download GuideAlong’s self-guided audio tour bundle to make the most of your Eastern USA road trips. As you drive, hear stories play automatically as you explore scenic drives, national parks, lakeshores, and historic parks. This is the ultimate collection of 14 iconic destinations, including Acadia, Blue Ridge Parkway, Catskills, Florida Keys, Great Smoky Mountains, Lake Superior, Outer Banks, Shenandoah, and Vermont’s Route 100. A memorable adventure awaits on America's iconic roads. Enjoy the freedom to explore offline at your own pace, spending more time at places that interest you and bypassing any that don’t. Stories, tips, and directions play automatically based on your location Travel at your own pace Tour offline using GPS. No cell service or WiFi is needed Suggested itineraries for half, full, or multi-day use Buy once, use forever! No expiry, includes free updates Like having a tour guide along for the drive Purchase one bundle per vehicle.

Professional photo shoot in unique Charleston locations. The Photo Experience will create amazing photo memories from your visit. You will be able to see undiscovered locations and get the best photo story from your Charleston visit. We can tailor each photo shoot to meet your requirements; we can travel to your location or we can suggest a location for the photo shoot. Our Photoshoots are ideal for any Tourists - Solo Traveler - Couples - Groups - Hen or Bachelorette and Stag or Bachelor Parties - Families - Secret proposal or Engagement - Honeymoon - Experienced Influencers and Models - New Influencers and Models Photos: - DELIVERY - Up to 14 days after photoshoot.

Explore America’s oldest public gardens and discover romantic-style landscape designs during this private Magnolia Plantation and Gardens tour with transportation. Stroll historic pathways to admire vast collections of blooming camellias and azaleas while learning about the rich history and botanical heritage of this historic site. Guided commentary and round-trip transport make exploring these expansive grounds effortless and deeply engaging.

Explore the rich history of Charleston on this immersive 6-hour private driving tour that reveals the city's hidden gems and iconic landmarks. Discover the beauty of Boone Hall Plantation with its majestic Avenue of Oaks, or select from alternative historic estates like Magnolia or Middleton Place. This tour combines luxury with local insight, ensuring a personalized experience tailored to your interests. Enjoy picturesque views of Rainbow Row, The Battery, and more while stopping for lunch at a recommended local eatery. Perfect for first-time visitors, history lovers, and small groups seeking a unique Charleston experience. - Private driving tour through Charleston’s historic streets and neighborhoods - Visit Boone Hall Plantation or choose from several other historic sites - Enjoy a flexible itinerary tailored to your interests and photo opportunities - Pickup available from downtown Charleston or nearby hotels/Airbnbs

Travel along the picturesque roads from Charleston to Savannah, exploring the captivating beauty of the Lowcountry. This tour highlights moss-draped oak trees and coastal marshes, while your guide shares fascinating insights into the region's rich history and culture. Once in Savannah, stroll through the Historic District, where cobblestone streets and elegant mansions await. Don't miss the iconic Chippewa Square and the bustling City Market, filled with local art and shops. A delightful stop at Gallery Espresso for artisan coffee and pastries rounds out this charming experience. - Scenic drive showcasing the stunning Lowcountry landscape - Discover Savannah's Historic District and its preserved architecture - Immerse in local culture at the vibrant City Market and River Street - Ideal for history enthusiasts, families, and adventurous couples

Travel the enchanting roads from Charleston to Savannah, immersing yourself in the beauty of the Lowcountry. This scenic drive unveils moss-draped oak trees, coastal marshes, and charming Southern towns, all while your guide shares insights into the rich history and culture of the region. Upon reaching Savannah, wander through the Historic District, famous for its cobblestone streets, elegant mansions, and beautiful public squares. Don’t miss the iconic Chippewa Square and the vibrant City Market, brimming with local art and shops. A stop at Gallery Espresso for artisan coffee and pastries adds to your delightful journey. - Scenic drive exploring the beauty of the Lowcountry - Visit Savannah's Historic District with its preserved architecture - Experience local culture at City Market and River Street - Perfect for history lovers, families, and couples seeking adventure