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Beyond Charleston

Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

Recommended by 98% of travelers
Charleston, USA
Viator Experience Award
Trending
Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9
·
· Aimee_E ·
Aug 2026
Dennis was fantastic! Learned a lot and had a great time! He answered all of our questions and provided great suggestions for the rest of our trip.
· Robert_H ·
Aug 2026
Duggar was the perfect guide to visit historic Charleston. He was informed, courteous and funny. Well done👍

Overview

Travel back in time to discover one of America’s most historic cities—Charleston, South Carolina—on this guided walking tour. Visit points of interest including Charleston City Hall; the Dock Street Theatre, America’s first theatre; the Old Exchange Building, South Carolina's most historic building; White Point Garden, in the heart of Charleston’s historic district with a spectacular view of Fort Sumter, and many more.
  • Take a walking tour of Charleston, South Carolina
  • Visit many of the city’s historic points of interest
  • Benefit from the expertise of your professional guide
  • Numerous departure times make it easy to schedule

What's Included

  • 2-Hour Sightseeing Walking Tour of Historic Charleston
  • Professional & Licensed Local Guide
  • Stroll through the quaint and charming streets of the historic district
  • Learn about the history and events that shaped Charleston
  • Explore notable sites in the French Quarter
  • Several popular points of interest including Rainbow Row
  • Explore the residential area "South of Broad"
  • Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • 80 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

    Important! Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the tour start time. All tours begin on time and it is not guaranteed that you will find the guide if you arrive after the tour starts. If you arrive late, please call us.

End point

  • South of Broad, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

    The end location will vary depending on the guide and route taken, but they will always walk you back to the start if requested.

Itinerary

Make your way to the starting point at Charleston City Hall to meet your guide and group. City Hall is one of the pillars of the “Four Corners of Law.” You’ll also view the Courthouse, the Post Office, and St. Michael’s Church, where George Washington is known to have worshipped.

Afterwards, head to the French Quarter to explore landmarks such as the Dock Street Theatre, the first theater in America, St. Philips Church, the Slave Mart Museum, the Powder Magazine, the French Huguenot Church, and the Pink House.

Pass by Rainbow Row, the series of 13 colorful houses along the waterfront. Then head to “South of Broad,” including Battery & White Point Gardens, with views over to Fort Sumter.
1

Charleston City Hall

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

2

French Quarter

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

3

Rainbow Row

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

4

Battery & White Point Gardens

30 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Comfortable walking shoes and a water bottle are strongly advised
  • This tour operates in all weather conditions. Please check the forecast prior to the tour.
  • Please contact us directly if members of your group are booked under a different name so that we can assign you all to the same tour guide.
  • Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour start time as all tours begin promptly
  • Water is not provided and there are very few places to purchase water along the tour, so please bring a water bottle especially during the summer months
  • Please use the restroom prior to the tour as there are no public restrooms along the tour route
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions (2)

Q:Is there parking available near the departure point for the 2-Hour Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour?

A:There are several “pay as you go” parking garages and open-air lots scattered throughout the downtown area. If you are joining us for the Charleston History Tour, we recommend the parking garage at 85 Queen Street.

Feb 2021

The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9
based on 6,902 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most recent

Al was great. He was...

Ryan_L, Aug 2026
Al was great. He was informative and funny. He took us to many great spots and answered questions along the way.

Dennis was fantastic!

Aimee_E, Aug 2026
Dennis was fantastic! Learned a lot and had a great time! He answered all of our questions and provided great suggestions for the rest of our trip.

Al shared his expansive...

Virginia_H, Aug 2026
Al shared his expansive knowledge of the city of Charleston SC with us in a witty and engaging manor. It was a fun and informative tour!

Our tour was a nice view...

Lisa_B, Aug 2026
Our tour was a nice view of the city with history sprinkled in. It’s a 2-hour tour that did not seem that long. Highly recommended for locals & visitors.

City highlights

Evelena_H, Aug 2026
Very informative and fun. Felt like we learned a lot and our guide kept us cool in the 100 degree heat index!

It was a great way to get...

Cynthia_C, Aug 2026
It was a great way to get in touch with some of the deep historical roots of the city. Dennis was knowledgeable and very personable. We really enjoyed our time with him.

New Yorkers visiting Charleston

Ellen_G, Aug 2026
This walking tour was a great way to learn about the culture, landscape and history of Charleston. Coach Duggar is a terrific guide. He is knowledgeable, engaging and fun. We definitely recommend this tour!

Al is a very thorough...

James_I, Aug 2026
Al is a very thorough tour guide. Not too much walking. He worked on keeping us in the shade given the 105 heat index, which I appreciated. Before the tour, I did not know Charleston sat on the most active seismic fault zone east of the Rockies.

Great introduction to...

Danielle_G, Aug 2026
Great introduction to Charleston! Our guide, Duggar, did a wonderful job keeping us in the shade during the hot summer day. He was very knowledgable about the area and its history. We highly recommend!

Charleston is an...

Megan_S, Aug 2026
Charleston is an incredible beautiful city with such rich history. Dennis was an amazing guide and kept even or youngest child's attention the whole tour!

Al was great!

christinecarll9, Aug 2026
Having never been to Charleston, we booked an historic walking tour as one of the first things to do. We were greeted by our guide, Al. Once the whole group was together, Al went over the ground rules and we got started. Most of the tour was spent in the shade - thank goodness! It was a hot day and Al was very conscious of keeping us all as cool as possible. Al could be heard well over the regular street noise, even when we were standing in the back of the group. He definitely knows his subject, and filled us with great historical information about Charleston. I truly enjoyed this tour. Al was super informative and I learned so much about the city. One note: I suggest bug spray- the mosquitoes and no-see-ums were biting like crazy, even at 9:30 in the morning!

Exceptional

Diana_C, Aug 2026
Mark was an amazing tour guide. He would be an excellent professor. He just knows how to tell history through a story. Amazing!!!!!!

Book this tour!

Mandy_M, Aug 2026
We recently completed the Historic Guided Walking tour of Charleston with Evans. The rainstorm that lasted the entire tour didn't dampen his energy or passion for history. Evans was thorough and knowledgeable; he easily answered all questions. I am confident we heard an amazing history of Charleston (including its flora and fauna) we wouldn't have gotten anywhere else. Highly recommend!

Stop bugging me for a review

christy_p, Aug 2026
We missed it - my calendar screw-up and, besides, there was steady rain that whole time frame. Would have enjoyed it but not in the rain with my mobility scooter and therefore not able to hold an umbrella.

Mark for the Win!!

Shilpa_V, Aug 2026
Mark was an absolutely incredible guide! He made the city come alive! As an eighth generation South Carolinian I really enjoyed all the anecdotal stories his grandfather had told him about different locations. I can’t recommend Mark Jones enough!

Great tour

Connor_F, Aug 2026
Every city I go to, I book a walking tour to find out the history of the city and this was an excellent tour. I enjoyed exploring the streets of Charleston and finding out about the history of the city. Our tour guide's knowledge was amazing. I would definitely recommend this tour,

Walking with Al

Neil_F, Aug 2026
Bring a water bottle, humidity will be felt. Al was entertaining and knowledgeable. Tour moves at a great pace.

Fun and easy walking tour.

Alan_S, Aug 2026
Eat walk around Charleston where the guide pointed out a bunch of interesting historical sites and shared their history. He also helpfully pointed out a bunch of museums, like the postal museum and the old slave mart museum, some of them free, that we could visit later. Super nice guide and a fun walk around Charleston.

What a great morning walk visiting a great city

Megan_B, Aug 2026
What a wonderful informative walking tour. We had coach Duggan as our guide. The rain came down but that didn’t dampen our experience. Thanks again coach for the fun morning walk

Mark was a great guide....

Sarah_S, Aug 2026
Mark was a great guide. He kept my 15 year olds entertained! I would highly recommend this tour for anyone.

Preserved Charm!

Andrea_M, Aug 2026
Much walking on uneven surfaces... part of retaining the charm of Charleston! Very interesting history facts told with a sense of humor by Dennis. Bits that are so unique to this amazing city!

Walking tour of historic Charleston

Robert_H, Aug 2026
Duggar was the perfect guide to visit historic Charleston. He was informed, courteous and funny. Well done👍

Dugger was our guide. He...

Angela_B, Aug 2026
Dugger was our guide. He was funny and very knowledgeable. We had a great time and learned a lot about this beautiful city.

Perfect way to explore

Loryn_S, Aug 2026
Super informative and got to cover a decent amount of the city in a short period of time. Knowledgeable guides. Overall a must do when you visit.

Good overview of the...

Byron_P, Jul 2026
Good overview of the city. Guide very knowledgeable. Answered questions about lots of topics related to the area

Hits the Highlights of the City

Betty_H, Jul 2026
Great experience! Was just long enough but not too long to get a taste of Charleston history. Our guide, Dennis, was engaging and made it interesting.

Evans was a great guide,...

Lauren_C, Jul 2026
Evans was a great guide, very knowledgeable and passionate about Charleston history. Would recommend to anyone!

Great Charleston sc walking tour.

judahdef, Jul 2026
Excellent tour. Guide was very knowledgeable, informative and inspirational. Got a serious history lesson on the revolutionary and civil wars along with Charleston's significant contribution.

Wealth of historical information

Lisa_S, Jul 2026
There is a lot of great history about the city and the architecture of the historical buildings. Our guide, Al, was a wonderful source of information and welcomed our questions.

Al, our tour guide, was...

Shasta_J, Jul 2026
Al, our tour guide, was entertaining, and full of fascinating facts about Charleston's history, architecture, and local culture. I was in awe of his knowledge. I loved exploring areas I probably would have missed on my own and learning about architectural history. The tour was well-organized, informative, and a lot of fun. I chose this tour because I had limited time and wanted to see as much of the city as possible without having to plan too many stops on my own. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to experience the city in a unique and memorable way!

From $30.00

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 16 days in advance.

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