Historic Charleston Walking & Storytelling Tour

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Charleston, USA

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Delve into the history and lore of Charleston with this in-depth tour that takes in the top landmarks in just a few hours. Enjoy tales of the pirates and patriots the founded the city while you admire highlights like the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, East Bay Street and its Rainbow Row mansions, the storied shops and homes along Broad Street, and the Four Corners of the Law.

Discover Charleston’s colorful past while exploring its highlights
Learn about George Washington’s visit and other historic episodes
Take in views over the Charleston Harbor and White Point Garden
Admission to the Philip Simmons House and Halsey Gallery included

What's Included

Museum entry fee for the Philip Simmons House at 30-1/2 Blake Street.
Entry fee for the Halsey Gallery of Contemporary Art at 161 Calhoun Street.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

122 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
We will meet next to the Old Exchange Building at 122 East Bay Street.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon (Pass By)

Rainbow Row (Pass By)

Edmondston-Alston House (Pass By)

Battery & White Point Gardens (Pass By)

The Williams Mansion (Pass By)

Nathaniel Russell House (Pass By)

Four Corners of Law (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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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

4.8

based on 25 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Unique Charleston Charms

Laura_g, May 2026

We were lucky enough to have had Larry as our tour guide. He gave us a deep history of the area and covered a lot of figurative ground, from the people and architecture to arts and entertainment. He clearly loves his city and is proud to share the history and vibrancy of Charleston with visitors. We sincerely enjoyed the time we spent with him and feel like we have a knowledge of many interesting little-known facts. We highly recommend this tour!

Complete fraud!!!

Janet_A, Feb 2026

This tour was absolutely terrible DO NOT book it. It is billed as a walking tour of historic Charleston; we stood in the same spot for the first 15 minutes as the guide rattled off a list of so-called “facts” about American history. They were ALL false! This tour guide should lose his job. He claimed Thomas Jefferson was the 2nd president, (he was the 3rd), and that he took the presidential oath of office on a Koran NOT a bible, that Washington read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Exchange Building in 1792, (he was elected president in 1789 and we had declared independence in 1776), NYS had a slave market in 1861 (NYS abolished slavery in 1827), and that the first Islamic Temple in the US was built in 1810 (it was 1934). He kept saying he had gotten his facts from Wikipedia, which is the most unreliable source out there. This was a pathetic attempt at a cash grab from a shady company headquartered in a foreign country. Getting through to them on the phone to get my money back took FOREVER! DO NOT book this tour

Will book again on next visit

Monica_G, Dec 2025

Super interesting, informative, and entertaining walk through Charleston. Would book again next time. Larry tailors the tour to your existing knowledge of the city and its history.

Family fun!!

Jeff_H, Dec 2025

Larry is the Man!! He was a treasure trove of Charleston history, architecture, and commerce. Lots of stories that were educational and entertaining. Would highly recommend Larry for future tours in the heart of Charleston SC. Bravo

Larry the tour guide was...

Donna_P, Oct 2025

Larry the tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. Learned so much! Would like to have covered a larger route. Would definitely recommend it!

Who knew?

Michael_B, Oct 2025

This is mostly a historical story of Charleston and America with a little walking mixed in. It is amazing what this town has given our Country. Larry was a wonderful guide who shared a perspective you likely have not witnessed.

Yes book if you love history

lizwatters314, Apr 2025

This was an outstanding tour. Larry was so knowledgeable I could have listened a couple more hours. 😊👍🏼

Great tour.

John_K, Mar 2025

Larry was a great tour guide. Not sure all his history is perfectly accurate but he’s a terrific storyteller. We definitely enjoyed it.

A Memorable Experience

Evelyn_I, Jul 2024

This tour exceeded my expectations. We chose the 3pm tour. It turned out that my husband and I were the only ones on the tour that day. So we wound up having a wonderful personalized experience. Our tour guide had a wealth of knowledge. He was very amusing too. We liked the way the walk and information was planned out. Although there is shade along the way, if you choose this tour during the summer wear sunscreen, a hat, and carry a bottle of very cold water. I definitely recommend this tour.

Fun touey

Kelley_C, Feb 2024

Extremely knowledgeable guide who intertwined the history of Charleston with application to today’s world. The love for the city of a Charleston was obvious!

What's not in your history books...

Lauren_T, Feb 2024

Lawrence was incredibly knowledgeable and animated which enhanced the history of a beautiful city. Highly recommend booking and jumping into the prelude of a wonderful story.

Amazing!

Crystal_W, Jun 2023

I learned so much!! This tour was amazing!!! This tour guide is one of a kind. He shares his knowledge of the history of Charleston in a very engaging way. I highly recommend!!!

Larry brings the flavor of Charleston!

David_B, Apr 2022

Larry is the best! Throughout the tour, Larry skillfully wove together a mix historical facts and a set of stories you will not learn in any text book, leaving our family with a great feel for the true flavor of Charleston. Maybe more impressive — my teenage kids can be a tough crowd, but Larry quickly won them over and kept them engaged throughout the entire 2 hour tour. We highly recommend!!