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Charleston History Tour - Small Groups Only - History & Alleyways

Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Charleston, USA
Popular pick
Booked 5+ times last week!
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0
·
· Amy_G ·
Nov 2025
Excellent historical and entertaining tour! Adam was passionate about sharing his information in a fun & engaging manner! It was a wonderful way to get to know the city!
· Rose_R ·
Nov 2025
Very informative, great guide with fun stories and full of knowledge about history. Time of tour was just right.

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Overview

Learn about the history and heritage of Charleston during a small-group walking tour. Meet your guide for a city stroll that includes popular attractions such as the French Huguenot Church, the Dock Street Theater, and Waterfront Park. Hear stories about local architecture, historic figures, and cultural landmarks during this guided tour.
  • Explore Charleston on foot with a guide
  • Maximize time with a small-group tour
  • Learn about history, culture, and heritage
  • Hear the stories behind local landmarks

What's Included

  • Good Stories and a Great Time!
  • History From a Licensed & Experienced Tour Guide
  • History From a University Of South Carolina History Graduate
  • 10 People Or Less
  • We will go inside of 1 historic building or church on this tour

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • 151 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

      We meet outside at 151 Meeting St. Our starting point is located just 1 block away from the historic market in downtown Charleston on the corner of Horlebeck Alley and Meeting Street.

    End point

    • Waterfront Park
      Vendue Range, Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

      We end on the waterfront with a beautiful view of the Charleston Harbor. Waterfront Park, near the Pineapple fountain

    Itinerary

    1

    The Powder Magazine

    10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    2

    French Huguenot Church

    5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    3

    Dock Street Theater

    15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    4

    Chalmers Street

    10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    5

    Old Slave Mart Museum

    10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    6

    Broad Street

    5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    7

    Rainbow Row

    10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    8

    Exchange Building

    10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    9

    Charleston Waterfront Park

    15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • What to Bring/Wear: 1) Footwear that you enjoy walking in. 2) Water. 3) Bug Spray. 4) Umbrella or Rain Coat (it rains a lot here)
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
    Supplied by

    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

    5.0
    based on 101 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
    We perform checks on reviews

    Walking tour.

    Barbara_B, Nov 2025
    Good value.. good information with addition of photos. Enjoyed. Would recommend this tour guide. It would have been good to add a house tour to this activity

    Response from Host, Dec 2025

    Thanks for coming on the tour! I always take people inside of some sort of historic building on the tour (theater, church or city hall). There are quite a few private houses we walk buy which I wish we could go inside and look at but they are indeed private property. There are some great house tours in Charleston however the houses that can be toured are unfortunately not in the area that we walk. Thanks again for coming on the tour.

    Take THIS Tour!

    Amy_G, Nov 2025
    Excellent historical and entertaining tour! Adam was passionate about sharing his information in a fun & engaging manner! It was a wonderful way to get to know the city!

    Response from Host, Nov 2025

    Great! Those are all things I am looking to accomplish on my tour, I'm so happy you chose my tour of Charleston. Take care and thanks for taking the time to write a review.

    Very informative, great...

    Rose_R, Nov 2025
    Very informative, great guide with fun stories and full of knowledge about history. Time of tour was just right.

    Response from Host, Nov 2025

    Thank you Rose, it was nice having y'all on the tour...y'all were a fun bunch to have on a tour. I hope the rest of the birthday trip was great 🍻 🌴 🌊

    He keeps it limited to 10...

    Carolee_S, Nov 2025
    He keeps it limited to 10 participants which is really nice. It's pretty quick moving and he includes a few good stories with the history.

    Response from Host, Nov 2025

    Thank you for coming on the tour, there are 100's of things you could've done here in Charleston and I really appreciate you selecting my tour. I do keep my groups about 50% smaller than any other tour guide and it makes a big difference for everyone involved...I am glad you enjoyed that + my stories.

    Great walking tour

    Lori_S, Nov 2025
    Very informative tour. I learned alot about Charleston and its history. Adam our tour guide was super knowledgeable and made tour very entertaining.

    Response from Host, Nov 2025

    Thanks Lori, I am happy your enjoyed the walk and tour through old Charles Town. I appreciate you taking the time to write a great review. Take Care!

    Adam's Tour Rocks!

    Toni_K, Oct 2025
    Adam is awesome! He really made our first visit to Charleston not only enjoyable but so informative as well. Do this your very first day. He is a wealth of knowledge with a great sense of humor and his stories were beyond entertaining. Some of the larger tours seem like factory run events. Adam's groups are smaller and therefore more personal. You will not be disappointed!

    Response from Host, Nov 2025

    Thanks Toni, it is just me out here as the sole owner and tour guide for Tour Charleston with Adam (my llc). You know who you are getting when it comes to my tour. I keep my history tours 50% smaller in size with people so that the tour feels more conversational and personal....I am glad y'all enjoyed it enough to write a great review about your experience. Thank you!

    Lots of choices - THIS is the tour you want!!

    misslondon09, Oct 2025
    Highly recommend taking this history filled tour!! Perfect size & pace! We learned so much!! There are so many tour guides- this is the right choice!!! Full of information

    Response from Host, Oct 2025

    There are indeed not only so many tour guides but there are so many THINGS you could have done while visiting Charleston and I am so glad you found my tour and decided to book with me. Thanks for the great review!

    exceptional

    Fritzi_R, Oct 2025
    Adam was knowlegable and had fun stories to tell in addition to just plain being a good tour guide. I enjoyed every minute of the tour with him

    Response from Host, Oct 2025

    Thank you Fritzi, it was a such a pleasure hanging out with you. Thank you for sharing some stories with me as well.

    Learning while having fun, hearing great stories too

    Shari_B, Sep 2025
    By far the best tour we did in Charleston! The best stories we heard mixed with great history! I liked enough I would love to spend an evening hearing more history from this guy! Go, learn, and have fun doing it! He’s great!

    Response from Host, Sep 2025

    Thank you Shari, I know y'all took a bunch of tours in Charleston over your time here so this means alot to me. I would love to see y'all again for a night time ghost tour...I have all new stories for that one compared to the history tour. Thanks again!!

    Awesome tour. Very...

    Kim_J, Sep 2025
    Awesome tour. Very knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Length of tour is just right and very manageable!! Tour guide was excellent!!

    Response from Host, Sep 2025

    Great! Thank you for writing the review, it's hard to keep people's attention so I do my best to keep things moving and engaging in our 80min walk. Thanks again and take care :)

    Very informative! Loved...

    Anonymous, Jul 2025
    Very informative! Loved the back stories of areas we were visiting. Appreciated hearing the real history and not sugar coating the past. You can feel the love and passion he has for his city.

    Response from Host, Jul 2025

    Thank you for your support! I do talk about the good, the bad and ugly. I truly do love giving tours and talking history with people like yourself. I think it's awesome y'all wanted to learn more about the town you are visiting for a few days and you chose me out of all the options in Charleston.

    Great tour! The tour...

    Kelly_W, Jul 2025
    Great tour! The tour ended up only including the two of us. It covered a lot of different places and was informative and interesting. Would highly recommend.

    Response from Host, Jul 2025

    Thanks Kelly! I believe we had a major heat advisory the day we went out. Y'all were the only ones brave enough to bear the heat and.... I loved it. It was so nice hanging out with y'all and talking history!

    Great walking tour of Charleston.

    Wendy_G, Jul 2025
    Great tour. Lots of interesting information. Tour guide was friendly and well informed about the area.

    Response from Host, Jul 2025

    Thank you Wendy, it was great hanging out with y'all on one of the hottest days of the year! Maybe I will see y'all again for a ghost tour some day :)

    This was a very...

    Taylor_R, Jun 2025
    This was a very interesting and informative tour! Adam was an excellent tour guide and open to answer any questions along the way.

    Response from Host, Jun 2025

    Thanks Taylor for coming on the tour! I love questions, it always bring up something interesting to talk about. I am so glad y'all enjoyed your experience here in Charleston with me.

    An Absolutely Great Experience!

    Kevin_K, May 2025
    We have done a number of guided tours through the US and Europe and we believe that this tour was one of the very best. Adam was very knowledgeable, very entertaining, and very professional. He was informative but shifted to our interests and answered our questions rather than simply following a formatted set plan. His knowledge of both the geography of Charleston and her history was amazing. We could not recommend any tour more than his. If you are looking to get an introduction to the city and her history, or if, like us, you are at a bit more advanced level this tour fits all needs. It was wonderful.

    Response from Host, May 2025

    WOW! Thank you so much. To be called one of the best guides in Europe & The US is quite an honor from such seasoned travelers as yourselves. One of my favorite things about my small group tours is that people feel more comfortable asking questions and those questions open up new discussions and stories. The tour is more conversational....rather than a "Talk at you script Tour". I hope to see y'all again someday, take care and thanks again!

    Got to go with Adam everywhere!!!

    Monica_K, May 2025
    Couldn’t be in better hands with Adam. He is so knowledgeable about Charleston and the history here. He’s got so many great stories and he keeps you interested throughout.

    Response from Host, May 2025

    Thanks Monica for coming on the tour, I am glad y'all enjoyed it and that I was able to keep everyone interested (it's a hard thing to do these days so I take that as a huge compliment!)

    Awesome tour!!

    Neil_R, May 2025
    We had an awesome tour with Adam! It was just the right amount of walking, seeing lots of cool things in CHS, and learning about the history of a great town. Adam made it entertaining and interesting. He was polite and professional and was able to answer all of our questions. He gave a great lunch recommendation, too! This tour was well worth the money!

    Response from Host, May 2025

    Thanks for taking the time to write such a nice and detailed review! I love showing people Charleston and it was an honor that you not only selected my tour, enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. Thanks for supporting my small business :)

    Highly recommend!

    Deb_D, May 2025
    Very entertaining and informative, while walking through some of the lesser-known areas of downtown Charleston.

    Response from Host, May 2025

    Thank you Deb for taking the time to write a review about your experience, It was a pleasure showing y'all Charleston. Take Care!

    Great because of small group

    sande, May 2025
    Wonderful stories of Charleston's history. Adam was an excellent leader. only 6 in our group so it's great

    Response from Host, May 2025

    Thank you for the 5 start review, I am glad y'all appreciated the small group setting. Limiting my groups to 10 people is 1/2 the size of most tours (even the carriages pack 16 on a cart). So the small groups allows for more of a conversational tour. The group had some great questions as well. Take care and thanks again for Touring Charleston with me :)

    x

    johnbeck, Apr 2025
    great stories, fun time, saw a lot of the city from a different perspective. We would definitley recommend to freidnds

    Response from Host, May 2025

    Thanks for the great review! I am glad y'all decided to come on the tour and I look forward to meeting friends and family who are touring Charleston in the future.

    Great Introduction to Charleston

    jt1discovernet, Apr 2025
    Our tour guide, Adam, majored in history and is so knowledgeable about Charleston. We all so enjoyed his stories and the places he chose to take us. We came away with a better understanding of what happened there way, way back. Being our first time there, it was a perfect. Lots of interesting information. Highly recommend the tour!

    Response from Host, Apr 2025

    Thanks for coming on the tour, it was an honor to be able to show you the old streets of Charleston and talk history. Y'all took a tour during some special Civil War anniversary dates. The Robert Smalls is definitely one of my favorite stories to tell. That's why I save it for last. Take Care!

    Great Charles Town tour.

    Robert_G, Sep 2024
    Adam was an outstanding guide. His stories were well-told. His choices of sites to visit included many which, in numerous visits to Charleston, we had never seen. His knowledge of Charleston history is obviously extensive.

    Response from Host, Oct 2024

    Thank you Robert for the nice review. I think it's cool I was able to show y'all some sites and tell you some stories you hadn't heard yet. It was a pleasure hanging out with y'all in Charleston 🌴

    Fantastic tour!

    Dana_W, Aug 2024
    We had a fantastic private tour with Adam. He told great stories and we had a great time. Highly recommend this tour!

    Response from Host, Aug 2024

    Thank you Dana, it was so nice meeting y'all and talking history. I appreciate you taking the time to write a nice review :)

    Adam rocks!

    TERESIA_E, May 2024
    We took this tour the last day of our visit. I was a little worried that we would be hearing the same stories we already had on our other tours. I shouldn't have been worried! Adam took us to locations that were in the older section of Charleston and all the stories were new and fun to hear. We thoroughly enjoyed his grasp of history and that he mixed some humor in his discussions also! We visited the theater and got to go inside which was another plus. Thanks for the excellent tour Adam! We ate lunch at the Blind Tiger per your recommendation and it was perfect! I have already recommended you to a friend. Thanks for the history.

    Response from Host, May 2024

    What a fantastic review, thank you so much for all the details. I am really happy to hear you heard new information and stories despite having taken some other tours in the city. I look forward to meeting your friends and family in the future when the come to Charleston, thanks again...this was pleasant to read and made my day.

    Don’t pass on this tour!!

    David_S, May 2024
    Definitely recommend. A small group tour with a knowledgeable guide who is great at storytelling! What’s not to enjoy?! Don’t miss this tour for an overview of Charleston history. Adam is amazing.

    Response from Host, May 2024

    Thanks David! I am glad y'all enjoyed the tour and I appreciate the nice review

    Excellent tour - Very Informative!

    Stuart_S, Mar 2024
    Due to cancellations (it was cold and rainy to start) we were the only people on our tour! Our guide, Adam, did an excellent job and shared a number of interesting stories and facts about the history of Charleston. We covered the key historical landmarks and even went down some alleyways you would have not know existed!!! Overall it was an excellent tour and a great job by Adam.

    Response from Host, Apr 2024

    Thanks Stuart for the kind review! I am glad y'all made it out on the cold rainy morning. I had a great time talking with y'all. Thanks again for choosing my tour while you were in Charleston :)

    Walking history tour

    FelixChaltry, Mar 2024
    My wife and 3 kids had a great time on the walking tour. Adam was a great guide. He made the tour fun with some great stories and shared his love of Charleston with us. We would highly recommend his tour.

    Response from Host, Mar 2024

    Thanks Felix for coming on the history tour. It was so nice to meet you and your kind family. am glad everyone had a good time!

    Adam is great, knowledgeable and entertaining.

    mary_g, Dec 2023
    The architecture for one and the history of Charleston and how much this city played a part in the birth and development of our country.

    Response from Host, Jan 2024

    Thank You Mary for coming on my tour! I appreciate the change to show you Charleston

    Awesome tour of Charleston!!

    Susan_C, Jul 2023
    Had the BEST tour with Adam! Our group was small (7 people - including me and my 2 teenage daughters), so it made getting around the city easy and we were able to clearly hear all of Adam’s great insights & stories. He shared fun facts and riveting stories about Charleston that made for a fun, memorable day!!

    Response from Host, Jul 2023

    Thanks Susan for coming on the tour! I keep my history tours small to 10 and under so people can engage and ask questions (and hear me). I am glad you liked the small tour size. I had a lovely time with y'all :)

    Perfect small group tour!

    Lisa_M, Jun 2023
    Wonderful experience! Adam was professional, knowledgeable, and a great story teller. The tour was a good pace for everyone and the sites were perfect. We definitely recommend this tour for anyone wanting to see Charleston.

    Response from Host, Jun 2023

    Thank you Lisa, it was so nice to hang out with y'all! The history tour on June 28th was the 1st tour I had done since I got back from vacation and I was so excited to be working again. I really love what I do and I am happy y'all had a wonderful experience. How about that parade at the end!! Forever to Thee - Carolina Day :)

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    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 31 days in advance.

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