Historic Charleston Walking & Storytelling Tour

Overview

This tour is an exploration of Charleston that highlights the women and men who helped found Charleston and the United States.

Did you know, without the pirates and patriots of Charleston, the United States may not exist today?

We start our experience in front of the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, one of Charleston’s oldest and most historical buildings. Learn about George Washington’s visit in 1791, and the dungeon’s prisoners who met their fate.

Next, we venture down East Bay Street, passing Rainbow Row. Behold gorgeous mansions, and witness breathtaking views of the Charleston Harbor and White Point Garden. Walk in the footsteps of pirates and their captors.

Next, we turn inward and walk through Charleston’s South of Broad neighborhood. Learn about the man George Washington and Thomas Jefferson said was the true father of America.

Last, we venture back to our starting point, passing by the Four Corners of the Law and the shops and residences on Broad Street.

City: Charleston

Sat 21 Jun

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $35.90

Make a reservation

Sat 21 Jun

Starting at $35.90

Make a reservation

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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.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

What To Expect

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon

Built in 1771 as a commercial exchange and custom house, the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon has been a Charleston landmark for nearly 250 years. Today, it is a non-profit historic site that focuses on the American Revolution and colonial Charleston.

Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row is the name for a series of thirteen colorful historic houses in Charleston, South Carolina. It represents the longest cluster of Georgian row houses in the United States. The houses are located north of Tradd St. and south of Elliott St. on East Bay Street, that is, 79 to 107 East Bay Street. The name Rainbow Row was coined after the pastel colors they were painted as they were restored in the 1930s and 1940s.

Edmondston-Alston House

The house is built on the foundation ruins of Fort Mechanic that was at this location in the later part of the eighteenth century. Shipping merchant Charles Edmondston, a Scottish immigrant from the Shetland Islands, had purchased the low sandy lot in 1817. The unstable soggy land was unfit for residential construction until a sea wall was built. Charleston city officials built one in 1820 and Edmondston then started the construction of the house. The antebellum modified Charleston single house (side-hall) was constructed between 1820 and 1828. Edmondston had built the house originally in the English Regency style architecture.

Battery & White Point Gardens

White Point Garden is a 5.7 acre public park located in peninsular Charleston, South Carolina, at the tip of the peninsula. It is the southern terminus for the Battery, a defensive seawall and promenade. It is bounded by East Battery (to the east), Murray Blvd. (to the south), King St. (to the west), and South Battery (to the north).

The Williams Mansion

The 24,000-square-foot house has thirty main rooms and many more smaller rooms. The main hall is 50 feet long and 14 feet wide. The house has a ballroom with a 45-foot-high ceiling.

Nathaniel Russell House

The Nathaniel Russell House is a historic house at 51 Meeting Street in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Built by slave trader and wealthy merchant Nathaniel Russell in 1808, it is recognized as one of America's most important Neoclassical houses. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (18)

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.

A4707GKgracep

Mar 2025

Larry is the best tour guide ever! We had a wonderful two hour walking tour of downtown Charleston but it was not physically strenuous. Larry connected the dots of history to paint a realistic picture of Charleston. I went on this tour with two of my girl friends. Three girls in our young twenties found this tour amazing and incredibly interesting. We covered important/serious topics like slavery’s influence on Charleston but also lighthearted anecdotal stories about different buildings and neighbors we passed. I would attend this tour again! I learned so much and Larry left us with lots of ideas to ponder.

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.