The 15 Best Charleston Tours & Carriage Rides

1.Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10,023 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $50Our pick

Ride through 30 blocks of Charleston with a certified guide, Belgian or Percheron horses, historic homes, gardens, churches, and Civil War stories.

“Fun activity to do while in Charleston. We were staying with a friend. So we booked it for three of us. Great little travel around town. Great knowledge of the driver. Great pictures and learned some fun history. Recommend!”

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2.Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,216 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $30

Explore Charleston’s French Quarter, Rainbow Row, and Battery on a two-hour guided walk packed with history, stories, and practical tips.

“Duggar gave an excellent tour, and even provides a list of recommended restaurants. He is a highly knowledgeable and personable guy, and we would definitely recommend booking him for a tour.”

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3.Haunted Evening Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,678 reviews · 40 minutes (approx.) · from $50

Ride Charleston’s haunted streets after dark with spooky stories, historic sites, friendly horses, and a certified guide from $50.

“Being hearing impaired, I should have requested upfront seating. It would be nice if they provided a printed version of what the narrator is saying. I missed a lot because the weather was cold and I had to cover my ears.”

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4.Charleston Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour: Explore Historic Charleston

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,561 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $49

Ride Charleston’s historic streets by horse-drawn carriage, hear colorful stories, and see grand homes, churches, and gardens with a certified guide.

“Great tour! Guide was perfect, knowledgeable, ans very personable. We love rhe way they care for the horses! Thank you”

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5.Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,343 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $43

Review Fort Sumter’s ferry ride, Civil War history, ranger talk, timing, accessibility, and value before booking this Charleston tour.

“This was a great experience. I literally purchased the tickets on the way and we got on/off the ferry with zero complaints. There was a volunteer with the parks who was very knowledgeable on the history of Fort Sumter and the surrounding areas and gave lessons to and from the fort. The park rangers were very nice as well. We even got to help fold the flag at the fort. Would highly recommend this experience. My kids also were able to fill out a booklet and became junior rangers, sworn in and all. Super fun!”

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6.Ghosts of Charleston Night-Time Walking Tour with Unitarian Church Graveyard

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,835 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $35

Review of Charleston’s 90-minute ghost walk, with historic tales, licensed guides, and after-hours access to the atmospheric Unitarian Church Graveyard.

“Great stories told with a dramatic tone. Spooky scenery. Easy to get to. Reasonable parking. BYOB though…”

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7.Charleston Harbor History Day-Time or Sunset Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,788 reviews · from $44

Cruise Charleston Harbor to Fort Sumter aboard the Carolina Belle for Civil War history, city views, bridges, dolphins, and sunset scenery.

“The knowledge of captain in narrating the shoreline. Great experience. Would recommend to others visiting Charleston”

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8.Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,335 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $34

Explore Charleston’s hidden alleys, Rainbow Row, and historic sites on a lively two-hour small-group walking tour for $34.

“Great time, this tour hits hidden spots we would have never found on our own, but also hits the big stuff too. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all things Charleston. The tour did go over 20 minutes or so and it was nippy outside so keep in mind depending on time of year.”

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9.Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,206 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Explore Charleston’s French Quarter and South of Broad with a lively historian, seeing Rainbow Row, churches, and difficult chapters of the city’s past.

“Guide was very educated and passionate about sharing the less popular, although historically accurate facts about Charleston. I highly recommend this tour and look forward to bringing my brother, a history teacher, on this tour!”

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10.Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,111 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Cruise Charleston’s tidal creeks to Morris Island for dolphins, marsh views, shell hunting, and a close look at its historic lighthouse.

“Staff was awesome. Equipment and grounds were average. Matt and Chris especially. Trip to the Island was awesome. Then the rains came. Driver did his best to get us back to the office. A boat with some cover from the elements would have been preferred.”

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11.Charleston French Quarter or Brunch Food Tour with 7+ Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,853 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $108

Taste Charleston through she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, biscuits, fried green tomatoes, and a secret dish on a three-hour food walk.

“Come with an appetite! This was a quick and fun way to taste some of Charleston's local foodie highlights from some well-known and top quality vendors and restaurants. Well worth it. Wear comfortable shoes. Wonderful guide in Kristen.”

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12.Boone Hall Plantation All-Access Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,736 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $36

Explore Boone Hall Plantation, from the Avenue of Oaks and slave cabins to Gullah culture, gardens, the house, and a working farm.

“Beautiful grounds, very informative, and a good historical experience. I would come back with a group of students if I lived nearby.”

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13.Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,569 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39

Charleston’s Booze and Boos tour pairs ghost tales, local bars, and historic sights with a lively pirate guide for adults 21 and over.

“Go with an open mind and an attitude of fun! I met some really nice people on and during the tour. And I learned not only about hauntings, but history as well. A bottoms up good time as I earned the grand prize of being the "Booty Boss"!!!”

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14.Daytime or Sunset Historic Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,352 reviews · 1h 30m · from $49

Cruise Charleston Harbor aboard a 1920s-style steamer, with live history, Fort Sumter views, dolphins, and sunset scenery for $49.

“Awesome, learned a lot about historical facts during this time”

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15.Charleston’s Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,345 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29Best value

Review of Charleston’s Pleasing Terrors ghost tour with Mike Brown, covering spooky stops, price, walking route, value, and booking tips.

“Great tour guide. He definitely did his homework. He had a lot of great stories from 1800's up to just a few years ago. He also had lots of pics on his iPad. Highly recommended.”

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