14 Charleston Walking Tours That Repay the Shoe Leather

1.Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

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

Spend two hours walking from Charleston City Hall through the French Quarter and South of Broad. Expect stories about churches, theaters, slavery, architecture, war, and civic life, plus Rainbow Row and views toward Fort Sumter. Guides include Evans, Al, Dennis, and Duggar. Bring water, use the restroom first, and arrive 15 minutes early.

“An informative history of Charleston. From the churches, the homes and past Slave history. How we have learned from mistakes in our past.”

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

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

Walk Charleston’s historic center for 90 minutes with a licensed guide such as Simon, Jerry, Liz, or Jake, hearing local ghost stories drawn from The Ghosts of Charleston. The tour ends inside the 1772 Unitarian Church Graveyard, where moss, old tombs, and darkness create the evening’s strongest atmosphere. A one-hour graveyard-only option is also available.

“Tour was great - guide was a wonderful story teller. Group was a little too big but overall good experience!”

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

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

Walk Charleston’s South of Broad and French Quarter districts with a licensed local guide. You’ll explore four to six alleys, see Rainbow Row, Philadelphia Alley, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, and the Heyward-Washington House, and hear stories from the Revolutionary and Civil War eras. Guides may include Dennis, Duggar, Evans, Al, or Mark.

“This 2 hour tour opened my eyes to the beauty and history of the historic area of Charleston. Al, our tour guide, was knowledgeable and funny.”

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4.Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

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

Walk Charleston’s French Quarter and South of Broad for two hours with a guide such as Bill Harris or Vanna. You’ll see St. Philip’s Church, the French Huguenot Church, the Pink House, the Old Slave Mart, the Old Exchange, and Rainbow Row while learning how Charleston’s political, religious, and painful past shaped the city. Expect a talk-focused tour with limited indoor access.

“Guide was very knowledgeable of the history of Charleston as well as deeper history of how and why things came to be in the development of the colony.”

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

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

Choose a French Quarter tour with chicken bog, she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and benne wafers, or an Upper King Street brunch with biscuits, quiche, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, and banana pudding. Guides such as Robin, Perry, Nathan, and Crystin add local history and keep the small group moving at an easy pace.

“Fun, good food. Perry was a great guide. It wasn’t much walking which was fine because of the rain. I enjoyed the stories he told”

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6.Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

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

Walk Charleston’s haunted historic center with a costumed pirate guide such as Vanna, Jo, Blakely, or Brandon. You’ll hear ghost tales and local history, visit historic bars, and buy your own drinks along the way. Groups are capped at 14, and all participants must be 21 or older with valid ID.

“Vanna is the BEST tour guide. So funny and knowledgeable!!!!! She truly made the whole experience and catered to what we wanted to do”

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

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

Walk Charleston after dark with Mike Brown, host of the Pleasing Terrors Podcast. Over 90 minutes, he links ghost stories to places such as Poogan’s Porch, the Charleston Library Society, Philadelphia Alley, and a downtown church. Expect first-person paranormal accounts, old photographs, local history, and a group of up to 20 people.

“The experience was engaging, spooky and informative. I enjoyed learning about the different places in Charleston.”

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8.Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,284 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $40

Join Citadel history professor Eric Lager, Ph.D., for a roughly three-hour walk through Charleston’s historic center. In a group capped at 12, you’ll visit the French Quarter, Dock Street Theater, St. Michael’s Church, Washington Square, and the Battery, with Fort Sumter viewed from shore. The tour is in English and costs $40 per person.

“Eric is a fantastic guide. We enjoyed his very informative tour. His passion for history of Charleston keeps the tour very entertaining. Don't hesitate taking his tour.”

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9.Charleston Ghost & Graveyard Night-Time Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,100 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Walk Charleston’s Historic District after dark with a licensed Bulldog Tours guide. Hear stories of ghosts, voodoo, medical patients buried alive, and the origin of graveyard shift. The tour includes after-hours entry to Circular Congregational Church cemetery, with guides such as Belle, Kevin, Sarah, Jim, and Drew leading routes that change with weather and questions.

“We really enjoyed our ghost tour with Sarah! She was so passionate about what she does, and it truly came through in her storytelling. Sarah had a great sense of humor and kept the experience lighthearted, but also managed to connect deeply with the history and the stories she shared. It made the tour both entertaining and meaningful — definitely a highlight of our trip!”

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10.Old Walled City Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 705 reviews · 2 hours · from $30

Spend two hours walking Charleston’s Old Walled City with guides such as Al, Bruce, Eric, or Alfie, depending on the date. You’ll see the French Quarter, Dock Street Theatre, Old Exchange, Waterfront Park, Rainbow Row, and St. Michael’s Church while hearing stories about colonial life, piracy, rice planters, fires, epidemics, hurricanes, sieges, and the earthquake that changed the city.

“Our guide Al was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Charleston history. It was fabulous! Thank you, Al!”

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11.History and Architecture Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 349 reviews · 1h 30m · from $29

Walk about one mile through Charleston’s South of Broad and French Quarter districts with guides such as Jeff, Paige, Emerson, or Jackson. Expect hidden alleys, Rainbow Row, City Market, historic churches, and possible interior visits to St. Michael’s Church, Dock Street Theatre, and the Old Exchange. The tour ends at Pineapple Fountain.

“Paige was very informative. Nice walk through historic areas of Charleston.”

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12.90-Minute Ghost and Dungeon Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 266 reviews · 1h 30m · from $40

Walk Charleston’s historic district with an English-speaking guide, hearing ghost tales, low country superstitions, and stories of the Old Exchange. The 90-minute route includes the Provost Dungeon, where you’ll learn about prisoners, enslaved people, revolutionaries, and British soldiers. Guides such as Jerry, Emma, Devlin, and Puckett are known for strong storytelling.

“Taylor was an awesome tour guide!! Loved the stories and even got some ghost mist with my cell!”

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13.Charleston walking tour with a Citadel history professor

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · 3 hours · from $40

Walk Charleston’s historic district with Eric Lager, a Citadel history professor who leads a three-hour tour for no more than 12 people. Expect colonial, Revolutionary, Civil War, architectural, religious, and cultural history, plus old alleys, graveyards, Washington Park, the Dock Street Theater, and the French Huguenot Church.

“Fantastic tour! Eric really knows his stuff (Ph.D in history) and he had fascinating stories about Charleston. Learned a lot and saw parts of the city I never would have on my own. Hands down, best tour I’ve ever been on. Thanks, Eric!”

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14.90-Minute Ghost & Graveyard Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 75 reviews · 1h 30m · from $40

Meet your English-speaking guide at 18 Anson Street for a leisurely 90-minute walk through Charleston’s spooky past. You’ll enter one of the city’s oldest graveyards, hear about burial customs, famous residents, pirate executions, crimes, and reported apparitions, then decide what sounds like fact or folklore. Guides have included Emma, Grace, Lexi, Jack, and Randy.

“Jack was our tour guide, and he was truly excellent! We were definitely happy with this tour, and would completely recommend!”

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