15 Walking Tours in Charleston That Earn the Road Trip

1.Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

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

Start at Charleston City Hall and walk with a licensed local guide through the French Quarter, past the Dock Street Theatre, churches, Rainbow Row, and the Battery. Guides such as Al, Dennis, Duggar, and Evans bring strong storytelling and local detail. Expect a flat, moderate walk, outdoor stops, and a group of up to 20.

“Learned a ton about the city. AL, our tour guide, was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the architecture and culture as well as the overall history. Great start to a first time visit as we got a ton of recos for how to plan rest of stay. 10/10 in my opinion.”

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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

Meet your licensed guide at Buxton Books for a 90-minute walk through Charleston’s haunted old town, ending with after-hours access to the 1772 Unitarian Church Graveyard. Guides such as Simon, Jerry, Liz, and Jake bring different storytelling styles. Expect local history, supernatural tales, dark paths, cobblestones, and plenty of standing.

“Jake was a great tour guide! Was very knowledgeable about the history and the ghost stories. The graveyard had a lot of history and was cool to walk through at night!”

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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 areas with a licensed local guide such as Dennis, Duggar, Evans, or Al. Over two hours, you’ll explore four to six alleys, see Rainbow Row and St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, and hear stories from the colonial era through the Civil War. The group is capped at 13 people.

“Interesting inside view of old Charleston, the private gardens and alleys. The historic explanations however were very whitewashed. There was no mention of native people that would have been there when the British arrived. No mention of slavery but an emphasis on confederate history.”

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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 with a guide such as Bill Harris or Vanna, stopping at St. Philip’s Church, Rainbow Row, the Old Slave Mart Museum, and the Old Exchange. Expect about two hours outdoors, with sharp historical context, local stories, and time for questions. Bring water, sun protection, and comfortable shoes.

“A fantastic fully engaged guide offering a grand historical perspective based on the groups understanding and goals. We fully felt like we left with a full understanding of the history, culture, and modern preservation of the city.”

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5.Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

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

Spend about 2.5 hours walking central Charleston with a costumed pirate guide, mixing local history, ghost stories, and stops at historic bars. Guides such as Vanna, Jo, Blakely, and Brandon lead small groups of up to 14. You buy your own drinks, must be 21 or older, and receive a commemorative cup or cooler.

“Wear comfotable shoes for walking. Bring lts of cash, drinks are rather pricy. Guide was a blast, very enjoyable”

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6.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 about 90 minutes, you’ll hear ghost stories, dueling lore, and strange local history at Poogan’s Porch, the Charleston Library Society, Philadelphia Alley, and a historic church downtown. The group is capped at 20 people.

“Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable with 28 years as a ghost tour guide. He was patient and kind. We felt like we hit the jackpot by having him as our tour guide.”

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

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

Spend about three hours walking historic Charleston with Eric Lager, Ph.D., a history professor at The Citadel. In a group capped at 12, you’ll connect colonial Charleston, the Revolution, slavery, religion, architecture, and the Civil War while visiting the French Quarter, St. Michael’s Church, the Old Exchange, and the Battery.

“We loved the small group experience. Eric was amazing. His knowledge of Charleston’s history and his ability to make it interesting made the tour a wonderful experience.”

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8.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. You’ll enter the Circular Congregational Church graveyard, hear tales of ghosts, voodoo, duels, and premature burial, and finish near Market Street. Guides vary, with past tours led by Sarah, Kevin, Jim, Drew, Belle, and others.

“The host was really friendly. She seemed very knowledgeable and was a great storyteller. The tour was really interesting.”

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9.Savor the Flavors of Charleston Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 881 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $110

Walk Charleston’s French Quarter and City Market with a local guide, sampling Lowcountry staples such as shrimp and grits, collard greens, hush puppies, barbecue, pralines, benne wafers, and she-crab soup. Guides including Diane, Fran, Jade, Faith, and Jack add food history and restaurant tips to this 2.5-hour tour for up to 12 people.

“Fran was so sweet and knowledgeable! She made sure we understood the tradition of the influence Charlestons food has on the south.”

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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 an English-speaking guide, often a longtime local such as Al, Bruce, Eric, or Alfie. See the French Quarter, Dock Street Theatre, Old Exchange, Waterfront Park, Rainbow Row, historic homes, and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church while hearing stories about piracy, rice planters, disasters, architecture, and daily life.

“The tour was amazing! A lot of interesting stories and facts. Thank you!”

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11.Historic Charleston Walking Tour: Rainbow Row, Churches, and More

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 691 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $40

Spend about two hours walking Charleston’s old district with guides such as Gordon, Diane, Keith, or Graham. Expect Rainbow Row, antebellum mansions, churches, graveyards, courtyards, the Waterfront Battery, Fort Sumter views, and admission to the Powder Magazine. The pace is leisurely, but comfortable shoes and weather-ready clothing are essential.

“You will be standing and walking for 2 hours. The guide was very knowledgeable and informative about Charleston. It is a worthwhile tour. I am so glad we did it.”

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12.Charleston Haunted Jail Night-Time Walking Tour with Admission to Old City Jail

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 570 reviews · from $40

Enter Charleston’s Old City Jail after dark for a 45-minute guided walk through cells, corridors, and rooms tied to infamous prisoners. Guides such as Sarah and Jerry mix local history with ghost stories about Lavinia and John Fisher, alleged poisoners whose spirits are said to remain. Admission is included, with groups capped at 20 people.

“The tour was super short and not at all scary. The guide talked the entire time, told stories to try and make it seem scary. Just really let down. Sad because I had heard such great things!!”

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13.Charleston Ghost & Dungeon Night-Time Walking Tour with Entry to Provost Dungeon

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 479 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Walk Charleston at night with Bulldog Tours, stopping for about 20 minutes inside the pre-Revolutionary Provost Dungeon. Guides such as Mo, Jack, Zoe, and Kevin have led especially lively tours, blending ghost stories, colonial history, voodoo, and Lowcountry superstition. Expect a leisurely but fairly long walk, a small group of up to 20, and two evening departure times.

“Not very entertaining, would have liked to see more than just an alley and building fronts. We literally could have walked down any street and looked at the buildings and googled their history for free! our guide was very nice but did walk extremely way too fast. Parts of our group kept getting left behind after being cut off from other groups and pedestrians.”

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14.Charleston Ghosts of Liberty Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 473 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Walk through central Charleston with guides such as Michael, Scott, Dawson, or Veronica, hearing ghost stories alongside lesser-known history. The 90-minute route begins near Concord Street and Vendue Range, includes the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, and finishes close to the starting point. Family-friendly storytelling keeps the tone spooky without becoming too graphic.

“Informative, had tons of knowledge about the history of the town and interesting events. The guide was a lot of fun and you could tell he really enjoyed being a guide.”

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15.Lost Stories of Black Charleston Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 412 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $39

Join author, historian, educator, and licensed guide Damon Fordham for a two-hour walk through Black Charleston. From Charleston City Market and the Jehu Jones Hotel site to Catfish Row, Mother Emanuel stories, the Old Slave Mart Museum, and Waterfront Park, you’ll hear researched history, personal insight, and occasional music for $39.

“Mr. Fordha is knowledgable, engaging, and a true historian. He is a storyteller and musician. You will get both on this tour - inspiration and music. This is a not to miss tour of your Charleston stay to appreciate and understand this city and state's history.”

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