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10 Best Historic House Tours in Charleston

By Allston McCrady

Charleston's history is central to its experience, and the city's Historic Charleston Foundation, along with several other organizations, maintain several historic homes and properties that will give you a deep dive into the area's background. Here, our list of some of the most informative, professional, and enriching ones to check out.

Joseph Manigault House Arrow

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens Arrow

Heyward-Washington House Arrow

Nathaniel Russell House Arrow

Jessica Puckett

Alex Erdekian

McLeod Plantation Historic Site Arrow

Aiken-Rhett House Arrow

Philip Simmons Foundation Arrow

This is certainly an unusual house museum in Charleston, but it is one absolutely worth visiting. Not only does it provide a pleasing contrast to the grand residences South of Broad, it also tells the story of those whose skills and determination formed the backbone of Charleston’s built environment.

Edmondston-Alston House Arrow

Drayton Hall Arrow

Middleton Place Arrow

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This Is My South

A travel guide to the Southern USA

6 Historic Homes in Charleston You Can Actually Visit

January 3, 2020 By Caroline Eubanks Leave a Comment

Many visitors to Charleston come to see the historic buildings that date back to the early days of the city’s founding. While the plantations along the Ashley River are popular, you can also get a look inside some of the lavish homes downtown.

While many are private residences, some are now house museums in Charleston, run by the Charleston Museum, Historic Charleston Foundation, or through independent trusts. Others are open during the seasonal tours of homes . Add these Charleston house museums to your next trip itinerary.

A Note On Plantations:  These homes have a dark history that shouldn’t be ignored. Only you can decide whether this is something you’re interested in doing. Read  this post  for more perspectives on both sides of the debate.

This post contains affiliate links.

Charleston House Tours and Tickets

Each of these homes has its own ticketing process, but you can also purchase combination tickets. For example, the Heyward-Washington and Joseph Manigault houses have combined tickets with the Charleston Museum .

You can also get entry during promotions for Charleston’s Museum Mile like Mile Month. The TourPass Charleston also provides entry into many of these homes at one price. And tours like Charleston’s Alleys and Hidden Passages give a glimpse into the streets behind the famous mansions.

Historic Charleston House Museums

Aiken-rhett house.

The Aiken-Rhett House was built in 1820 in what is now the Mazyck-Wraggborough neighborhood of Charleston for merchant John Robinson.

It was later acquired by William Aiken Sr., a railroad magnate, who passed it on to his son William Aiken, Jr., who was later the South Carolina governor.

Aiken Jr. and his wife expanded the home in the 1830s and it continued to pass down through his family for over 140 years. Around 1975, it was sold to the Charleston Museum and it subsequently opened as a museum. The Historic Charleston Foundation now oversees it.

The Aikens owned slaves and their stories are told on the tours. Among the outbuildings are a kitchen, the original slave quarters, and a carriage block. A number of the original furnishings also survive.

Tickets are $12 for adults and can be purchased in combination with tickets to the Nathaniel Russell House. Tours are self-guided and offered daily from 10 am to 5 pm. The Aiken-Rhett House is located at 48 Elizabeth Street, a short walk from the visitor’s center.

Calhoun Mansion

The Calhoun Mansion was built in 1873 for businessman George W. Williams in the Victorian style. It was constructed with over 30 rooms and a large ballroom.

After Williams’ death, it was inherited by his son-in-law Patrick Calhoun, the grandson of statesman John C. Calhoun. In 1914, it operated as a hotel and in 1932, portions of the property were subdivided. In 1976, it was purchased and restored.

In 2004, it began operating as a museum. It’s also been used in films like North and South and The Notebook . It is decorated in the Gilded Age style and contains artifacts from the period.

Tickets are $17 for adults while children under 11 are free. Tours are held from 11 am to 5 pm every half hour, lasting around 30 minutes. The Calhoun Mansion is located at 16 Meeting Street near The Battery.

Visit the home on the High Society of Charleston tour , which ends at the Calhoun Mansion.

Edmonston-Alston House

The Edmonston-Alston House was built in 1825 for Scottish immigrant Charles Edmondston on the ruins of a fort alongside a sea wall. The modified single house was purchased by rice planter Charles Alston in 1838 and the third story was added.

A number of the Alston family details still remain, including the family crest on the rooftop railing and the dining room table. There are brief mentions of the enslaved people that lived here but the focus is on the high society family.

On the brink of the Civil War, General P.G.T. Beauregard watched from the house as shots were fired from Fort Sumter. The home later passed to Alston’s daughter Susan, who then gave it to cousin Henry Augustus Middleton Smith in 1922. It became a museum in 1973, operated by Middleton Place Plantation. It was recently featured on Outer Banks .

Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and children and combination tickets are available with Middleton Place. Tours are held on Sunday and Monday from 1 to 4:30 pm and Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4:30 pm and last 30 minutes. The Edmonston-Alston House is located at 21 East Battery.

Get your Edmondston-Alston House Admission before you go or book a spot on The Edmonston-Alston House Walking Tour .

Heyward-Washington House

The Heyward-Washington House was built in 1772 for Thomas Heyward, Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. George Washington was even hosted here during his 1791 tour.

Heyward and his family lived here until 1794 and his descendant, DuBose Heyward, wrote the novel Porgy that George Gershwin developed into Porgy and Bess .

He sold it to the Grimke family in 1794 and it became home to soldier John and his family, including daughters, and future suffragettes and abolitionists, Sarah and Angeline. The home was purchased by the Charleston Museum in 1929 and opened in 1930 as the city’s first historic house museum.

Among the pieces of Charleston-made furnishings in the house is the Holmes Bookcase, a fine example of colonial furniture. There’s also a 1740s kitchen building and formal gardens.

Tickets are $12 and combination tickets are available with the Charleston Museum and the Joseph Manigault House. Tours are offered Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 12 to 5 pm. The Heyward-Washington House is located at 87 Church Street, a block from the Nathaniel Russell House.

Visit this home on the Lost Stories of Black Charleston Walking Tour , but entry is not included.

Joseph Manigault House

The Joseph Manigault House was built in 1803 in the Adams style and designed by brother Gabriel Manigault. Joseph was a wealthy rice planter and French Huguenot who came to America to escape religious persecution. He inherited many plantations and hundreds of slaves from his grandfather, securing his wealth.

It contains intact outbuildings like the kitchen and slave quarters, stable, and privy as well as fine furniture from Europe and beyond. The dramatic staircase is another incredible feature.

After Manigault’s death, the home was sold in 1852 to George N. Reynolds Jr. before passing to John S. Riggs in 1864. By 1920, the home was slated for demolition, but a group of locals formed the Preservation Society of Charleston to save it. The Charleston Museum purchased it in 1933.

Tickets are $12 and combination tickets are available with the Charleston Museum and the Heyward-Washington House. Tours are offered Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 12 to 5 pm. The Joseph Manigault House is located at 350 Meeting Street alongside the Charleston Museum.

Visit on the Historic City and Southern Mansion Combo Tour .

Nathaniel Russell House

The Nathaniel Russell House was built in 1808 for slave trader and merchant Nathaniel Russell in Neoclassical design. The townhouse was home to Russell, his wife, two daughters, and likely eighteen slaves to run the household.

Russell wanted only the finest home and had a number of architectural details installed like elaborate plasterwork, heart pine floors, formal gardens, and a grand three-story cantilevered staircase.

In 1857, it was purchased by Robert Allston, governor of South Carolina, and he lived there until his death. From 1870 to 1905, it operated as a boarding school before again becoming a private residence.

In 1955, the Historic Charleston Foundation was created to save the property. It remains one of the best house museums in Charleston.

Tickets are $12 for adults and can be purchased in combination with tickets to the Aiken-Rhett House. Tours are offered daily from 10 am to 5 pm and are led by docents. The Nathaniel Russell House is located at 51 Meeting Street, around the corner from Rainbow Row.

Visit the home on the Badass Broads of Charleston tour , which ends at the house.

Looking for a place to stay during your trip to Charleston’s house museums? The Wentworth Mansion and the John Rutledge House Inn are both historic homes turned inns with modern amenities like daily breakfast and WiFi.

About Caroline Eubanks

Caroline Eubanks is the editor of this website, a Lowell Thomas award-winning travel writer, and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. Her stories from the South have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Afar, Thrillist, Roads and Kingdoms, and BBC Travel.

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Home › Things To Do › Historic Houses

Charleston Historic Home Tours

Charleston has many dozens of historically-significant properties, the great majority of which are privately owned and occupied and not open to the public.

Several of the city’s most important historic homes, however, are operated as historic house museums, allowing a view into the lives of some of Charleston’s wealthiest residents – and the people they enslaved – in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Most of the houses offer guided tours of around 30-40 minutes duration, usually discussing the history of the house, its occupants and architecture. If you expect to want to visit more than one historic house museum during your visit, look out for combination tickets, which offer admission to two or more properties at a discounted rate.

See also: – Museums in Charleston – Plantations near Charleston – Other things to do in Charleston – Things to do near Charleston – Charleston events and festivals by month: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Historic Charleston Foundation’s House Tours

Aiken-rhett house.

48 Elizabeth Street, 843-723-1159

The Aiken-Rhett House, constructed by William Aiken around 1820, remained in the hands of a single family and its descendants for a century and a half. Preserved rather than restored, the house offers an insight into the decline in fortunes of its owners in the years since the Civil War.

Unusually among Charleston’s historic house museums, the Aiken-Rhett House has retained its enslaved people’s quarters and other outbuildings, including stables and kitchens, portraying the other side of life in one of the city’s great antebellum houses.

Self-guided app-based audio tours of the house are made at your own pace, and will usually take around 45 minutes. Combination tickets including admission to the Nathaniel Russell House are available.

Open daily. Adults $15, children (6-16) $7. More details

Nathaniel Russell House

51 Meeting Street, 843-724-8481

The Nathaniel Russell House is considered to be one of the best Neoclassical townhouses in the country, constructed for a wealthy Rhode Island merchant who established himself in Charleston in the mid-18th century.

The house, with formal gardens, is restored to its appearance in 1808. It is furnished with objects of fine and decorative art from the 18th and 19th centuries, including several items owned by the family, and others created in Charleston.

Tours take around 30 minutes, and discuss the lives of family members and the people they enslaved as domestic staff, and the process of restoring the home. Combination tickets allowing admission to the Aiken-Rhett House as well are available for a discount.

Charleston Museum’s House Tours

Heyward-washington house.

87 Church Street, 843-722-2996

The Heyward-Washington House, built in 1772, is one of the oldest surviving residences in Charleston.

It is named for two of the house’s most distinguished occupants: Thomas Heyward, Jr, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington, who rented the home during a week-long stay in the city as part of his 1791 tour of the South.

Beautiful antique Charleston-made furniture, formal gardens and an 18th-century kitchen building are among the highlights of tours of this historic house. Combination tickets offering discounted admission to the Charleston Museum and/or the Joseph Manigault House are also available.

Open daily. Adults $12, youth (13-17) $10, children (3-12) $5. More details

Joseph Manigault House

350 Meeting Street, 843-722-2996

The Joseph Manigault House, built in 1803, is an excellent example of the Federal style of architecture, formerly owned by one of Charleston’s wealthiest rice planting enslaving families, the Manigaults, descended from a group of French Huguenots who settled the city in the late 17th century.

The restored property features early-19th-century and other antique furniture from the collection of the Charleston Museum, with gardens too restored to the style of the period.

Tours of the house take around 30 minutes, and focus on the history of the family and architecture of the house, in the context of the social history of the period. Combination tickets to see the Heyward-Washington House and/or the Charleston Museum as well are available at a discount.

Charleston’s Other Historic Home Tours

Edmondston-alston house.

21 East Battery, 843-722-7171

The Edmondston-Alston House was built in 1825 by Scottish merchant Charles Edmondston. The house was one of the first of the grand houses to be erected along what is now the city’s East Battery, commanding fine views over the Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter.

Edmondston lost the house in the panic of 1837, with some alterations to the Federal-style home undertaken by new owner Charles Alston. It remains to this day in the hands of his descendants.

30-minute tours visit the Edmondston-Alston House’s public rooms and piazzas. Combination tickets with the Middleton Plantation, who manage tours of the house, are available.

Open Monday-Saturday. Adults $15, children and students $10. More details

Williams Mansion

16 Meeting Street, 843-722-8205

The Williams Mansion (formerly known as the Calhoun Mansion) was built by George Williams in 1876, and is regarded as one of the finest postbellum houses on the East Coast. It is the largest historic private residence in Charleston.

The Williams Mansion is still occupied by its current owner, who has filled the house to the brim with an eclectic mixture of furnishings, paintings and objects from all periods and corners of the world.

The basic tour of the house takes about 25-35 minutes, seeing several of its rooms and discussing the history of the home and its antiques. An alternative longer tour visits the entire mansion and its cupola.

Open daily. Basic tour $17 per person, children under 12 free. More details

© Melanie K Jones 2024

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Whether it's your first visit or one of many, Drayton Hall's ongoing research into the people, places, and events of its past promises there will always be something new to discover.

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Drayton Hall's main house, galleries and landscape are open to the public Wednesday through Monday weekly. Drayton Hall is CLOSED on Tuesdays. Register online in advance or buy tickets at the gate. Please note: The gate will accept no cash transactions.

Attending in a large tour group? Let us coordinate professional, tailored tours for groups of every size, customized to your interests.

House Tours (All-inclusive)

Drayton Hall's main house and landscape are open to the public Wednesday through Monday weekly. CLOSED on Tuesdays. Save $3 by registering online in advance. Tickets are available at the gate but the gate will accept no cash transactions. One-hour guided house tour is available each open day at 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Drayton Hall is Condé Nast Traveler's Best Place to See in South Carolina All-Inclusive Tickets $29 per person online/ $32 per person on-site $15 youth (ages 7-15) online/ $18 on-site Children under 7 are free

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Grounds & Galleries

Drayton Hall's Grounds & Galleries ticket includes visitation to the Stephen & Laura Gates Gallery, the Caretaker's House, the Stephen J. Wood Conservation Laboratory, and the African American Cemetery. The Grounds & Galleries ticket also includes our new landscape audio tour titled; Within the Garden: Exploring Outside the Main House.

What's Included

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust's collections are on public display at the estate for the first time in history.

The Gates Gallery includes rotating exhibitions of decorative arts objects that once belonged to the Drayton family, archaeological artifacts related to the estate and its inhabitants, as well as archival materials and architectural fragments.

Founded in 1738, Drayton Hall is the nation’s earliest example of fully executed Palladian architecture and the oldest preserved plantation house in America still open to the public.

Because of our preservation philosophy, all imperfections and changes over time have survived to the present. Your visit starts with a brief orientation film, then you’ll begin an interpreter led tour of the main house at Drayton Hall. You'll be guided through the cellar, the first, and the second floors of Drayton Hall. After the interpreter led tour, you are encouraged to explore the landscape, the Caretaker's House Exhibit in the Richard and Jill Almeida Gallery, the Stephen F. and Laura D. Gates Gallery, the Lenhardt Garden, the Stephen J. Wood Conservation Laboratory and the African American Cemetery at your own pace.

The earliest surviving record describes its use as a burying ground and dates from about 1790, indicating this sacred ground may be even older. In keeping with the wishes of Richmond Bowens, a descendant of the enslaved at Drayton Hall, the cemetery has been left natural, not manicured or planted with grass or decorative shrubs.

Take a leisurely walk around the grounds to explore the gardens and natural features of Drayton Hall. Enjoy the self-paced Within the Garden: Exploring Outside The Main House, landscape audio tour.

See layers of history carefully preserved on the 125 acres that surround the main house: the central axis and clear view to the Ashley River, planned by John Drayton over 285 years ago; Richmond Bowens’ camellia; the Historic Lawn & Gardens; the site of the former garden house or the 18th-century live oaks which continue to provide the structure to the Drayton estate.

Take a leisurely walk around the estate’s grounds to explore the gardens and natural features of Drayton Hall. Enjoy the self-paced Within the Garden: Exploring Outside The Main House, landscape audio tour.

See layers of history carefully preserved on the 125 acres that surround the main house: the central axis and clear view to the Ashley River, planned by John Drayton over 285 years ago; Richmond Bowens’ camellia; the Historic Lawn & Gardens; the site of the former garden house or the 18th-century live oaks which continue to provide the structure to the Drayton estate. This tour will take approximately 45 minutes.

This state-of-the-art facility will give guests a unique hands-on experience with Drayton Hall’s archaeology and preservation teams. In this shared space, preservationists will work on the conservation of architectural materials and artifacts uncovered during current archaeological excavations which will be brought back to the laboratory for processing allowing visitors to witness the cleaning, mending and conservation in real time. Studying Drayton Hall through the archaeological record is one of the most valuable ways we can continue to preserve and advance our historical understanding of this important landmark

Anchoring the Sally Reahard Visitor Center experience, the Lenhardt Garden surrounds a 200-year-old oak tree.

The garden's plantings are historically inspired, with horticultural specimens related to John Drayton's botanical lists. The courtyard has a selection of benches to best enjoy the seasonal flora and fauna.

The exhibit in the caretaker’s house highlights the post-Civil War period and the 20th century at Drayton Hall. Learn about the African American community that formed because of the phosphate mining industry and kept the property alive for 100 years after the Civil War.

Constructed in 1870, the caretaker’s house was built for a caretaker to watch over the main house and grounds while phosphate was mined on the property. The house has been rehabilitated to serve as a conditioned exhibit space, creating opportunities to see layers of its construction and decorative materials.

Discover professional, tailored tours for your group at Drayton Hall

We offer a full range of options for groups of varying sizes, ages and interests – including professionally guided house tours, an interactive program on African American history, standards-based K-12 educational programming and packages with some of Charleston’s premier historic sites.

Drayton Hall offers a full range of options for groups of varying sizes and interests. Whether your group is interested in architecture, decorative arts, the Revolutionary War or African American history, we will work with you to craft an unforgettable experience.

Drayton Hall offers a host of curriculum-based educational programming for grades K-12, conducted by a professional education staff who helps to bring Drayton Hall’s extensive history to life for students of all ages.

Drayton Hall's event venues make a stunning setting for gatherings of all sizes.

Drayton Hall’s new McDaniel Pavilion, facing Drayton Hall’s Main House on one side and the Lenhardt Ornamental Garden on the other is a stunning and beautiful Lowcountry Charleston location for corporate meetings, events, and retreats. This inviting facility, conceived by Glenn Keyes Architecture is the premiere corporate event venue facility in Charleston. For smaller meetings and gatherings, Drayton Hall’s Kennedy Library is another stunning spot available for groups of up to eight people. Catering is available for all events. Drayton Hall does not accommodate wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions, bridal portraits, or proposals.

Event Inquiry

Drayton Hall is a short, 13-mile drive from downtown Charleston. We're open Wednesday through Monday weekly, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

3380 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414 Parking is always free at Drayton Hall.

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(843) 769-2600 info@draytonhall.org

3380 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414

Drayton Hall's main house and landscape are open to the public daily from 9 am to 5:00pm* (gate closes at 3:30 pm). The gate will accept no cash transactions.

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A Historic Charleston Residence Rediscovers Its Youth—and, Yes, It Still Has Swag-and-Tail Curtains

Its cypress-paneled drawing room is considered one of the most distinguished 18th-century rooms in America.

Not every home jumps off the curb to embrace you. But the Branford-Horry House, with its sidewalk-hugging columns outstretched to the edge of Meeting Street in Charleston, South Carolina, has never been shy.

Since about 1751 she’s stood here, a Georgian beauty proudly face forward on a prominent corner, while many neighboring Charleston Single Houses demurely glance to the side. Her extroverted architecture—three stories of stuccoed brick with those columns supporting double piazzas (from an 1820s Regency-style addition)—projects a warm hospitality, or at least it did to Sarah Rose Johnson.

“I grew up in a house very much like this—a central hall with a pair of rooms flanking either side,” says Johnson, who was raised a few blocks away and was moving back to her hometown from New York City, now with her husband, James, and son, Henry, in tow. Like most locals she was familiar with this National Register property: Its prime location and hovering-over-the-sidewalk presence make it unique among Charleston’s beautiful old homes.

As a passerby “I’d always loved it,” she says, and as soon as she walked in with her real estate agent and “took maybe six steps from the front door to the stairwell, I knew, This is it,” before looking at the rest of the house. Thanks to Johnson’s passion for preservation and a previous internship with Jayne Design Studio in New York, her instincts were well honed.

Look Inside this Historic Charleston Home

The home’s generously proportioned rooms crowned with pristine period molding, original Delft tile fireplaces with handsome mantels, and standout cypress-paneled drawing room—considered “one of the most distinguished 18th-century rooms in America,” according to the home’s historical marker—all appealed to her classical tastes.

“I loved the Georgian pureness,” says Johnson. But she also wanted to temper the formality. As a child, “I was rarely allowed on my parents’ silk sofas,” she says. “That’s not going to work for us. We’ve got a dog and a six-year-old who loves dinosaurs. I want to host kids’ birthday parties and not worry.”

Which isn’t to say Johnson didn’t appreciate her parents’ sense of style. In fact, she turned to their decorator and her former boss, Thomas Jayne, and senior designer William Cullum to help her infuse this manse with youthful energy.

“I remember decorating Sarah’s childhood bedroom with orange geraniums on white chintz,” says Jayne, laughing. “She shares our firm’s reverence for history, yet we both also believe that tradition is now, that traditional aspects can be brought forward in a contemporary way.”

Sure, antiques are grand, but so is a custom Soane Britain rattan table topped with a splashy turquoise planter as the drawing room’s centerpiece. Draperies in that room echo period styles, but textile historian Natalie Larson crafted them out of sheer fabric “so we get that historic silhouette but plenty of sunlight,” says Cullum, who led the design process, drawing on his extensive local knowledge having studied historic preservation at the College of Charleston and interned with Historic Charleston Foundation.

“Sarah wanted a happy, relaxed house, where every room is used,” he says, noting that protective interior easements limited what could be altered. Plus there was his client’s stipulation: no ornate chandeliers.

Instead lanterns from Charleston’s Urban Electric Co. anchor the entry hall and kitchen, while in the two front rooms, gilt metal chandeliers commissioned from Howe London “have the implied geometry and volume of Victorian gasoliers but in contemporary form.”

Upstairs, a gem-colored rug indirectly inspired by 19th-century examples from much more informal spaces lends a kick-your-shoes-off feel to the noble drawing room, where Audubon prints add personality (and nod to the renowned painter who had deep connections here) and an antique dolphin-footed card table—an auction find—evokes one by the same maker in the nearby Aiken-Rhett House museum , which Cullum knew well from his childhood in South Carolina. These rare tables were crafted for the sophisticated Charleston market, he explains, “so bringing it home here is perfect.”

And then there’s the portrait above the mantel, overlooking this exquisite cypress time machine. “That’s Elizabeth Savage Branford,” says Johnson of her many-generations-removed relative who inherited the property from an uncle and built the home with her husband, William Branford.

Though the portrait had been in the family, “I had no idea of the connection until recently,” says Johnson. “Now she’s come home.”

As, indeed, has Johnson. Cullum grins. “It’s the most Charleston thing ever.”

VERANDA Magazine

Featured in our January/February 2024 issue. Interior Design by Jayne Design Studio; P hotography by Brie Williams; Styling by Frances Bailey; Written by Stephanie Hunt.

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32 Best Tours In Charleston SC in 2024

Welcome to the charming city of Charleston, South Carolina which I have made my home since 2007. Living here as long as I have, I have had the opportunity to take a lot of tours of The Holy City. I have compiled a list of the best tours in Charleston SC to help you find the perfect one.

Charleston is renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning architecture, making it the perfect destination for an unforgettable tour experience.

From ghostly excursions through haunted alleyways to strolls along picturesque houses, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this captivating city.

With so many tours to choose from, you’ll have the opportunity to delve into the fascinating history of this coastal city and uncover hidden gems that will leave you in awe. Whether you’re a visitor exploring Charleston for the first time or a local looking for new adventures, you’re in for a treat.

So, grab your walking shoes, bring your sense of adventure, and get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart and soul of Charleston, South Carolina.

Best Tours In Charleston SC: Quick Picks

Are you in a hurry? Here is a quick list of some of the best tours in Charleston SC to get you started.

Walking Tour- The Best Of Charleston: History, Culture, and Architecture Tour

Ghost Tour – Charleston Ghost & Graveyard Night-Time Guided Walking Tour

Food Tour – Charleston Food Tour

Carriage Tour – Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston

Outer Banks Netflix Show – Outer Banks Film Locations Tour

Best Walking Tours In Charleston SC

I have found that Charleston is an amazing city to walk around and explore. The historic downtown area is not too big and you can easily walk around and see everything you want. Because the peninsula is small and walkable, it makes it perfect for amazing walking tours.

There are many different walking tours to take in Charleston. Most tours, that are walking tours, will be history-based since Charleston has a rich history . So please put on your comfortable shoes and take in everything that made Charleston what it is today and enjoy these best walking tours in Charleston SC.

1. The Best of Charleston: History, Culture & Architecture Tour

Your guide will meet you at The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon and take you on a journey through the history of Charleston. You will pass by and learn about historic buildings like Dock Street and the Old Slave Mart.

• Get Your Tickets Here For The Best Of Charleston History, Culture & Architecture Tour

2. Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

This 2-hour walking tour will take you around historic Charleston, teaching you about amazing events that happened right under your feet. You will see many of Charleston’s historic sites along with a view of Ft. Sumter in Charleston Harbor.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

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

This is a small-group walking tour that makes this a more personalized experience. Enjoy while you walk through some of the most historic locations in Charleston while being led through some locations that are off the beaten path.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour

4. Charleston Historical Walking Tour With A Professor Of History At The Citadel

Enjoy a tour by a Ph.D. in History who teaches at Charleston’s own Citadel. This is a small-group tour that stops at about a dozen locations to give you a unique learning experience from someone who has spent his life learning about the history of Charleston.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Historic Walking Tour With A Professor Of History At The Citadel

Best Ghost Tours In Charleston SC

I have found in my time in Charleston that almost everyone loves ghost tours. Usually, I am asked by nearly everybody, “Which ghost tour should I take”?

I completely get it too. Charleston is one of the most haunted cities in The United States. There are many different tours to choose from. The majority of the ghost tours are walking tours and will take you all around the historic downtown area.

Ghost tours are some of my favorite tours in Charleston. Here are the ones that I recommend that you should try for the best ghost tours in Charleston SC.

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

Learn all about the dark, grisly history of Charleston in this tour as you stroll through graveyards, historic locations, and spooky corridors in the historic district of Charleston. Learn about the ghosts that haunt these locations and their stories for why they are still here.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Ghost & Graveyard Night-Time Guided Walking Tour

2. Ghosts Of Charleston Night-Time Walking Tour With Unitarian Church Graveyard

Listen to tales of dark deeds from your tour guide as they take you through the heart of the historic district. With this great ghost tour, you will get exclusive after-hours access to the haunted graveyard of the Unitarian Church.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Ghosts Of Charleston Night-Time Walking Tour With Unitarian Church Graveyard

3. Charleston Pirates And Ghosts Tour

A little spin on the traditional ghost tour. Charleston has a rich history of pirates and it blends so well with the haunts and horrors of the haunted Holy City. Learn about ghosts and pirates in this 2-for-1 tour and visit the famous Old City Jail.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Pirates And Ghosts Tour

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

Enjoy this great ghost tour by the popular Pleasing Terrors Podcast host, Mike Brown. This tour will take you throughout the historic district and have you learn about all the ghostly stories that make Charleston one of the most haunted cities in the country.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston’s Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour

Best Food Tours In Charleston SC

Charleston is one of the best culinary hot spots in the country. There are many award-winning chefs in The Holy City’s restaurant scene. Visitors come from all over the world just to enjoy the food scene that Charleston offers.

With so many choices out there of places to go and restaurants to try, food tours are the best way to get an idea of what Charleston has. Come hungry and come ready to taste some of the best food that Charleston gives you. Enjoy the savory selections with these best food tours in Charleston SC.

1. Charleston Food Tour

This amazing food tour takes you around to some of the best restaurants in the historic district. Skip the lines at many of these places to sample the best Southern cuisine in Charleston. Between stops, you will learn more about the city of Charleston as you pass by famous landmarks.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Food Tour

2. Downtown Charleston Food Tour

Enjoy this great food tour as you go to 4 different restaurants taking the amazing flavors that Charleston has to offer. This is a smaller group tour making it more intimate. Taste the food from the French Quarter and Market areas. Bring that sweet tooth because the last stop is to get dessert.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Downtown Charleston Food Tour

3. Savor The Flavors Of Charleston Walking Food Tour

This small-group food tour is hosted by Bulldog Tours, one of Charleston’s best tour companies. They will take you around the historic district giving you a true sampling of Lowcountry food delights. Enjoy staples of Charleston like South Carolina BBQ to stone-ground grits.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Savor The Flavors Of Charleston Walking Food Tour

4. Charleston Farm-To-Table Food Tour And Chef’s Challenge

Enjoy this food tour with a local chef who uses seasonal produce to create some of the best-tasting food that you will have. Take your time to enjoy this farm-to-table experience with a 5+ course meal to leave you happy and fulfilled.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Farm-To-Table Food Tour And Chef’s Challenge

5. Dessert With Death In Charleston

A mixture of two great ideas: dessert and ghosts. Have a blast hearing amazing Charleston ghost stories as you indulge with a 5-course dessert. Make sure to bring your own alcoholic drinks to make the evening even better with this unique food tour.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Dessert With Death In Charleston

6. Sip History In A Secret Speakeasy Cocktail Class

Now one for all you drink lovers out there. During this tour, you will learn about the history of prohibition in Charleston from Tommy “Alchemy” Paul. You will learn how to make prohibition-style classic cocktails and at the end, get to enjoy drinking them as well.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Sip History In A Secret Speakeasy Cocktail Class

Best Carriage Tours In Charleston SC

When you visit Charleston, you will see one of the more iconic ways to take a tour of the city, by horse and carriage. While walking or driving around the historic district, you will notice a lot of carriage tours happening.

To me, hearing the sound of the hooves, with the “click-clat” sound, just takes my mind back to what it was like during the colonial days. The horses, the historic homes, and hearing the stories. It puts it all together for me.

This is one of the most popular ways to tour Charleston. You can sit back and have a tour guide teach you all about the historic locations in these best carriage tours in Charleston SC.

1. Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour Of Historic Charleston

Meet up at the Big Red Barn to get your journey started. You will enjoy a great tour that takes you around the historic district of Charleston. Learn about the history, architecture, and stories that shaped Charleston into what it is today.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Daytime-Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour Of Historic Charleston

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

Enjoy this carriage tour as it takes you through the history of Charleston. You will learn about famous mansions, churches, and historic locations on this 30-block tour. Take in everything Charleston from colonial life to Charleston in The Civil War.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour

3. Private Historic Horse & Carriage Tour Of Charleston

Don’t want to deal with a larger group as you learn about Charleston? Take this private carriage tour. This tour is for 1-4 people as you get a private tour of Charleston to learn about all the historic locations and houses.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Private Historic Horse & Carriage Tour Of Charleston

4. Haunted Evening Horse And Carriage Tour Of Charleston

Take a carriage tour with a spin on it. Enjoy a great tour after the sun goes down and learn the stories that still haunt The Holy City . See and hear about the most haunted locations in Charleston. This tour will take you to graveyards, churches, and even learn about The Provost Dungeon.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Haunted Evening Horse And Carriage Tour Of Charleston

Best Historic House Tours In Charleston SC

Charleston has many amazing historic houses to tour. Many of them are from Charleston’s Gilded Age. You will enjoy touring houses from the styles of Victorian and Antebellum eras. Be in awe of the history of Charleston as you see how the families lived in these amazing historic houses.

Many of these houses will take about 30 minutes to tour through. The best way to see the all is by purchasing a Charleston Tour Pass to save money. Learn all about these unique houses with these best historic house tours in Charleston SC.

• Aiken-Rhett House – 48 Elizabeth St, Charleston, SC 29403
• Heyward-Washington House – 87 Church St, Charleston, SC 29403
• Joseph Manigault House – 350 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403
• Nathaniel Russell House – 51 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
• Get Your Charleston Tour Pass Here And Save Money When Visiting These Historic Houses

Best Boat Tours In Charleston SC

A great way to see Charleston is by boat while on the water . There is just something about the wind in the hair and the salt in the air. Being on the water is one of my favorite things to do in Charleston.

You can see many historic landmarks and houses while you take an amazing trip around Charleston Harbor and the surrounding rivers. If you are lucky, you will get to see dolphins as you do your tours. Get some sun and feel the salt air with the best boat tours in Charleston SC.

1. Charleston Harbor History Day-Time Or Sunset Boat Cruise

Enjoy this boat tour during the day or at sunset as you tour the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor learning about Charleston’s history. You will board and begin your tour at the Charleston Maritime Center. Sit back and enjoy the views from your boat as you learn about Charleston.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Harbor History Day-Time Or Sunset Boat Cruise

2. Private Luxury Sailing Charters, BYOB & Dolphins

This tour is made for a more intimate, smaller group. Take in Charleston as you sail around the harbor in a sailboat. Bring drinks and a picnic to make it a complete experience. You will leave from The City Marina and head out to get some of the best views of Charleston.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Private Luxury Sailing Charters, BYOB & Dolphins

3. Charleston Marsh Eco Boat Cruise With Stop At Morris Island Lighthouse

Take a boat tour that is off the beaten path from the rest. This tour takes you around the beautiful marsh areas of Charleston and starts on Bowens Island. See some of the awe-inspiring views that make The Lowcountry unique. You will stop at the famous Morris Island Lighthouse and see dolphins on this amazing small-group tour.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston Marsh Eco Boat Cruise With Stop At Morris Island Lighthouse

4. 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour In Charleston

Take a completely different style of a boat tour, do it by kayak. Slow down and take in the tidal salt marshes that help make Charleston beautiful. You will get a great chance to get to see many different animals like dolphins and Loggerhead turtles. You will depart from Bowens Island to start your tour. Get your cameras ready to take some amazing photos.

• Get Your Tickets Here For 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour In Charleston

Best Bus Tours In Charleston SC

Charleston is a very walkable city, but if you are not able to walk too far, there are great options to tour the city by bus. Besides a lot of walking, it can also be really hot and humid in the summer months in Charleston. So what better way to tour the city than by an air-conditioned bus?

You will be able to sit back and relax as you are driven around the city taking in all the views and learning from a great tour guide. Take in everything Charleston as you relax with these best bus tours in Charleston SC.

1. Charleston City Sightseeing Bus Tour

Take a great tour in a minibus as you check out some of Charleston’s best sites. Learn about Charleston’s great locations from Rainbow Row to The Battery . Get out of the heat and enjoy a great air-conditioned tour.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Charleston City Sightseeing Bus Tour

2. City Bus Tour With Charleston Museum Admission

Enjoy this great tour that takes you around many great locations like Colonial Lake and Whitepoint Gardens. You will learn all about Charleston’s history and what made Charleston so important in America’s history. With this tour, you will also get an admission ticket to the Charleston Museum.

• Get Your Tickets Here For City Bus Tour With Charleston Museum Admission

3. Sightseeing Bus Tour Of Charleston By Southern Accent Tours

Enjoy this tour that takes you all around Charleston from Fort Sumter National Museum to the Charleston City Market. Beat the heat and enjoy this tour by a guide whose family sailed into Charleston Harbor in 1740.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Sightseeing Bus Tour Of Charleston By Southern Accent Tours

Best Plantation Tours In Charleston SC

Every great trip to Charleston should include a visit to one of the many amazing plantations. With Charleston being in the South, there is a strong history that involves slavery and plantations. Charleston has hit this head-on and displays it very respectfully and educationally.

Enjoy learning about the history of these plantations and the people who worked the land. From house tours to garden tours, every plantation has something for everyone. Come with an open mind to learn as much as can with any of these best plantation tours in Charleston SC.

1. Magnolia Plantation Admission & Tour With Transportation From Charleston

This tour is great for those staying in downtown Charleston as it provides transportation. Enjoy a walking tour of the gardens, a narrated drive to the plantation, a tour of the grounds on a tram, and a great house tour. This plantation has the best gardens. Learn more about Magnolia Plantation HERE .

• Get Your Tickets Here For Magnolia Plantation Admission& Tour With Transportation From Charleston

2. Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour With Transportation From Charleston

Rated at the #1 Plantation in the Charleston area. Take a tractor tour of the grounds at this still-working plantation or tour the house. There are 9 original cabins that slaves lived in that present the history of African Americans in the South. Make sure to enjoy the Gullah Culture Presentation. Learn more about Boone Hall Plantation HERE .

• Get Your Tickets Here For Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour With Transportation From Charleston

3. Middleton Place Admission With Self Guided Tour And Lunch

Enjoy a great tour of Middleton Place, one of the most popular plantations in Charleston. With this tour, you will receive a 3-course lunch at the Middleton Place Restaurant. Get your camera and camera phones ready for picture-perfect photos in the oldest landscaped gardens in America. Learn more about Middleton Place HERE .

• Get Your Tickets Here For Middleton Place Admission With Self Guided Tour And Lunch

Best Unique Tours In Charleston SC

If you are looking to do a tour that is different from “the norm”, try one of these. From seeing one of your favorite show’s locations to some fun day drinking, take one of these best unique tours in Charleston SC.

1. Outer Banks Film Locations Tour

Outer Banks is one of Netflix’s biggest TV shows. Did you know that the majority of it is shot in Charleston? Take this tour to see some of your favorite spots from the show. This is a must if you love Outer Banks.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Outer Banks Film Locations Tour

2. Paranormal Investigation: YOU Are The Ghost Hunter

This is a great spin on the classic ghost tours. With this tour, you are hooked up with and taught how to use the equipment to investigate ghost sightings and hauntings. Head out to some of the most haunted locations and see if you can find any paranormal activity.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Paranormal Investigation: YOU Are The Ghost Hunter

3. Create Your Very Own Custom Perfume Or Cologne In Charleston – Mix And Match

Looking for something really unique to do? You and a small group can get together and make your perfume or cologne in this class. Keep the perfume you make and a certificate of completion as you find the fragrance you have been searching for.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Create Your Very Own Custom Perfume Or Cologne In Charleston – Mix And Match

4. Day Drinking Tour

Day drinking… enough said. It is so much fun to get away with the normal rules when on vacation. Like taking a day drinking tour and sampling great drinks. Enjoy 3 different brewery stops with 4 pours at each stop.

• Get Your Tickets Here For Day Drinking Tour

Get Your Charleston Tour Pass And Save Money

If you are planning on being in Charleston for multiple days and looking to do a lot of tours, take a look at the tours included in the Charleston Tour Pass. I have found that you can save money if you are planning on taking the tours provided.

Charleston Tour Pass has over 45 tours in its package with multi-day options. Save some money and purchase your Charleston Tour Pass.

Get Your Charleston Tour Pass And Save Money On All Your Tours

How To Get Around Charleston SC

Charleston is an easy city to get around. There are plenty of options for you in The Holy City.

• Walking – Charleston is a very walkable city, especially the entire downtown area. The peninsula is not too large, so walking is easy.
• Rideshare – Rideshare is a major part of Charleston with lots of rides available.
• Taxis – Charleston has plenty of taxi options available including Charleston Green Taxi .
• Rickshaw – Downtown Charleston will have a lot of rickshaws available to use. They will get you to just about everywhere in the downtown Charleston area.
• Bikes – The city of Charleston also has invested in bikes that you can rent around the city. It is a great way to get around.

Where To Stay in Charleston SC

Charleston has many great hotel options to stay in while visiting. There are many areas where you can find the perfect hotel for your stay.

You can find great hotels from boutiques to ones with amazing dining options. You will find the perfect room for all that you need.

To find the perfect hotel for you and your location, check out my post below.

• Where To Stay In Charleston SC: Best Hotels And Locations

Get Charleston Bag Valet

Don’t want to haul your luggage all around Charleston while waiting for your flight to leave or for your hotel to be ready? Good News! Charleston Bag Valet will help you out with that. As they say, you explore, they store.

Charleston Bag Valet will pick up your bags curbside anywhere in Charleston and secure each item with a customizable tamper-proof lock. They will store your bags in an insured and secured climate-controlled environment while you explore. When you are ready, they will deliver your bags to you where you want them and when you want them. You can even have them delivered to the airport for your ease.

Get Your Charleston Bag Valet Here And Enjoy Your Time Without Your Bags

Best Tours In Charleston SC: Conclusion

I am sure you will find as I have while living in Charleston, that it is a great city to explore. Charleston truly offers some of the best tours that you can experience.

I have always loved strolling through the historic streets, feeling the stories come to life as you learn about Charleston’s fascinating past. Or picturing yourself surrounded by the beauty of a plantation, imagining what life was like for those who lived there.

One of my favorites is, feeling the excitement as you hear chilling ghost tales and explore haunted locations. And don’t forget to let the gentle waves carry you away on a boat tour, taking in the breathtaking views of Charleston’s coastline. Or sampling some of Charleston’s best flavors in their award-winning restaurants.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to embark on an unforgettable adventure in Charleston. Book your tours and get ready to make memories that will last a lifetime. Don’t miss out on the best tours in Charleston SC – start planning your trip today!

• Find a great flight at a great price through Booking.com They have many options for Flights, Cars, Hotels, and more! Make sure to book your trip today!
• Head over to Amazon.com to get your needed travel items. Pick up the travel backpack that I use for my travels or my post about what to bring for a day hike . Take a look at the items to bring along in a 2-3 day backpacking trip with my post What To Pack In Your Hiking Backpack . Use this or pick up more items that you will need.
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Shaun Hammond is the owner and author of The Traveling Drifter, a travel blog that has a focus on Charleston, South Carolina, Cruising, and Hiking/Backpacking. Shaun is a has lived in Charleston since 2007 and is an expert about the city. He has spent much of his time exploring and discovering Charleston to help travelers and locals get the most out of their Charleston experience.

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Charleston’s historical house museums are a treasure that all should experience when they visit Charleston. Below you’ll find our picks for the top house museums in the city.

Your Guide to Visiting the Top Charleston Historic House Museums

Aiken Rhett House Museum

 Full admission is included with  TourPass Charleston

Self-guided tours. Last tour begins at 4:15 p.m.

History of the House

Built in 1820 by merchant John Robinson, the Aiken-Rhett House is nationally significant as one of the best-preserved townhouse complexes in the nation. Vastly expanded by Governor and Mrs. William Aiken, Jr. in the 1830s and again in the 1850s, the house and its outbuildings include a kitchen, the original slave quarters, carriage block and back lot. The house and its surviving furnishings offer a compelling portrait of urban life in antebellum Charleston, as well as a Southern politician, slaveholder and industrialist. The house spent 142 years in the Aiken family’s hands before being sold to the Charleston Museum and opened as a museum house in 1975.

When the Foundation assumed ownership in 1995, we adopted a preserved-as-found preservation approach, meaning the structure and contents are left in an “as-found” state, including furniture, architecture and finishes that have not been altered since the mid 19th century. The only restored room in the house, the art gallery, showcases paintings and sculpture the Aiken family acquired on their European Grand Tour.

While many dependency buildings in Charleston have been demolished or adapted, the Aiken-Rhett slave quarters – with their original paint, floors and fixtures – survive virtually untouched since the 1850s, allowing visitors the unique chance to better comprehend the every-day realities of the enslaved Africans who lived on-site, maintained the household and catered to the needs of the Aiken family and their guests.

Heyward Washington House

Charleston’s revolutionary war house.

Built in 1772, this Georgian-style double house was the town home of Thomas Heyward, Jr., one of four South Carolina signers of the Declaration of Independence. A patriot leader and artillery officer with the South Carolina militia during the American Revolution, Heyward was captured when the British took Charleston in 1780. He was exiled to St. Augustine, Florida, but was exchanged in 1781. The City rented this house for George Washington’s use during the President’s week-long Charleston stay, in May 1791, and it has traditionally been called the “Heyward-Washington House.” Heyward sold the house in 1794 to John F. Grimke, also a Revolutionary War officer and father of Sarah and Angeline Grimke, the famous abolitionists and suffragettes. It was acquired by the Museum in 1929, opened the following year as Charleston’s first historic house museum, and was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1978. Here you will see a superb collection of historic Charleston-made furniture including the priceless Holmes Bookcase, considered one of the finest examples of American-made colonial furniture. The property also features the only 1740s kitchen building open to the public in Charleston as well as formal gardens featuring plants commonly used in the South Carolina Lowcountry in the late 18th century.

Want to Really Experience Charleston? Buy a TourPass!

Want to save money and visit all that Charleston has to offer? If so, then we recommend purchasing TourPass Charleston. You can purchase a 1-day pass which will more than pay for itself by visiting only 3 attractions. 

Nathaniel Russell House Museum

  Full admission is included with  TourPass Charleston

A National Historic Landmark, the Nathaniel Russell House Museum was built over a five-year period and completed in 1808 by Charleston merchant Nathaniel Russell. The house cost $80,000 to build, at a time when the average value of a home was $262. The homes graceful, free-flying, three-story staircase is an architectural marvel with each cantilevered step supporting the one above and below it.

The graceful interiors with elaborate plasterwork ornamentation, geometrically shaped rooms, formal gardens and collection of 18th-century decorative and fine art speak to the wealth of Charlestons elite in the early days of the American Republic. The homes graceful, free-flying, three-story staircase is an architectural marvel with each cantilevered step supporting the one above and below it.

Restored to its original splendor using forensic analysis and cutting-edge conservation technology by our curatorial staff, we ensure the highest standards of old-world expertise to replicate the finishes, fixtures and textiles appropriate for this 200-year old townhouse.

Because restoration is an ongoing process, visitors have the opportunity to see and learn about the meticulous care, craft and consideration that goes into every detail. The 18 enslaved Africans that lived on and maintained the property during the Russell occupancy are an integral part of the history of this one-of-kind house. An exhibit in the original kitchen house features archaeological artifacts, educational panels and stories of the people vital to the history of this property.

Joseph Manigault House Museum

Charleston’s huguenot house.

A striking spiral staircase accents the impressive central hall, and many of the rooms are restored to their original color schemes. All feature historic pieces from the Museum’s collections including a selection of American, English and French furniture dating to the early 19th century. Outside, a classical Gate Temple overlooks a period garden, and the locations of adjacent historical outbuildings (e.g., kitchen and slave quarters, stable, and privy) are marked with interpretive signs. Descending from French Huguenots who fled religious persecution in Europe in the late 1600s, the Manigaults prospered as rice planters and merchants during the 18th century and became one of South Carolina’s leading families. Joseph Manigault inherited several rice plantations and over two hundred slaves from his grandfather in 1788, and also married well. Arthur Middleton, father of his first wife, Maria Henrietta Middleton, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Following Henrietta’s death, he married Charlotte Drayton, with whom he had eight children. The Charleston Museum purchased the house in 1933, and has preserved and interpreted it ever since.

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St. Augustine Saving Examples

Pro tips for visiting st. augustine.

Pro Tip #1: Hop On Hop Off Trolleys

• If you plan on riding the Hop On Hop Off Trolley you can park for free at the Trolley bus station. If staying in the historic district they will also provide hotel pick-up (call them to schedule). 
• If you want to ride the Hop On Hop Off Trolley for more than 1-day, you can use an additional Featured Tour or we recommend upgrading your 1-day ticket to multiple days when you get there. You’ll have to pay out-of-pocket to upgrade.

Pro Tip #2: Use Maps on Mobile Pass

• Utilize the maps on the Mobile Pass you’ll receive after purchasing Tour Pass (interactive maps, attraction map, Trolley map and parking garage & restroom map). You can use the Mobile Pass for planning to see what’s near attractions of interest.

1-Day Pass Saving Example

Day #1 Example Itinerary

• Choose a total of 2 Featured Tours + Visit as Many Standard Attractions as You Wish for 1-Day.
• The selections below are an example. You can choose whatever you want from the available tours.

Price w/o Tour Pass

Hop On Hop Off Trolley Tour (Featured Tour #1)

Sunset Boat Tour (Featured Tour #2)

MarineLand General Admission (Standard Attraction)

Old Jail Museum Tour (Standard Attraction)

Colonial Experience Tour (Standard Attraction)

Spanish Military Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 1-Day w/o Tour Pass $157.69
• 1-Day Tour Pass Price – $110

1-Day per Person Savings = $47.69

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2-Day Pass Saving Example

Day #2 Example Itinerary

• Choose a total of 3 Featured Tours + Visit as Many Standard Attractions as You Wish for 2-Days.

(Includes Tours from Day 1)

Paranormal Fort Walking Tour (Featured Tour #3)

Oldest Museum Store Experience (Standard Attraction)

Potter’s Wax Museum (Standard Attraction)

Villla Zorayda Museum (Standard Attraction)

St. Aug History Museum (Standard Attraction)

Includes tour cost from day #1 + day #2

• 2-Day Tour Pass Price – $159

2-Day per Person Savings = $90.69

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3-Day Pass Saving Example

Day #3 Example Itinerary

• Choose a total of 4 Featured Tours + Visit as Many Standard Attractions as You Wish for 3-Days.

Ticket Price w/o Tour Pass

(Includes Tours from Day 1 + Day 2)

Ghost & Gravestones Trolley Tour (Featured Tour #4)

Classic Car Museum (Standard Attraction)

Ximenez-Fatio House Museum (Standard Attraction)

Oldest House Museum Complex (Standard Attraction)

Includes tour cost from day #1 + day #2 + day #3

• 3-Day Tour Pass Price – $191

3-Day per Person Savings = $139.14

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Saving Examples

Pro tips for visiting savannah.

• If you plan on riding the Hop On Hop Off Trolley, ride it for 1-day to get familiarized with Savannah, then ride the free DOT Hop On Hop Off Trolley for additional days.
• If you want to ride the narrated or paid Hop On Hop Off Trolley for more than 1-day, you can upgrade your 1-day ticket to multiple days when you get there. You’ll have to pay out-of-pocket to upgrade.
• Park at the Visitor Center: 301 Martin Luther King Blvd.
• Trolley maps are also available on the Mobile Pass.

Savannah Theatre Show Admission (Featured Tour #1)

Hop On Hop Off Trolley (1-day) (Featured Tour #2)

Owens Thomas House & Slave Quarters (Standard Attraction)

Prohibition Museum (Standard Attraction)

Georgia Railroad Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 1-Day w/o Tour Pass $157.68
• 1-Day Tour Pass Price – $119

1-Day per Person Savings = $38.68

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Riverboat Cruise (Featured Tour #3)

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace House (Standard Attraction)

Harper Fowlkes House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Savannah History Museum (Standard Attraction)

Davenport House Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 2-Day Tour Pass Price – $168

2-Day per Person Savings = $83.40

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Guided Bicycle Historical Tour (Featured Tour #4)

Telfair Academy House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum (Standard Attraction)

Old Fort Jackson (Standard Attraction)

Green Meldrim House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Andrew Low House Museum (Standard Attraction)

• 3-Day Tour Pass Price – $218

3-Day per Person Savings = $162.35

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Charleston Saving Examples

Pro tips for visiting charleston.

• Pro Tip #1: Charleston has a free trolley (DASH) that you can ride for downtown transportation. There are 3 routes. All routes intersect at the Visitor’s Center (375 Meeting Street). To switch buses, get off at the Visitor Center and wait for the appropriate bus. We recommend parking here if you intend on riding the trolley.
• Pro Tip #2: Utilize the maps on the Mobile Pass you’ll receive after purchasing Tour Pass (interactive maps, attraction map, Trolley map and parking garage & restroom map). You can use the Mobile Pass for planning to see what’s near attractions of interest.

Carriage Tour Daytime or Haunted (Featured Tour #1)

Schooner Pride Afternoon Sail (Featured Tour #2)

Gibbes Museum of Art (Standard Attraction)

Aiken Rhett House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Charleston Fun Park Voucher (Standard Attraction)

• 1-Day w/o Tour Pass $148
• 1-Day Tour Pass Price – $111

1-Day per Person Savings = $37

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Charleston Harbor Tour (Featured Tour #3)

McLeod Plantation Tour (Standard Attraction)

Charles Towne Landing (Standard Attraction)

Hunley Submarine Tour (Standard Attraction)

• 2-Day Tour Pass Price – $156

2-Day per Person Savings = $91

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History or Ghost Walking Tour (Featured Tour #4)

Nathaniel Russell House Tour (Standard Attraction)

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon (Standard Attraction)

Heyward Washington House Tour (Standard Attraction)

• 3-Day Tour Pass Price – $204

3-Day per Person Savings = $127

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Pass purchases can be refunded (minus 3% credit card processing fees) if requested within thirty-days of purchase date (for unused passes). Optional Trip Protection (5% of total amount) can be purchased at checkout which extends the refund period up to one-year from purchase date. Conditions apply. View full refund policy by clicking button below.

Save $111.40 per person which is 44% off of retail rates with a 3-day pass!

(Examples below are suggestions. You can choose whatever you’d like to do from the available tours/attractions.)

There’s no denying the saving and convenience that Tour Pass offers! Plus you can book your tours in advance with our amazing Mobile Pass that includes maps and detailed attraction information. The more you do the more you save. Imagine how much more you could save with a 4 or 5-day pass!

Pass purchases can be refunded (minus 3% credit card processing fees) if requested within thirty-days of purchase date (for unused passes). Optional Trip Insurance can be purchased for a nominal fee at checkout which extends the refund period up to one-year from purchase date. Conditions apply. View full refund policy by clicking button below.

5 of the Best Charleston Home Tours

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk along the halls of a historic antebellum mansion? Renowned for its unique history and charm, Charleston is home to some of the most beautiful old homes in the South. From national landmarks to private estates overlooking the Battery, the following are some of the best Charleston home tours to add to your bucket list! For even more recommendations about things to see and do in the Holy City, be sure to request access to our complimentary Destination Guide.

Access the Destination Guide

Top 5 charleston home tours in 2019, 1. aiken-rhett house.

Once home to Governor and Mrs. William Aiken, Jr., the Aiken-Rhett house offers a glimpse into the lives of one of South Carolina’s most powerful families. The house was built in 1820, and to this day, it is considered one of the best-preserved townhouse complexes in the country! Self-guided audio tours operate daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. On the tour, you can expect to see incredible architecture, original furnishings, the slave quarters, and so much more. Situated in the heart of downtown, this one is a must-see!

2. Heyward-Washington House

Also known as Charleston’s “Revolutionary War House,” you’ll feel as if you’ve time-traveled to a previous era when you step inside this beautiful Georgian-style brick townhouse. Built in 1772, the home once belonged to Thomas Heyward, Jr., one of four South Carolina signers of the Declaration of Independence. The residence also hosted President George Washington during his week-long stay in Charleston in May of 1791. In 1930, the Heyward-Washington House officially opened as the city’s first historic house museum. Tours run Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m.

3. Nathaniel Russell House

When it comes to Charleston mansion tours, few can compare to the grandeur of the Nathaniel Russell House ! To put it simply, this neoclassical mansion is an architectural masterpiece. Inside, you’ll find elaborate architecture, 18th-century fine art, intricate interiors, and a sweeping three-story grand staircase. Built in 1808, the Nathaniel Russell House cost approximately $80,000 to build. In comparison, the average value of a home during that time period was just $262! Self-guided tours run daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and docent-led tours begin at 10 a.m.

4. Joseph Manigault House

If you’re looking for the best historical home tour in Charleston, SC, the Joseph Manigault House should be at the top of your list! The 1803 structure, which originally housed a family of wealthy rice planters and enslaved African Americans, is now considered one of the most impressive antebellum mansions in Charleston. The house and property feature a beautiful spiral staircase, an array of 19th-century furniture, outbuildings and slave quarters, formal gardens, stables, and more. Admire the incredible architecture while you learn about the lives of Charleston’s renowned Manigault, Middleton, and Drayton families. Tours run Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m.

5. Tour a Private Residence

No matter the season, you can enjoy Charleston home tours year-round! Recognized by the Southeastern Tourism Society as a “Top 20 Event,” the Charleston Home and Garden Tour is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Each spring, visitors are offered the rare chance to view some of the most beautiful privately-owned residences in the Old and Historic Districts.

If you are planning a trip in the fall, make sure to mark your calendar for the Charleston Fall Tour of Homes . On various days in October, locals once again open up their doors to the public for an enchanting Charleston candlelight tour of homes. Are you visiting during Christmas Time ? There’s nothing quite as magical as seeing all of the antebellum homes decked out for the holidays.

Experience Lowcountry Living at Its Finest

After an exciting day of touring the South’s most beautiful houses, come relax and unwind at Andell Inn . With luxurious accommodations , artistic decor, and world-class amenities , our boutique hotel is known as one of the top lodging options in the Charleston area. All of the best home tours, restaurants , spas , art galleries, and shops are just minutes away!

For a truly memorable getaway, we recommend booking a stay in our Presidential Suite. With a spacious open floor plan, King-sized bed, and stunning water view, this private suite has it all. During your stay, you can expect to start off each morning with a delicious breakfast to send you on your way. Then, be sure to check out the incredible artwork in the Great Room and the many galleries located throughout the inn. Are you ready to enjoy all that our beautiful city has to offer? Check our availability and book your stay today. We can’t wait to hear about your favorite Charleston home tours!

March 14 - April 14, 2024

House & garden tours, step beyond the doorways and garden gates of charleston to experience the city's renowned architectural heritage, inside and out. house & garden tours are divided between street tours, splendor tours and glorious gardens tours. .

Street Tours

Each Street Tour is identified by a central and historic street and includes a selection of private homes and gardens to tour. Street Tours include Tradd Street, East Bay Street and new this year, Broad Street. 

Splendor Tours

Architectural splendor and garden splendor tours offer the most exclusive and intimate tours of the charleston festival. expert guides at each magnificent property offer guests a more elevated experience..

Glorious Gardens

Perfect for passionate gardeners, these tours focus on gardens and the landscape architecture of historic charleston. self-paced between properties, each garden includes docents to meet guests around the property., upcoming house & garden tours.

The Garden Club of Charleston, Inc

One of the Oldest Garden Clubs in America

Member Area

Annual House and Garden Tours

March 21-23, 2024.

Thank you for a wonderful tour this year! We’ll see you in 2025!

Become a Sponsor

Your sponsorship allows the Garden Club of Charleston to continue maintaining some of the city’s most visited, historic gardens ; contributes to the club’s annual scholarship ; and helps to fund Camp Wildwood , an annual summer opportunity for youth to discover nature.  

On behalf of the entire Garden Club of Charleston, thank you for your consideration. We look forward to another fantastic House and Garden Tour.

Sponsorship requests should be sent to: [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions About The House & Garden Tours

Please wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes! No high-heeled or kitten-heeled shoes allowed inside these historic homes.

Information about parking and pedi-cabs will be included with the maps and other information which will be sent to you via e-mail a day or two before the date of the tour.

Please wear comfortable shoes, no high-heeled or kitten heeled shoes allowed inside these historic homes. No photography allowed.  There is no handicap accessibility at these private homes.

You may e-mail  [email protected]  with questions

Refunds are given up to 7 days before the start of each day’s event. 

Please come by the Confederate Home Garden, 23 Chalmers Street and show either your printed ticket or your e-ticket on your mobile device and pick up a wristband for entrance to each home/garden on tour.

In an effort to protect the privacy of those whose homes and gardens are on tour, maps and complete instructions about the tour will be sent to ticket buyers via e-mail a day or two before the start of the tour. 

  Restrooms are available at the Confederate Home Garden, as well as at other locations along the tour route. The location of the public restrooms will be noted on the tour map.

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Charleston House and Garden Tour

March 21 - march 23.

The Annual House Charleston House an Garden tour is 88 years in the making. Visitors can tour some of Charleston’s most beautiful private homes and gardens during the 2024 Springtime tour from March 21-23, 2024  Purchase your tickets online to the  2024 Annual House & Gardens Tours   to experience this annual event.

Proceeds for this event go toward the maintenance and upkeep of many of Charleston’s historic houses and gardens.  Purchase tickets online  in advance.

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