By Horse & Carriage -- Old South Carriage, 14 Anson St. (tel. 843/723-9712; www.oldsouthcarriagetours.com), offers narrated horse-drawn-carriage tours through the Historic District daily from 9am to 5pm (Jan–Feb 10am–4pm). A 1-hour carriage tour spans a distance of 2 1/2 miles, covering 30 blocks of the Historic District. The cost is $23 for adults and $15 for children 4 to 11.
By Mule Team -- Palmetto Carriage Works, 8 Guignard St. (tel. 843/723-8145; www.carriagetour.com), uses mule teams instead of the usual horse and carriage for its guided tours of Old Charleston. Tours originate at the Big Red Barn behind the Rainbow Market. The cost is $23 for adults and seniors and $15 for children 4 to 11. It operates daily from 9am to 5pm.
By Boat -- Spiritline Cruises, 360 Concord St., Ste. 201 (tel. 800/789-3678 or 843/722-2628; www.spiritlinecruises.com), offers Harbor and Dinner Cruises. Dinner Cruises run 7 to 9:30pm, boarding at 6:30pm at Patriots Point, with rates $54 per person (Sun–Thurs), or $60 per person (Fri–Sat). Meals are usually pretty good—local farm-to-table produce with live entertainment from local musicians. Harbor Tours are $20, with daily departures March through November from Aquarium Wharf at 360 Concord St. (11am, 1pm) and Patriots Point (3pm). The 90-minute cruise passes the Battery, Charleston Port, Castle Pinckney, Drum Island, Fort Sumter, and the aircraft carrier Yorktown.
Walking Tours -- Charlestonians are proud to talk about the historical quirks of their city, and as such, several tour operators compete for your walking tour business. A well-recommended staple is Charleston Strolls (tel. 843/766-2080; www.charlestonstrolls.com), which conducts a 2-hour walking tour every day beginning at 10am and 2pm (from the Mills House Hotel, 115 Meeting St.), which touches on the salient points of the city’s sometimes bloody history. Tours are $20 per person, or else $10 for ages 7 to 12 (6 and under free).
Another wildly popular guided stroll through old Charleston is the candlelight tour by Ghosts of The South (tel. 843/343-9255; www.charlestonghostsofthesouth.com). It lasts around 80 minutes and costs $20. Departing year-round every night at 8 and 10pm, tours originate at Sheila’s Shamrock Gift Shop, 84c North Market St. As the name suggests, the tour delves into Charleston’s haunted history (hotels, houses, and graveyards), and isn’t really suitable for young children.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
