Charleston Perspective Walking Tour

5.0 (6 reviews) Charleston, USA
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Duration2h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 12 travelers

Overview

Discover the history, architecture and culture of Charleston with a local guide. We will cover 350 years of history in a 2 hour stroll through the cobblestone streets and alleys of the old walled city district. You will see many historic attractions along the way as we discuss the history from the founding in 1670, religious diversity, wars, fires, hurricanes, Gullah/Geechee Culture, economic swings to current growth and expansion.
Charleston has more than tripled it's population in the last 25 years. Most walking tour and carriage tour guides are "from off", meaning they are new to Charleston. All Charleston Perspective walking tour guides are locals, born and raised in our Lowcountry. We will give you a unique perspective to this centuries old colonial town.

What's included

  • Guided Walking Tour
  • Please bring your water bottle

What to expect

  1. U.S. Custom House
    5m
    We will meet on the steps of the US Custom House located at 200 East Bay Street.
  2. Philadelphia Alley
    10m
    We will walk down Philadelphia Alley and discuss the brick making industry and the enslaved brick masons who built the centuries old structures of Charleston.
  3. St. Philip's Anglican Church
    5m
    We will discuss the religious freedom in Charleston from it's founding in 1670. We will also discuss the history of the founders and the structure.
  4. French Huguenot Church
    5m
    We will discuss the French Huguenot history in Charleston beginning in 1685, and the history and architecture of the structure.
  5. Old Slave Mart Museum
    15m · Admission ticket not included
    We will discuss the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Rice Culture, the Gullah/Geechee culture and the African American history in Charleston, standing outside the structure on Chalmers Street.
  6. 10m · Admission ticket not included
    The People's Building was built in 1911 as a business office to try and rebuild the failing economy in Charleston from the time of the Civil War. It sparked a Preservation Movement to preserve and restore the centuries old structures in Charleston, which is still active today. We will stand outside the building while we talk about the Preservation Movement history.
  7. Pass by
    Oak Steakhouse is a restaurant housed in a historic structure on Broad Street with exposed brick walls and original heart pine flooring. We will pass through Four Post Alley on the west side of the building.
  8. Rainbow Row
    10m
    We will see iconic Rainbow Row and discuss the history of the buildings, the bustling waterfront port and the role of Charleston in the Revolutionary War.
  9. 10m
    Charleston was a walled city from 1680-1725. Recent archaeology has uncovered a massive foundation that still exists beneath the surface of modern day Charleston.
  10. 15m
    We will see the fortifications surrounding Charleston Harbor including Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, Fort Johnson, Fort Moultrie, Fort Wagner, High Battery, Low Battery. We will discuss Charleston during the Civil War.
  11. 10m
    We will pass through Stolls Alley and discuss the role of the Freed men and women in early Charleston history.
  12. Pass by
    First Baptist Church is the Mother Church of the Southern Baptists, founded in 1685. The structure there today was built in 1822 by Robert Mills, first native-born American Architect. He was the architect for the Washington Monument in DC, the Fireproof Building in Charleston, and many other monuments and courthouses up and down the eastern seaboard.
  13. Heyward-Washington House
    Pass by
    The Heyward Washington House is an impressive pre-Revolutionary War museum house. Built in 1771 by Thomas Heyward, signer of the Declaration of Independence. It is flanked by two low rent tenement buildings dating from 1750s and 1780s. The 1780s structure is the setting for the book "Porgy" written by Dubose Heyward in 1925. Gershwin came to Charleston in 1935 and the opera "Porgy and Bess" was created from the book.
  14. 10m
    We will end the tour in the courtyard of 86 Church Street.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

We will meet on the steps of the US Custom House

End point

The tour will end in the courtyard of 86 Church Street.

Additional information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

5.0 (6)
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