Private tours in Charleston offer a more intimate experience, whether you are interested in history, food, or even a bit of ghost hunting.
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
Charleston, South Carolina, is a beautiful place to visit, with historic buildings, cobblestone streets, and oodles of history. While there are many tours to choose from in Charleston, taking a private excursion always makes a lot of sense, with smaller groups and often the option to customize the itinerary a little. Private tours in Charleston cover a large range of interests, from history to food, with even some ghost hunting thrown in. Here are five of the best.
Charleston: Private Carriage Ride
With Charleston being one of the USA’s oldest cities, a horse-drawn carriage ride seems like a perfectly fitting way to experience its history. This private carriage tour rolls through the historic downtown district with an expert tour guide, passing by the houses, gardens, mansions, churches, and parks that make the city famous. Your ride for this private tour is a Palmetto vis a vis carriage, with enough space for a small group or family. For an extra special experience, choose the evening option to see the sunset over the city and the city lights coming on. From $345.00 per group up to four.
Book at Getyourguide.com
Charleston in a Nutshell Private Driving Tour
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This private tour is a stress-free way to see historic Charleston, with an air-conditioned full-sized SUV whisking you around the main sights and showing you places that other tours don’t visit. Certified guide Jeff Zimmerman explains the city’s rich history, diverse culture, stately architecture, and green spaces. Highlights along the way are Joe Riley Waterfront Park, with panoramic views of Charleston harbor, the French Quarter where you pass by the historic Dock Street Theatre, and Rainbow Row, Charleston’s most famous landmark. The tour includes a complementary pick-up and drop-off at downtown Charleston locations and free bottled water. At three hours long, it works out good value too, especially if you have a full group. From $385.00 per group up to seven.
Book at Getyourguide.com
Half Day Private Tour throughout Charleston Historic Locations
This tour gets top notch reviews, with visitors saying that the guides were particularly knowledgeable. The tour is three-hours long and included a private, air-conditioned vehicle and free bottled water. The highlights of the trip are The Battery, the defensive seawall along Charleston Harbor White Point Garden, Rainbow Row, the cluster of picturesque houses that are one of the most photographed spots in Charleston, Waterfront Park Pier, and Mount Pleasant Historic District. Anyone booking this tour can choose between heading directly to the meeting point at Charleston Visitor Center or request a pickup. From $175.00.
Book at Viator.com
Phantoms of Charleston: A Ghostly Walking Tour
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If you want to spice up your tour of Charleston and check out the odd graveyard, then this tour is certainly worth a look. It’s a private tour so limited to a group of four, strolling the streets of Charleston accompanied by ghostly tales and spooky stories, all supplied by the local guide. The tour takes you to Powder Magazine, the city’s gunpowder museum, where tales of ghostly apparitions have been reported for years, then its on to eerie halls of the Charleston City Market, where ghostly whispers and strange noises are said to be heard late at night, before heading to the Circular Congregational Church, where ghosts are said to roam the grounds. From $530.47 per group up to four.
Book at Getyourguide.com
Charleston Private Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours
Charleston is not just about historic landmarks and pretty cobblestone streets – there is some great food on offer too. This tour is all about getting a taste for the city’s culinary side, discovering local dishes and learning about the history of Charleston on the way. You’ll get to know Southern foods such as grits, fried oysters, and fried green tomatoes and the culture behind them, including how the African slave trade introduced ingredients to the local diet. The tour sets off from the United States Custom House and includes tastings of several dishes, including chicken bog, benne wafers, she-crab soup, handmade local ice cream and also a secret dish. From $370.00.
Book at Viator.com