All Charleston Tours & Excursions in 2025
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Top Attractions in Charleston
Charleston tours introduce visitors to the city’s two biggest draws: its heritage and its harbor. Take in the city highlights with a vintage horse-and-carriage ride, go modern with a tour bus, or slow things down with an expert-led walking itinerary. Alternatively, pair culture with cuisine on a historic district food tour. Once the sun sets, the city’s haunted history comes to the fore with ghost tours and spooky pub crawls. Pair your explorations on land with a harbor excursion, whether it’s a ferry to Fort Sumner or a harbor cruise for daytime sightseeing, sunset drinks and dinner, and wildlife spotting.
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There are lots of Charleston tours that help you experience the Holy City. Looking at recent ratings and reviews, here are the five most popular tours right now:
- Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour
- Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour
- Charleston Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour: Explore Historic Charleston
- Ghosts of Charleston Night-Time Walking Tour with Unitarian Church Graveyard
- Haunted Evening Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston
Yes, Charleston tours are absolutely worth it. Tours are one of the best ways to learn about Charleston’s history—and options like ghost tours, carriage tours, and sightseeing cruises turn any history lesson into a good time. Plus, tours can help you discover the secret gardens and hidden alleyways that give Charleston its allure.
Per one customer who booked the extremely popular Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse and Carriage Tour, “Our tour guide Wendy and valiant steed Arthur were wonder[ful] and very knowledgeable. Wendy made our tour entertaining, pointing out many Charleston landmarks and telling us about the history of the city. I have already recommended this tour to many people.”
Tours start as low as US$8 for a self-guided option. Private excursions, meanwhile, can cost more than US$100, and even more for private cruises and all-inclusive packages. Most tours fall somewhere in the middle. Expect to pay more for tours that include extras like food and drinks, hotel pick-up, or admission tickets.
For a guided tour on the affordable end, consider a tour like Behind the Scenes of Shem Creek Shrimp Walking Tour (from US$23 per person), which includes expert commentary on South Carolina’s shrimping industry and a snack. Unsurprisingly, private yacht charters are on the high end of the price spectrum. This Private Luxury Sunset Cruise on the Sailing Yacht Fate costs US$660 per group, but you’ll have the entire boat to yourself, get local insights from your captain, and enjoy complimentary soft drinks.
Many Charleston tours are focused on the city’s historic downtown, home to sights like the Battery, Rainbow Row, and Charleston City Market. Other tours take you off the peninsula to attractions like Fort Sumter National Monument or Charleston Harbor, where you can view the entire steeple-spotted skyline.
Consider an all-day or half-day tour to visit as many attractions and landmarks as possible. For example, this Charleston Water Taxi Cruise With Dolphin Sighting tour includes stops at some of the city’s top sights, including the South Carolina Aquarium, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Charleston Waterfront Park, and more.
Plan to spend 3–5 days exploring Charleston. Thanks to the city’s small size, you can cover most downtown attractions in just a couple days. Longer trips will give you more time to explore, whether that means heading to nearby beaches, tacking on an extra tour, or enjoying another helping of the city’s famous shrimp and grits.
Late spring (April–May) and early fall (September–October) are great times to visit Charleston, when the weather is mild and rain is unlikely. Charleston winters typically stay above freezing and offer fewer crowds, but some experiences like kayaking tours and cruises might not be available. If you visit in the summer, expect high temperatures, humidity, and afternoon cloud bursts.
According to travelers, these are the best attractions in Charleston:
- Fort Sumter National Monument
- The Battery and White Point Garden
- Charleston City Market
- Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (Cooper River Bridge)
- St. Michael’s Church
View Viator’s guide to all the best attractions in Charleston.
There are tons of great trips to take from Charleston. According to traveler reviews, these are the best day trips to book right now:
- Charleston Eco-Boat Cruise With Stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
- Charleston Water Taxi Cruise With Dolphin Sighting
- Wine Sippin’, Tea Drinkin’, Tree Huggin’ Lowcountry Adventure
- Charleston Winery, Brewery, and Sightseeing Tour
- Boone Hall Plantation Admission and Tour With Transportation From Charleston
View all of Viator’s top Charleston day trips.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great time in Charleston. Here are some of the best Charleston activities under US$25:
There are tons of Charleston activities that you can enjoy in the fresh air. Here are some of the top outdoor tours to book right now:
- Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse and Carriage Tour
- Charleston Eco-Boat Cruise With Stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
- Charleston Harbor Sunset Cruise
- 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston
- Pirates of Charleston: Pirate Adventures and River Cruises
View all of Viator’s top outdoor activities in Charleston.
According to travelers, these are the top museums and cultural attractions in Charleston:
- Fort Sumter National Monument
- Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
- Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center
- Charleston Museum
- Gibbes Museum of Art
View all of Viator’s museum tickets and passes in Charleston.
Couples will find plenty of romantic tours in Charleston. Here are some of the top activities to book now, according to previous travelers:
- Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse and Carriage Tour
- Haunted Evening Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston
- Undiscovered Charleston: Half-Day Food, Wine, and History Tour With Cooking Class
- Private Photo Session in Historic Charleston
- Charleston Harbor History Daytime or Sunset Boat Cruise
View all of Viator’s top romantic tours in Charleston.
Charleston has enough activities to entertain every member of your family. Here are some of the top kid-friendly tours to book now, according to previous travelers:
- Charleston Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour: Explore Historic Charleston
- Pirates of Charleston: Pirate Adventures and River Cruises
- Charleston Harbor History Daytime or Sunset Boat Cruise
- Private Historic Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston
- Charleston Eco-Boat Cruise With Stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
View all of Viator’s top family-friendly tours in Charleston.