Explore Historic Charleston:
Bus, Harbor & Plantation Tours
Charleston, South Carolina is the perfect mixture of Southern charm and rich history. Since its founding over 350 years ago at Albermarle Point (now called Charlestowne Landing) on the Ashley River, later moving to its current peninsular location at the confluence of the Ashley, Cooper and Wando river, Charleston’s historic past has been meticulously preserved. Due to a myriad of preservation efforts, much of Charleston’s history and architectural charm stands true to originality for visitors to view and experience. Whether it’s your first time in the Holy City or you are formally known as local (locals define each other as having 5+ generations of Charlestonians for descendants), there is a lot to see and do. Charleston Tours and Events has fun, entertaining, and informative tour options for you to truly see it all. Come experience Charleston with us by land and sea!
If you are looking to experience multiple tours, our combo tour offerings can help you get the most bang for your buck. Combination tour offerings include Harbor+Bus Tour, Harbor +Carriage Tour, Harbor+Bus+Carriage Tour, Plantation+Bus Tour, and Plantation+Harbor Tour. Both Boone Hall and Magnolia are the available Plantations for combo tours. Combo tours can be spread across multiple days and offer the most savings and flexibility for our guests. We do recommend making reservations in advance and our customer service team stands at the ready 7 days a week starting at 8am to assist you in expert tour planning! Just one call 843-722-1112 is all it takes. You can also book online 24/7.
Daily Narrated Harbor Tours
For a unique perspective, take to the water and enjoy a cruise on Charleston harbor! Charleston Harbor Tours has provided guests with the opportunity to marvel at the majestic coastline for more than 20 years. Board the Carolina Belle, at the Charleston Maritime Center for your 90-minute live narrated tour. Our Harbor of History tour covers over 75 points of interest and 350+ years of history including Revolutionary War and Civil War history. You’ll get views of many of Charleston’s landmarks including Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson, the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, St. Michael’s Church, the stately homes on the Battery, and the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. You may just see a dolphin or two as they love to swim off the bow and play in the wake of the Carolina Belle. On board you can indulge in a full bar, snacks, and soft drinks. If you’d like to enjoy lunch on the water, a gourmet box lunch can be added to your reservation with advanced notice (see below under “Daily Lunch Cruise” for more details). For a truly memorable end of the day, book the sunset tour as sunsets on the water can’t be beat. Sit back, relax, and soak in the picturesque colors as the sun’s final rays of the day dance between the clouds and the sea! Cruises operate rain or shine, and while guests have the option to enjoy the tour from the climate-controlled cabin, the best views are from the deck. We cruise 3-5 times a day depending on the season with our Sunset Harbor Tour being our most popular.
Set Sail on Charleston Harbor
aboard a Tall Ship
Whether you are a seasoned sailor or it’s your first time on the water, sail away with us on Schooner Pride, our 84-foot, three-masted Schooner. Your route within the harbor will be determined by the cool breeze and prevailing winds. Relax on the top side with a cold beer, glass of wine, or soft drink while the crew raises and trims the sails. If you’d like to help crew for the day, feel free to lend them a hand raising and lowering the sails! While this excursion is not narrated, the captain will point out landmarks and points of interest during your sail. If you want to know more about a particular landmark or anything about our ship, just ask the captain and crew as they possess a wealth of information about the harbor and our vessel. Our 90-minute daily sail was christened the “Daytime Dolphin Sail” because during our first couple of seasons, our crew and the guests were seeing dolphins on almost every cruise. There is also a good chance you see a pelican or other sea-faring birds on the hunt for their next meal. We sail 3-5 times a day depending on the season with our 2-hour evening Sunset Sail being our most popular.
Themed Cruises offering Lunch, Brunch, and Dinner and Live Music on the Water
Charleston Tours and Events offers several themed cruises for you to enjoy the best views of Charleston Harbor. Whether it’s lunch aboard a boat, an evening with live music, or weekend brunch, we have you covered for dining and live music on the water!
Daily Lunch Cruise
Enjoy our top-rated, 90-minute harbor tour, coupled with fantastic gourmet boxed lunch. Our Charleston lunch cruise departs twice a day at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Each gourmet deli box lunch includes your choice of sandwich, kettle chips, side broccoli salad, fresh baked chocolate chip cookie, and bottled water. A vegetarian option is also available. The lunch option must be added to your reservation by 8 am on the day of your cruise.
Blues and BBQ
Enjoy live music on the water while dining on some tasty local BBQ! Our 2-hour Blues and BBQ cruise rocks the harbor on Thursday nights and select other dates during spring, summer, and fall with additional nights added around holidays and special events. The term “Blues” is subjective here. We’ve been doing this cruise for over 15 years, and the name of the original concept stuck. Sometimes it’s a blues band and sometimes it’s a rock and roll band playing familiar cover songs, whichever it is, you are sure to have great music, mouthwatering food, and a fantastic time! This Charleston dinner cruise features live music by rotating bands and a delicious BBQ buffet. You’ll enjoy slow-smoked pulled pork, herb-marinated grilled chicken, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and other traditional BBQ sides, all while soaking in stunning sunset views as live music provides the soundtrack of the night. A full bar is available with beer, wine, and cocktails. The only thing that beats waterfront dining, is dining on the water and it’s even better with live music! Blues and BBQ typically departs Thursdays at 7pm.
Brunch Cruises
Kickstart your Saturday by brunching like a king or queen aboard our 11:00 am Charleston Brunch Cruise and enjoy a delicious brunch buffet aboard the Charleston Princess! Indulge in a rotating menu featuring house-baked buttermilk biscuits, smoked bacon, oven-roasted red bliss potatoes, and more while taking in panoramic harbor views. A full bar is available with beer, wine, and cocktails including Bloody Marys and Mimosas! Brunch views don’t get better than this.
Experience the Charm and History of Historic Charleston by Bus
***All bus tours depart from the City of Charleston Visitor’s Center at 375 Meeting Street. Guest pick up is possible with advanced notice from Downtown Hotels and select Mount Pleasant hotels.***
“See it All” City Bus Tours
The best way to start your visit to Charleston is uur 90 minute “See It All” city bus tour offering guests insight into many of Charleston’s most notable historic sites, figures, and events. With a rich history encompassing Colonial America, the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution, the Civil War, slavery, and uprisings of the enslaved, the Civil Rights movement, and modern day preservation efforts, there’s a lot to share. All bus tours include live narration by our seasoned and experienced tour guides who deliver historically accurate information in an entertaining atmosphere. With over 350+ years to cover, you will learn about the people, places, and events that helped to build, define, and shape Charleston, the south, and in some instances the United States of America. Discover iconic landmarks like the beautifully preserved mansions of the Historic District, the pastel-colored homes in Rainbow Row, the vibrant City Market, lush gardens and parks, the Citadel, the College of Charleston, the US Customs House, the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, old graveyards and cemeteries, beautiful fountains, wrought-iron artistry, and tour around the Battery for a photo opportunity with Fort Sumter. No trip to the “Holy City” would be complete without seeing the numerous churches whose steeples dot the skyline. You will learn all about Charleston’s founding upon religious tolerance and see numerous old churches including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and St. Michael’s Church. While we can let customers disembark at the City Market towards the conclusion of the tour, local regulations in Charleston prohibit hop on/hop off bus tours. Let us show you around town so you can “See it All” from the comfort of a climate-controlled bus! We operate 5 tours a day, with departures at 10am, 11am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm.
Plantation Tours
Charleston Tours and Events offers tours to some of Charleston’s most popular and stately plantations. Our current tour offerings include Boone Hall, Magnolia Planation, and Middelton Place. We provide round trip transportation and admission to both Boone Hall and Magnolia and can provide admission to Boone Hall and Middleton Place without transportation.
Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens
Upon entering the grounds at Boone Hall, the first thing you will notice is the stunning Avenue of the Oaks with picturesque Spanish moss hanging from the 300+ year old live oak trees that line the road to the mansion. Originally founded by Englishman Major John Boone in 1681, the plantation continues to operate today and has produced agricultural crops continually for over 320 years. While numerous homes have been built on the grounds, the current mansion was built in 1936. Many original structures remain for observation including the enslaved people’s quarters, a smokehouse from the 1750s, and the cotton gin house built in 1850s. Be sure to tour the mansion, stroll the gardens, ride the tram around the working farm, solemnly observe the enslaved people’s quarters, and learn about Gullah culture with an informative lecture by a local Gullah descendant at the Gullah Theater. The Butterfly Café serves snacks, beverages, sandwiches, hot dogs (we firmly believe a hot dog is not a sandwich), and BBQ sandwiches. You can eat inside the café or dine at their many picnic tables. Don’t forget to stop by the Boone Hall Farms Roadside Produce Stand for fresh produce from their farm and agricultural partners. If the house and grounds look familiar, you probably recognize it from the movie “The Notebook” or from the mid 80’s TV mini-series North and South. We operate two bus tours a day to Boone Hall at 10:30am and 1pm. Total tour duration is approximately 4.5 hours.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
One of the oldest plantations in the South and the first public gardens in America, Magnolia Plantation is located on the Ashely River just outside of Charleston. The plantation dates to 1679 and still remains in control of the Drayton family who first built a house and garden on the present-day grounds. While you are there, stroll through the beautiful grounds and garden walking trails amidst centuries-old live oaks and other native and non-native plant species. Scan for wildlife from atop the observation deck or visit the wildlife center for an assured encounter. Continue to the Audubon Swamp Garden with its 13 acres of scenic boardwalk that takes you through a wildlife sanctuary. The Swamp Garden used to serve as the reservoir for the planation’s rice cultivation and is the inspiration for the swamp in the movie “Shrek.” No trip to Magnolia is complete without experiencing one or more of their guided tours including the Magnolia House Tour, the Nature Train Tour, Discovery Tour, From Slavery to Freedom Tour, or the Wildlife Boat Tour (the Wildlife Boat tour is seasonal, and a ticket must be purchased on-site). After a long day hiking through the scenic grounds, rest your legs at their Peacock Café and enjoy a sandwich, soup, or salad. The boiled peanuts are a must try! Wash them down with a local craft beer or glass of wine. We operate a daily tour departing at 10am. Total tour duration is approximately 4.5 hours
Middleton Place
Middelton Place is a plantation located along the banks of the Ashley River about 15 miles from downtown Charleston. It is believed that the Middleton family started building on the site in the late 1730s and within a decade or two, work began on the precursor to the magnificent gardens seen here today. A large portion of the original house was burned towards the end of the Civil War and the 1886 Charleston Earthquake caused the rest of the standing structure to topple. Some ruins of the original house are still visible. In 1915, the property was inherited by a descendant of the Middleton family. Shortly thereafter, restoration of the gardens began, and they were opened to the public in the late 1920s. Today, the site is a National Historic Landmark District with breathtaking gardens. Much of the 6000 acres is forest protected from development. While there, you will have access to 65 acres of landscaped gardens to explore, exhibits and displays about 18th and 19th century plantation life, including learning how the skilled enslaved artisans made tools, pottery, clothing and tended to the livestock. Some of the livestock that calls Middleton home today, would have also been present there throughout the 18th and 19th century. The property also contains a hotel and restaurant. The restaurant, know simply as the “The Restaurant at Middleton Place” serves a seasonal take on low-country cuisine and offers Lunch (Mon-Sat), Dinner (Tues-Sat), and Sunday brunch.
Day Trips to Charleston from Myrtle Beach
If you are visiting Myrtle Beach and looking to explore the charm of Charleston for a day, we have you covered with our day trips to Charleston packages. We offer 3 different packages, all including round-trip transportation from centralized pickup points in Myrtle Beach and at various Myrtle Beach Hotels along North and South Ocean Blvd. We operate tours Monday-Friday with pickups starting at 6:30am, departing Myrtle Beach by 7am and returning to Myrtle Beach at approximately 6:30pm.
Tour #2 includes round transportation only. You’ll arrive roughly one block from the City Market at North Market Street and Concord Street at approximately 9:30am. The time is yours to create your own agenda and explore Charleston how you see fit until you re-board the bus at 3:30 pm. You can add on additional tours from our offerings including our “See it All” City Bus Tours, Harbor Tours, or Carriage Tours.
Tour #5 includes round-trip transportation and a mini-bus tour of Historic Charleston, free time from 10:30am-1pm, and visit to Boone Hall Plantation. For your free time, we recommend exploring the market, having lunch, or browsing the many shops and galleries. At 1pm, you’ll reboard the bus at the original drop-off location and head to Boone Hall Plantation where you’ll have approximately 2.5 hours to enjoy the Plantation offerings (see our section on Boone Hall to learn more). At 4:15pm the bus will depart back to Myrtle beach with an estimated arrival time of 6:30pm.
Tour #7 includes round trip transportation, followed by options of free time, or paid upgrades to either a mini-bus tour of Historic Charleston or a Carriage Tour. At 11am, you’ll reboard the bus for a short ride to your 11:30 am Harbor Tour aboard the Carolina Belle that includes a deli lunch. At the conclusion of your 90-minute Harbor Tour, you’ll head to Boone Hall Plantation where you’ll have approximately 2.5 hours to enjoy the Plantation offerings (see our section on Boone Hall to learn more). At 4:15pm the bus will depart back to Myrtle beach with an estimated arrival time of 6:30pm.
Horse Drawn Carriage Tours
In the Antebellum South and the days of yesteryear, horses and horse drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation for many. That tradition continues today with Horse Drawn Carriage Tours of the historic district being one of the most popular tourist attractions in Charleston. Nothing puts the authenticity of traversing the streets just as people did when many of the buildings and landmarks you’ll learn about were being built. On your 1-hour tour, you’ll explore 25-30 blocks of the historic district. Since the City of Charleston’s lottery system determines which of the five routes is taken on each tour, we can only point out possible landmarks along your route. A few landmarks along the routes you may see are The Battery and White Point Gardens, Rainbow Row, Antebellum Mansions, King Street, the Nathaniel Russel House, the Heyward-Washington House, the Joseph Manigault House, the City Market, St. Phillips Church, and the Four Corners of the Law. The horses are well cared for, and city mandates ensure that each horse meets certain health standards and are trained and accustomed to urban environments. The horses are provided with mandatory access to water and rest periods after each tour and horses are removed from operating over certain heat temperatures and heat indexes. Tours operate daily starting at 9:00 am with the final departure at 4 pm or 5pm (seasonally).
Haunted Carriage Tours
Charleston’s long history has seen quite a cast of characters and some of them decided to stick around long after moving on to the afterlife. Once darkness falls, you’ll be led by the clickety-clack of hooves through haunted alleys, pass by unsettling cemeteries, churches, taverns, and other buildings with a supernatural story. The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, also known as the Custom House, is sure to have a spirit or two greet you as you go by. 40-minute Haunted Carriage rides start at 4:30 pm or later based on the season with the last tour departing at 10 pm.
Patriots Point
Patriots Point is a naval history museum located at the mouth of the Cooper River across the harbor from Charleston in Mount Pleasant. It prominently features the USS Yorktown, a World War II era aircraft carrier that also played a role in the recovery of the Apollo 8 command module in 1968. The deck of the Yorktown is dotted with numerous aircraft ranging from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. An F-14A Tomcat, recognizable from the movie “Top Gun” is also on display. Since opening in 1976, numerous ships have also been on display as well as subsequently scrapped or sunk to form a natural reef. The other notable ship today at Patriots Point is the USS Laffey, a destroyer. Make sure you spend time at the Vietnam Experience exhibit which aims to simulate life during war time in Vietnam and features several Vietnam era helicopters, vehicles, artillery, a boat, and other artifacts. Patriots Point is open daily from 10am-5pm.
Charleson Tours and Events also offers numerous experiences around holidays, specials occasions, and local events, always check our website or follow us on social media to find out how we can help you get the most out of your time in Charleston! Happy Touring!
