What To Do in Charleston. 5 Tours By A Local Expert
I've crafted 5 tours that go beyond the tourist spots. Explore hidden neighborhoods, chat with locals, and experience Charleston's true charm. Perfect for those who want to feel like a Charleston native, if only for a day.
From Forrest Gump to Charleston
I grew up in Ireland in the 90s watching TV shows from New York City, Dallas, and Miami. I thought the US was one big skyscraper-filled metropolis.
Until I saw Forrest Gump. I was suddenly captivated by The South. The accents, the sun, the marsh, and the Spanish moss.I was ready to pack up my worldly goods and move to Savannah.
Charleston Beats Savannah (Sorry, Forrest!)
But then I read a book by Bill Bryson. He said,
“Charleston is about as close to perfect as a city can get. Its streets are a delight, its buildings are wonderfully preserved, and its history feels vividly alive. It's a place where everything seems to align just right. Charleston is an irresistible city, a place so evocative of a different time that you feel as if you’ve walked into a movie set from the Old South."
I booked a flight to Charleston instead.
After my first day in Charleston, I knew I was somewhere special. That was in 1999. I'm still here 25 years later.
5 Insider Tours to Uncover Charleston's Hidden Charm
I have shown hundreds of people around this beautiful city of Charleston, and I've crafted 5 unique tours that reveal the true essence of this historic city. These aren't your typical tourist experiences – they're designed to make you feel like a Charleston local, even if you're just visiting for the weekend.
Why These Tours Are Different
- Connect with Locals: Instead of just snapping photos of old statues, my tours will introduce you to Charleston locals.
- Beyond the Tourist Traps: While we'll cover the must-see attractions, you'll also see the hidden gems that tourists don't usually see.
- Explore Real Neighborhoods: You'll go beyond downtown to see more of Charleston, the areas that make Charleston special.
- Flexible Itineraries: These half-day tours are designed to fit any schedule, mix and match them to create your own Charleston itinerary
The 5 Tours Of Charleston
- The Perfect Charleston Morning - Explore the Historic District
- A Walk Through Local Charleston - Downtown Beyond the Tourist Trail
- Salty Charleston - A day on the water. Crabbing and Scenic Sails
- The Islands of Charleston - Scenic Bridges & Southern Charm
- Charleston Nightlife Guide - Sunsets, Suppers & Spirits
Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned Charleston regular, my tours will give you a fresh perspective on Charleston.
Tour 1. A Perfect Charleston Morning - Explore the Historic District
We'll begin where we all fell in love with Charleston—downtown in the historic district.
Tour 1 Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/mtsAVZ74GQu8Wrsp8
I like to start early when I travel. There's something special about witnessing a city as it wakes up, before it gets busy, when you have places to yourself. It's often locals out walking at this time, and they have time to chat. Ask them for their favorite local spot in Charleston.
1.Charleston Battery - Where History Meets the Harbor
The Charleston Battery is a raised seawall from the 18th century, now serving as a picturesque platform to admire the stunning Charleston Harbor.
The harbor's water is so calm in the mornings. You'll find me walking my dog here every day—it's a lovely way to ease into a busy day.
This natural beauty makes it hard to imagine it was once a place of war.
Confederates fired at Union-held Fort Sumter early on April 12, 1861. The fighting lasted only 34 hours but ignited the American Civil War.
Now, turn around and look behind you. You'll see the most magnificent of Charleston's mansions. The residents of these homes had front-row seats to the fighting. Today, their scariest moment is opening their property tax bill.
2.Chat with the Local Fishermen on the Charleston Battery
Be sure to walk along the west side of the Battery wall. You'll always find locals fishing here. Stop and chat with them—they're usually lifelong Charlestonians with fascinating stories.
This is what traveling is all about—talking to locals and learning about their lives here.
3.White Point Gardens - Spanish Moss & Squirrels in the Heart of Charleston
The park at the Battery is White Point Gardens. You could wake up in the middle of the park and instantly know you're in the South. It's filled with centuries old Live Oak trees, Spanish moss, and my dog's favorite invasive species—squirrels.
Don't rush through Charleston; life moves at a slow pace here. White Point Gardens has been a park since the 18th century. Take a seat and imagine all the lives that have passed through this park.
4.The Colors of Rainbow Row - Charleston's Iconic Street
Next, walk north along the Battery wall and enjoy the scenery. Where the wall ends, you'll encounter Rainbow Row. It's really just a few houses painted in bright colors, but it's impossible to take a bad photo of them.
Then, I like to head down Chalmers Street to reach Waterfront Park.
Chalmers is a cobblestone street, with stones dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. At that time, Charleston was one of the busiest seaports in the US. These cobblestones were used as ballast on ships arriving from Europe. Once in Charleston, they offloaded the stones and filled their ships with Charleston's natural resources—rice, indigo, and cotton—for the return journey across the Atlantic.
5.Charleston's Waterfront Park - Our Gift To Future Generations
I love Waterfront Park—not just for its setting and scenery, but for the concept behind it. It's prime waterfront land in the most beautiful downtown in the U.S. In most cities, the highest bidder would have turned it into a playground for the rich.
Charleston isn't like most cities.
Mayor Joe Reilly (a good Irishman!) wanted to preserve Charleston's waterfront for everyone. When he opened the park in 1990, he said, "This is our generation's gift to future generations." To this day, that ethos remains in Charleston, and the entire peninsula's waterfront is available to the public.
6.Do A Charleston Walking Tour With A Local Guide
As a seasoned traveler who has visited over 50 countries, I'm not usually drawn to touristy activities. However, one thing I always do when I arrive in a new town is to take a walking tour.
They're a great way to get your bearings, and the guides are full of information—not just about history. I always discreetly ask them, "What should I really see in Charleston?" The guide will often tell you about some non-tourist spots to explore.
Here are two excellent options for Charleston:
Tour 2: A Walk Through Local Charleston - Beyond the Tourist Trail
We're still in downtown Charleston, but we're starting to move away from the most popular tourist areas and into more authentic Charleston. Where people actually live.
Don't worry, it's not American suburbia. The areas you'll walk through on this tour could fill a decade's worth of Architectural Digest.
Tour 2 Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4CEE9AmgAWJhVa2G9
This is a rough route. Just walk and get lost!
1.Broad Street: Charleston's Historic Thoroughfare
We'll start on Broad Street. Named because it was at one point the widest street in Charleston.
It was also the northern boundary of the city. Back in the day, I'm talking 1700s here, Charleston started at the Battery and ended at Broad Street. A distance you can walk today in 10 minutes.
Broad Street is a good place for lunch. There are a lot of attorney offices on Broad Street, due to the proximity of the courthouse. Attorneys like good food. You'll have no problem finding something nice to eat here.
On Broad Street, you'll see the Old Exchange Building, Washington Park, the Cathedral.
It is home to the Four Corners Of Law, at Broad & King. Here you find a church, City Hall, Charleston County Courthouse, and a Federal Courthouse. So you have city, county, country, & God in one spot.
2.South of Broad: Charleston's Prestigious Neighborhood
People aren't typically happy to be called an SOB, but those who live South of Broad are proud to be an SOB. It's the most prestigious area of the city, and SOBs will usually find a way to sneak their home location into any conversation.
It is one of the more beautiful square miles in the US. I don't have a route for here, just wander and get lost. It's not a big area. Go explore, and snap photos on your way to the next stop, Colonial Lake.
3.Colonial Lake: Charleston's Favorite Jogging Track
I was about to say that Colonial Lake is one of my favorite parts of Charleston, but I think I've already used that phrase three times already. Blame Charleston for being so beautiful, not my lack of attention in high school English classes.
Back in the 1700s, this was the Charleston reservoir. Today, it is Charleston's favorite jogging track. From sun up to sun down, people walk & jog around this 6-acre lake. You'll see people throwing shrimping nets into the lake. Ask them about it - it takes a special technique. Talk to locals!
Colonial Lake is another spot to take a seat and appreciate that you are fortunate to be spending the day in Charleston, SC.
4.Harleston Village: Charleston's Eclectic Neighborhood
This is one of my favor...nevermind. Next to Colonial Lake is Harleston Village. I like this area of Downtown Charleston because it has an eclectic mix of residents.
Doctors from the nearby Medical University, college professors from the nearby College of Charleston, students from both, retirees, wealthy second-home owners all mix in Harleston Village. It still has all the historic homes you see around the peninsula, but it also has more signs of life - little neighborhood shops, cafes, and coffee shops.
There's no route here again, just wander, explore, go down a side street, stop and have a coffee. When you're ready, put Porters Lodge into your Google Maps and work your way over to the College of Charleston.
5.College of Charleston: A Campus Like No Other
How does anyone graduate from CofC? Life as a college kid cannot get any better than being a student at the College of Charleston.
You get to live in downtown Charleston, you go to school in a campus so stunning that they shoot movies here (The Patriot), and you have King Street to keep you busy at night!
In my next life, I want to be on a soccer scholarship at the CofC.
Walk through the campus and be jealous of the backpack-laden students happily walking the campus, blissfully unaware that the realities of life are just a quick graduation away!
King Street: Charleston's Shopping and Dining Hub
We end this tour on King Street. The shopping, dining, drinking, people-watching center of Charleston. Just don't lie down in the middle of King Street like Rachel McAdams did in The Notebook.
Let's split King Street into two sections:
6.King Street Below Calhoun Street: This is the shopping part of King. There are national chains here, but instead browse the local boutiques. Buy items you can only buy in Charleston and support locals!
As you go further south on King, you'll come into the antique district. In a city with the history of Charleston, you can be sure that the antiques shops are worth visiting.
7.King Street Above Calhoun Street: There are some shops to explore during the day, but it's better known as the bar and restaurant district. From happy hour until 2am, this part of King comes alive. I'll write more about this part of King Street in my guide to Charleston Nightlife.
Quick interruption for some self promo. I am from Ireland and have written a complete guide to What To Do In Dublin. Check it out!
8.Marion Square: Home to Charleston's Farmers Market
A quick mention for Marion Square. If you are in Charleston on a Saturday, don't miss the farmers market in Marion Square. Come hungry is all I will say about it. Bring a shopping bag to carry the local produce you can buy here. I love it and go every week.
Wrapping Up Your Local Charleston Tour
You might need to buy a new pair of shoes in one of the King Street shops at the end of this tour. You'll have definitely hit your steps goal for the day.
My advice is to take it slow. Stop for breaks frequently. If you get tired, do as Forrest did, buy some chocolates and sit on a bench.
By the end of Tour 1 & Tour 2, you'll be qualified to write your own guide to Downtown Charleston.
Tour 3: Salty Charleston
A Day of Crabbing, Local Eats, and Scenic Sails
We're staying downtown, but going to spend more time near and on the water. You're going to see where more of downtown's neighborhood, where locals live.
Ready to explore Charleston's maritime charm? Let's dive in!
Tour 3 Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RbwvpR6KaxDpuAJi7
1.Crabbing with Tia - A Taste of Local Charleston Life
A few minutes from my house is the under-visited Brittlebank Park on the Ashley River. I walk my dog Messi here.
I would see a lady crabbing on the pier. Messi loved sniffing the bait and one day I got talking to Tia.
Tia is from Charleston and started crabbing as much for therapeutic reasons as for the tasty food. Now she shows visitors how to crab.
Tia shows you how to crab, but more than that, you get to spend time with a native Charlestonian surrounded by the pluff muds of Charleston. It doesn't get more Charleston than that.
And Tia's experience has almost 700 5* reviews. If there's one thing you should do in Charleston, it's this. It's got everything I look for when I travel:
- Away from the tourist area
- Time in nature
- With a local
- Learning something special to the area
Do the early tour, rivers are best in the morning.
Airbnb: Holiday Rentals, Cabins, Beach Houses, Unique Homes & Experiences
Late Morning: Explore Hampton Park and The Citadel
After crabbing with Tia, we're staying in this area, Hampton Park. It's rarely visited by tourists. It's a more residential part of downtown Charleston but it has:
2.Hampton Park:
The biggest park in downtown Charleston. Pick up to-go food and have a picnic here by the lake. Do a 1 mile loop around the park. Bring some food for the ducks (not bread!).
Drive along Moultrie Street to get to Hampton Park and look at the restored southern homes that overlook the park. Oh, I regret not buying one of these 20 years ago!!
3.The Citadel:
Walk through the military college campus at The Citadel. It's next to the park. You'll see the parade ground, cadets in uniform and military planes & tanks.
4.Lunch With Locals - Taste of Charleston's Culinary Scene
Get lunch in any of the neighborhood spots in this area:
- Edmund's Oast
- Home Team BBQ
- Moe's Crosstown
- Rutledge Cab Co
- Santi's
5.Afternoon: Back to the Sea - Charleston Harbor Adventures
For the afternoon, we're back to the sea. This time out on Charleston Harbor.
Drive over to Concord Street. In this area, you have:
- The Irish Memorial Park
- SC Aquarium
- International African American Museum
Charleston Harbor Tour Options:
- Fort Sumter Tours:
If you're interested in history, it's a good tour. The guides are very informative and it is a place of huge national historical significance. It's a bigger boat though with recorded announcements. I prefer the smaller more personal boats where the crew talk to you in person. Here are some better options. - Charleston Water Taxi:
I love the water taxi. It's not strictly a tour, it has 4 stops, but it's a small boat so you get up close and you can see all of the harbor as the boat goes from Downtown Charleston to Mt Pleasant and back. I often take it to the Charleston Battery soccer games or Friday's Party At The Point at Patriot's Point. - Sandlapper Sunset Tour:
Again, it's a smaller boat where you can chat with the friendly crew. I like their nature tours too. - Schooner Pride:
For the purist, take the silent Schooner Pride sailboat. They have daily dolphin watch and sunset sails.
Charleston: The Holy City from the Water
When you're on the water, look back at the peninsula of Charleston. With the low-rise buildings in Charleston, the highest structures you'll see are the church steeples. Lots of them. You'll see why Charleston is known as the Holy City.
The Ravenel Bridge
If you are feeling fit and want to really do something local. Walk the Ravenel Bridge. It takes about an hour to walk across.
Remember, you're in the Lowcountry. It's flat as a pool table in this neck of the woods. Being 200 feet up on the bridge will give you the best views for 100 miles.
You can Uber home or take the water taxi back downtown.
6.End Your Day: Sunset Cocktail at Island Cabana
To finish out your salty day, go to the Island Cabana & Ship Store. This is on the Cooper River, not too far from Concord Park. Buy your beers from the store and sit on the dock as the sun sets. They serve surprisingly good food too. Just be sure to wear your croakies and visor to fit in with the local Charleston folks.
Tour 4. The Islands of Charleston
From Scenic Bridges to Southern Charm
Today is island day. You're going to explore the gorgeous islands surrounding Charleston. You'll see the natural beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the Charleston landscapes that Pat Conroy & Dorothea Benton Frank loved and wrote about.
Let's leave the busy city, slow the pace right down, and go island hopping. There are 12 islands in the Charleston area. Today, you'll see 5 of them. You'll visit a village that feels so Southern, even those of you visiting from the north will be saying y'all.
James Island
Leaving downtown, you'll drive across the James Island Connector. For the folks who live on James Island and drive to work downtown, this is one of the most scenic commutes in the US. You don't need coffee to perk you up in the morning when you get to look over downtown Charleston peninsula on your way to work.
We'll explore more of James Island later, but within 10 minutes of leaving downtown, you'll already see the landscape change. The tropical climate of Charleston means nature grows quickly; those big trees will overhang your car as you drive along Maybank Highway.
Johns Island
The Landscape
From James Island, you'll drive across the Maybank Bridge to Johns Island. From the peak of the bridge, you'll see the meandering Stono River. This is a vista repeated all over coastal South Carolina: winding rivers creating islands. Docks on the waterfront homes tell you how these residents spend their free time.
Johns Island is the largest island in South Carolina. Until about 10 years ago, it was still rural, but today, just like the vegetation grows quickly, so does developers' hunger, and it has become a fast-growing residential area of Charleston. But it has stayed quirky in its own way. You'll see an old-school gun shop across from a shiny new development. A legit Mexican food truck that used to feed the agricultural workers is now Instagram famous thanks to the lanyard-wearing office workers.
Local Experiences
Stop for breakfast anywhere that takes your fancy on Johns Island. Eavesdrop on the locals next to you. You'll hear some Southern drawls for sure here.
Johns Island still has farms, markets, and horses. Here's a selection of places that you can visit on Johns Island depending on your interests.
If it's a Saturday morning, be sure to visit the market. Farm to Table is the trendy word to use in restaurants these days; at this market, you can see the farm where the food was grown.
If it's Halloween, go to the pumpkin patch at Legare Farms.
Angel Oak
Probably the most famous site on Johns Island is Angel Oak. It's one of the largest live oak trees in the world. Its canopy would cover 4 basketball courts! Angel Oak is about 500 years old. Imagine the stories and storms that old Angel Oak has seen in its life.
Wadmalaw Island
I told you we'd slow the pace down today. It's going to come to a trickle on Wadmalaw Island.
It's a 10-mile long island with about 3,000 residents. The island itself is an attraction. It's like a window into a past life. You'll see shacks that look like they don't have running water yet. Those tiny dirt roads often lead to waterfront weekend homes. My favorite Southern Moss is ever-present on the trees.
Take your time. Slow down. Turn down a road, see where it brings you. Buy the boiled peanuts at the side of the road. You're on island time.
Charleston Tea Plantation
Be sure to stop in and tour the Charleston Tea Plantation. I'm Irish, we're the second biggest tea-drinking nation in the world, so you know I love this place. Even if you're not a tea drinker, it's an opportunity to get close to the land. They have a trolley tour to bring you around and see the tea growing.
Rockville
Rockville is a small village of 200 people that is just the essence of The South. It's the kind of place where you expect every house to have a grandmother sipping sweet tea on a front porch rocking chair. Any movie based in The South could be filmed here tomorrow without needing a single prop.
In the 19th century, it was a summer escape for Charlestonians. Today it's on the National Register of Historic Places. Those old homes still stand, dripping with Lowcountry architecture and charm.
The Edisto River & Bohicket Creek are the playground for the local boaters. There is an annual Rockville Regatta which brings hundreds, maybe thousands of visitors. I don't know because I've never gone. I prefer the solitude of my midweek morning walks around Rockville with Messi, my dog.
I absolutely love Rockville and bring all my visitors here. Do not miss Rockville!
Cherry Point Boat Landing
As you leave Rockville, turn off for Cherry Point Boat Landing. It's a nice spot for a packed lunch, or buy some "so fresh it was swimming this morning" seafood direct from the landing there.
Food & Breweries
After Rockville, you'll go back to James Island. If you're hungry or thirsty, try another local spot on Johns Island. There are lots of good places to eat here. Stop at either Low Tide Brewery or Estuary Brewery, pick up some to-go local beers, you'll need it for the next stop on your Island Tour.
Morris Island
You've spent the day glimpsing the marshes & rivers of Charleston. Now it's time to get up close and see them from the water. Captain Jody runs small-size boat tours from James Island.
Always my favorite way to see anything, with a local who knows the area inside out.
Jody's tour will bring you along the river, where you might spot some dolphins. You'll sail by Morris Island.
Morris Island is an uninhabited island off the coast of James Island. It is home to the Morris Island lighthouse. Not in use anymore, but still a Charleston landmark. Morris Island has a strong Civil War history too. You may have seen its story in the movie "Glory".
Folly Beach
After the boat docks, it's time for your final island. Folly Beach. I could write another full-length guide to Folly (and I will soon), but for now, just drive over there, and have dinner anywhere that looks good to you. It's been a long, but fun day. You've earned your island dinner!
Have Questions About Your Trip To Charleston?
Ask away. I'll be glad to help you with some advice & answer all your questions.
Darragh
