Charleston Walking Tour: Exclusive Small-Group History Experience
5.0
697 Ratings
Charleston
Experience an exclusive small-group walking tour of Charleston with a Ph.D. historian. Discover the city's rich history and enjoy a personalized, in-depth exploration unlike any other tour in town.
Duration: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Mills House Charleston, Curio Collection by Hilton - The historic Mills House Hotel played an important role in the early part of the American Civil War.
  • Dock Street Theater - Learn about the first theatre built in North America and the infamous characters associated with it’s history.
  • Pink House Gallery - One of the oldest buildings in Charleston, circa 1712
  • Washington Square - Historic square in Charleston with multiple monuments.
  • Charleston City Hall - Learn about the evolution of this beautiful building that once served as a meat market and bank before becoming City Hall
  • Charleston County Courthouse - Learn about what was once the old South Carolina statehouse.
  • St. Michael’s Church - Learn about the fascinating history of Charleston’s oldest church edifice, completed in 1761.
  • Heyward-Washington House - See where George Washington stayed while visiting Charleston in 1791.
  • Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon - See the last public building built by the British in North America and where the Constitution was ratified in 1788.
  • French Huguenot Church - Learn about the rich history of French Huguenot’s in Charleston and the first church built in the Gothic Revival style.
  • French Quarter - Take in the beauty and charm of the French Quarter in Charleston.
  • Hibernian Hall - Learn about the building where the seeds of disunion were sown and hear about America’s connection to Greek Revival architecture.
  • Fort Sumter National Monument - See where the first shots of the Civil War were fired! We do not go out to the fort, we take a look at it from the Battery on Charleston Harbor.
What's Included
  • All applicable fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Bottled water
  • Private transportation
Additional Information

In contrast to numerous local tour operators who permit up to 20 individuals per group, my Charleston excursion guarantees a maximum of just 10 participants. The most distinguishing feature of my tour is the exceptional historical proficiency that I provide to my guests. Having a Ph.D. in history involved thousands of hours dedicated to reading and researching primary sources in the South Carolina archives. I utilize the knowledge gained from this extensive effort and share it with you during the tour. As I restrict the number of participants to 10 and present a tour that is 30 minutes more in depth than most in the city, you will experience a level of exclusivity and historical richness that is significantly superior to what larger tour operators in Charleston offer.

Location
108 Meeting St
Meeting Street
This is the Historic Charleston Foundation gift shop. We meet in front of the building. The front reads “Shop Historic Charleston”
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(697 Ratings)
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Jkeirn
Apr 16, 2024
Excellent Tour - Extremely knowledgeable. I’ve taken several walking tours around the world and this was one of my favorite. I learned so much. If you want to learn about Charleston history this is the tour for you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrew_a
Apr 15, 2024
Excellent Tour! - Loved it! The tour guide went more in depth than the other numerous history tours in Charleston. Tour was well researched and funny too.
Review provided by Viator
Cathy
Apr 15, 2024
Great historical walking tour led by an exceptional expert! - By far the best walking tour we’ve ever done. Eric has a vast amount of knowledge of the history of Charleston. Although a PhD, Eric is down to earth and relatable. What makes him special is his knowledge of funny and interesting anecdotal information, historically accurate descriptions of events and places and a personality suited to giving tours to a wide audience. Highly recommend this historical tour of Charleston!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S9399ophaleyh
Apr 15, 2024
Fantastic Job, Eric! - Eric gave an excellent and informative walking tour on the history of Charleston! Even as someone who is not a history buff like my husband who took the tour with me, it was a great experience. Eric made all of the stops on the tour relate to each other and it told a story of Charleston. 10/10 recomend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_g
Apr 15, 2024
Great Tour! - Eric was extremely knowledgeable and engaging. We learned so much about Charleston and it's history. This was a highlight of our trip. I would highly recommend taking a tour with him!
Review provided by Viator
Davidjh3147tv
Apr 14, 2024
Excellent Introduction to Charleston - Eric Lager's tour is an excellent introduction to the economic, social, and architectural history of Charleston. He held our attention throughout the 3 hour tour and covered a lot of ground, both literally and historically. We could not have had a better survey course. Eric clearly knows much more than he can relate in 3 hours and he succeeds in presenting the basics clearly and with enough depth to be interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ecokate4
Apr 14, 2024
Book this Tour! - Eric did a fantastic job orienting us within the city and touching on numerous historical highlights from Charleston’s formation to present day. He also pointed out loads of architectural details. Eric’s strong academic background in history contributed to a valuable, well-informed narrative. We left the tour with a much greater understanding of Charleston. Highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Evan_s
Apr 14, 2024
Brilliant tour guide with wealth of knowledge - Great tour of the city of Charleston! Very thorough and prepared to answer all questions. Spent extra time to explain Charleston history and also further Civil War history. Brilliant tour of a great city. Highly recommend! Must go!
Review provided by Viator
William
Apr 13, 2024
Outstanding tout! - Dr. Lager did an outstanding job of sharing the history and background of Charleston. He skillfully tied American history from colonial, revolutionary and Civil War timeframes through present day. His knowledge of local architecture was outstanding and his humor was great. It was the best history tour I’ve ever had.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maryjy3505ha
Apr 13, 2024
Excellent Tour! - Eric was a terrific tour guide and is an expert on the history on everything we saw. Such great information shared and Eric is so personable. Would definitely recommend Eric’s tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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