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Charleston Historical Walking Tour
5.0
933 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.
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:
24 hours
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…
- 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
- All applicable fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
- Bottled water
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Private transportation
Additional Information
Unlike many tour companies in town that allow up to 20 people in each group, my Charleston tour is guaranteed to have no more than 12. The most unique aspect of my tour is the high level of historical professionalism that I deliver to my guests. Earning a Ph.D. in history meant spending thousands of hours reading and researching primary sources in the…
Unlike many tour companies in town that allow up to 20 people in each group, my Charleston tour is guaranteed to have no more than 12. The most unique aspect of my tour is the high level of historical professionalism that I deliver to my guests. Earning a Ph.D. in history meant spending thousands of hours reading and researching primary sources in the South Carolina archives. I use the knowledge that I have obtained from that hard work and pass it off to you on the tour. Because I limit the number of guests to 12 and offer a tour that is 45 minutes longer than most in town, you will receive a degree of exclusivity and historical depth that is far greater than what is offered by the larger tour companies in Charleston.
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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(933 Ratings)
5 stars
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Goldie_in_mass
Mar 17, 2025
A must ! - There are tours and there are tours but if you really want a detailed historical tour this is it. Only someone with real love and expert knowledge could answer all the questions thrown at him, but he keeps his groups small and interacts with every person. As a teacher he is able to deliver his knowledge very naturally. This is a great way to see the area in an easy, walkable few hours. The history of the area is more than just slaves and plantations and Eric details churches, buildings, architecture, politics and commerce.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert
Mar 15, 2025
Top-Notch Tour Guide - My husband and I and our two overseas visitors (teachers of American history, coincidentally) had the good fortune of booking our guided tour of Charleston with Prof. Eric Lager in February. I have travelled, and lived, all around the world and have had guided tours of dozens of cities over the years, including one before in Charleston, but none has been quite like the one Prof. Lager took us on.
I have never encountered anyone more thoroughly well versed in his subject. The depth of his knowledge about Charleston, and both its history and relevance during the Civil War and the Revolutionary War was astonishing. We were a small group of eight from around the US, so each of us had an opportunity to talk to him individually. Every question we had led to yet another, deeper and deeper, his knowledge was inexhaustible to the point where he just amazed my husband and me. And our guest history teachers were overwhelmed. It was a great experience for all of us. If you actually want to learn something about Charleston, there cannot be anyone better than the extraordinary Eric Lager. Thank you, sir, for your incredible professionalism and knowledge. You blew us away.
Jacqueline Hides
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dedyo0424
Mar 10, 2025
Do Not miss this opportunity to learn about Charlestons past and present! - Wow! Incredible tour with impressive guide. Prof Erik was personable with a wealth of knowledge that only a college prof could have and share in such an engaging way! Easily our favorite tour in Charleston. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand the history and culture of this beautiful area. Our college aged kids lived it too!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ginger
Mar 9, 2025
Fun and engaging walking tour - We had a great walking tour with Eric! He was very knowledgeable, interesting, conversational, and had a great sense of humor. Eric was also really in tune with the group and checked in to make sure we were doing well. I had lots of questions along the way and he was really well informed with great answers. Being a local academic certainly helps - it’s his job to know all about this subject! We would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants a fun and informative walking tour of this great city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marybc879ik
Mar 8, 2025
History Tour is FIVE Stars - Our guide Eric was excellent. He shared a tremendous amount of history about the Charleston area. The small group format was great allowing for a lot of questions. We did a lot of walking and enjoyed the historical buildings as well as beautiful homes. It was impressive all Eric had to share with us ad there are many layers to Charleston's history and he covered it all. We recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bosleyjay
Mar 7, 2025
A clear, in-depth and interesting experience - We’ve been on at least a dozen walking tours of Charleston, and this was one of the best. He keeps the numbers low and has a unique insight into the history of the area. He provides needed connections and background as needed. Clearly knows the way to present information.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eastcoast1103
Mar 7, 2025
Best tour in Charleston! - I chose this tour specifically because it is led by a Professor of History, and it exceeded my expectations in every way. Eric Lager is an exceptional storyteller and he makes history come alive. His knowledge of Charleston shows the breadth of not just its history, but its society and architecture as well. If I were one of his students, I would never miss a class! I appreciated that he keeps his groups small, because we were able to ask questions along the way. If you are only able to take one tour while in Charleston, this is the one you should choose!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rhague1660
Mar 6, 2025
I loved this walking tour - Eric was an wonderful guide. The morning of our tour the city was under a storm threat. He called the day before to rearrange the tour to the afternoon. I appreciated the personal touch. I thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour. He has a love of history and knowledge of the town of Charleston that made his tour engaging from first to last. He keeps the size of the group small so that he can interact with each of us throughout the 3 hours we spent together. I highly recommend Eric and his walking tour. Thank you for a very pleasant afternoon in your beautiful city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ed_m
Mar 5, 2025
Troll with the Prof! - Eric’s background as an historian came to the surface. He weaved Charleston history with the evolution of the United States. You could tell he’d done his homework. Learned more than we anticipated.
Review provided by Viator
Kscanuck
Mar 5, 2025
Wonderful Historical Tour - If you love history this is a wonderful tour. When I travel I seek out the best historical tours and Eric was a wealth of information and if you have any questions, I will bet he knows the answers. I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor