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Charleston Historical Walking Tour
5.0
851 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
(851 Ratings)
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Brs1967
Oct 30, 2024
Book Eric Lager’s historical tour of Charleston - best experience! - Selecting a tour of Charleston can be overwhelming as we have SO many options to choose from. This is the tour you should select. Eric, a PhD history professor, provides the historical backdrop to all the sites we visited. He keeps the tour size small so that each touring individual gets their questions answered. He covered the city’s history & architecture. The pace of walking & talking was perfect. We left feeling we understood the history & people of Charleston.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathycx8518dh
Oct 29, 2024
Stop looking, this is the one! - Wow! This was an amazing tour in so many ways. Eric Lager has so much knowledge. He is articulate, easy to listen to, shares interesting details and stories at a pace that is perfect! We saw and learned more than we anticipated. He made an effort to include each of us, was cognizant of any limitations people had, and answered every question. He truly is passionate about his work and sharing history of Charleston. Hands down the most informative and interesting history tour my husband and I have ever taken!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jordan_s
Oct 29, 2024
Great Value Tour - Professor Lager was a fantastic guide. Great value! Wish we could enroll in his college class or take another tour of the next part of town. Very cool experience.
Review provided by Viator
David_m
Oct 29, 2024
We learned lots in 3 hours - This tour was what we wanted—Avery knowledgeable guide (PhD in South Carolina history) telling clear stories about where we stood and buildings we were seeing. Good pace, easy to ask questions, easily heard voice. Plus he’s interested in those on the tour! It was a great investment of time and money. Eric is a winner!
Review provided by Viator
Cherie_w
Oct 25, 2024
This is a tour you don’t want to miss! - Our walking tour was phenomenal! Our tour guide, Eric, was so down to earth, knowledgeable, and friendly! I told my hubby, Eric was a “walking history Google app!” I really enjoyed our smaller group size (9). There is so much history to see and learn about in Charlestown, and Eric really chose the highlights. He answered all of our group’s questions. It was a fabulous, informative, educational, and most importantly…a fun…experience! Walking everywhere and being outside was really cool, and I absolutely fell in love with Charleston! Thank you, Dr Lager…for a job well done!
Review provided by Viator
Cherie
Oct 25, 2024
A tour you don’t want to miss! - This history walking tour was phenomenal! My hubby is a retired MD, and I am a retired RN…and we both were so impressed with the vast amount of knowledge our amazing tour guide possessed! Eric Lager was a “Walking History Google App!” The tour was educational, informative, and FUN! Eric answered all of our group’s many questions, and we learned so much! To learn about history is one thing…but to see the history…was absolutely incredible! Our 9 member group…plus Eric…met as strangers, and left as friends! Thank you Dr Lager…for providing such a wonderful and memorable experience! Sincerely, your Pittsburgh fans…Cherie and Bill
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Theorbo-pgh
Oct 18, 2024
Everything we could hope for in a walking tour - This was a great walking tour - no nonsense and no wasted time with tourist-trap type stops. Eric was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer most questions that were asked of him. He was able to say he didn't know when he didn't, which is a positive. We would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to get a good sense of place in Charleston. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trailblazer70434
Oct 17, 2024
Best tour guide; reserve your tour! - The professor is beyond amazing, and it’s refreshing to meet someone with such passion for his work. His tour was fun and full of information. He only takes small groups, and this allows for a great experience. I highly recommend him. You will not be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Williamln7977ft
Oct 16, 2024
Fun, informative tour of the city - Eric provided a great tour of Charleston. His comments were not limited to historical events, he spent considerable time pointing out the changes in architecture, theater & culture over the last 200 years. He answered every question from the group. The walk had multiple stops making it an easy stroll and not tiresome. And I now know the difference between a cemetery and graveyard, if you want to know need to take the tour and learn!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Haettenichtgedacht
Oct 15, 2024
True history done well - Dr Lager is a treasure! It is obvious he loves what he does and is extremely passionate about sharing the real, substantiated history of this amazing city. Having done both his master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation on events and people in Charleston, he can answer nearly any question (he’s not the best at plant identification) AND give you his source material. This man is not the stereotype history professor; he’s the one you wish you’d had, the one to inspire in you a love of history, too. The three hours flew by. I only wish we could have done three more!
Other good points:
—He projects well. I’m slightly hard of hearing but didn’t have trouble understanding him.
—He’s very personable, inviting questions and making his stories interesting. Even my husband, who prefers mathematics to history, enjoyed himself the whole time.
—He covers a broad range of topics, from people to architecture to catastrophes, church congregations to laws to monuments to street names. It never gets boring because there’s always something new.
If you are a lover of history and want the real (non-touristy, fact-checked) history of Charleston, you can’t do better than Dr Lager. We highly recommend him!!
Considerations (not exactly cons):
—I wouldn’t take young children on this tour. Teenagers might be interested, but under 10 would definitely have a better time on a shorter, less academic tour.
—This is a walking tour, so if you have mobility issues this might not be your best choice; the sidewalks and streets are not level.
Review provided by Tripadvisor