Visit Charleston's only winery on picturesque Wadmalaw Island where you can explore their vineyard and receive a free nine-wine tasting and souvenir stemless wine glass by presenting Charleston Tour Pass! Tastings offered Wednesdays  - Saturdays from 10 am - 5 pm. Highlights:

• Tour Pass: Receive a free wine tasting & souvenir wine glass which includes nine wines.
• They grow four types of muscadine grape - carlos, ison, noble and tara. From the grapes, they make five different wines - Low Tide, Magnolia, Deep Water Blend and High Tide. They also have chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon from California that they vint and bottle onsite and blend with their muscadines, for a total of nine wines available.
• Every Saturday from 12 - 4 pm they host a Weekend Wine Down event where food and music are present. Enjoy the tranquil surroundings, bring family, friends and have a great time. See calendar for upcoming events

The birthplace of the Carolinas!

Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site sits on a marshy point, located off of the Ashley River, where a group of English settlers landed in 1670 and established what would become the birthplace of the Carolina colony. Charles Towne Landing introduces visitors to the earliest colonial history of Charleston. Interact with hands-on exhibits in the Visitor Center, talk to knowledgeable staff members, and take an audio tour on the self-guided history trail. Highlights:

• Guests can step aboard and tour the Adventure, Charleston's only 17th-century replica sailing ship.
• Natural habitat zoo: See otters, bears, big cats, bison and more at the Animal Forest natural habitat zoo.
• 80 acres of gardens, with an elegant live oak alley and the Legare-Waring House. One of Charleston’s favorite sites for weddings and other special gatherings, the Legare-Waring House combines historic charm with unique and flexible space—come see it for yourself!
• Bicycles welcome or you can rent them on-site.
• Pets welcome if leashed.

Park is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Founded in 1738, Drayton Hall is the nation’s earliest example of fully executed Palladian architecture and the oldest preserved plantation house in America still open to the public. Because of our preservation philosophy, all imperfections and changes over time have survived to the present.

Transportation to Drayton Hall is not included.

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

• House Tour: Offered hourly from 10 am - 3 pm and last about 45 minutes.
• African American Cemetery: Drayton Hall’s African American Cemetery is one of the oldest documented African American cemeteries in the nation still in use. The earliest surviving record describes its use as a “burying ground” and dates from about 1790, indicating this sacred ground may be even older. In keeping with the wishes of Richmond Bowens, a descendant of the enslaved at Drayton Hall, the cemetery has been “left natural,” not manicured or planted with grass or decorative shrubs.
• Port to Plantation is 30-minute interpretive program that explores the economic ramification of slavery at Drayton Hall and throughout the Carolina Lowcountry - a history Charleston still grapples with today. Historical interpreters present images of documents, artifacts, and maps that illuminate the multifaceted nature of slavery at Drayton Hall in the 18th and 19th centuries. Join us for an important glimpse into the past, and discover the many ways in which enslaved workers literally and figuratively built the Lowcountry economy.
• Self guided nature walks: See layers of history carefully preserved on the 125 acres that surround the main house: the central axis and clear view to the Ashley River, planned by John Drayton over 265 years ago; the striking, defined allée of azaleas conceived by his 20th-century descendants; Richmond Bowens’ camellia; the reflecting pond; the site of the former garden house or the 18th-century live oaks which continue to provide the structure to the Drayton estate.
• Museum Shop: From high-end art reproductions to pieces inspired by the Drayton Family’s extensive porcelain collection to local food favorites, The Shop at Drayton Hall has something special for each and every one of our visitors.
• Lenhardt Garden: The garden's plantings are historically inspired, with horticultural specimens related to John Drayton's botanical lists. The courtyard has a selection of benches to best enjoy the seasonal flora and fauna.
• Caretaker's House: The exhibit in the caretaker’s house highlights the post-Civil War period and the 20th century at Drayton Hall. Learn about the African American community that formed because of the phosphate mining industry and kept the property alive for 100 years after the Civil War. Constructed in 1870, the caretaker’s house was built for a caretaker to watch over the main house and grounds while phosphate was mined on the property. The house has been rehabilitated to serve as a conditioned exhibit space, creating opportunities to see layers of its construction and decorative materials.

Boone Hall Plantation is an iconic landmark site to visit in the Charleston area. Voted the #1 Plantation in Charleston by a USA Today readers poll. Admission Includes:

• Entry down the famous Avenue Of Oaks
• Black History In America Exhibit
• Plantation House Tour
• The Plantation Coach Tour (weather permitting. Limited seating available and will be on a first come first serve basis. Please no food, smoking or pets. Coaches leave when full or hourly).
• The Slave Street and History Talk
• Exploring The Gullah Culture Live!
• The Butterfly Pavilion Open May-Sept.
• Free Parking

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DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION

• January 8, 2018 thru March 11, 2018 Monday-Saturday 9AM-5PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM
• March 12, 2018 thru September 3, 2018 Mon.-Sat. 8:30AM-6:30PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM
• September 4, 2018 thru January 1, 2019 Monday-Saturday 9AM-5PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM

CLOSED THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS DAY

Join Adventure Sightseeing for our 'See it all' city tour and see the best of Charleston! Their relaxing and informative 90 minute bus tour is the best way to be introduced (or re-introduced!) to the Holy City. Professional and knowledgeable guides will share 350 years of Charleston history while cruising through the city's historic district in cool, air conditioned comfort.Highlights of the 1.5-hour Historic City Tour may include:

• Select stories from 350 years of Charleston history
• Beautiful architecture in the historic district
• Drive through The Citadel, the South's most famous military academy
• The Old City Market, lovely gardens, wrought iron art, and many of the city's 210 churches are just some of the sights you will see!
• Tour around the Battery and stop for a photo opportunity with Fort Sumter in the background
• Many other historic sights of Charleston!

NOTICE: Must have an even person pass to book this tour (2, 4, 6, 8, extra.) Bookings with your tour pass require that you have 2 people per boat. Maximum weight per boat cannot exceed 400 pounds. If you purchase a single or odd number person pass you cannot book this tour. Your pass must have an even number of people on your pass.  Take the wheel and become the captain of your very own speedboat! Tour is fully narrated and by the lead boat tour operator and will take you on a 13 mile journey through Charleston's historic harbor to see sites up-close such as:

• The Battery
• USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier
• Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
• Fort Sumter
• Waterfront Park
• the Cruise Ship Terminal
• See dolphins up close and wildlife

The Boats:

• 13-foot mini speed boats that can hold up to 3 people (restrictions apply).
• Powered by a 30 horsepower quiet eco-friendly outboard motor.
• No boating experience is necessary!

Watch Video:

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Come and walk with us when the sun goes down. The Charleston Ghost and Graveyard Tour gives you an exclusive opportunity to walk inside the gates of one of Charleston’s oldest graveyards after dark. When all the other walking tours are looking in through the wrought iron fence, you’ll be on the inside. Explore the graveyard’s dark corners, closely inspect the headstones to see what you might learn, and take a moment to step across the graves — if you dare. Learn about the history of Charleston’s graveyards, and hear the stories of the famous individuals who found their final resting place in the Holy City. You’ve heard the spooky Charleston ghost stories, right? Well, now you can experience them on this up-close-and-personal tour that takes you where others won’t. Graveyards are endearing pockets of Charleston — so much so that they are often referred to here as simply “gardens.” We love them — they’re full of history, intrigue, and tales of love and loss. Hear about Charleston’s spirits and gruesome tales:

• The ghost of Sue Howard, a grieving mother who prays at the grave of her dead child from the spirit world. We’ve got the picture to prove it!
• Tales of being buried alive! Doctors in old Charles Towne didn’t take chances with contagious diseases. Fall unconscious in a hospital, wake up in a grave!
• Learn why the terms saved by the bell and graveyard shift were coined. You’ll be glad you weren’t around when they were!

Don’t forget your flash cameras! You never know what phantom images you can capture. [video_lightbox_youtube video_id="babtOx84UaQ" width="640" height="480" auto_thumb="1"]

Must be 12 years of age or older

This is a story of a Murder Mystery, clues, photos, and a narrative of a death. Can you figure out "whodunit?" Join us on a 90 minute Mystery with a little History of Charleston. This is a great option for a night time tour that is not a ghost tour but still fun entertainment. • Interactive Game Tour. You will not be asked to perform. • Follow the clues and solve a crime • Alleyways and Side Streets Calling all gumshoes for this Murder Tour! A murder in cold blood has occurred on the streets of Charleston, and we need your help to solve it. We have been hired by a very affluent family to solve a murder. We will pick up the trail of a killer and need your help to piece together the clues and bring justice! This is an interactive tour, but you are not asked to perform. The tour consists of retracing the steps of a crime in the city of Charleston. You will be told the facts of the case and stories of the suspects. Clues and alibis will be given, and you will relive the scene of the crime. A prize will be awarded to the gumshoe who figures out who the true murderer is! Ages 12 and up only

Come explore the Holy City's oldest streets, cemeteries, churches, and its pre-revolutionary dungeon along the dark edges of Charleston's Haunted Historic District. Our experienced guides will chill you with stories of:

• Lowcountry superstitions of night time spirits like Plateyes and Boo Hags. Find out how to protect yourself from being followed home or ridden in your sleep.
• Haunted houses and structures like the South End Brewery where a famous Charlestonian tippler committed suicide after watching his family fortune burn and sink to the bottom of the harbor. Learn what the owners of the brewery had to do for him to save their business...
• Criminals, pirates, and others, including Revolutionary hero Isaac Hayne played by Mel Gibson in The Patriot. After the British hanged him for treason, he haunted the home of his daughters until December 20, 1860. Find out why he stopped on that fateful day.
• Charleston's ghosts, poltergeists, and spirits doomed to the realm of mortals.

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Included with Tour Pass: Free Admission.

Art is the reason

A bustling seaport in the 1700s, Charleston was a melting pot of cultures, religions, and traditions. Powered by the rice and indigo trade, and slavery, it was the 4th largest city in America in 1790 – and the wealthiest. Like Philadelphia, Boston and New York, what distinguished Charleston then – was art. While we were home to some of Americas earliest art, collectors, artists, who made the City both muse and subject – and taken our turn as one of the nations richest cities – in money and culture – so were we also home to Americas original sin, slavery – and a war that divided our nation. In 1888, when Charleston was financially and culturally on its knees, benefactor James Gibbes left a bequest to the City to build an art museum.When the Gibbes Museum opened in 1905, the nation celebrated what Charleston has always understood: the power of art – to inspire our imagination, heal our hurt, revel in our experience, rebuild what’s broken, nourish our souls, and release all that holds us back. Through our complicated history, through light and shadow, we have persevered – humanity intact. Art is the reason Charleston will endure. In Charleston, we believe art is the difference between merely existing and being truly alive. That’s why we immerse ourselves in every part of it – from fine art to craft – from nurturing its creation and celebrating its multicultural presentation – to inviting its interpretation and ensuring its preservation. Because when we open ourselves to art, we open ourselves to the world – to people and ideas, to beauty, craft, process and detail, to different cultures, to pain and pleasure, to questions, expression and emotion, to truth and transcendence. In the presence of art, we have the opportunity to see inside someone’s heart, mind, and soul and feel what they felt. That understanding and compassion make us more understanding, compassionate people, who, in turn, create a more compassionate, understanding world. That is art’s gift.

South Carolina's oldest brewery since Prohibition with a full selection of beers. Today, Palmetto and Catawba Brewing operate collaboratively, with the Charleston location serving as the primary draft production center for both brands.

The on-site taproom serves as a showroom to their numerous brews that include the MainStay, Seasonal and 843 Series Palmetto favorites. You'll also find a constantly rotating selection of small batch and experimental beers on tap, all available by the pint at the taproom bar.

Live music and food trucks on most weekends. Visit their website to see entertainment schedule.

Tours of the brewery are offered by reservation, free of charge. To set-up your tour, please email us

Present your Tour Pass to Receive a Free Pint ($7 Value)

A local favorite craft brewery with a tasting room and rooftop bar that serves innovative creations such as:

• Poke the Bear, American Pale Ale, 5.5% ABV.
• Gullah Cream Ale, 5%.
• Lefty Loosey, West Coast Style IPA, 7%.
• Backoff Warchild, Double IPA, 8.6%.
• Lazy Lover, Belgian Blonde Ale, 6.7%
• Never Sunny, New England IPA 6.5%
• Dark Bier, Shwarzbier, 4.5%.
• Hotel Rendezvous, Bavarian Wheat, 5%.
• Covert Ops, Dunkelweiss, 5%.
• Ginger & Jasmine, Ginjo Beer w/Sake Yeast, 4.4%
• Funkmaster & the Furious Hops, Belgian IPA, 7%
• and more.

Live music every Friday 6-9 PM, Saturday 4-7 PM and Sunday 3-6 PM.

Admission is included with Tour Pass. Present your pass at the gate for entry

Journey from the past to the present and heritage to habitat at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Rich in natural, cultural and historical resources, Caw Caw was once part of several rice plantations and home to enslaved Africans who applied their technology and skills in agriculture to carve the series of rice fields out of cypress swamps. Caw Caw Interpretive Center is managed as a low-impact wildlife preserve. Pets and bicycles are not permitted. Features

• Over 6 miles of trails with trail-side exhibits
• Elevated boardwalks through wetlands
• Environmental and social studies education programs from preschool through college level
• Interpretive exhibits, displays, and programs
• Former 18th and 19th century rice fields and one of the important sites of the Stono Rebellion
• Thousands of naturalized tea plants from a 20th century tea farm
• Noted for its rich bird life, Caw Caw is a birding hot-spot for coastal South Carolina.
• Areas managed for wildlife including waterfowl, songbirds, otters, deer, and more
• Favored habitats for rare wildlife: American Alligators, Swallow-tailed Kites, Bald Eagles, and others

Walk the streets of Charleston weathered by time and tragedy. Follow in the footsteps of Lords and Generals, murderers and thieves, slaves and the free. Take a step back in time when duels were all but law. During this 90 minute tour, your guide will weave you through the gas lit streets of Charleston, painting another world with their words! On this tour, you will hear about: • Tales of the Macabre • Oddities of history • Legends of pirates • The whispers of poets • Peer into graveyards • Paranormal Events • Murders • Demons • Root Experience the history of Charleston, that you won’t find written about in magazines! The Chilling Charleston Macabre Ghost Walking Tour is sure to intrigue everyone in your group. From the believers in the paranormal, to those who need the lights on when watching horror movies. Find yourself transported back in time! As the sun sets and the otherworldly come out to play, let’s retrace their steps, relive their history, and pray they don’t follow us home! What Is Not Included? Gratuity is not included in your ticket price. While not expected it is greatly appreciated. Meeting Location Meeting Street (Charleston, SC) (Exact meeting location details will be provided immediately upon purchase of tickets.)

Fort Sumter Tours is the only authorized concessioner for the National Park Service and actually docks at Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter Tours offers year round trips to Fort Sumter that departs daily from Liberty Square in Charleston (340 Concord Street). On the ferry ride to and from the fort, visitors will enjoy spectacular views of Charleston’s famous Battery with its antebellum mansions, the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, Castle Pinckney, the USS Yorktown, dolphins and more. Tour Tips:

• Please arrive 30 minutes early for ticketing and boarding
• Please call with accessibility questions
• Note: Tours leave promptly at scheduled tour time
• Total tour time is 2 hours and 15 minutes
  • Includes approximately 1 hour of a self-guided Fort tour

Departure times: Mar 15 – Aug 20:

• 9:30am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm & 4:00pm
• Plus Labor Day weekend (Fri, Sat & Sun)

Aug 21 – Nov 30:

• 9:30am, 12:00pm & 2:30pm

Dec 1 – Dec 24:

• 11:00am & b2:30pm

Dec 26 – Dec 31:

• 9:30am, 12:00pm & 2:30pm

No tours offered on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day [video_lightbox_youtube video_id="iDR-wiq4cOU" width="640" height="480" auto_thumb="1"]

Immerse yourself in the history of South Carolina!

Although founded in 1855 as an archive and private manuscript repository, the South Carolina Historical Society opened its first museum open to the public in September 2018. The new space pairs personal manuscripts, maps, and artifacts with innovative technology as visitors experience illuminating moments in our past. The newly remodeled, repurposed Fireproof Building is the home of the Historical Society headquarters. The National Historic Landmark houses a new, state-of-the art museum with interactive exhibits that showcase South Carolina history, culture, and arts. Designed by Robert Mills and constructed between 1822 and 1827, the Fireproof Building is believed to be the first of its kind constructed in the United States. Highlights:

• Informational exhibits.
• Self guided tours.
• Wheelchair accessible.

The museum is closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  

<p>Completed in 1713, The Powder Magazine is South Carolina's oldest government building. The building was used as an arsenal from 1713-1748 and during the American Revolution in order to defend the city. After 1780, it was retired, and by the early 19th century, it was privately owned. During this period, The Powder Magazine served as a print shop, livery stable, wine cellar, and carriage house. In 1902, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of South Carolina purchased the building, saving it from demolition. Within a year, it was opened to the public. Today, it is a museum where you can explore colonial military history in the last standing component of Charleston's original fortifications.</p>

Included with Tour Pass: Receive 2 Premium Attraction Tickets per Person, a $20 per Person Value.

Charleston Fun Park is the go-to place for family and date-night fun! Located just 10 minutes from downtown Charleston in Mount Pleasant. Premium Attractions Include: 

• Go-Karts
• Two miniture golf courses
• Climbing Wall
• Bumper cars
• Gemstone Mining
• Virtual Reality Coaster

They also have over 40 arcade games that give out tickets and prizes along mini-bowling, air hockey, skee-ball

INTERPRETIVE TOURS

Included in your admission are 45 minute guided tours offered at 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Groups of 10 or more are required to contact McLeod to schedule your visit. An amazing place to experience history in Charleston. Established in 1851, McLeod Plantation has witnessed some of the most significant periods of Charlestons and our nations history. Tour this 37 acre Gullah, Geechee heritage site that has been carefully preserved and is recognized for its cultural and historic significance. McLeod Plantation was built on the riches of sea island cotton and on the backs of enslaved people whose work and culture and told and preserved through this site. Established in 1851, McLeod Plantation has borne witness to some of the most significant periods of Charleston’s - and our nations - history. Today McLeod Plantation is an important 37-acre Gullah/Geechee heritage site that has been carefully preserved in recognition of its cultural and historical significance. The grounds include a riverside outdoor pavilion, a sweeping oak alley, and the McLeod Oak, which is thought to be more than 600 years old. It is a place like no other, not frozen in time but vibrant, dynamic, and constantly evolving, where the winds of change whisper through the oak trees and voices from the past speak to all who pause to listen. McLeod Plantation was built on the riches of sea island cotton and on the backs of enslaved people whose work and culture are embedded in the Lowcountry’s very foundation. It is a living tribute to the men and women and their descendants that persevered in their efforts to achieve freedom, equality, and justice. McLeod Plantation Historic Site is a South Carolina National Heritage Corridor site All of their stories, black and white, enslaved and free are given their due. After years of careful research and restoration, McLeod Plantation Historic Site invites visitors to embark upon an in-depth exploration of the lives of those people whose stories are essential to understanding Charleston’s complex past and helped shape who we, as a nation, are today.

• Tour the homes and compare the McLeod family home with those built for enslaved families.
• Learn about daily life and the relationships among the men, women, and children who lived and worked here before and after slavery.
• Study the cultivation and importance of sea island cotton.
• Gain insight into the plantation’s strategic importance during the Civil War and the role of the free black Massachusetts 55th Volunteer Infantry in emancipating enslaved people.
• Examine the influence of the Freedmen’s Bureau at McLeod Plantation and throughout the South.
• Trace the emergence of Gullah Culture in the Lowcountry.
• Explore worship and spirituality in the lives of McLeod Plantation’s residents.
• Draw parallels between the changing relationships among McLeod Plantation’s residents and in American society during the 20th century.
• See how people dramatically changed the natural history of the plantation’s landscape through time.

The struggle for freedom...personal, cultural, and political enacted over the centuries at McLeod Plantation provides new insights to anyone interested in American history.

The South Carolina Lowcountry has always been home to a cast of eclectic, unconventional characters - scholars, scientists, scribes, and socialites, revolutionaries and world travelers, collectors, curators. They have been lovers of the established and experimental, the rare, beautiful, odd and unusual. Our history is a blend of beauty and pain, grace and war, great storms and calm seas.We are a melting pot of cultures and customs, remade with each changing tide. We are writers of a never-ending story that asks life's most essential question: Who are we? The search for the answer is our reason for being. So, we dig into attics and archives. We pore over ancient artifacts, journals, and albums. We study, document, preserve, interpret, and share.We do it for the electric joy of discovery. The stories and humanity revealed. But perhaps even more, we do it for what it inspires within us. The thoughts that ask us to rethink our past and our place in the world. The thoughts that spark a conversation not just about who we were, but who we are - and who we can be.We are all a story. And our story starts here.

All Gray Line of Charleston tour vehicles are climate controlled. The comfortable 20 to 25-passenger minibuses are specially designed to traverse downtown Charleston’s narrow historic streets. Accessing cobblestone streets and alleyways provides close-up views of some of the city's most significant details that large buses often miss. Highlights Include:

• Charleston historic homes
• The Battery sea wall
• Historic churches
• Old Market area
• Four Corners of Law
• Rainbow Row and many more sites

Their fleet is carefully maintained and regularly updated for passenger comfort and safety and is the only tour bus company in Charleston that offers a handicap-accessible vehicle. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour departure time.

A quick-casual Southern lunch spot putting a twist on the average by introducing our Grit Bowls amongst other more traditional Southern lunch offerings. The Grit Counter, brought to you by Grace & Grit Restaurant, focuses on fresh, local seafood while keeping the menu familiar and approachable. Guests enjoy an abundance of fresh local fish and shrimp, bacon smoked in house, and seasonal produce. With flavor packed into every dish, southern staples like cornbread, collards, butter-beans, fried chicken, and of course grits, take center stage as a reminder of the Lowcountry’s roots. Charleston Tour Pass is accepted for lunch only.

Take a historic Charleston walking tour, where carriages and motor-coaches are not allowed. This fascinating tour is filled with stories and traditions revealing Charleston’s rich history and colorful past. This two-hour walking tour through America’s most charming historic district is sure to be the highlight of your visit to historic Charleston. Some historic highlights on the Charleston Stroll walking tour will include:

• Rainbow Row
• Historic Waterfront Battery
• Antebellum Mansions
• A visual tour of Fort Sumter
• Hidden Gardens & Courtyards
• Historic Churches & Graveyards
• The Revolutionary and Civil War

Charleston Strolls Tour is offered 365 days a year, including Holidays!Tours Depart rain or shine from Mills House Hotel, 115 Meeting Street – Courtesy pickups available at Charleston Place and Days Inn prior to the tour

Half-day bike rental per adult or child. Value of $15 per person. Simply present your pass at the counter.

Half-day = Bike must be picked up and dropped off during business hours of the same day (see hours below). If you'd like more time on the bike you must pay the difference out-of-pocket.

Exploring Charleston by bike is a fun and entertaining way to slowly take in the historic streets and locales. Stop and take your time, visit a park, grab a bite to eat or simply get some exercise. Doing so will also allow you to get from tour to tour quicker.

Rental bikes are offered by Afforabike, a premier full-service bike sales, service and rental operation. Bikes must be picked-up and dropped off at their location (address below).

Additional Information:

• Helmet and bike lock will be provided.
• Non-return or damages to your rental bike will be charged by Afforabike to the credit card you provide to them at check-in.
• Follow and obey all traffic laws.
• Riding bikes can be dangerous. By participating in this activity you agree that Tour Pass is not liable for any and all injuries or death while riding.

Map: Recommended Riding Routes

Upstairs where the museum is located was the territory of the market commissioners. Two tiny rooms for transacting the business of running the market and one very large elaborate hall with three gas chandeliers where they held meetings and elegant social functions. The building to be used this way until 1861. In the spring of 1861, thousands of young men were pouring into Charleston to become Confederate soldiers and defend the South. They were given supplies,weapons and their orders. It was here in this building where many of these young men had danced not long before they became soldiers. In 1894 the Charleston Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy was founded. They immediately began to collect relics and the collection grew quickly. By 1898 this group of ladies became Charleston Chapter #4, United Daughters of the Confederacy. In 1899 the reunion of the United Confederate Veterans was to be held in Charleston. The men decided to help these ladies form a permanent Confederate Museum in Charleston. A call was sent out asking former soldiers to bring their war-time possessions to the reunion for donation to the new museum. The enthusiastic response showed that a large building would be needed to house the collection. Since the Mayor and the city councilmen were all former Confederate soldiers, it was only natural that they selected Market Hall for this purpose. The same building where they had gone to become young soldiers became the place they brought their relics to be preserved for the future. The Confederate Museum opened here is 1899.

The Old Slave Mart Museum, located at 6 Chalmers St., recounts the story of Charleston's role in this inter-state slave trade by focusing on the history of this particular building and site and the slave sales that occurred here. History of The Old Slave Mart The 1808 ban on the United States' participation in the international slave trade led to a renewed demand for slave labor, which was satisfied, in part, by the creation of a domestic slave-trading system in which Charleston functioned as a major slave collecting and reselling center. The Old Slave Mart Museum, located at 6 Chalmers St., recounts the story of Charleston's role in this inter-state slave trade by focusing on the history of this particular building and site and the slave sales that occurred here. In the seven decades between the drafting of the U.S. Constitution and the Civil War, more than one million American-born slaves were sold away from plantations in the upper South to work the rapidly expanding cotton and sugar plantations in the lower South. In Charleston, enslaved African Americans were customarily sold on the north side of the Old Exchange Building. An 1856 city ordinance prohibited this practice of public sales, resulting in the opening of the Old Slave Mart and a number of other sales rooms, yards, or marts along Chalmers, State and Queen Streets. Other Uses Possibly the only known building used as a slave auction gallery in South Carolina still in existence, the Old Slave Mart was once part of a complex of buildings known as Ryan's Mart that occupied the land between Chalmers and Queen Streets. The complex consisted of a yard enclosed by a brick wall and contained three additional buildings: a four-story brick building partially containing a "barracoon," or slave jail, a kitchen, and a "dead house," or morgue. More Recently Slave auctions at the Old Slave Mart ended in November 1863. The property changed hands many times after the Civil War, and between 1878 and 1937 the building was used as a Negro tenement and as an auto repair shop. In 1938 Miriam B. Wilson purchased the building, which by then, had come to be known locally as the Old Slave Mart, and established a museum featuring African and African-American arts and crafts. Judith Wragg Chase and Louise Wragg Graves took over the Old Slave Mart in 1964, placed it on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and operated it until its closure in 1987. Recognizing the significant importance the institution of slavery has had in Charleston's history, the City of Charleston acquired the property in 1988.

INCLUDED WITH TOUR PASS: 1 Free Glazed Doughnut per Person. To redeem, simply present your Tour Pass ID at the register Featured by the Food Network, Cooking with Paula Dean, BuzzFeed (33 Doughnuts You Have to Try Before You Die), Traveler of Charleston Magazine, Zagat, Delish, USA Today and countless others....Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts is recognized as a leader in this tasty pastry worldwide Their ingredients are natural, the glaze, filling and pastries are homemade. Their dough is made in house. They don't use any frozen or premade dough. There are no preservatives or additives whatsoever

Reservations are NOT required. You can visit anytime during their operating hours. To redeem, simply present your Tour Pass ID at the register.

North Charleston Fire Museum is a remarkable and unforgettable destination for the firefighter in all of us! Collection The North Charleston Fire Museum and Educational Center is proud to house the largest collection of professionally restored American LaFrance fire apparatus in the country. With over 20 vehicles in our collection, dating as far back as 1780's, the North Chareston Fire Museum has become renouned as destination for fire history and the preservation antique fire apparatus. All the pieces in our collection still run and can fight fire just like the day it was produced. Exhibits The Fire Museum offers its guests the opportunity to get as close to a fire as possible without getting burned. In addition to our collection of antique fire apparatus, the museum offers hands on and interactive exhibits and theater presentations that children and adults will love.From our "Home Fire Hazard Theater" complete with live smoke to our newest show "Are you an Esacape Artist", guests to the museum will gain an enhanced knowledge and understanding of the history and science of fire and firefighting.

• Maritime Superstitions
• Unusual Ship Christening
• Captain Jocko Clark
• Tragedy in the Forecastle
• Smokey Stover
• Mysterious Sailor Disappearance

Completed in 1771, the Old Exchange Building is a Charleston landmark and the site of some of the most important events in South Carolina history. Over the last two and a half centuries, the building has been a commercial exchange, custom house, post office, city hall, military headquarters, and museum. Previously the property of the British, United States, Confederate, and Charleston city governments, the Old Exchange Building is today owned by the South Carolina State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and operated by the City of Charleston. Admission to the Old Exchange includes a self-guided exhibition on the top two floors of the building and a 25 minute guided tour of the bottom floor cellar, otherwise known as the Provost Dungeon. Docents and other staff members are available throughout the building to share more of the site’s history with visitors of all ages and answer guest questions. Most visitors spend between 45 minutes and 1 hour on site, though guests are welcome to take as much or as little time as they like exploring the self-guided exhibition. The Old Exchange is handicap accessible, with an elevator providing access to all three floors of the building. If someone in your party needs to use the elevator to enter the building, please feel free to call us at 843-727-2165 or speak to a cashier, and one of our docents will be glad to assist you.

Climb aboard the Carolina Belle to enjoy the beauty of the Charleston Harbor and learn the rich history of the Holy City. During the scenic and relaxing 90 minute tour, you will see over 75 landmarks and points of interest! Tour departs multiple times per day. Your professional USCG licensed captain will narrate history, sights, and facts about the Charleston Harbor as you pass locations critical to United States history. Highlights of the tour

• Fort Sumter: One of Charleston's most popular landmarks, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired
• Confederate and Union army Forts Moultrie and Johnson
• USS Yorktown: the famous World War II Fighting Lady
• St. Michael's Church: A survivor of both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, whose steeple was painted black so as not to be an easy target
• Stately homes on the Battery: Symbols of Southern elegance and perseverance
• Cooper River Bridge, including the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge: A state of the art span that accommodates the largest ships in the world
• Dolphins skimming the surface of the water and pelicans diving for food

This family-friendly, relaxing, and insightful cruise is best way to discover the Holy City and its famous Harbor! The 80-foot Carolina Belle features graceful, classic lines. During your cruise, choose between the boat's two decks - a climate controlled Main Salon and an Observation Deck - or spend time enjoying the spectacular harbor views from each. [video_lightbox_youtube video_id="7F6siLrmUbo" width="640" height="480" auto_thumb="1"]

Self-guided tours. Last tour begins at 4 p.m. Groups of 12 or more persons cannot be accommodated without advance notice.

History of the House

Built in 1820 by merchant John Robinson, the Aiken-Rhett House is nationally significant as one of the best-preserved townhouse complexes in the nation. Vastly expanded by Governor and Mrs. William Aiken, Jr. in the 1830s and again in the 1850s, the house and its outbuildings include a kitchen, the original slave quarters, carriage block and back lot. The house and its surviving furnishings offer a compelling portrait of urban life in antebellum Charleston, as well as a Southern politician, slaveholder and industrialist. The house spent 142 years in the Aiken family's hands before being sold to the Charleston Museum and opened as a museum house in 1975.

When the Foundation assumed ownership in 1995, we adopted a preserved-as-found preservation approach, meaning the structure and contents are left in an “as-found” state, including furniture, architecture and finishes that have not been altered since the mid 19th century. The only restored room in the house, the art gallery, showcases paintings and sculpture the Aiken family acquired on their European Grand Tour. While many dependency buildings in Charleston have been demolished or adapted, the Aiken-Rhett slave quarters – with their original paint, floors and fixtures – survive virtually untouched since the 1850s, allowing visitors the unique chance to better comprehend the every-day realities of the enslaved Africans who lived on-site, maintained the household and catered to the needs of the Aiken family and their guests.

Children under the age of 12 are not allowed. If your group has 8 or more people please call ahead. 

What you receive: 1 hour at the Cat Cafe along with 1 free beverage per person (coffee, beer or wine)

Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar is a place where you can come to enjoy freshly brewed coffee or tea, sip on wine or craft beer, snack on delicious pastries, and cuddle with adorable (and adoptable!) cats. We've teamed up with our local shelter, Charleston Animal Society, to provide our cats, so if at the end of your visit you've fallen in love with your new feline friend, you can take them home with you! Visits to the cafe are $15 per person and include 1 hour in the cat lounge as well as 1 beverage of your choice to enjoy while you hang out with the kitties. Beverages included with the reservation fee: 1 glass of house wine, 1 craft beer, or bottomless non-alcoholic beverages such as coffee, tea, lemonade, and soda. Fresh, local pastries are also available for purchase at the cafe if you would like a snack. Additional time can be purchased at the cafe if the cat lounge is not fully booked for the next hour. AGE RESTRICTIONS: The minimum age for visiting Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar is 12 years old.A parent or guardian will need to sign a minor waiver for anyone visiting the cafe between the ages of 12 and 17. CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS: You can alter your reservation date/time by clicking on "Modify Reservation" link in your confirmation email up to 24 hours prior to your visit. You can cancel your reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE: Parties larger than 8 people are required to reserve the space as a private event. Not only can large groups be loud and distressing for our cats, they can also be disturbing for other guests who are visiting the cafe during the same hour.

Please call or visit their website to ensure they're open before driving there.

The first Serpentarium in South Carolina, this facility is dedicated to the recognition, preservation and study of the world of reptiles. You'll experience educational and exciting displays of reptiles from around the world and native to the region. Explore the indoor and outdoor facilities with Alligators, Turtles and many other large reptiles in their large solarium. Daily Programs:

• Snake Programs at 11:00, 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
• Alligator Feedings at Noon and 4:00 p.m.

Open Seasonally. Check Hours Before Going or Call the Number Below:

• April 11th - May 25th
  • Open Thursday - Saturday. 10 am - 4 pm.
• May 27th - August 17th
  • Open Monday - Saturday. 10 am - 6 pm.
• Closed Sundays, July 4th and Labor Day.

Admission is Included with Tour Pass

A National Historic Landmark, the Nathaniel Russell House Museum was built over a five-year period and completed in 1808 by Charleston merchant Nathaniel Russell. The house cost $80,000 to build, at a time when the average value of a home was $262. The home’s graceful, free-flying, three-story staircase is an architectural marvel with each cantilevered step supporting the one above and below it. The graceful interiors with elaborate plasterwork ornamentation, geometrically shaped rooms, formal gardens and collection of 18th-century decorative and fine art speak to the wealth of Charleston’s elite in the early days of the American Republic.

The home’s graceful, free-flying, three-story staircase is an architectural marvel with each cantilevered step supporting the one above and below it.

Restored to its original splendor using forensic analysis and cutting-edge conservation technology by our curatorial staff, we ensure the highest standards of old-world expertise to replicate the finishes, fixtures and textiles appropriate for this 200-year old townhouse. Because restoration is an ongoing process, visitors have the opportunity to see and learn about the meticulous care, craft and consideration that goes into every detail. The 18 enslaved Africans that lived on and maintained the property during the Russell occupancy are an integral part of the history of this one-of-kind house. An exhibit in the original kitchen house features archaeological artifacts, educational panels and stories of the people vital to the history of this property. HOURS:

• Open daily, 10 am - 5 pm
• Docent-led tours begin at 10:30 am. The last tour begins at 4:30 pm.

Palmetto Carriage Works is the oldest carriage tour company in Charleston and has developed the greatest carriage experience in the city! A Palmetto Carriage tour offers a blend of knowledge, wit, humor and history and is exciting and ever changing, a seamless fusion of 19th century conveyance in a 21st century city. During this tour you will:

• Experience 25-30 blocks of Charleston's historic downtown district
• See houses, gardens, mansions, churches & parks
• Learn about buildings, history, architecture, flora & the people that make up the "Holy City"
• Learn everything that Charleston has to offer on a Palmetto Carriage tour

 

Included with Tour Pass: Free Trolley Tour

The only tea plantation in North America where you can see hundreds of thousands of tea bushes stretching out acre after acre for almost as far as the eye can see. The Bigelow family, William Barclay Hall and the staff of the plantation stand ready to bring you the tea experience of your life. They are located on picturesque Wadmalaw Island in the heart of the Lowcountry just a few miles south of the historic city of Charleston. In addition to their many acres of tea plants, they offer a very educational tour of our tea factory. You get to walk the entire length of our tea production building where you can see all the equipment it takes to make tea. Large TV screens along the glassed in gallery describe the entire process. Included with Tour Pass is a 45-minute narrated trolley ride, which makes a stop at their state of the art greenhouse. Last but not least is the gift shop, stocked with more tea related items than you can possibly imagine. Last year some sixty five thousand people from all over the world came to visit. There are many hundreds of tea plantations in the world. With the exception of the Charleston Tea Plantation, they're all located in Asia, Africa and South America, many thousands of miles from our shores.

This Charleston Harbor Tour by SpiritLine Cruises offers visitors Live Narration by a Licensed City Tour Guide. What does that mean? You will learn fascinating historically accurate Charleston history while you cruise the gentle waves of her harbor. Our knowledgeable and entertaining tour guides are licensed by the City of Charleston and enjoy interacting with guests. You will see notable American landmarks, such as Fort Sumter, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, The Battery, the Ravenel Bridge, Castle Pinckney and other sites from the past and present. This relaxing and fun tour departs from two locations daily. You will hear enthralling tales of the city’s colorful past as well as scintillating facts about her most-interesting former citizens. Perfect for all ages, the whole family can enjoy cruising along the coastline of our beautiful “Holy City”. Do you know why we call it the “Holy City”? Find out on this 90-minute Charleston Harbor tour.

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Ages 12 and up only please.

We invite you to experience the history of Charleston, on this 2 hour History Walking Tour that will take take you deep into the heart of Charleston. The tour starts with the founding of the city, reliving the colonial days. Retracing the original city and seeing the progression of wealth and culture. Then they'll dive deep into the Revolutionary History, where you will experience why Charleston really is the Boston of the South! Did you know the first decisive victory of the Revolutionary War was fought in the harbor of Charleston? On to the Civil War, Charleston is the birthplace of Secession. Such a complex war, that even decades later, people are still trying to understand it all. Not only will you visit where it all began, but also experience the history that brought us to that moment in time. Also experience the aftermath, reconstruction, and present day Charleston. As the history unfolds, you will see how it took over a century for this city to come back to life. On this tour you will see: • Mansions • Gardens • Beautiful side streets • Churches Seasoned tour guides introduce you to some of the unique stories that have formed Charleston, including the spirit and culture of her and her people. Discover how with so much tragedy on a tiny peninsula, you will still find the friendliest people in the nation! See how those hardships have rallied Charleston's people around their city, to rebuild her year after year! What Is Not Included? Gratuity is not included in your ticket price. While not expected it is greatly appreciated.

A division of the Avian Conservation Center, the Center for Birds of Prey offers visitors a unique insight into the lives and impressive adaptations of our feathered apex predators, birds of prey. The Center houses one of the largest and most diverse collections of live birds of prey in the nation including eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, kites and vultures. Whether you're a birder, a photographer, or simply want to spend the day outdoors, we invite you to explore the fascinating world of birds with us. Coordinated programs that include a guided tour and flight demonstration are available at 10:30 am and 2:00 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Your ticket also includes access to the grounds for the day (10 am to 5 pm). Highlights include:

• Guided Tour: Enjoy a walking tour of the grounds with an experienced guide.
• Flight Demonstration: Watch as hawks, falcons, owls, eagles, and vultures soar above; learn about their hunting and flying techniques.
• Exhibit Area: The grounds are designed as a campus where visitors follow paths accentuated with aviaries housing nearly than 50 species of birds of prey.
• Owl Wood: Owls are universally recognized as some of the most compelling ambassadors for the natural world. The Countess Alicia Paolozzi Owl Wood spans two acres in which visitors experience owls from around the world in a refined & tranquil setting.

Your visit provides operational support for the Center's educational, medical, conservation, and research initiatives. We hope that your experience here will inspire an appreciation for birds of prey and a genuine concern for the diminishing habitat upon which they—and we—depend. All proceeds from your admission go to support the Avian Conservation Center, a nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization. [video_lightbox_youtube video_id="OIhyvAqR5sU" width="640" height="480" auto_thumb="1"]

NOTICE: Winter Hours: Beginning November 18th 2019, the Water Taxi will only be open on Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm and some special holiday hours. Click the departure time buttons or links below to see schedule.

The Charleston Water Taxi provides ferry service from downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant and back.Please check schedule to see if they are running. They can cancel or postpone their service due to inclement weather or during the winter season.

Departure Points and Times