Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA  received no damage from Helene and Milton, tours are open. Due to Milton, St. Augustine, FL is not operational on 10/10 thru 10/11 with plans to fully re-open on Saturday 10/12. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected. To support relief efforts please donate to the Red Cross

Must Visit Historical Sites & Museums in Charleston SC

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Must Visit Historical Sites & Museums in Charleston, SC

If you’re looking for things to do in Charleston and love historical sites then you’ve come to the right place. Charleston is a city steeped in history and brimming with charm. Take a stroll down cobblestone streets that were used as ships ballast (ships needed additional weight to sail safely for balance if they were not transporting a full load) in Colonial times. These ships carried everything from general goods, tea, indigo, cotton and sadly helped fuel the Slave trade. Below we’ll highlight the top historical sites you won’t want to miss, with the added convenience of using a Charleston TourPass to streamline your adventure.

The Battery & White Point Gardens

charleston sc tour pass

This significant historical landmark has deep roots dating back to the early days of American colonization. The Battery is situated at the southernmost tip of the Charleston Peninsula, a site historically referred to as Oyster Point when it was first settled in the late 17th century. Colonists first settled the Charleston area at Charles Towne Landing.

  • Defense of the City: The Battery serves as a key defensive position during various conflicts such as the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War. The seawall known as The Battery was a crucial fortification with cannons still on display today that were used to defend against naval attacks.

  • Pirate & Public Executions: In the early 18th century, Charleston was plagued by Pirates who attacked ships and nearby settlements. White Point Gardens became the infamous site where pirates were executed by hanging on the majestic branches of the many live oak trees that still stand today. The most famous Pirate, Stede Bonnet (known as the Gentleman Pirate) was captured, he and his crew were hanged with their bodies left for days as a grim warning to other would-be-pirates. These trees were also used to punish others in the city for alleged wrong-doings such as Slave punishments and criminal offenses.

  • A Park with Beautiful Mansions: In modern times, this site with such a dark past is a popular picnic and park where weddings take place in the gazebo and beautiful mansions line it’s perimeter.

Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site

historical things to do in charleston sc

The original site of the first permanent English settlement in the Carolinas, established in 1670. This vast living history park offers a glimpse into the early Colonial days with a replica 17th-century trading vessel that can be boarded, beautiful gardens, biking and walking paths along with an outdoor zoo with animals that range from bisons, panthers, eagles, bears and more.

  • This attraction is included on the Charleston TourPass.

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon

charleston old exchange discount tickets

Built in 1771, the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon is one of the most significant buildings in the founding of America. Throughout history, this building served various purposes including a Customs House, Post Office, headquarters for the British during occupation, a military prison and entertainment venue for the first President George Washington. Beneath the museum is the Dungeon you can tour that held captive Revolutionary War Patriots and everything in-between.

Old Slave Mart Museum

slave mart museum charleston sc

This museum brings to light the cruel Slave trade that occurred in Charleston. This building once served as a Slave auction site known as Ryan’s Mart. It’s one of the few remaining structures used for this purpose in the U.S. This museum educates visitors on the sad history of the transatlantic Slave Trade and the impact on Slavery on those enslaved.

  • This attraction is included on the Charleston TourPass.

Fort Sumter

tour pass - fort sumter tours

The starting point of the Civil War where the first shots were fired on April 12, 1861. Take a ferry ride to the Fort with Fort Sumter Tours and enjoy picturesque views and highlights of the Charleston Harbor. Upon arrival at the Fort, Park Rangers lead tours that delve into its history and significance on Charleston and the formation of the U.S.

  • This attraction is included on the Charleston TourPass.

Powder Magazine Museum

Old Powder Magazine Museum

The oldest public bulding in the Carolinas, the Powder Magazine was used to store gunpowder and munitions during the Colonial period and played a crucial role in the defense of the city. Now a museum which educates Visitors about Colonial Charleston, history of the region and architectural practices of the 1700s.

  • This attraction is included on the Charleston TourPass.

Charleston Area Plantations

Charleston area plantations

There are a number of Charleston Plantations that played a dark role in the Slave trade set on a beautiful background of beautiful gardens, mansions which is paradoxical to say the least. All of the Plantations today provide programs to Visitors which tell the story of Slave life and what they had to endure along with examples of their dwellings.

Charleston House Museums

nathaniel russell house museum

A well-preserved antebellum mansion that showcases the life of the Charleston elite along with telling the story of the grim conditions of those who were enslaved here.

  • This attraction is included on the Charleston TourPass.

The Charleston Museum

the charleston museum

The Charleston Museum is the oldest museum in the U.S., founded in 1773. This museum provides an invaluable opportunity to explore the vast array of historical topics through its well-preserved collections. Anyone interested in understanding the depth and breadth of American history, particularly as it pertains to the Charleston region should visit.

  • Two historical house museums that can be visited are operated by the Charleston Museum; the Joseph Manigualt House (located across the street to the museum) and the Heyward Washington House (located in South of Broad Street) are also worth a visit.

  • All three of these attraction are included on the Charleston TourPass.

Recommended Guided Tours to Explore Charleston's History

It’s much easier to digest and understand history when being told first-hand by a historical expert Tour Guide. Below are some of the best guided tours that are all included on our Charleston TourPass to make the most of your experience in the city.

  • Carriage Tours (both daytime and haunted options)

  • Walking Tours: daytime historical tours along with ghost and graveyard, dungeon tours at the Old Exchange and many other options are available to choose from.

  • Fort Sumter Tours

  • Harbor Tours

  • Mini-Bus Tours

  • House Museum Tours

To fully maximize your Charleston vacation, look into the Charleston TourPass which has been found to make touring easier since all tours allowed on the pass have to be vetted. TourPass also savies time researching and booking tours and includes skip the line access making figuring out what to do a breeze.

Maximize Your Vacay with TourPass

To fully maximize your Charleston vacation, look into the Charleston TourPass which has been found to make touring easier since all tours allowed on the pass have to be vetted. TourPass also savies time researching and booking tours and includes skip the line access making figuring out what to do a breeze. Go to Charleston TourPass info page

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TourPass provides access and full admission to the top tours and attractions. After purchasing a pass, you can simply select what you want to do, make reservations and present your pass upon arrival. It’s not all about savings, convenience and ease of use should also be considered. Users can save a considerable amount of money and time by using TourPass. 

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Absolutely and we encourage this scenario since purchasing in advance will allow you to fully research and plan your vacation.

After purchase, when your ready, simply activate your pass for when you’ll be visiting and begin making reservations for that future date (can be today, tomorrow or months away).

No it doesn’t. After purchase on the app you select the activation date for when you’re visiting when you’re ready. Then it will ask you to book your featured tours in advance now for when you’re visiting. You don’t have to make tour reservations in advance if you’re not ready.

We give you complimentary refund protection for 30-days after purchasing. If you’d like to extend refund protection up to 1 year, you can purchase Trip Protection during the purchase process. 

No worries. Visit this page on our site tourpass.com/aggregator – select the date you want to tour and it will show you all of the available times for that day prior to purchasing. Now you can confidently  purchase a pass and book those times.

After choosing a day pass and checking out on our site, you’ll instantly receive instructions to install the app. On the app you can: 

  • Set your activation date (can use right away or set for a future travel date).
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  • Research landmark sites.
  • Use the interactive map to see where everything is located.

Yes you can skip days. Once activated, you have a total of 10-days to use however many days you purchased. For example, a 2 day pass activated on Monday….take a break Tuesday and then tour again Wednesday….pass expires at midnight on Wednesday.

Most Feature Tours do and reservations are easily made post-purchase on the app. To ensure tour availability before purchasing, visit this page and search the date you want to tour: https://tourpass.com/aggregator 

Standard Tours do not require reservations. Simply arrive and present your pass upon entry. Everything is paid for with TourPass.

Tours are designed to be visited 1x for the entirety of your pass. If for instance you’d like to do the Hop on Hop Off Trolley (Savannah + St. Augustine), then you could check-in on a second day which would use another of your featured tours.

Standard Tours can only be checked into 1x per person for the entirety of your pass.

Yes, we don’t restrict how many feature tours you can visit per day….we do restrict how many total you can choose which is determined by the # of days you select: 1-day = 2 featured. 2-days = 3 and 3-days = 4 featured.

Yes, after purchasing we instantly send instructions to install our app. On the app, you can select the upgrade option and add more days or people to your pass.

If so, go to our FAQ page which goes into more detail and provides videos. https://tourpass.com/frequently-asked-questions/

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