Much of
Charleston’s past is neatly located
on the peninsula, and there are lots of
ways to experience it, from walking tours
to carriage rides to ghost walks.
Charleston’s tour guides are highly
trained and rigorously tested; most have a
background in history and many have written
books.
History seems more alive here, somehow.
Just one tour might not be enough!
Here’s why:
The 300-year-old streets are narrow and
rough, reminders of the time when travel
was by foot, horse or ship. A quiet
carriage ride behind a plodding horse makes
you feel like a Rutledge or a Calhoun on
your way to church or market. Your tour
guide knows the history of every house and
family, and will bring it vividly alive for
you.
When you walk down the streets of
Charleston late at night under the Carolina
moon, it’s far too easy to think you
hear footsteps behind you….
And what’s that rustling behind the
wisteria? Is it Lavinia, the first woman to
be hung in South Carolina, after she and
her husband coolly murdered a number of
unsuspecting house guests? Or maybe
it’s one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, who were
imprisoned in the clammy dungeon under the
Old Provost Jail. It could even be one of
Blackbeard’s pirates, who were
beheaded and hung over nearby creeks as a
warning to their mates. But surely
it’s just your imagination playing
tricks on you…isn’t it?
ZOld Charleston Walking Tours offers several types of walking
tours in Charleston. One of the favorites
is Charleston's most haunting legends and
folk tales on this walking tour through the
historic district. The tour is filled with
stories of resident ghosts, haunted inns,
Gullah superstitions, and assorted other
ghost stories from Charleston's haunted
history. The ghost walk is based on
Charleston Ghosts(by M.R. Martin), Doctor
to the Dead (by John Bennett), and the
growing body of information being compiled
daily by our own ghost story
researchers.
Land ho! Charleston is called the Holy
City, and you’ll know why when you
take a harbor or air
tour…You’ll get a view that
can’t be seen from anywhere else.
Steeples pop up everywhere… and why
don’t most of them have bells?
Because they were melted down during the
War of Northern Aggression, and we
aren’t replacing them until we win,
that’s why!
How about a few pointers? Plantation tours
are a great way to experience the charm of
Charleston. They're about a 30 minute drive
and you'll want to give yourself several
hours to enjoy them.
Middleton Place is a terrific choice
and they also happen to have a restaurant
and an inn. If a plantation tour is your
first choice, and you're only going to be
in Charleston for the weekend, you might
want to consider just staying out at
Middleton Place and perhaps driving in
Sunday morning for a tour of the historic
district.
Charleston's historic homes are our
greatest attraction and there are many ways
to enjoy them. A carriage ride will take
you through Charleston's historic
neighborhoods and almost everyone enjoys
the clippity clop on the pavement as the
horse drawn carriage ambles slowly down
Charleston's Charming and Historic Avenues.
If you are interested in learning more
about Charleston, you might think harder
about a walking tour. They're typically two
hours, as opposed to less than an hour for
the carriage tour, and each experience is
remarkably different. Motor Tours also are
two hours, and typically include a stop at
White Point Gardens, also called "The
Battery" so you can get out, stretch your
legs, and take in the beautiful view of
Charleston Harbor.
Charleston can also be enjoyed by boat in a
variety of ways. Fort Sumter Tours are the
most obvious and leave from either the new
Wharf area or Patriots Point in Mount
Pleasant. Also consider the romantic
Charleston Dinner Cruise offered by
Spirit
Line Cruises.
|
