Win Your Wishlist ❤️ 🤑 Win $7,000 towards Viator experiences. Enter to win
Charleston
Book online or call: +1 (702) 648-5873

Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston

Charleston, United States

From HK$400.98

Select Date and Travelers

Reserve Now & Pay Later
Secure your spot while staying flexible
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
  • 1 hour (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Ride a horse-drawn carriage through the heart of historic Charleston on a guided tour through the heart of the city. Soak up the old fashioned charm of cobblestone streets lined with antebellum houses, lush gardens, and landmark churches as you listen to stories about Charleston history, architecture, and culture.
  • Carriage tour of Charleston
  • Several departures throughout the day
  • Learn about local history
  • Ideal choice for families

What's Included

  • 1-hour Horse Drawn Carriage Ride of Historic Charleston
  • Professional Guide
  • Learn about buildings, history, architecture, flora, and the people that make up the “Holy City”
  • See a mixture of houses, gardens, mansions, churches, and parks
  • Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • 8 Guignard St
    8 Guignard St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

    Please meet us at 8 Guignard Street Charleston, SC 29401 We are the Big Red Barn!

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

This tour begins in downtown Charleston, where you meet a knowledgeable driver-guide and settle into a carriage drawn by a pair of horses. Follow a route that takes in some of the historic downtown district’s most elegant mansions and gardens, learning about the architecture of each place as you drive along. Catch the scent of jasmine flowers from deep, shady porches, and pass by rows of bristling palmetto trees.

Get an overview of Charleston’s dramatic history, from long-ago pirate raids to plantations, Revolutionary battles, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. The city was founded in 1670, and Charleston's historic buildings have been meticulously preserved and restored. Guides combine humor with history for a lighthearted experience of Charleston’s atmospheric center.

This tour concludes at the original departure point.

Charleston City Market

30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Palmetto Carriage Works

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Joe Riley Waterfront Park (Pass By)

Battery & White Point Gardens (Pass By)

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon (Pass By)

Rainbow Row (Pass By)

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Filter by:

Q:Where does the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston depart from?

A:All of our tours begin and end at the Big Red Barn at 8 Guignard Street, one block from the City Market.

Apr 2021

Q:Is parking available for the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:There are multiple parking garages and lots near the City Market. You can also park at the Visitor’s Center and ride the free Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) to the Market.

Apr 2021

Q:Can I bring my young child with me on the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:Absolutely! This tour is fun for the whole family!

Apr 2021

Q:How long is the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:The carriage tour is approximately one hour long.

Apr 2021

Q:Is the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston narrated?

A:Yes, we only hire guides who are members of the Palmetto Guild of Certified Tour Guides. In order to be certified, guides must pass an extensive test facilitated by the City of Charleston and attend recertification classes every three years.

Apr 2021

Q:What will I see during the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:Charleston’s historic district is the 2nd largest in the world, so it would take hours to see all of it. There are 5 zones where your carriage tour might go – each one is full of fascinating history and beautiful homes, churches, and gardens.

Apr 2021

Q:How many people does the carriage seat during the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:Our large public carriages can seat up to 16 people, not including the driver who stands at the front. You can purchase an extra seat if you are concerned about having enough space. We also have smaller carriages that seat up to four or eight people.

Apr 2021

Q:Can I bring snacks/drinks with me on the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:Absolutely! We sell drinks and snacks in our Barn Shop, or you can bring your own. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in accordance with the City’s “open container” law.

Apr 2021

Q:Is the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston handicap accessible?

A:Our carriages pull up to a boarding platform in the Big Red Barn which is almost level with the carriages. There is a bit of a gap to step over, but we have a ramp leading to the platform, and we can assist as needed.

Apr 2021

Q:Can I bring my service animal with me on the Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston?

A:Absolutely. We can accommodate service animals with advance notice. Please specify if you would like to bring a dog in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Apr 2021

Traveler Photos

See more

Reviews

4.5
1,844 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 1,844 reviews
Fun tour
Cristine_M, May 2023
This was a very nice tour. The driver was well informed and interesting to listen to. We had a great time!!!
Exploring Charleston
Lori_H, May 2023
Guide was informative and entertaining. Weather was nice. Got to experience the beautiful coastal breezes.
Fabulous tour!
Hillary_M, May 2023
Fantastic tour!! A wonderful way to see Charleston and we had an amazing guide (Jenny) who has an extensive knowledge of Charleston and is a witty raconteur.
Nice day in May. Dave was...
Janice_D, May 2023
Nice day in May. Dave was quite knowledgeable about the area and explained everything. We were lucky as there were only 3 couples on this carriage. Also, Austin who was in the parking lot selling tours moved us up 30 minutes since we arrived earlier than anticipated. He too was a native of Charleston as was Dave.
Nice way to see a...
Maryellen_H, May 2023
Nice way to see a beautiful city. Very informative, would have liked an option for a longer tour. Tour guide very informative, although sometimes hard to hear.
10/10
McKenna_G, May 2023
My boyfriend and I had a great experience. If you’re visiting Charleston, definitely do this. Our tour guide was also amazing and was super knowledgeable.
Tour guide very...
Beverly_K, May 2023
Tour guide very informative and our horse Melody very pretty Lots of things to see and a nice cool breeze. Tour guide van was funny
Good tour, great for families.
Mariah_M, May 2023
This was a good tour and it was great for a family with children. Will recommend to anyone visiting Charleston.
Fun and relaxing tour!!
Tiffany_M, May 2023
Great one hour tour of Charleston!! Our guide was very knowledgeable and personable!!! Highly recommend doing this tour if you have time. Great relaxing way to learn history of Charleston!!!
Perfect Tour
Elizabeth_W, May 2023
Knowledgeable guide showed us a quick tour of the city. Given there are always different routes, I would definitely do it next time I am in town.
Great experience
Monica_G, May 2023
Great experience. Tour guide was knowledgeable and brought a lot of personality to the tour. I would definitely recommend to family and friends
Drawn in by horse drawn.
STEVENSON_M, May 2023
The driver was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Our route was terrific and the history of the architecture is fascinating.
Highlight of our Trip
James_B, May 2023
The tour guide was so entertaining! Very knowledgeable too. We were very impressed with the sights and stories behind everything
Must do active
Dan_G, May 2023
Very well organized and welcoming. Very knowledgeable and entertaining driver. And Opie was an amazing horse.
Our tour guide was...
Minnie_B, May 2023
Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and quite interesting. Overall, a great experience!! In fact, we met some people at dinner last night and recommended you to them.
Our guide was very...
Kimberly_V, May 2023
Our guide was very knowledgeable. We learned a lot. And Yogi & BooBoo (the carriage team) were the bestest boys!
History lesson
Derrick_E, Apr 2023
We enjoyed the tour full of historic houses and history. We've never been to downtown Charleston. We will do it again
The Highlight of My Visit to Charleston
Amy_M, Apr 2023
This tour of Charleston was one of the best activities of my entire short trip. The tour guide was engaging and funny and I got the impression that if I took this tour with another guise, I would get an entirely different experience - but one that was equally as insightful and educational.
Great experience
Gabe_S, Apr 2023
This is the second time I took this tour. The guides are excellent, they’re very knowledgeable and give you a tour with a sense of humor, they really show you the sights of Charleston that you would never know. Great experience, highly recommend it.
The real history behind the Charleston stories
Sherry_M, Apr 2023
Our guide did a phenomenal job of telling cool details and make the trip interesting . It was great weather and the horse Harmony was so well behaved. She ran the show!
Wonderful guide and tour
Jennifer_C, Apr 2023
Our tour guide and horse Chester were just wonderful! Highly recommend this place. They take of their horses and gusts impeccably and they even switched our days on the spot. Best thing we did on our trip!
Memorable occasion
Nancy_G, Apr 2023
Seeing all the wonderful homes and sites of the city. I enjoyed our tour guide who was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the tour. Very enjoyable!
Outstanding!
Gail_P, Apr 2023
Justin was outstanding! His mixture of humor and facts was top notch. My mom just loved him and hugged him afterwards.
Everything was great
Paul_T, Apr 2023
Riding in the carriage was fun and viewing the city listening to the guy with all the great information
Girls trip
Corine_A, Apr 2023
Our carriage ride was very enlightening. Sarah did a great job navigating the Charleston streets and sharing the history. She answered all our questions we had a great time.
Wonderful carriage tour
Linda_T, Apr 2023
The guide was informative and friendly! I learned a lot about Charleston. Would recommend this company again!
beautiful city but pricey. 3 people 2 nights around $2000.00 !!!!
William_B, Apr 2023
The tour itself was great and informative. but you should warn visitors the outside parking is out of line price wise and they do not take cash (very disappointed) Maybe let people know there parking options.
Great
Mike_M, Apr 2023
Great fun! The entire ride was informative . Charleston is filled with so much history. This was a good way to take some of that in.
Move on
Gail_S, Apr 2023
There are a lot of people crammed into the wagon. I was hoping for a historical overview of Charleston. Instead we were told a lot about the horse and how they care for them.
The tour guide was...
Abbie_C, Apr 2023
The tour guide was fantastic! He was very knowledgeable, funny, and made the experience very enjoyable! It was also nice how he shared the info about the horses that were pulling our carriage and their care.
...

Questions?

Product code: 40128P2

Compare Similar Experiences

1 / 3
Current
No Photo
Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston

1,844

1 hour
Free Cancellation
From
HK$400.98
No Photo
Historic Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston

291

1 hour
Free Cancellation
From
HK$361.24
No Photo
Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

3,230

2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
HK$212.73
No Photo
Private Walking Tour of Historic Charleston

23

2 hours 15 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
HK$561.93