Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour
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Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour
By Old South Carriage Company
Recommended by 95% of travelers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Follow the history of the South Carolina port city of Charleston, which dates back more than 300 years, on a horse-drawn carriage tour. Save time by seeing the main highlights of the city’s past, including those from the Civil War era, from a comfortable perch as you travel across 30 blocks of the historic district.
from per adult
₱2,901.57
from per adult
₱2,901.57
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 4-99, max of 16 per group
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
Highlights
- Learn about 300 years of Charleston history in just one hour
- Cover 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) while resting your feet on a carriage ride
- Multiple departure times offered to fit your busy sightseeing schedule
- Children three and under are free when they sit on a parent's lap
- 1-Hour Horse & Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Charleston
- Belgian or Percheron Draft Horse
- Certified Driver/Guide
- See Charleston highlights such as historically significant homes, churches and gardens
- Hear stories of the city’s role in our nation's history from your certified guide
- Entry/Admission - Old South Carriage Company
What's not included- Gratuities
- For this tour of South Carolina’s oldest city, arrive at the Old South Carriage Company at 14 Anson Street about 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time to check in. Climb into a carriage led by a horse and guide. The horse pulling your carriage is the same kind of draft horse that worked American farms in the 1800s, adding to the authenticity. During the tour, your carriage whisks through 30 blocks of the city’s historic area, about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). Pass by antebellum mansions, old churches, and historical homes, such as the former residence of South Carolina governor William Aiken Jr. Your guide revisits more than 300 years of history, and you’ll learn about the city’s founding and its role in the Civil War. Cover the historical district without getting tired from walking or having to arrange transportation. Your tour ends back at Old South Carriage Company.
- Departure details
- 14 Anson St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA Departure Point: Old South Carriage Address: 14 Anson St. Charleston, SC 29401 Dates: Daily - MUST check-in 15-minutes
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6656RIDE- Please note: you MUST check-in 15-minutes prior to your scheduled tour time. Failure to do so may result in your reservation being cancelled with out refund.
- Carriage can transport up to 16 passengers per departure.
- Children 3 years and under are free provided that they sit on the lap of a parent or guardian. If you want your child to have a seat, you must purchase a child seat.
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- A note from Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour
- Public carriage tours are seated up to 100% capacity, full capacity consists of up to 16 passengers with 4 guests seated per row.
What you can expect during your visit- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
Community- Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
- Which attractions will I visit with Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour?
- During this experience, places you will visit include:Discover and book Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour on Tripadvisor
- How much is Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour?
- Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour price starts from ₱2,815.79. Discover and book Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour on Tripadvisor
- What is the Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour cancellation policy?
- Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour?
- Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour is hosted by Old South Carriage Company. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Old South Carriage Company on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6656RIDE
Reserve your spot
from ₱2,901.57
Itinerary
- You'll start at14 Anson St14 Anson St, Charleston, SC 29401, USADeparture Point: Old South Carriage Address: 14 Anson St. Charleston, SC 29401 Dates: Daily - MUST check-in 15-minutesSee address & details
- 1Old South Carriage CompanyStop: 15 minutes - Admission includedOur stable is where your tour experience will begin and end. After checking in you can say hi to our draft horses, watch an educational video, purchases a bottle of water, or use our restroom. As you board your carriage via our inclined ramp / easy loading platform, your certified tour guide will greet you.Read morePass byCharleston City Market
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
Marianne B
00Fun!
Fun cool experience…Not scary…Nice friendly young man as guide…Interesting stories…Helped round out our experience …
E7617TFchadw
00Informative and fun
Very informative, and a lot of fun. Tour guide was engaging and shared a lot about the history of the city. Felt th…
189enricol
00Great Time
Our tour guide, Brian, was awesome. Great sense of humor!!! Had a great time and would do it again with Brian on …
Sam S
00Thoroughly enjoyed!!
Great mixture of city history and haunted tales. Great guides…Shannon and Cash! Perfect weather for a carriage rid…
ccw1604
00Great Tour of Charleston; Haunted, not so Much
We had already taken the Charleston Carriage Tour with the same Old South Carriage Company and loved it. The haunte…
etravels62
00okay, not our thing
I'll start by saying we tried something different. 1. a carriage ride, 2. a haunted carriage ride. So, the guide …
Storyteller763578
00Sooo fun , got to sit in front row too !!! Loved it
Great fun! Something we have never done. Loved it , staff was kind and stories were enjoyable … Have a nice day
robertbR8933MU
00Great tour
Shannan was an excellent spinner of ghost tales. Tour took us past 300 year old buildings with an explanation of th…
Woodysears
00Great tour--- history mixed with ghost stories
My granddaughter and I took a trip to Charleston to celebrate her graduation. This tour was an added surprise for …
J7525BJjerryn
00Great experience
Excellent tour guide. Carol did a great job. However, Griffin was the star. He was a good boy who gave us a smooth …
marahE2384FV
00So much fun
Our guide was wonderful, the horses well cared for and the ghost stories/history, delightful. I would highly recomm…
Z9791ZEjillc
00Shannan is a great guide
This was our second trip on the haunted ride with Shannan. She is a great storyteller and has a knack for mixing t…
611frederickc
00Excellent tour. As good as ever.
Excellent tour as always. Third time. Driver/guide was Jayson who was very funny and informative on Charleston his…
dmacMo
00Fun
The Haunted Evening Horse and Carriage Tour was fun. I forgot the ladies name but she was very informative. Also wh…
Mygrandkids5
00Very much worth doing taking
Our driver was very knowledgeable. We had a very limited time to spend in Charleston, and by taking this tour, it …
More to explore in Charleston
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
4,303 reviews
Excellent
3,779
Very good
312
Average
108
Poor
67
Terrible
37
Stacey540
Fremont, CA10 contributions
Oct 2022
Great way to get a view of the downtown area for us first timers, and learn some history with a charming guide. There is a not a particular route you can choose. To avoid all the carriages going down the same street at the same time, they have a bingo system that each carriage pulls up to to find out which route that particular carriage is assigned to. Try to get an outside seat if you wish to take photos.
Horses are very well taken care of, with lots of days off and only work 6 months of the year and an hour at a time. Our carriage was full and it can get a bit cozy if for four adults in one row - this is not a private tour, we had 15-16 people. This was 11:30 on a Tuesday in Oct... recommend taking the earlier tour as may not be as full. Or try to sit next to thin people! LOL.
Horses are very well taken care of, with lots of days off and only work 6 months of the year and an hour at a time. Our carriage was full and it can get a bit cozy if for four adults in one row - this is not a private tour, we had 15-16 people. This was 11:30 on a Tuesday in Oct... recommend taking the earlier tour as may not be as full. Or try to sit next to thin people! LOL.
Written 5 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janet D
2 contributions
May 2023
My husband and I had only one day in Charleston as we were on a Celebrity cruise ship. We had an appointment, but wanted to change to an earlier time and they easily accommodated our request. In terms of access, it was about a half mile walk to the starting point from the ship. We walked up approx. 4-5 stairs to a landing in order to board the carriage and the seating was comfortable. They allow people to purchase extra seating room for an additional price if you think you'll need that. Our friendly guide, Von, provided detailed information about our horse as well as the city's buildings and history. Great tour overall!
Written 16 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Betty M
Hopatcong, NJ1 contribution
My husband and I took his mom on the 1 hour historic carriage ride on Aug 13th for her birthday. John was our tour guide, and Rowdy was the big beautiful Belgian horse pulling our carriage. Everything about our experience was excellent, beginning with the convenient (non-affiliated) parking right across the street from the stable. Upon entering the stable, our party was easily checked in. There was a small area with a TV monitor playing a professional video about the tour and the horses. We had acces to a restroom, and water was available. On one side of the front of the stable were the carriages, neatly lined up. On the other side, there were stalls with the horses being prepared for their day's work. It was fun to watch them being outfitted with their gear then brought over and hitched up to their carriages. The grooms, as well as the rest of the staff, were professional and obviously had respect for the animals they work with. After Rowdy was hitched up by the groom, and before we were invited to enter the carriage, John inspected all the tack and connections to the carriage. I appreciated his care for safety. Parties were then invited to walk up a ramp and easily walk onto the carriage. I later saw that carriages from other companies had to be accessed from a ladder on the street. At Old South, the horse is quite secure in the barn with a bar and a bucket of water in front of him. The ramp allowed very easy and safe access, even to the patrons with mobility issues. Once aboard, our tour began. It was clear from the very beginning that horse and rider had an easy and relaxed rapport. John started out by telling us a bit of Rowdy's history before transitioning to the history of the area. John was very nice, funny and very knowledgeable. He happily answered everyone's questions along the way too. We all really enjoyed the tour and would go again. As an animal lover, Old South impressed me with their obvious love and care for their horses. These animals were the right breeds for the job (Belgians and Percherons), unlike some other companies that were not using draft horses to pull carriages loaded up with several rows of 3 to 4 good sized people each. Plus, Old South's horses are back at their barn after a tour while other companies horses and carriages were waiting on the street and soliciting business from passersby. All in all, Old South takes excellent care of their hard working horses, employs excellent tour guides, and I highly recommend them.
Written 14 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbie C
Hi Betty, thank you very much for your kind words! We appreciate you and your family joining us on a Carriage Tour, and for taking the time to see how we implement our safety measures and the love and care that goes toward our horses. We have the best staff, both equine and human! Thank you again for joining us, we very much so look forward to seeing y'all again soon in Charleston.
Written 15 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
FoodieforShore
Margate City, NJ122 contributions
Dec 2022
They pack you in 4 to a row (Covid does not exist here) to the point where it is very uncomfortable. At a cost of $48 per person there needs to be a little more space allotted to people. The tour itself was good but not overly informative. Maybe it was the route (South of Broad) as each carriage is assigned a route by lottery AFTER you pay and board. Would recommend that you look into a carriage or other carriage company that carries less people. We were not aware that there would be 16 people on the carriage.
Written 7 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
Hi, thank you for your input. Our company has been giving tours for nearly forty years. If any customer is not satisfied. We want to hear about it. Please reach out to me so we may discuss how to remedy the situation. We appreciate you choosing Old South Carriage Company.
Scott B.
Guest Relations Manager
843-723-9712
Written 8 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
HRHmum
New Hartford, NY267 contributions
May 2022
This is a nice way to get a feel for a section of the city. Horse and carriage were great, comfortable and felt controlled and safe. The drawback is that the City makes them do random draws for what part of the city each group gets to see and we drew the boring Route 5. The set up is that you pay, board the carriage and drive around the block to get the "randomized " route assignment so by the time you learn you got the crappy route, your are already rolling along and stuck. Our driver was pleasant and knowledgable but was a low-talker so the back 2 rows (our group of 6) didn't hear a lot of what he was sharing. $100 a couple plus a tip makes this an expensive gamble for a bad luck of the draw.
Written 18 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
I am so sorry our tour didn't work out for you. Yes all carriage companies have their route chosen for them by the cities lottery based system as to spread the carriages out throughout the historic district. The good part is you can do multiple tours and get a complete different experience! Thank you for choosing Old South Carriage Co.
Scott B.
Guest Relations Manager
Written 21 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rosalina M
Buffalo, NY33 contributions
This tour (like every horse drawn carriage tour through Charleston) is a random draw. This means that you will visit some random spot throughout the city but not all or even a 1/4 of the city. This is only a 1 hr tour. The WORST part of this trip is sitting butt cheek to butt cheek with other people. This company squishes 4 grown, American adults into 1 row. They need go allow some room between individuals because it’s hot and humid as it is and sitting so close to another person without any room is gross. I didn’t even have room to relax my arms and couldn’t take any pictures because I couldn’t move my arms at all. Paid $50 per person. A total waste!
Written 6 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
Hello, Thank you for your input. We try to accommodate as many visitors as we can with our tours. We have the newest, cleanest, best padded carriages in the city. I am so sorry you were uncomfortable on the tour, please reach out to me if you would like to discuss this further.
Scott B.
Old South Carriage Co.
Guest Relations manager
843-723-9712
Written 6 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
alexandra m
10 contributions
Sep 2022
We had the best time touring Charleston with Old South Carriage Company. I highly recommend doing one of these tours the first day you are in town because everything the tour guide points out and shares with you, you will want to go and explore it once the tour is over. Our tour guide was amazing, you could tell he was extremely passionate about the city and wanted to share that passion with us. We fell in love with Charleston and will absolutely be recommending this tour to friends and family who visit in the future.
Written 12 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
Hello, thank you for taking the time and letting us know how your tour went! It has been our goal for the last 39+ years to show off our city in the best way we know how- by horse and carriage! Our amazing guides, beautiful horses, and comfortable carriages all add up to be the best way for friends and family to get to experience historic downtown Charleston. We are glad you enjoyed your tour, and thanks for choosing Old South Carriage Co.
Scott B.
Guest Relations Manager
Written 12 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rachel B
Minneapolis, MN7 contributions
Nov 2022
This tour was excellent! Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a great tour of the city's historic area. We were impressed by the detailed stories and interesting facts the guide told us. Having enjoyed the first tour so much, we came back a few days later for the haunted tour. They both provided interesting and different perspectives on the city, and I would highly recommend both tours. Looking back, we're glad we had this early on in our trip to Charleston because it helped us orient ourselves.
Written 14 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele Stephens
Knoxville, TN37 contributions
I really like this company and they were so accommodating to us having to change numbers did people and times. I have done this tour several times and loved it. This time we had our 4 year grandson with us and our tour guide “Big Mike” went into graphic details about the “spirits” what they looked like and great detail how the mad hatter went after children all the while looking and speaking directly to a four year old. He never even referenced the drawing that was made up of hats. Nor the blue door part of boohags rather concentrating on what they looked like, etc. Not sure why he chose to be so graphic with past tour guides had never gone to such graphic detail. I wouldn’t ever recommend taking children on the haunted tour. Big Mike certainly was not self aware of his audience or didn’t care.
Written 28 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
Hello, I am so sorry to hear of your experience. We pride ourselves on giving wonderful tours throughout our beautiful city. Please call me to discuss as I want to help correct the situation.
Scott B.
Old South Carriage Co.
Guest Relations Manager
843-723-9712
Written 29 April 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Uberdad
1 contribution
Oct 2022 • Couples
Awesome guide, very informed and engaging. Tour started on time but was only 40 minutes total (vs advertised 60 min tour). Overall poor experience due to 4 ladies seated directly behind us who did not speak English. Two of the women provided constant translation along with casual banter to the other two, so much loud chatter that the guide paused several times and waited for them to stop speaking. It was extremely difficult to hear the guide and we felt for the plight of folks seated behind the ladies. I’m confident the rearmost guests heard practically nothing about Charleston and its history. I understand the activity appealing to all cultures but if a guest doesn’t understand English language and needs an interpreter, perhaps have a dedicated tour for those passengers. Without amplification from the guide plus the ambient street sounds, listening was virtually impossible with the constant foreign dialog going on.
Written 26 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
Hello, I am so sorry you could not hear during your tour experience. We pride ourselves on giving wonderful tours throughout our beautiful city. Please call if you would like to discuss, as I want to help correct the situation.
Scott B.
Old South Carriage Co.
Guest Relations Manager
843-723-9712
Written 28 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
is your tour within walking distane of the cruise port
Bill S
Lakewood Ranch, FL400 contributions
Takes about 15 minutes to walk from the Cruise Terminal to Old South Carriage Tours. It’s all flat and with lots to see. You can also take a taxi in less than 6 minutes. Look on Google Maps for walking directions. I would suggest making reservations with Old South Carriage Tours ahead of time because they do get busy. Also walk through the City Market, short block from Old South Carriage, while your there to see local artisans and crafters as well as other tourist type items, well worth it.
Is there parking anywhere near the pick up/drop off points?
If not - what would be the best way to get to the pick up/drop off point?
Thank you.
Sally Hanseth
Santa Barbara, CA
Do you ever do early evening tours? We have reserved 11/28 st 9:30 a.m. but would really like on 11/26 at 5 or 6pm which is first day of our trip. Thanks for us letting know. Sally
MikellCW
North Carolina25 contributions
Yes they do, it may be listed as the "Haunted" or Ghost tour. It isn't super scary but highlights cool ghost stories. We did both in one day and loved them both. (Two adults and three 19 year old daughters. )
