Booking one of several Charleston horse carriage tours is on the must-do list of every visitor to the Holy City. We found two expertly-guided horse carriage tours that offer convenient mobile tickets and free 24-hour advance cancellations.
Charleston Horse Carriage Tours: The #1 Company
Make a reservation with the Old South Horse and Carriage Tour
No visit to Charleston is complete without a horse and carriage tour around the old city.
Top-rated Old South Carriage Company hosts this horse-drawn carriage ride and tour that takes you back to Charleston's colonial beginnings. This guided carriage tour will take you through more than 300 years of history.
You'll pass by old churches, antebellum mansions, and lush gardens as your horse-drawn carriage tour of historic Charleston includes more than 2.5 miles and 30 blocks. Belgian and Percheron draft horses steadily pull the carriage along while you take in the sights and learn about this “Holy City” and its involvement in the Civil War. Make a reservation with the Old South Horse and Carriage Tour.
Charleston Horse Carriage Tours: The #2 Company
Make a reservation with the two-horse carriage tour
There are plenty of options when it comes to horse and carriage tours.
This tour begins in downtown Charleston, where you will be greeted by a skilled driver-guide and seated in a carriage pulled by two horses. Follow a tour that passes through some of the most exquisite residences and gardens in the historic downtown center, learning about the architecture as you go. Pass by rows of bristling palmetto trees and inhale the aroma of jasmine blooms from deep, shady porches.
Charleston's historic structures have been scrupulously conserved and restored since the city was founded in 1670. From long-ago pirate raids through plantations, Revolutionary wars, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, learn about Charleston's tumultuous past. The guides expertly weave humor and education. Make a reservation with the two-horse carriage tour.
What Can I Do Before Or After My Charleston Horse And Carriage Tour?
Many of the best hotels in Charleston are within walking distance to the two horse carriage tour vendors named above. Depending on your schedule, you can savor Lowcountry and global cuisine from some of the best restaurants in Charleston — either before or after your trip. If you're in the Market Street area, Cru Cafe is a delightful lunch spot with a bright outdoor patio. If dessert is on your itinerary, trot over to Kaminsky's for an ice cream sundae or slice of their to-die-for cake.
If you're interested in more educational experiences, a visit to the SC Aquarium promises to be an entertaining time. Plan to spend at least an hour perusing the river otter habitat, sting ray touch-tank, and deepest shark tank in North America! Visitors of all ages will love this engaging attraction. Here are some other ideas for experiencing some of the best things to do in Charleston before or after your horse and carriage tour:
- Take a walk through White Point Gardens, where you can gaze out upon the Charleston Harbor and observe towering mansions
- Go on a King Street shopping spree — you'll find unique boutiques and popular clothing stores
- Explore Charleston by water — visit some of the best beaches in Charleston or go dolphin-watching at Shem Creek
- Go on a ghost tour to the Old Charleston Jail, where many of the country's most diabolical criminals spent time
- Attend a festival, if there's one going on while you're in town.
- Enjoy a flight of beer at some of the best breweries in Charleston — there are more than 30, so you have plenty of options!
