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 travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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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.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 4-99, max of 16 per group
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

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.

Start:
  • 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
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Pushchair 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

    • Most travellers can participate
    • 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.
    • By purchasing tickets for any horse-drawn carriage tour with Old South Carriage Co, participants acknowledge and accept all risks and liabilities associated with the tour, horses, and it’s properties. Old South Carriage Co is not liable for any injuries, damages, or losses that may occur; and participants agree to release Old South Carriage Co and it’s employees from all liability.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled 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 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.
    Where does the Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour depart from?
    Carriages board and depart from our stable at 14 Anson Street (one block north of the City Market). Our stable provides protection from the elements while you wait.
    Answered Apr 2021
    Is parking available for the Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour?
    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.
    Answered Apr 2021
    How early should I arrive for the Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour?
    You MUST check in 15-minutes prior to your scheduled tour time. Failure to do so may result in your reservation being canceled without a refund.
    Answered Apr 2021
    Can I bring my young child with me on the Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour?
    Yes, 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.
    Answered Apr 2021

    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

    From
    £35.41
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
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    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 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
    • 1
      Our 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.
      Pass by
      Charleston City Market
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Old South Carriage Company
      4.8 of 5 bubbles11,874
      Charleston, United States
      Joined in August 2008
    • davisw873
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesome experience
      We all loved the carriage ghost tour. The family absolutely loved getting to just ride through the city at night and slow down the fast paced society we live in, and take it all in for 40 minutes. The stories were real cool also. We highly recommend this tour to anyone!
      Written 16 March 2025
    • 66Marla
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Haunted evening in Charleston
      Our guide was friendly, engaging and enthusiastic for our Haunted Ghost tour. She answered questions and gave good feedback. She and her horse Rowdy made sure all of us had a wonderful time. Our granddaughter said it was the best part of the weekend !
      Written 16 March 2025
    • frankdB1665HX
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Garret and Cheese winning combo
      Garret was amazing! The way he let us know Mac and Cheese history and background was a great way to start the trip. Garret was lively and hilarious. GREAT tour guide! And we loved Big Mac such a sweet boy and should be employee of the month!
      Written 14 March 2025
    • 614jilliang
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best tour around
      Prince was an awesome horse. He made for a smooth and clam ride. The history and stories were wonderful. Would definitely recommend.
      Written 14 March 2025
    • R5119IAstephanief
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Night out in Charleston
      My family had a lot of fun. Our guide was excellent and so were her stories. Really enjoyed our evening.highly recommend.
      Written 14 March 2025
    • mirandaz344
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Ghost tour
      The tour was great! Especially our guides, Garrett & Macaroni. It was a foggy night which made it even better Definitely would recommend
      Written 14 March 2025
    • jasonkV4078BC
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great fun
      Had a really nice time. The whole family enjoyed it. The carriage was comfortable. Liam, our horse was great and the staff was really friendly.
      Written 14 March 2025
    • laurahU1718GX
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great experience
      Loved the history tour with haunted things thrown in there. I learned alot about Charleston from David. Brian on the other hand, well he was great too! A bit of a sassy pants but I loved his personality. He was ready and willing to show you the town even if David was done with his story.
      Written 14 March 2025
    • T5029SHkellym
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      We loved it!
      We really enjoyed the ghost tour. Just enough “spook” for my 11 yr old. Holly did an excellent job and we highly recommend this tour.
      Written 13 March 2025
    • R9751RSsandrar
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Ben for employee of the month
      Ben and Heidi were amazing. Ben was a sweet boy and Heidi very knowledgeable! This was our second time taking the tour. Highly recommend
      Written 13 March 2025
    • justinramsey327
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great ghost stories
      We had a great time. Worth it every time we go. Love the horses and thier unique personalities. We loved the driver and everyone was friendly and extremely helpful.
      Written 13 March 2025
    • Go26426721674
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Horse ride smooth. Tour guide pleasant funny and informative
      Tour guide funny and informative and interesting. Made stories come to life while pointing out other fascinating items about Charlston history
      Written 13 March 2025
    • fredkH7019PM
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Grans spring break ghost tour.
      Took the grans for the ghost tour and they loved it. The correct level of fright for young teens. The tour guides were entertaining and informative.
      Written 13 March 2025
    • Go64552271602
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Charleston ghost tour
      The tour was fantastic. Our horse, Brian was a good boy! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and made our trip fun! So glad we decided to go!
      Written 12 March 2025
    • 641JudyB
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Haunted fun!
      Whole lot a haunted fun! Our guide was so fun & informative. Always enjoy a carriage ride & learning about the city, First time to do a haunted tour & I would recommend it!
      Written 12 March 2025
    See all 11,874 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members 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.

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    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles5,564 reviews
    Excellent
    4,942
    Very good
    365
    Average
    133
    Poor
    76
    Terrible
    48

    dmshine
    Orchard Park, NY5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2025 • Friends
    We have toured with Old South Carriage since 1989 and miss the Red Sashes worn by the drivers. Everytime we have company at our Folly Beach condo,,we treat them to an experience of your tours. No two tours are the same. Tuesday, February 25, 2025, we toured with friends using Emerson the driver and Ace the horse. We highly recommend Ace for Horse of the Month with Emerson who seems to have a very comical relationship with Ace who seems to listen and react to what Emerson was saying! The best team we have seen yet and we have filled two frequent-user cards to date. I certainly hope they win the award! They deserve it!!
    Written 26 February 2025
    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.
    Hello, thank you for taking the time and letting us know how your tour went! It has been our goal for the last 40 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.
    Written 5 March 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Brent W
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    We thoroughly enjoyed our carriage tour with Carol and Liam. Not only did our guide Carol display incredible knowledge of the city, but she also shared how the company acquires their horses as well as how well they are treated. No horse runs 2 tours consecutively, and each animal is guaranteed regular time off, with horse vacations lasting 2 weeks and up to a month. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone. It was well worth the money, and a worthy and memorable activity for anyone visiting Charleston.
    Written 13 June 2024
    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.
    Thank you for the kind words. It’s true, we love all 40 of our lovely Draft Horses! We take a lot of pride in keeping our boys happy and healthy. We’re happy you had a great experience and hope to see you again in the future. Thank you again for choosing Old South Carriage Co.
    Written 13 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Jacquelin B
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful Historic Carriage Ride!
    We had Dave as our narrator and Ben as our trusty horse, and the experience was absolutely fantastic! Dave was incredibly engaging and knowledgeable about the history of Charleston. You could tell he was truly passionate about the city’s past and loved what he was doing, which made the tour even more enjoyable. Ben did a great job as well, making for a smooth and pleasant ride. The tour was worth every moment, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Charleston!
    Written 17 February 2025
    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.
    Hello, and thank you for your glowing review! Our staff pride themselves on education about the city and our horses, and are passionate about sharing the history. Thank you for visiting, we hope to see you again soon!
    Written 21 February 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Amy C
    Columbia, SC1 contribution
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Family
    Had an absolutely humiliating experience with this company that brought me to tears.

    We planned our whole day trip to Charleston around this tour which we booked onto as soon as we arrived - two adults, a 3 year old and an 11 month old. Children under 4 are free, great, but not once did they say anything about their child policy.

    We returned 10 mins before our tour was due, as requested, and waited with everybody else in the very crowded waiting area (no seats for us by the time we got there). My husband popped to the restroom and in the time it took for him to leave and come back, my baby started to cry because he was having separation anxiety from his Daddy. He was also hungry, but there was nowhere for me to sit and breastfeed as all the seats were taken, so in my mind I figured I’d feed him once we were sitting down on the carriage ride.

    Well, he couldn’t have been crying for more than two minutes and one of the staff members came over to me and told me she’d have to give us a refund as she wouldn’t be able to take us as my baby was too fussy and it would ruin the experience for everybody else.

    I have never been more humiliated in my whole life. I explained why he was crying, and as soon as I picked him up, he stopped crying, but that wasn’t good enough as she said the tour was an hour long and we couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be fussy.

    That’s true, what parent can guarantee their child of any age won’t be fussy for a one hour tour? If that’s the company’s policy, they shouldn’t accept children in the first place, and they should definitely mention it at the time of booking as I’m sure most families with small children would take their business elsewhere.

    Now I was crying and so sad as the carriage ride was the whole point of our trip that day but we had no choice but to accept the refund and leave. Thankfully, just a couple of doors down we found Palmetto Carriage Works and they were wonderful. They also had a much nicer and more spacious waiting area, cleaner toilets and a shop. But most importantly of all, they were really family friendly.

    And do you know what, my boy was as good as gold the whole time, like I knew he would be. We wouldn’t pay for a $100 if we thought he would fuss the whole time as that’s no fun for anyone! We know our child.
    Written 26 January 2024
    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.
    Hi, I am so sorry to hear of this. We have been doing carriage tours since 1983 so I can promise you we are a family friendly company. Please reach out to me if you would like to discuss this further. Scott B. 843-723-9712 Guest relations Manager
    Written 28 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    John
    19 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2024 • Family
    Unknown before booking, the route taken by the tour is one of 9 chosen by the city. It’s to spare some community’s horse and buggy traffic. Strictly controlled via GPS monitoring. Interesting concept. That said, you cannot choose your points of interest. Our chosen route was “meh”. Our tour guide was friendly and knew his stuff but the 1 1/2 hour tour was uninteresting for the $50+ per person. My last visit to Charleston, I took a walking tour which was much more to my interests and satisfying. My advice, i’d opt for another tour where you choose what you’d like to see annd learn. Unless, of course you want the experience of riding on a horse drawn tour.
    Written 20 May 2024
    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.
    Hello, we are sorry to hear you did not get to go on your desired route. You are correct the city’s tourism division assigns the routes to spread out the carriages through the historic district. We are the largest carriage industry in the country with possibly 28 carriages in the city at one time, so these regulations are necessary. The great part is frequent visitors can experience a different route as there are 9 differing routes throughout the city. Thank you for choosing Old South Carriage Co. Scott B. Guest Relations Manager
    Written 1 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    DeeAnn M
    Greenville, SC736 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2024 • Family
    We did the night ghost tour ride with this company and expected more. It was really a disappointment that stemmed mostly from our tour guide. It was a hot evening and it felt like she was on her last shift for the day as she rushed through ghost stories, talking fast plus out of breath. The stops were brief, and it really felt like she was going through the motions of her job without making the experience more engaging. While waiting early on for our carriage time we saw other guides getting to know passengers, sharing where they were from etc. yet our guide did nothing to connect with the group. After our tour we actually walked back to some of the graveyard spots to sneak into the walking groups who were getting way more information. For the price this tour was not worth it unless you get an exceptional and informative guide. Take an evening walking tour that is cheaper.
    Written 8 July 2024
    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.
    Thank you for sharing your experience with this unfortunate circumstance of your tour. The last thing we want is anyone to have a negative experience with us. We have been giving great horse drawn carriage tours in downtown Charleston now for 40 years, I hate to hear anything less than anyone having a great time with us. Is there anything we can do to help salvage you and your guests' experience with us or get you on another tour with us in the future? Scott B. Guest relations manager 843-723-9712
    Written 11 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    FoodieforShore
    Margate City, NJ143 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    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.
    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.

    Larry E
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2025 • Family
    Our guide Don was very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the area we toured. We learned so much about the city, the homes and past residents who built the city. As it is a lottery system for each tour to keep carriage congestion down in the city, we would definitely book another tour to try to see other areas of the city.
    Written 22 February 2025
    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.
    Hello, and thank you for your glowing review! Our staff pride themselves on education about the city and our horses, and are passionate about sharing the history. Thank you for visiting, we hope to see you again soon!
    Written 24 February 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Mary M
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Old South Carriage ride was not only beautiful, charming and informative, It was quaint and most of all …. educational!
    Our guide Donald was very knowledgeable, friendly and most kind to Jordon our horse.
    He drove us through the section of downtown assigned to our carriage. He explained Charleston’s history as a city, spoke about current market value for the homes we were viewing and gave us tips of other activities to enjoy while in town.
    Great tour, highly recommend it!!
    Written 2 December 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.
    Hello, and thank you for your glowing review! Our staff pride themselves on education about the city and our horses, and are passionate about sharing the history. Thank you for visiting, we hope to see you again soon!
    Written 3 December 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Stacey540
    Fremont, CA11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    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.
    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.

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    Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour provided by Old South Carriage Company

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