French Quarter Historic Charleston Walk

This historical overview of Charleston's French Quarter highlights the Holy City's finest points of interest. Bring a camera to capture the beauty, and enjoy a breathtaking walk through colonial and early American architecture. Your native Charleston guide will show you unique landmarks with intriguing narratives of how these structures originated. The tour includes visits through cobblestone alleys and passages to admire the spectacular historic fabric of the district. The tour also includes an easy stroll along Charleston's majestic harbor with its castle and forts that shaped much of America's maritime and military history

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Joe Riley Waterfront Park, Concord Street Vendue Range, Charleston, SC 29401-2129

Walk through the historic Vendue Range of markets on low water land owned by the Prioleau family who arrived in Charles Town in 1687 as an escape from Catholic religious persecution in Pons, France. See the majestic harbor's Castle Pinckney, Fort Sumter, and beautiful marshy islands that create the passage to the Atlantic Ocean.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, 122 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401-2103

One of the top three most historic buildings in the U.S., according to the National Historic Registry. Guide explains in detail all of the unique attributes that make this building one of America's true historic gems.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Rainbow Row, 79 E Bay St # 107, Charleston, SC 29401-2544

Colorful waterfront bay buildings constructed along wharves with Dutch influence (Amsterdam) during the Age of Lord Proprietors and original walled city.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Pink House Gallery, 17 Chalmers St, Charleston, SC 29401-3006

Known to be the oldest private building remaining in the French Quarter (1694-1712). The handmade, asymmetrical house set on the longest cobblestone street is built of Bermuda stone and resembles a charming man-sized dollhouse.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Charleston City Hall, 80 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401-2225

Gabrielle Manigault (French Huguenot architect) designed one of the finest examples of Adamesque architecture in 1800 as a development of the Civic Square of the original Grand Modell plan of the walled city.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Old Slave Mart Museum, 6 Chalmers St, Charleston, SC 29401-3005

One of the last vestiges of a barracoon (slave jail) which is a converted German fire station made into a gallery for the sales of the enslaved. 80 percent of what census term as African-Americans living in North America have ancestral roots in Charleston, South Carolina as a result of the 12 million people imported through the Atlantic slave trade.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: St. Michael's Church, 71 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401-2902

The oldest remaining in-tact church building left in the Holy City was built in 1752.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: South Carolina Historical Society Museum, 100 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401-2215

First Fireproof Building in America built by Robert Mills who also designed the Washington Monument in D.C. (probably wishes the monument has been built as earthquake proof).

Duration: 5 minutes

Stop At: The Powder Magazine, 79 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401-3112

Oldest public building (1713) in the original walled city was used as a northern fortification during the age of Lords Proprietors.

Duration: 5 minutes

Stop At: French Huguenot Church, 136 Church St At the corner of Church and Queen sts., Charleston, SC 29401-2802

Gothic Revival French protestant church is the centerpiece of the French Quarter. This active church is the oldest and most famous in the U.S. Twenty-three of forty-five U.S. Presidents have French Huguenot ancestry!

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Dock Street Theater, 135 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401-2899

National historic landmark is known as the first building to hold theatrical performances in the U.S. First show was in 1735, a black comedy depicting the social and sexual exploits of two recruiting officers in Ireland.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401-2218

First official "Meeting House" built on the corner of the original walled city in a Romaneque Revival Style. Three significant churches were created from the original congregation (Unitarian, First Scots, and United Church). Churchyard is home to the oldest tombstones on the peninsula.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Philadelphia Alley, Charleston, SC

Iconic alley way holds many historic attributes and lore.

Duration: 10 minutes

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

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