GOING ON TOUR

Follow the Leader

Uncover Charleston’s secrets, listen to spooky ghost stories and learn about Gullah culture on one of the city’s guided tours.

BY JASON A. ZWIKER

WANDERING THE STREETS of historic Charleston is like taking a stroll back in time. Considered by many to be the best-preserved city in the US, it has a distinct architectural character and beauty that draws visitors year after year.

It’s a place of lush gardens, cobblestone streets, wrought-iron balconies, a magnificent range of building styles—Federal, Georgian, Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne—and much more, all of which make taking a tour that explains a bit of history an absolute must.

“It is just such a beautiful thing to see this city,” says tour guide Linda Bennett-Wohlfeil of Absolutely Charleston (www.absolutelycharleston.com). “I’ve met so many wonderful people from all over the country over the years. I haven’t met one who hasn’t fallen in love with Charleston.”

Absolutely Charleston specializes in telling the tale of the town through its most magnificent historic buildings, while giving a special nod to the city’s resilience and its residents’ determination to preserve the past. Add an air of mystery by taking an evening walking tour, during which your guide will reveal the city’s secrets. If you would rather take in your surroundings from a carriage, that’s also an option.

According to Alphonso Brown of Gullah Tours (www.gullah.tours.com), tours are a great way to get an overview of the city before embarking on your own explorations. “You’ll be familiar with the sights you want to visit, know where you’re going, and have a much better time,” he says.

Gullah Tours explores the sites and stories of the city’s notable African-Americans, such as blacksmith Philip Simmons (see pg. 83).

Tours have become so popular that new ones are created all the time. Take, for example, the pub walk tour, the newest offering from The Original Charleston Walks (www.charlestonwalks.com). Tip a glass in historic drinking spots while enjoying tales of Prohibition-era rapscallions and seafaring scallywags. (Drinks are not included in the tour price, and you can’t take them to go.)

For a fright, sign up for The Original Charleston Walks’ Ghosts & Legends walk, the only tour that allows access to the Unitarian Graveyard. Stroll the winding paths of this and other local cemeteries while listening to some bone-chilling lore and legend.

Shutterbugs ready to make the most of their visit should grab their cameras and spend a few hours with Charleston Photo Tours (www.charlestonphototours.com). The two-hour walking tour combines an introduction to the city with creative tips on how to improve your picture-taking skills from a professional travel photographer.

Whether you’re a budding photographer, history buff, ghost-story lover or just someone who wants to see the best sights, there’s no better way to experience the city than a tour. Just follow the voice of your guide and let the city work its magic on you.

PICTURE PERFECT
A garden statue on Tradd Street and an ironwork gate at a home in the Mazyck-Wragg borough are among the details you can appreciate on a photo tour.

DID YOU KNOW?
In a Google search of the phrase “carriage tour,” three of the first five results are Charleston-based companies.

Row Your Boat

Sign up for a kayak tour and experience the city from the water.

From the Atlantic Ocean and the barrier islands along the coast to inland rivers and marshes, natural beauty abounds in the South Carolina Low Country. Kayak tours are a great way not only to see that beauty firsthand, but also to enjoy some healthy exercise.

“We focus a lot on families, not requiring people to be experienced kayakers or know advanced techniques,” says Joe Rowland of PaddleFish Kayaking (www.paddlefish.kayaking.com). “People want to be able to go out with their kids, see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and birds, get to know the history of the area, and have fun. Most of the people who go out with us have never gone kayaking before. At the end, they can’t stop talking about what a wonderful time they had.”

Other kayak tour options include Coastal Expeditions (www.coastalexpeditions.com) and Nature Adventures Kayak & Canoe (www.natureadventure.soutfitters.com).