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Charleston Historical Walking Tour
5.0
1,101 Ratings
Charleston
Experience an exclusive small-group walking tour of Charleston with a Ph.D. historian. Discover the city’s rich history and enjoy a personalized, in-depth exploration unlike any other tour in town.
Experience an exclusive small-group walking tour of Charleston with a Ph.D. historian. Discover the city’s rich history and enjoy a personalized, in-depth exploration unlike any other tour in town.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Mills House Charleston, Curio Collection by Hilton - The historic Mills House Hotel played an important role in the early part of the American Civil War.
- Dock Street Theater - Learn about the first theatre built in North America and the infamous characters associated with it’s history.
- Pink House Gallery - One of the oldest buildings…
- Mills House Charleston, Curio Collection by Hilton - The historic Mills House Hotel played an important role in the early part of the American Civil War.
- Dock Street Theater - Learn about the first theatre built in North America and the infamous characters associated with it’s history.
- Pink House Gallery - One of the oldest buildings in Charleston, circa 1712
- Washington Square - Historic square in Charleston with multiple monuments.
- Charleston City Hall - Learn about the evolution of this beautiful building that once served as a meat market and bank before becoming City Hall
- Charleston County Courthouse - Learn about what was once the old South Carolina statehouse.
- St. Michael’s Church - Learn about the fascinating history of Charleston’s oldest church edifice, completed in 1761.
- Heyward-Washington House - See where George Washington stayed while visiting Charleston in 1791.
- Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon - See the last public building built by the British in North America and where the Constitution was ratified in 1788.
- French Huguenot Church - Learn about the rich history of French Huguenot’s in Charleston and the first church built in the Gothic Revival style.
- French Quarter - Take in the beauty and charm of the French Quarter in Charleston.
- Hibernian Hall - Learn about the building where the seeds of disunion were sown and hear about America’s connection to Greek Revival architecture.
- Fort Sumter National Monument - See where the first shots of the Civil War were fired! We do not go out to the fort, we take a look at it from the Battery on Charleston Harbor.
What's Included
- All applicable fees and taxes included
- All applicable fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
- Bottled water
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Private transportation
Additional Information
Unlike many tour companies in town that allow up to 20 people in each group, my Charleston tour is guaranteed to have no more than 12. The most unique aspect of my tour is the high level of historical professionalism that I deliver to my guests. Earning a Ph.D. in history meant spending thousands of hours reading and researching primary sources in the…
Unlike many tour companies in town that allow up to 20 people in each group, my Charleston tour is guaranteed to have no more than 12. The most unique aspect of my tour is the high level of historical professionalism that I deliver to my guests. Earning a Ph.D. in history meant spending thousands of hours reading and researching primary sources in the South Carolina archives. I use the knowledge that I have obtained from that hard work and pass it off to you on the tour. Because I limit the number of guests to 12 and offer a tour that is 45 minutes longer than most in town, you will receive a degree of exclusivity and historical depth that is far greater than what is offered by the larger tour companies in Charleston.
Location
108 Meeting St
Meeting Street
This is the Historic Charleston Foundation gift shop. We meet in front of the building. The front reads “Shop Historic Charleston”
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(1101 Ratings)
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Trent
Jul 24, 2025
Understanding the city of Charleston - Eric is a wealth of accurate knowledge about Charleston. He is well researched and very educated on all aspects of the history of Charleston. It was a hot day with some breezes throughout our tour but he was very conscientious about finding us shade. No question was too large or too small he had the knowledge. Huge variety of sights and topics. Bring a sling pack with bottle of water and some bug spray for those nasty little no-see-ums😎
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dennis_m
Jul 23, 2025
An historical walk through Charleston - Excellent experience. Erik was very knowledgeable about Charleston. Great information , stories, and insights into the past. Pleased to answer everyone’s questions.
Review provided by Viator
Cameronbb3378ra
Jul 20, 2025
- Amazing walking experience. The guide offered many historical tidbits most wouldn’t know and his PhD background proved to keep group’s curiosity despite high temperatures. He was cognizant of the climate and mapped his walk through shaded and breezy areas. 10/10.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mamechil
Jul 20, 2025
- Professor Lager is highly knowledgeable about the history of South Carolina during the Civil War period. From the tour, I learned about the industry, military situation, changes in the economy and society in addition to the introductory history of Charleston. He also pointed out details of the historical buildings that I would never notice.
I would highly recommend Professor Lager’s tour to people who are passionate about history. The tour is a Charleston history 102 class. We were walking in the shade most of the time, so it wasn’t that bad even during the summer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle
Jul 16, 2025
Wonderful walking tour - Absolutely fantastic walking tour. Eric was great, very knowledgeable and friendly. Helped to understand some of Charleston history. You can tell he is passionate about history and loves doing these. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freedom770041
Jul 15, 2025
Great tour and guide. - Eric was a wealth of knowledge and a great tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about Charleston and US history. We would highly recommend for anyone interested in Charleston. He was very thoughtful and organized the tour to minimize the time in the sun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keely_l
Jun 30, 2025
A Can't Miss History Tour in a Beautiful Town - Eric is an A+ tour guide and I highly recommend his tour for both the history lover and the casual tourist simply looking for a fun way to spend the afternoon. This is a great way to see Charleston and learn about not only the major historical events/trends but also the finer points such as architecture, culture, and the human stories that one won't easily come across otherwise. Eric is a friendly and incredibly knowledgeable host and my husband and I would love to do his tour again in the future.
Review provided by Viator
Ginger
Jun 30, 2025
Best historical walking tour ever!! Smaller groups with a history professor can’t be beat. - Erik’s tour was by far the best tour we did in Charleston. Don’t miss this intimate informative history tour. He brought history alive and was very entertaining. He shared his personal experiences as well.
While the tour is three hours- it flew by and there were places to sit if your feet or back hurt.
Even in the heat we walked mostly in the shade. It was hot but we stopped halfway through to refill water bottles and have a restroom break. We did the 9:30 a.m. tour and it was perfect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lauracw3977tj
Jun 29, 2025
Exceptional walking tour with Dr. Lager! - Dr Lager’s walking history tour was the absolute highlight of our trip! We have never met anyone more knowledgeable about Southern history- the details, dates, thorough explanations, etc were extraordinary! His passion for history is contagious! We had 2 adults and a 13 year old- he captivated our attention the entire tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chuck
Jun 27, 2025
Go with the expert… - If you want to really understand the history of Charleston, you’ve got to go with Eric! Dr Lager is a PhD history professor at The Citadel, and he is truly an expert, having done his dissertation on the city …. Eric is personable and extremely knowledgeable. This is his business, so there is no luck of the draw….you book with him, you get him. You will be thrilled with your decision to book with Eric…his expertise is far more valuable than the relatively low cost of tickets.
Review provided by Tripadvisor