Kay was absolutely the most charming and knowledgeable person about Charleston by a long shot. I…read morehighly recommend her walking tour and would take it again in a heartbeat. She was funny and enthusiastic and we learned so much. She takes smaller groups so she can interact with them more! Don't pass up an opportunity to do one of her tours if you are going to Charleston, SC

Kay is wonderful! Her warmth and enthusiasm made for the perfect Saturday morning walking tour. You…read morecan tell she was a teacher in her past life. She kept us so engaged as she shared her knowledge and passion for Charleston's history. Highly recommend booking a tour with Kay if you want an experience that's as fun as it is informative!

The tour was lovely with unexpected pleasures. Laura, our host and guide, grew up in Charleston and…read morewas educated at the College of Charleston. She knows the history, the architecture and the stories of Charleston. She also delights with tidbits from other sources that provide another lens through which to consider the history and charm of the South, its people and Charleston. Through stories and sources, Laura places Charleston in the broader global happenings of the time. After the private homes and gardens, the morning ends with an 18th century luncheon -- the table and menu transporting its guests to another time. It is an unusual and enjoyable experience. Martha P

TOURIST TRAP: BEWARE. Absolutely not worth $100 per person., For soggy sandwiches and Trader Joe's…read morelemon cake. And just 2 visits to private gardens: The rest of it was a walk around the block at The Battery, peering into the historic homes behind gates that face the waterfront. A bit of context: I love Laura personally. She is charming and winsome, and I really wanted to give this a high rating. But this is not a good tour and is certainly not a good party. My niece wanted to experience a Charleston tea party, and the idea of Laura's home "overlooking the river" and visits to her "friends' private gardens" sounded most inviting. However... There is no view, her house is (charming yet) average, and her personal garden is "meh." While we did pick up some Charleston history, we got more of her own family history than seemed relevant. Her less mellifluous partner drove the van, and we had assumed Laura stayed home to make fresh scones, sandwiches, etc. But not so! Upon returning to her home, the service included one tray of tiny cucumber "Circle cutout of bread" the size of a Ritz cracker with a soggy cucumber and mint leaf, followed by cinnamon bread with cheese and pimento, a lovely combination except that it was quite soggy: "prepared well in advance" I'm sure. And the tray that was passed had only 1 tiny bit per person. Then another round of the same Ritz-cracker-size cucumber sandwiches, followed by the best part of the meal which was ONE tiny little Philo tart per person with lemon curd: yummy. Homemade plum liquor. NO scones, and no selection of teas: only one type of tea, (reportedly brewed the night before.) NO selection of desserts: only " Trader Joe's lemon cake". (I am not kidding: Laura confided that to one of the guests in response.) As the old joke about army food goes, "it's fine ... except for 2 problems. It tastes terrible, and there's not enough of it." For $50 per person, I would've shrugged and thought "Eh, it is what it is." But for $100 per person, one expects a bit of a lavish spread. Here, one of the women on the tour leaned over to ask the other, "is this all there is?" The other replied, "don't worry, we have food back at the rental house."

My husband and I had the pleasure of experiencing the "Secret Strolls Guided Walking Tour' with Kay…read moreAbrams on May 13. The morning was a little cool and cloudy, but we decided to carry-on with our planned tour of downtown Charleston. Kay texted us before our tour to warn of a possible rain shower and asked if we wanted to move our tour to May 14. Because I had mapped out our vacation for each day, we were not able to reschedule. We bought umbrellas and met Kay at the appointed meeting place. Others on the tour moved their reservation to the following day, so .... We got our own 2-hour private tour with Kay. She was especially gracious not to cancel our tour, and it did not rain. We had the best time walking the hidden alleys of Charleston; we were able to view the inside of two historical churches and got to see some gorgeous gardens. Kay was especially knowledgeable of the history of Charleston and the people who founded it and the historical buildings that make up downtown Charleston. Kay is a professional tour guide, and I highly recommend her to anyone wishing to learn more about the history of old Charleston.

Kay Abrams was our tour guide and she gave us an amazing experience. My wife and I learned so much…read moreabout Charleston. She fit so much information into two hours while keeping it fun and tailored to the members of the group's interests. We are so happy with our experience and will recommend her to anyone who comes to the area.

Great options, friendly staff and coupon code if you can find a tour book…read more Our guide, Wendy, was very knowledgeable and gentle and respectful to our horse guide, Duke. Duke was great!

I'm happy to say I'm bumping my review up from three stars to four after giving Old South Carriage…read moreCompany another chance. During my first visit to Charleston a few years ago, I took one of their daytime carriage tours and left feeling... underwhelmed. I didn't learn all that much, the tour wasn't especially memorable, and I wrote that I'd rather have explored the city on foot. Fast forward to my most recent visit when one of my friends wanted to do the Haunted Carriage Tour. Since it was something different, I happily went along and I'm glad I did. Our horse, Ron, was a 2,000 pound French Percheron and wow.... talk about a workhorse! From what I observed, the horses seemed well cared for despite the small stable. It was fun learning a little about Ron before we set off. Our guide, Matt, was informative, engaging, and did a great job mixing Charleston history with the haunted stories. While I'm not really into ghost tours, I still learned quite a bit. In fact, my favorite takeaway wasn't haunted at all - it was learning the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery. This tour also had a digital component as we were prompted to scan the QR code to see photos of the individuals/"ghosts" he was talking about. The tour also gave us another opportunity to see Charleston from a different perspective and this time around I enjoyed riding through the historic streets by carriage. Overall, this experience was much more enjoyable than my first. The company clearly has these tours down to a science and if you're deciding between a daytime tour and the haunted evening tour, I'd surprisingly recommend the latter. I'm glad I gave Old South another chance.

Had a terrific experience with our guide, Bill. He was fun, knowledgeable, and professional. I…read morelearned a thing or two and had a great time doing it. Perfect for folks visiting Charleston or for residents (like me) showing friends around town.

Bill was our tour guide, and we lucked out because we were the only ones for the particular time…read more To say that this tour, especially with Bill, was fantastic is an understatement! A wealth of knowledge while still being friendly and accommodating to what places we'd be most interested in. So glad we booked this tour on our first full day in Charleston; now we'll enjoy the rest of the week with a solid understanding of the place/region. An easy but strong recommendation if you're visiting this city: Book this tour! Edited to add: My husband called Bill "a young Hemingway"

Great little bus tour of Charleston! My wife and I were visiting, and quite frankly it was too hot…read moreand too humid to walk around. So, we opted for an air conditioned bus tour which gave us the historic highlights and a great overview of the various neighborhoods. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and we enjoyed her friendliness and helpful bits and pieces of information. There were points of interest that we later came back to on foot, so the bus tour gave us some good information to help narrow down what we might be interested in.

As a native Charlestonian, I was looking forward to a girls-group excursion - a local field trip of…read moresorts. Little did I know that I would learn so much about the city that I have lived in my entire life! Our tour guide, Kim, was welcoming, knowledgeable, and humorous. On every street I learned something new. The tour bus is comfy, clean, and air-conditioned (a must in the Lowcountry). I need to go on the tour again so my brain can retain some of my new-found historical facts. Thank you, Charms of Charleston, for a memorable day.

Wife and I attended a walking tour. He knew every question we asked. He was most informative, told…read morehistory of Charleston in good detail and with some humor. Would definitely do this again -- it was worth the money ($20/person)

Very knowledgeable, very professional, Al knows his stuff! Dates, times, places, people etc…read more We were the only ones on the early tour today and he even went a bit long on time. He changes his tour up by the season as well. 10/10 would recommend. Will book again.

Crystin was our tour guide for our first day in Charleston, and she was absolutely fantastic! She…read morekicked things off right on time and clearly explained what to expect -- how many stops we'd have, how long each one would take, and what was included. Her funny, upbeat, and sweet demeanor set the tone immediately and made the whole group smile. Our group included about ten guests from various parts of the East Coast, and although that felt like a lot at first, Crystin did an amazing job making sure everyone could hear and stay engaged. Between each stop, she shared fascinating bits of Charleston history -- from local architecture to the stories behind churches and Philadelphia Street -- which added great context between all the delicious bites. Food Highlights: * Port of Call: We sampled chicken bog, and Crystin explained the dish's origins and regional variations. Several guests mentioned it was their favorite of the tour. * Oyster House: Shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, hush puppies, praline brown butter, and pimento cheese -- all delicious and generously portioned. I especially enjoyed learning about the history of she-crab soup. Honestly, there was so much food that I couldn't finish it all! * Well Hung Vineyard: Cola-braised short ribs served with vegetables and bacon flakes -- tender, flavorful, and perfectly presented. Crystin shared the background of the restaurant and its owners. Drinks were optional (and worth it); I tried the blood orange martini while others opted for wine flights. * Market Street Stops: We visited three more spots for sweets, pastries, and biscuits. While I'm not much of a dessert person, these places gave great insight into Market Street's history -- including stories about earthquakes, flooding, and rebuilding. Overall, this was truly a 10/10 experience. Highly recommend for couples, families, or any food lover who enjoys walking, eating, and learning. Spending our first day in Charleston on this tour with Crystin was the perfect way to kick off our trip!

So good. First food…read moretour we have done and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, pricey, 110 each but we felt it was worth it. Like all the reviews say, it gave us some nice historic background. Loved the info on why it is called She Crab Soup. Robin was able to answer all the questions, whether history or food related. Really enjoyed the she crab soup and the short ribs. Those were my favorites. Large quantities, was a large lunch for us. Good to walk between places, too. Highly recommend the secret tours and will try them in our home city, too. Ty Robin!