I booked a historical tour of Charleston online. I received an email reminder twice. Meeting place and time. And the name and cell# of the tour guide. We met in front of Tommy Condon Irish Pub. There's a convenient parking garage across the street. Our reservation was Sunday at 9:30am. Free street parking on Sunday as long as you don't park in the one hour residential designated streets. Scott was our local tour guide for the historical tour of Charleston. He was on time. Before the tour started he informed everyone of the bathroom situation. On our two hours tour he made sure our group didn't block the narrow sidewalks. The historical tour included stops in front of - * St Philips church * Dock Theater * the Old Slave Mart * the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon * the harbor * the old city wall * Rainbow Row * Nathaniel Russell house The tour was a great way for us to familiarize ourselves with the historical district. Then on our own we picked and chose where we wanted to spend more time. Scott offered places to dine suggestions. We actually went to one he suggested on Sullivan Island. He's passionate and offers a thorough tour within the two hours timeframe. read more

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Great guide. The tour was very interesting and informative. It covered numerous squares

Free tours by foot is definitely one of the highlight of my trip in Charleston. You get a real local person who is passionate about the subject leading you around town showing you interesting historical places with backstories. The tours are booked online for only $3 and you would tip the guide at the end. read more

Free Tours By Foot - Interesting Alleyways - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Scott was wonderful! So much history packed into 2 hours! Whew! I'm not a history buff so a lot of it was new to me... Like Charleston being the richest colony due to rice! Now I'm searching for the Carolina Gold Rice. Scott provided some great recommendations also for what to do next too! I have a list of ideas for later. This is why I like doing a walking tour as soon as I visit a new city. The guides always have good ideas and recommendations! It's a 2 hour tour, but it's leisurely so it's not strenuous. Wear comfortable walking shoes as you are standing the whole time. read more

Free Tours By Foot - Scott - our guide! Fantastic! - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Our guide, Eric, was welcoming, friendly and low key. We met at an easy to find park near a parking garage that charged us under $15 for almost the entire day! Eric reminded us of the restrooms at City Hall and at another point on the tour. Our tour had just the right amount of information with a lot of give and take with questions. From the get go, the whole thing was easy, organized and fun. Eric even found us shady spots to stand in while he spoke and showed us beautiful Charleston. We learned a lot and thank you! Highly recommend! read more

Free Tours By Foot - Walking down a shared alleyway off Broad Street...neat area! - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We usually take a guided walking tour of historic cities whenever we travel and we have had another great experience with Free Tours by Foot in Charleston. Free Tours by Foot was the perfect way to get to know Charleston. The historic area isn't that large and we covered a good deal of it during our one and half hour tour. There's a $3 per person booking fee, and you tip the guide what you feel is appropriate. Our guide, Diana, was great, funny and very knowledgeable on everything Charleston. She is actually from the same small town in South Jersey near Philadelphia we are from! Small world. The walk was well-paced and interesting. She tried her best to keep us out of the August heat. We even had a bathroom break at the Dock Street Theater. After the tour, we asked Diana for suggestions for some beaches and restaurants to try during our stay. I would certainly recommend Free Tours by Foot Charleston and Dianna! read more

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Not free; after signing up multiple times I got error messages. What a waste of my time.

I think tours are the best way to get to know any city when you're visiting, and free tours are always the best. I'm not the one who did the reservation for our group so I am not sure if you can request a specific tour guide, but if so MAKE SURE TO GET SCOTT. That guy was absolutely incredibly and really knew the city. The tour was a casual 2 hr stroll throughout Charleston in which Scott gave us a beautifully choreographed walk down memory lane as we learned about this small town that once started as Charles Towne. We learned about the good, the bad, the ugly, and the gorgeous parts of the history. Scott had a true passion for the city and you could feel it with each stop. He was also an excellent guide in that he wanted us when we would be going a long time without a bathroom, helped direct us on the sidewalks to not be a bother to others, and pointed out the best angles to take great photos of the city; basically all the little things you didn't think you'd need on a tour but are so glad he brought along. We were blessed with a beautiful day that did nothing but help the entire experience. Would strongly recommend to anyone visiting the city. read more

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SANDY IN NEW ORLEANS gave a fantastic tour! 10/10 would recommend this to anyone that loves history and specifically voodoo.

Diana Dupuis was a great guide. Her knowledge and backstories made the tour most enjoyable. When someone loves what they do it shows and Diana loves the City of Charleston. We had ample shady stops along the way and a bathroom break was also offered. It will be the best $3.00 you will ever spend on a guided walking tour. Thanks Diana, you were the best ambassador for Charleston ever. read more

Can't say enough good things or anything bad. Scott was energetic and knowledgeable - definitely worth your time and you'll undoubtedly hear about little tidbits you'd not encounter on your own. Go for it! read more

Free Tours By Foot - Scott (gesticulating about ballast?) in front of Rainbow Row! - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Not sure how this could get anything but a 5 stars. The tour is $3 (plus whatever you decide to tip at the end) and is one of the best tours I've gotten from a city. For 2 hours, Scott talked non-stop about the good and the bad of Charleston, or Charles towne. One of the things I really enjoyed the tour was that I actually learned a lot of new information. Not that I'm a history buff by any means, but I feel like I can now spit out some random Charleston facts the next time I find myself at an awkward dinner party. Yeah, I'm that person. If you have $3 and a couple of hours to spare, sign up for this. read more

Taking a guided walking tour of historic cities is a great way to get oriented early in your trip so you can tailor your touring in subsequent days. But at $20/head, it can get pricey especially for large parties. Free tours by foot is a great way to experience a walking tour, save some bucks and compensate the guide w/o breaking the bank. There's a $3/each booking fee, and you tip the guide what you feel is appropriate. Without the middleman layer, the guide should do ok with an average size group (12-20). Our guide, Diana, was quite knowledgeable and based on her talk, we could tell she loves Charleston. The walk was well-paced and not strenuous. She was patient with the group, honestly answered all our questions to the best of her abilities, and even got us a bathroom break at a historic old theater. I felt the highlight of our tour was going inside some of these old buildings. It was getting warm in early May so I highly suggest visiting this town in mid-spring or mid-autumn. read more

Scott was a great tour guide for this 2 hr walking tour of Charleston! You learn about the colonial history and the Civil War history of the city. There are options for people to take photos & ask questions. I really enjoyed the history and the views of the city from water front to churches. You pay what you think it is worth at the end of the tour. I have used this company at many cities and always enjoyed the tours. I usually give $20 at least and a tip. You have to have a reservation to go but you pay at the end. read more

We did the "Historic Charleston Tour" on 2-11-21, and Scott was amazing! He was extremely knowledgeable about the history of not only Charleston, but South Carolina in general. I'm a middle school history teacher, and I can assure you that Scott knows his stuff! Highly recommend! read more

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Holy wow, what a fantastic tour! Scott is THE man and is oh so knowledgeable. The tour itself was about 2 hours, and let me tell you, the best 2 hours you can spend. All in all you'll walk just over a mile, but it's action packed with history, great commentary and beautiful sights. You'll start just on the other side of the walled city, walk by old churches, Rainbow Row, see the last remaining piece of the Wall, and relive revolutionary and civil war history. Seriously, this tour is a MUST DO! read more

Diana was knowledgeable of the history and culture of Charleston. We did a historical walking tour with her on our first full day in Charleston. Her history lesson styled tour provided us with a foundation to begin our exploration of Charleston! read more

We found this company in New Orleans so I was thrilled to see in Charleston. We took a tour with Scott, who was wonderful and you can tell he really loves history and Charleston. The tour took us to locations I hadn't seen previously, and Scott really knows his history and trivia, including the price of real estate on the water front, which is something I love to know. He gave great recommendations, for everything from restaurants, to bathrooms to information on the surrounding islands. Sadly we only could do the one tour, due to time constraints and availability but next trip! Make sure to book yours early. read more

5 stars for an awesome walking tour of the historic Charleston District! Scott was our guide and he did such an amazing job. He was very informative, went at a proper pace, and was passionate about the history he was sharing. I made a reservation a month beforehand and instructions to the meeting place was perfect. There were about 20 people in my group and they were all so attentive as well. Scott was funny, informative, and very knowledgeable. My group had a ton of questions and he was able to answer them all. It was a 2 hour walking tour and it didn't feel like it at all. The time went by so fast. I was so sad it was over. At the end he shared where he likes to eat in the area and we headed there for lunch. He did not steer us wrong. If you are going to take a tour in Charleston, skip the carriage ride and do this walking tour. Be sure to request Scott! read more

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Scott led a great tour. Not a lot of walking and he would try to find shade at each stopping point. He's very knowledgeable and you can tell he didn't just read a book. He has decades of history with museums. I highly recommend this tour group. read more

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Charleston is an amazing city. Scott takes this amazing city and makes it even better. He is as knowledgeable as he is charming. His deep study and love of Charleston is apparent in everything he says. He is engaging and energetic. Finishing one of his tours leaves you feeling like a bit of a historian yourself. I will definitely be returning to this marvelous place, and will definitely be booking another tour with Scott. I cannot recommend Scott and Free Tours By Foot enough. I tell everyone to a)Go to Charleston and b)book a tour with Scott. Booking online ahead of time is painless - the instructions are very clear and user-friendly. Go, take in the magic for yourself, and tip heavily! read more

I've taken a few 'Free Tours by Foot' over the years in various cities. Most recently, I've been in New York City. On Sunday I did the Brooklyn Bridge Tour with Renee and today I did the Food Tour of the Lower East Side with Jon. These professionals did a great job bringing the areas to life. They have so much knowledge of the local area and presented the information in a fun way making it easier for us to retain the information. If you are in New York, please consider using this very professional company. You can't go wrong. You pay nothing for the tour. You tip based on your experience. Both Renee and Jon did a great job and earned their tips! read more

Scott was an excellent tour guide. The tour was a great way to get a feel for the city and its rich history, the good and the bad. It lasted exactly 2 hours, which was the perfect length. Scott even recommended a great place for lunch. read more

After taking this tour, I can really understand why it's got consistent 5 stars. My mom and I took the Historical Tour led by Scott and it was fantastic. Scott was so knowledgeable and so eloquent in the way he told stories and historical facts. Everything he told us was so interesting, from the house designs to the slave trade to lifestyles, etc. I learned SO much. We had taken a carriage ride tour the day before but after this tour, we realized that we learned almost nothing the day before. This was so in-depth and fulfilling. What made is extra special was seeing Scott interact with the locals. He obviously knew the town and the people well. He greeted many people and many people greeted him. With all the stories and things I learned, I didn't even notice or mind the walking in the crazy heat. The gold star on top of it all is that this is...FREE!? I mean, it was $1 to book it due to city or state tax. But then you pay whatever you see fit. I hope people compensate the tour guides well because they are working so hard in this heat. I really really recommend this tour! read more

We recently went on the Historic Charleston Tour with FTBF. It was excellent. Two members of our family were elderly and our very kind tour guide made sure to watch out for them without making it obvious to them or slowing down the group as a whole. I'm sure it was a burden for him but he never once let on. Our guide was great. He had a background working at museums and curating art so he was able to teach us a lot with a very informed view. We learned a ton in a very entertaining way. The walk was super enjoyable. We got good information about places to visit afterwards, including historic/scenic, touristy and restaurants. The tour is free but be a mensch and tip your guide. FWIW my rule of thumb for free tours is $15-20 per person in my group (depending on tour length and quality of course). Given that most tours charge $40 and up, this is still a great deal. Highly recommended. read more

Went on the 8pm ghost tour with guide Gia in May. I would definitely recommend. I've taken ghost tours in other cities and you often have the impression you could read all the stories on the internet yourself. That is NOT the case with Gia. She provided historical background with her ghost stories as well as the back story details. She even includes more personal stories of friends' supernatural encounters and her own experiences photographing or even feeling spirits. I took a pic at the powder house and when zooming in looks like there is something (cat shaped?) in the corner. It could just be light and shadows. I was using my ordinary phone camera, wish I had my more powerful digital camera with me. If you like ghost tours, go with Free Tours By Foot. Don't forget to tip the guide, that's the only cost beyond the tax they collect when booking. read more

Free Tours By Foot - Powder House - Charleston, SC spirit figure in left corner???? - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Gia Stewart was our guide. Absolutely amazing. She not only took us to some of the best haunted places in Charleston, but she gave us so much more. We got books with pictures. She talked about history and architecture. Fun and informative. Then we went to the bank near the cemetery. The machines started going off. Both of them. She said that does not normally happen. The spirits liked us! I recommend going and asking if she is available. read more

I did the Historic Charleston tour led by Scott. It was fabulous! Scott was very personable, knowledgeable and organized. He has lived in Charleston for a bit and was able to give us practical recommendations. Guides make their living on tips but there is no pressure at all if you are visiting this is a good and fun way to learn about this great city. read more

I had the pleasure of being apart of a Free Walking Tour through the lovely city of Charleston, SC with Danny. Danny was a lifelong resident of Charleston and was very knowledgeable about the local history. He also has a great personality, which made the tour enjoyable for participants of all ages. This tour was the very first thing we did upon arriving to Charleston, which gave us a great opportunity to explore the area and learn about the historical landmarks before we explored on our own. Would highly recommend this tour to everyone :) Come on, it's free. And is a very high quality experience. read more

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Scott was extremely knowledgeable and kept us engaged for the entire two hours. My family loved all the history behind the city and recommendations. I'd suggest doing this first on your trip. It gives you ideas of things to do and see while in town. read more

This tour was two dollars and it was delivered everything it said it was compact gave a highlight of each stop and guided you along the way

We recently took the "Historic Charleston" Tour with Scott, who was just GREAT! Engaging, enthusiastic, informative and fun for ALL 90 minutes. His passion and enthusiasm are contagious. Deeply fascinating history offered, without crossing that line into "brain saturation" of too many details. He very diplomatically handled Charleston's dark history of the slave trade -- a very important history that should be taught and highlighted ... you can't talk about the wealth and beauty of Charleston without also discussing how that was built and maintained. Scott made the entire tour fun and funny in all the right spots; serious and sobering in all the right spots; and enjoyable from start to finish. Truly an exceptional guide. We've taken Free Tours By Foot in New Orleans and NYC, and we offered Scott 20% more than we've offered most guides -- he is that good! read more

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Like all of the other reviewers said...SCOTT is simply the best! I showed up without a reservation (because it was booked) and hoped for a no show. SCOTT was so accommodating and let me in when a couple didn't show. He knows the city inside out and was so full of great information! Oh...and he is hilarious! Well worth your time and suggest doing this tour at the start of your trip so you get the lay of the land. He mentioned a lot of places worthwhile circling back to see! You won't regret this one! read more

Absolutely the best thing I did in Charleston! Scott was an amazing tour guide - he's extremely intelligent, hilarious, and genuinely loves what he's doing. This was way better than some more expensive tours I've done. Make this a must on your trip!! read more

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My family and I took Scott Nelson's tour on Sunday and it was by far the best tour I have ever been on. Scott was a fountain of fascinating, relevant, and well delivered information all delivered in a loud, clear voice. He led us through historic Charleston, starting with the earliest history of the region and taking us through the early 1900s. He pointed out architectural features, described political happenings, and gave us some great pointers about navigating the city. He was fun, interesting, and made sure all 20 if us on the tour had a wonderful experience (and our group ranged in age from 20-68!) I cannot say enough many good things. Absolutely worth your time and money. read more

I give 5 stars to our guide Ms. Diana, who made this tour so informative & fun. If you have 2 hours to spare & a good pair of walking shoes, I highly recommend this tour in Charleston. We took this tour with my 2 girls, 12 & 14 years old along with my Mother-in-law and we did just fine. We all loved it! I would definitely take it again on my next trip. . read more

Wow! This was a perfect way to begin our first visit to Charleston. Scott was the tour guide and there were eight people in our group. He is very knowledgeable, courteous and fun. Learned so much history and got lots of recommendations for things to see in this amazing city. read more

We were a party of 3 and confirmed our arrival twice by email, including the day of the tour. Finding parking is difficult on Sunday, so we came 8 minutes late. The guide, Stephen, was very rude with us and said that he gave away our spots. I don't even think there were 20 people there, he was just being mean and spend several minutes scolding us until we just left. Really soured our impression of the city. I must say that my husband is a tour guide in NYC, and he would never be so unprofessionally rude with clients. Oh, and the tour is not "free", they do expect you to pay and even suggest the price of their "competition". read more

Our guide Scott Nelson gave us a summary of history from the colonial times until Civil War era of Charleston and recommendations of good places to visit and to eat including prices etc (we also got Scott Nelson's 50% discount at the slave Mart museum). Great history lesson for those wanting to learn a bit of back story and not just enjoy the beauty of city. Highly recommended and the best value for 3 dollars spent! Thanks! Juli McKenzie, Boston read more

We love FTBF! We have used them in other cities and found the quality of the tour and the guides themselves to be excellent. When were planning a trip to Charleston we knew we had to check out their tours and we were not disappointed. Our guide was super friendly and very knowledgeable about the area and provided lots of tips when visiting other tourist spots in town. He was also aware of the heat and humidity and really went out of his way to keep us in the shade. Overall we were very pleased with the tour and would recommend it to anyone visiting Charleston. read more