Is it a sign that I've hit peak middle age when attending a guided walking tour is the highlight of a vacation? Was the rest of our trip so underwhelming that our excursion with Lowcountry Walking Tours exceeded all other expectations? Perhaps we just lucked out with the optimal factors to catapult our urban trek to a noteworthy high. I can't point my finger at any particular indicator that the rest of our Charleston trip was subpar, so I'm concluding that our tour was truly outstanding. First off, the late-January weather was flawless; it was perfect for spending a few sun-drenched mid-morning hours strolling around Charleston's French Quarter. Second, Captain Jim kept us entertained with enchanting history lessons, snappy quips, and fascinating details we would have undoubtedly overlooked as unwitting tourists. Finally, we'd opted for the Hidden Alleyways and Passages tour and it did exactly what it says on the tin. We wandered down tucked-away paths that I never would have thought were accessible to the public (let alone take me anywhere desirable). If you're visiting Charleston and looking for an affordable way to learn about the city and obtain a deeper appreciation for its rich history, I unhesitatingly recommend Lowcountry Walking Tours. read more

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Wonderful and knowledgeable tour guide! The tour was interesting and informative! Highly recommend!

Bruce, our guide, was informative and engaging. We loved his personal stories having been born and raised in the area.

A very informative and fun tour. We did the hidden passawys and it was such a unique tour. Not strenuous so most people should be able to do it without any issue. Captain Jim was great!! read more

Great tour with captain Jim! He was very educated on the history of the city and was very engaging as we strolled through Charleston!

Dennis Mardis led a wonderful history, homes, and architecture tour this afternoon. We appreciated his clear-eyed interpretation of Charleston's not- always-glorious history. He clearly loves his city but treats it with affectionate humor and honesty. An excellent tour guide. read more

Went on their 'Charleston's Alleys and Hidden Passages' tour (9:30 Am tour). It was definitely packed full of trivia and facts about the history, architecture, people and even local horticulture. Our guide -Jim- was passionate about those things and it was evident throughout. We passed through alleyways and streets, even stopped in a backyard garden. The tour is definitely all of 2 hours and ours was a little longer. It was a great way to learn some history and see pretty views I'd probably never discover on my own. Would definitely recommend this tour. read more

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We loved the Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites walking tour! Jim was a great host, he knew everything and was very entertaining and funny. We really liked how the tour went off the beaten path and we got to see some very cool architecture. Highly recommended! read more

Our hotel Concierge advised this company and said Dennis gives THE BEST walking tour in Charleston. He was 100% right! I was a little apprehensive about taking a walking tour given the weather, my general laziness, and my mothers decreasing activity tolerance. After 5 minutes with Dennis's group, I was already grateful for the reservation. He is a local resident clearly passionate and knowledgeable about his community and its history. My only complaint is that it was too short and too popular. read more

Lowcountry Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Absolutely fantastic! Highly recommend! Our guide Wendy was so knowledgeable, not only on the history but the plants along the way so we got a little something extra. She even shared some fun tidbits about specific properties she learned from the owners. I was very surprised to learn she was from OH originally! The 2hrs flew by. The guides do accept cash or venmo tips but not required read more

Captain Jim is a charming raconteur who enriched my visit to Charleston. It was fascinating to learn from him how the historic homes and district were saved from demolition and later from kitschy renovation or modern development indifferent to the city's 300 years of history. I highly recommend this fascinating tour. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour with Captain Jim! Knowledgeable, friendly and engaging - he narrated the walking tour with enthusiasm. Highly recommend for visitors to Charleston and locals alike as we had locals in our tour who learned new information about their beautiful city. read more

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We did the walks of Charleston with Dennis. It was great. Learned something of the history and had a few laughs. Would do it again. read more

My mom and I enjoyed the Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour on December 4th, 2023. Our tour guide, Dennis, was very knowledgeable about the history of Charleston. read more

We took the Alleyways/Hidden Passageways tour. We learned so much! Our tour guide, Mark, was excellent, knowledgeable and funny. Some of the things we learned will have me doing more reading when we get home. It was a delightful way to see the unique history and beauty of historic Charleston. read more

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Our guide was on time. He tried to involve everyone, and kept pace with the group. He was knowledgeable about history and Charleston. We took our 2 grandchildren, and we all learned things. We liked walking through the alleys and seeing a quieter side and more picturesque view of Charleston. read more

We had a spectacular walking tour with Evans as our witty, incredibly knowledgeable guide. This tour was easily one of the best city tours we have ever taken - through ally ways, into churches, around buildings and homes, and into the theater [where we were treated to a string quartet in practice - how in the world did Evans pull that off - :)]. Evans concluded his tour with an amazing, veritable performance of the story of Robert Smalls - truly an unknown hero of the Civil War. Bravo! Ted and Donna read more

We did the Hidden Alleys & Passageways Tour. We had a great tour of some little alleys that are significant to the history and development of Charleston and the United States. These otherwise locations and events would be forgotten without such tours. If you love history you must do this tour, if you don't love history you must do this tour. It is fascinating to all as we see trivial walkways come to life. read more

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We had such an amazing tour with Jim! Walking around and exploring the ally ways and historic sites is a must. We got to explore places we never would have found otherwise. We also recommend doing the walking tour in the first day or two of your trip. It helped us plan what additional sites we wanted to visit. Jim was an amazing resource. This tour made our trip! read more

Lowcountry Walking Tours - Iron work - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We enjoyed the Charleston Alley and Hidden Passages tour! Captain Jim was an absolute delight!! He was so knowledgeable, engaging and passionate about the history of Charleston. What a treat!! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for something "off the beaten path" and a different approach to lesser known Charleston history. read more

So wonderful. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and fun. Captain Jim was great! He truly let us in on some secrets of historical Charleston! read more

Had not only a tour guide, but an authored historian with Marc. We learned, laughed, and saw some incredible places. Best way for us to kick off our Chaaasten vacation. Thanks for making me look good by picking your tour! read more

Great tour with Captain Jim. We learned so much and it made our trip to Charleston so much more enjoyable. He is full of interesting nuggets of information, and killer recommendations. The gentle pace worked for everyone. Trip highlight! read more

Great walking tour of Charleston. Very informative. Highly recommend. Only thing I would change is to have guides wear microphone pack. Street noise made it difficult to hear at times read more

We just did the Charleston alleys and hidden passages tour with Mark and we highly recommend it. Mark is very knowledgeable about Charleston and he has many stories that he shares with the group. I have taken several tours in Charleston and this one took me to locations I had never been to. This is definitely a winner. read more

Excellent tour! Mark was very knowledgeable, and walk was just the correct pace for all to enjoy the day and obtain a better understanding of Charleston's history and architecture. Highly recommend tour and Mark as your guide. read more

Wow! Great walking tour with Captain Jim! The tour was very informative on local history and culture, also quite beautiful! Would highlyrecommend? read more

The best walking tour and history lesson of Charleston. Don't miss out on this hidden walkways and alleys tour with captain Jim. He makes the city and it's unique history come alive and his vast knowledge of the city makes it fun and memorable. Thank you Jim. The Dane. read more

My friend and i had a great time on the walking tour. Mark's knowledge of Charleston history really added to the experience. He answered our questions with humor and gave us suggestions for other places to visit. We highly recommend that you take this tour! read more

Captain Jim was amazing! He knows so much not just about the history, people, architecture and flora but so many fascinating details on how the city came to be, including recent public works projects. As a history nerd, I was swooning! I'm looking forward to my next tour (and I'm the one who lives in Charleston!). read more

We greatly enjoyed our tour with Mark Jones. His knowledge of the area and its history was both fascinating and entertaining. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Charleston. read more

We had a wonderful and historical tour with Mark Jones who led us through the beautiful city of Charleston! He was so knowledgable about the city and all its secrets! read more

Jim was a great guide and host for our midday history tour.. We greatly appreciated his knowledge and time.. Thank you Jimbo!!!

Kay is an amazing tour guide. ask for her, the tour was very interesting and lots of fun. Full of historical facts and current information on the city of Charleston. I would like to take another tour when we go back. Kay is the best tour guide and funny. read more

Great tour from Bill. Really does take you to hidden alleys and passages. Very informative and well worth the money, keep price same! Very engaging and two hours went by fast also had great recommendations on food read more

Lowcountry Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Our guide Steve was amazing with all his knowledge & information. The walking tour was exactly what we needed to get our Charleston visit started. read more

Our tour with Low Country Walking Tours was our favorite experience during our visit to Charleston (Charleston's Alleys and Hidden Passage Ways). Jim's impressive knowledge of the city and his presentation style made the 2 hours fly by. He even stayed after the tour to answer questions. We called the office to schedule another tour and Christina was extremely helpful, going above and beyond to accommodate us. I wish I could give them 6 stars! read more

Lowcountry Walking Tours - Philadelphia Avenue, Charleston, SC - Walking Tours Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Enjoyable your. Mark was very informative and gives recommendations of other things to experience in Charleston

This is for the Charleston Alleys and Hidden Passages tour. Our guide, Bill (yes, Bill, not Bob), was excellent. As a retired history teacher, he is well spoken and educated and really worked to bring Charleston history to life, even carrying photos and exhibits in his bag to show us along the way. He remarked that a previous online review complained that there was too much history. Yes, this is about history, with a little gossip and ghost stories pitched in. We really enjoyed it and learned a lot! The tour mentions that this tour helps you find alleys and passageways you wouldn't be able to find on your own--and that's true! We saw many parts of the city we wouldn't have even known existed without this tour. We learned about architecture, famous Charleston citizens and residents, the revolutionary and civil wars. We even saw the oldest liquor store in the United States. Learned about local culture. Bill did a great job. A good value and time well spent. read more

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Excellent walk through Charleston's hidden passages, alleys, and streets. Evans Byrd added a tremendous amount of historical facts to the tour. His knowledge of flowers and plants added a touch not found on other walking tours I have done. Having done two walking tours now in Charleston, this latest walking tour with LowCountry tours has now peaked my interest in doing more tours in other cities that I visit. read more

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