Tours
Discover the special displays
of heirloom decorations
See how Charleston's most storied residences deck the halls, discover holiday traditions passed down from our city's earliest families and hum along with Gullah spirituals and holiday tunes. Immerse yourself in Charleston's history and holiday spirit with a holiday tour.
Tours
Charleston Strolls Holiday Walking Tour
Do you know Charleston’s unique tie to the flame-colored Christmas poinsettia? Want to enjoy Charleston’s mild Christmastime climate with a stroll through the historic district? Take this seasonal guided tour that visits special landmarks and culminates with a visit to the Edmonston-Alston House on the Battery.
Colonial Charleston Christmas Stroll
Come take a stroll where history meets hospitality in its finest array. Learn the stories behind the displays, as we take an intimate look at what makes Christmas in Charleston special today!
Joseph Manigault House
The Garden Club of Charleston decks the halls of this magnificent house with creative arrangements made exclusively with live, historically accurate plant materials that would have cultivated in Charleston during the early 1800s. Learn about the holiday traditions enjoyed by the Joseph Manigault Family during special tours of the Adam-style dwelling.
Holiday Strolls Cocktail Tour
Stroll your way into the holiday spirit with Bulldog Tours’ newest culinary walking tour. Combine our yuletide history tour featuring stories of Charleston’s Christmases past with three stops by the Historic District’s most festive lounges for a signature holiday cocktail. The 2.5 hour tour includes our abbreviated holiday strolls walking tour and three signature cocktails (exclusively created for our tour guests).
Holiday Sleigh Ride
Harness some holiday fun and climb aboard our specially decorated carriage driven by one of Santa’s elves. This festive 30-minute experience includes a 25-minute ride through downtown Charleston – complete with caroling – and is sure to make you merry. Last stop is Santa’s magical stable (just behind our barn) where you’ll join Old St. Nick, Mrs. Claus, and Rudolph for hot cocoa and cookies. Bring your camera, and we’ll snap photos of you and Santa in his sleigh. A holly, jolly Christmas awaits!
Christmas on the Battery
Enjoy a special evening at the historic Edmondston-Alston House. Take a self guided tour of the festively decorated house by candlelight and hear the Charleston Caroling Company. Warm up in the courtyard with a glass of wine or hot cider where local storyteller, Fouché Sheppard, will perform Gullah Christmas stories.
This event will follow CDC guidelines for social distancing and masks will be required inside the house.
Tickets must be purchased online in advance. $50 | Members: $45
Charleston Tea Party’s Christmas Tour
Join an expert guide and native Charlestonian Laura Wichmann Hipp on a festive behind-the-scenes Christmas tour of private homes and gardens. The tour ends with High Tea. Monday - Friday, 9 - 1:30, reservations required.
Sandlapper Water Tours
’Tis the season for friends and family, so gather your merry bunch for a nautical holiday adventure with Sandlapper Water Tours. Relax in the glow of a golden sunset with a warm cup of hot chocolate in your hands. History and beauty abound on this spectacular ride, be sure to bring your camera.
Aiken-Rhett House
By the mid 1800s, the Aiken-Rhett House was one of Charleston’s most fashionable residences, and its owners embraced the budding popularity of decorated trees, a trend born of the Victorian Age, which is artfully recreated today.