Stroll Charleston’s most beautiful streets on your own schedule. From Rainbow Row’s pastel façades to hidden alleys, harbor views, and church-steeple skylines, this self-guided walking tour blends history, architecture, and local lore with GPS guidance at your fingertips.
Admissions not included.
Your purchase is for 30-day access to our self-guided tour. Tickets or entry fees
for museums, historic sites, and other attractions are sold separately.
Discover Charleston’s historic heart on a self-guided walking tour designed for wandering. Start anywhere along the route as you explore Rainbow Row’s pastel façades, the harborfront breeze of Waterfront Park, and cobblestone passages that feel hidden in plain sight. Along the way you’ll uncover elegant mansions, landmark churches, dueling alleys, preserved slave sites, and quiet courtyards that reveal how beauty, conflict, and resilience shaped the Holy City. Use your phone as a smart guide — GPS map, stories, and local insights included — and enjoy Charleston at your own pace.
Highlights
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon — Stand above the vaulted cells where pirates, patriots, and prisoners were held beneath Charleston’s grand exchange.
Nathaniel Russell House — A soaring free-flying staircase and guided rooms that reveal the elegance and inequalities of Charleston’s elite.
Stoll’s Alley — Slip into a narrow brick passageway that feels secret, with shipwright roots, hidden gardens, and quiet charm.
Heyward-Washington House — Step into a Georgian home tied to George Washington’s visit and stories from the Revolution-era city.
St. Philip’s Church — Trace Charleston’s skyline-defining steeple, churchyard burials, and the “Holy City” identity shaped by its bells.
Sword Gate House — See the famous wrought-iron blades and hear about status, scandal, and the legends that cling to this façade.
Old Slave Mart Museum — Confront the city’s role in the domestic slave trade at a preserved auction site that tells the hard truths.
St. Michael’s Church — Find Washington’s pew, long-lived bells, and a church that has seen empires, earthquakes, and wars.
Waterfront Park — Walk the Pineapple Fountain and harborfront where old wharves became one of Charleston’s most beloved views.
Rainbow Row — Discover how a preservation gamble turned faded warehouses into the pastel postcard of Charleston.
Dock Street Theatre — America’s early theatre scene, fire and rebirth, and whispers from the balconies and backstage.
Philadelphia Alley — A dueling lane turned picturesque passage, where stories of honor, apologies, and ghosts still echo.
All this, plus additional "hidden gems," expertly brought to life through our virtual guides....with rich, vivid history, local stories, and unmatched knowledge you will not find elsewhere. Even better, no tipping required!
Tour area: Charleston – Secrets of the Historic Core
Distance: ~1.5 miles (2.4 km) • Time: 2 hours • Stops: 12+ • Terrain: Mostly flat sidewalks with cobblestone sections
Shaded area = approximate tour area
What you’ll experience
GPS location tracking — see your current location on the map.
Virtual Tour Guides — Detailed narration at each stop & answers to common questions.
Vast local knowledge — history, legends, and insider spots.
Local weather updates — stay prepared as you explore outdoors.
A “Free Roaming” adventure — start anywhere, wander at your pace.
What exactly unlocks when I buy?
You’ll get the full tour map with hot-air balloon markers (our map pins), our suggested walking path for orientation, detailed stories and site info, narration, and tons of local tips. Your purchase gives you unlimited access for 30 days via a private link. It runs right in your mobile browser — no installs, no storage — just open and go.
How do I start the tour?
Open your private tour link on your phone. On the map, tap the compass to center on your current location (one-time locate). If you’d like the map center to follow you as you walk, turn on GPS Auto-Location in Settings (optional). Now knowing where YOU are, visit any stop you like, in any order, at any pace — you’re in complete control.
How does a SmartWalkTour differ from a traditional tour?
It’s your pace, your path. No buses or group schedules. No tour guide tipping. Explore freely with on-map markers, narration, and an optional suggested path for big-picture orientation. Pause for a café, browse a shop, and pick up where you left off anytime — your guide is always in your pocket.
Screenshots from an actual tour. (Key West example)
Swipe or scroll to see more →
Multiple tour stopping points. Start at any one, then tap the hot air balloon for detailed tour guide information.Virtual tour guides share rich stories at every stop, with Q&A and helpful links.Always know the local weather and plan your walk comfortably.Discover more tours nearby—walkable options to keep exploring.Four map styles, live GPS, and a suggested path you can toggle on/off.Helpful information is built in, plus links for even more detail.In app tips, FAQs, Local festivals and events. Maps show a wealth of detail, with public restroom locations.Direct links to attractions for hours, tickets, and more.