300 Years of War and Peacetime: Charleston’s French Quarter and Beyond

(53 reviews)

Charleston, South Carolina audio tour: 300 Years of War and Peacetime: Charleston’s French Quarter and Beyond

This is a 2.2mi walking tour

It takes an average of 120 mins to complete.

Charleston, South Carolina

The United States

$14.99

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About the Tour

Take a journey through over 300 years of history on this walking tour around the colonial powerhouse known as Charleston.

The tour starts at the famous City Market, giving you a chance to grab a cup of coffee or a quick bite before we step into a time machine to explore Charleston’s rich and fascinating past. From there you’ll see many of the French Quarter’s iconic sights, including the Old Customs House, the scenic Pineapple Foundation in Waterfront Park, the Old Slave Mart, and The Old Exchange and Provost Building.

Our journey continues past Rainbow Row and its colorful houses, to Battery Park. Then it’s a stroll down memory lane to visit some of the city’s oldest and best preserved homes, to the Powder Magazine: the oldest surviving structure in Charleston.

Some of the nuggets you’ll hear along the way include:

What role the city played in the Revolutionary and Civil War
Charleston’s connection to the slave trade
Why George Washington stayed here for three days straight during his tour of the South
The significance of the pineapple in the South
What Robert Smalls, Ann Bonny and DuBose Heyward have to do with Charleston

This tour is great for history buffs and curious visitors who want to hear the stories behind Charleston’s buildings.

Tour Producer

Phil Biedron

17 tours

Hello I'm Phil. A Chicagoan by way of Los Angeles and now in Atlanta. In addition to hosting tours, I am also a working actor; probably on some shows you have seen!

Preview Location

Location 17

Why Rainbow Row

On your right is 70-81 East Bay. It's the two-part building on the southernmost tip of Rainbow Row. It's the beginning, if you will, of the row, but built in the mid-1800s, it is the most modern structure of the 13 houses.

Some may ask, why the color choices? It seems to ... Read More

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Major Landmarks

Charleston City Market
United States Custom House
Old Slave Mart Museum
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
Dock Street Theatre
The Battery
Rainbow Row

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Total distance

4km
Final location
79 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Distance back to start location

172.69m

Directions to Starting Point

The starting point is very easy to find. Google City Market and you'll be right on the corner of Meeting St and S and N Market street. We start right under the two staircases.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Blind Tiger Pub or Tommy Condon's Irish Pub near the Powder Magazine has a lively scene with music most nights.

Best time of day

From dawn to dusk. I recommend going before dark due to limited street lamps on Church street and not being able to see the waterfront.

Precautions

Charleston is extremely safe. Avoid anyone trying to sell you a rose or any other item made from palms. Only purchased from licensed vendors.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”