Jewel of the South: A local's guide to historic Charleston

Travel back in time from Charleston’s colonial beginnings, through the American Revolution and Civil War, to the present on a walking tour around the former walled city.

You’ll have the opportunity to explore the most popular parts of America’s first designated historic district, along with its key locations. You’ll see where the first shots of the American Civil War were fired and the spot where Robert Smalls, an enslaved African American, made the most daring escape of the Civil War. We’ll also pass the stately homes along High Battery and Meeting Street, and take in their beautiful gardens.

I’m Evans Byrd, a Charleston native with deep roots in both Charleston and the Carolinas since 1787, and I’ll be the voice in your ear. Our tour starts at Charleston’s hive of tourist activity, the City Market, takes you through the French Quarter, South of Broad, Rainbow Row, and ends at White Point Gardens.

You’ll hear everyone’s story, from enslaved African Americans, to our founding fathers, and those of the great women of Charleston. I invite you to experience my love of American history, nature, botany, and architecture, all of which I’ve combined to tell you the story of Charleston, one of my favourite cities.