The World’s 6 Best Horse-Drawn History Tours

1.Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10,023 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $50Our pick

Ride through Charleston’s historic district for about an hour in a covered carriage pulled by a Belgian or Percheron draft horse. A certified Palmetto Guild guide, such as Wendy, Ro, Carol, or Maddie, explains the city’s colonial past, Civil War role, homes, churches, gardens, and unusual characters. Routes are assigned by the city, so each ride covers a different zone.

“It was a great tour with fantastic information and a very charismatic and knowledgeable Carriage Tour Guide.”

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2.Charleston Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour: Explore Historic Charleston

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,561 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $49

Ride through Charleston’s historic district from the Big Red Barn near City Market. A certified guide narrates the one-hour journey through roughly 30 blocks, sharing stories of pirates, wars, plantations, architecture, and Reconstruction. Routes are assigned by a city lottery, so exact sights vary. Carriages hold up to 16 people and are covered.

“Enjoyable tour with good information and stories. Weather was clear and cool - good for both horses and passengers”

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3.Charleston: Historical Downtown Tour by Horse-drawn Carriage

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,009 reviews · 1 hour · from $50

Ride through Charleston’s historic downtown in a custom-built horse-drawn carriage for one hour. Your English-speaking guide covers the harbor, Rainbow Row, King Street, White Point Gardens, the Battery, and more. Guides such as Carol, Mike, Donald, and Christina are known for mixing city history with humor, while the city’s bingo-style route keeps each outing a little different.

“It was a great history of downtown and a good way to get to know the area!”

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4.Beaufort’s #1 Horse & Carriage History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 913 reviews · from $35Best value

Settle into a horse-drawn carriage at 1010 Bay St. for a 50 to 55-minute tour of Beaufort’s historic district. Your guide points out churches, Civil War sites, historic homes, and movie locations while horses such as D, Angus, or Amos carry a group of up to 16. The ride ends where it begins.

“The hotties are beautiful and the guides are full of amazing knowledge and history!! We’ve gone three times and learned something new every time!!”

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5.Private Historic Horse & Carriage Tour of Charleston

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 103 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.)

Start near Charleston City Market and spend about 50 minutes riding through the historic district with your own carriage and guide. Guides such as Daniel, Kiki, Ricky, and Michael are praised for lively stories about architecture, families, and the old jail. One carriage holds up to four people, and the route is set by a city official.

“Tour was great. Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered anything we asked. Horse was also well taken care of in the heat.”

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6.Charleston:Evening Haunted History Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 38 reviews · from $51

Set out from the Big Red Barn at 5 Pinckney St for a 45-minute evening carriage ride through Charleston. A certified English-speaking guide shares tales of spirits, tragedies, cemeteries, churches, and old buildings. You will pass City Market, the Four Corners of Law, Waterfront Park, and the Old Exchange Building before returning to the barn.

“A fun and enjoyable way to get a look around Charleston.”

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