Whether you are a visitor, a new resident, or a South Carolinian born and bred, a tour is a great way to get acquainted with our beautiful state. From the lofty mountains to the sun-washed coastline, these six tours cover all the bases.
Charleston Culinary Tours: Farm-to-Table Experience
Lauded by Travel and Leisure magazine, this tour is a true culinary adventure. Join your guide at the Veggie Bin (96 Spring St), a neighborhood market, where you’ll select fresh-from-the-farm ingredients. While you continue your guided walking tour of the Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood downtown, one of Charleston’s famed local chefs will be in their restaurant’s kitchen preparing a one-of-a-kind feast from your market finds.
3 hours, rain or shine; $85. 843-806-0130, charlestonculinarytours.com
Tour tip: Wear comfortable shoes for walking on Charleston’s cobblestone streets.
Greenville History Tours: BBQ Trail Tour
Experience some of Greenville’s top barbecue restaurants, with a heaping side of Greenville history. This guide-led bus tour takes you on an educational drive through the historic textile mill villages that are the foundation of the city, and gives insight into the background of Carolina barbecue and the unique cooking methods of the pitmasters at each BBQ hotspot. Meet the owners, take a tour, and taste your way through menu offerings that make each restaurant a tasty part of the Upstate South Carolina food community.
2 1/2 hours; $39. 864-567-3940, greenvillehistorytours.com
Tour tip: Come hungry and bring a cooler to keep leftovers chilled on the ride home.
Beaufort Tours: History and Movie Tour by Golf Cart
Did you know that more than 18 movies have been filmed in and around Beaufort, South Carolina? This tour gives you a peek behind the scenes that have immortalized this small coastal town on film. You’ll discover unmarked Forrest Gump film locations, The Big Chill house, and the cemetery used in The Great Santini. You’ll also learn where the stars stayed and played during filming, and more about this town and its storied 300-year history.
1 hour; adults, $32; seniors, $30; children, $15. 843-838-2746, beauforttoursllc.com
Tour tip: Catch up on a few movies before taking this tour. The watch list: The Great Santini (1979), The Big Chill (1983), Prince of Tides (1991), Forrest Gump (1994), Something To Talk About (1995) and Stars Fell on Alabama (2021).
Reedy Rides: Bicycle to TR Tour
Explore the Upstate from downtown Greenville to the Blue Ridge foothills on one of South Carolina’s most talked-about adventures. Hop on an electric ebike for this half-day guided tour to Travelers Rest and back on the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail. The tour, which stops at one of TR’s new culinary hotspots before heading back to the city, includes a bike, a helmet, and a bottle of water. The ebike makes it great for all skill levels.
4 hours; $105. 864-419-2944, reedyrides.com
Tour tip: All tours require a minimum of six participants, so invite some friends, and don’t forget to bring sunscreen.
The Brewery Experience
Journalist and Certified Cicerone—a designation requiring different levels of beer expertise—Gary Glancy leads this adventure to some of Greenville’s top breweries. Take a tour at each stop, meet the owner or head brewer, and enjoy a personalized tasting. At the end of the tour, with the immense level of beer knowledge you’ve acquired, you’ll be able to impress your friends by pairing craft beer with your next feast.
3 1/2 hours; $59. 828-216-1343, thebreweryexperience.com
Tour tip: Don’t want to worry about driving after the tour? Book a custom tour with door-to-door pickup and drop-off.
Charleston History Tours: Photography Tour
Explore Charleston’s cobblestone streets, hidden passageways, graveyards, gardens, church steeples, and waterfront wonders through your camera lens. Along the way, award-winning photographer Joyce Weir will show you how to make the most of your camera or smartphone, in order to create frame-worthy shots of this photogenic city.
2 hours; adults (18+), $55; children (7-17), $25. 843-901-9283, charlestonhistorytours.com
Tour tip: A long lens or camera with zoom ability is beneficial for this tour, and don’t forget your water bottle.
