12 Best Charleston Ghost Tours For a Scary-Good Time

Charleston, South Carolina has earned its haunted reputation with centuries of chilling tales, and the best way to uncover them is on a ghost tour. On these Charleston ghost tours, you get to step inside Charleston’s Old City Jail where prisoners’ spirits are said to linger and wander past the Dock Street Theatre where ghostly actors still take the stage.

I’m a huge fan of ghost tours, so I turn every trip to Charleston into a paranormal investigation. And Charleston has a wide variety of ghost tours from eerie carriage rides through cobblestone streets to after-dark cemetery walks, and even a spine-tingling haunted jail tour.

If you’re trying to decide which one to book, these are the Charleston ghost tours I recommend for everything from historic hauntings to cemetery walks, carriage rides, and seriously spooky after-dark experiences.

Best Ghost Tours in Charleston for Every Type of Traveler

1. Ghosts of Charleston Walking Tour with Unitarian Church Graveyard

Tour length: 1.5 hours | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

This Ghosts of Charleston Night-Time Walking Tour is one of my top picks because it combines two things I want from a Charleston ghost tour: time wandering the historic district and the chance to actually step inside a graveyard after dark.

If you’re only interested in visiting the Unitarian Church Graveyard, you can book the shorter 1-hour option. But I’d personally choose the 90-minute extended tour that covers both the graveyard and the historic district.

I also recommend booking this one early. It’s one of the more popular ghost tours in Charleston, and the after-hours graveyard access is what makes it stand out from the many tours that can only tell you stories from the sidewalk. It’s no wonder this tour is one of the top evening activities in Charleston.

My verdict: I’d pick this tour for a first-time visitor who wants the most classic Charleston ghost tour experience. You get haunted history, nighttime atmosphere, and a graveyard you normally wouldn’t be wandering through after dark. If macabre burial history interests you more than classic ghost stories, though, I have another cemetery option further down this list.

2. Haunted Evening Horse & Carriage Tour of Charleston

Tour length: 40 minutes | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

For a ghost tour with a twist, this Haunted Evening Horse & Carriage Tour of Charleston is a great choice that blends the charm of a horse-drawn carriage ride with eerie tales from the city’s haunted history.

The best part about this Charleston carriage ghost tour? You can simply sit back and enjoy the ride — no walking required! As the carriage winds its way through Charleston’s narrow side streets and cobblestone alleys, you’ll listen to chilling stories about the Mills House, the Circular Congregational Graveyard, and the Provost Dungeon.

I love this tour because it’s a convenient way to experience Charleston’s spookiest legends, and it covers more ground than a walking tour. Plus, it’s wheelchair accessible!

My verdict: I’d choose this tour for someone who wants ghost stories without committing to a long walking tour, especially if a Charleston carriage ride is already on your wish list. You’re giving up some of the up-close, after-dark atmosphere of the walking tours, but you gain a much easier ride and cover more ground.

3. Charleston Old City Jail Haunted Tour

Tour length: 45 minutes | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

You can tour the city’s most haunted building on this Charleston Old City Jail Haunted Tour. This night-time tour gives you exclusive, after-dark access to the Old City Jail where thousands of criminals, pirates, and shifty characters were imprisoned and executed.

I was so intrigued by the Old Jail when I learned about it on my bachelorette trip to Charleston that it was the first thing Kevin and I booked when we came back for our week-long vacation.

The tour takes you into prisoner cells, lets you walk the darkened hallways, and shows you where criminals died. You’ll also learn about life in 19th century Charleston and some of the jail’s most notorious residents, like murderers Lavinia and John Fisher. Paranormal activity is high here, so brace yourself for a possible ghost encounter!

My verdict: I’d book this tour if you’d rather explore one genuinely fascinating historic location in depth than walk around Charleston hearing stories from the outside. Skip it if you want a broad introduction to haunted Charleston rather than a tour centered on one building.

4. Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

Tour length: 2.5 hours | Rating: 5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

For those 21 and older, this Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour is the perfect way to explore the city’s haunted past while enjoying a drink at historic local bars.

This haunted pub crawl takes you to some of Charleston’s most storied locations, including the Powder Magazine, Charleston City Market, and Washington Square. Grab a drink and sip as you listen to spine-tingling tales of ghosts and eerie encounters.

I think this tour is so much fun! The guides really love what they do, and they’re full of history, local tips, and even drink recommendations; they know just how to make sure everyone on the tour has a good time.

This 2.5 hour walking tour includes a costumed guide, a commemorative cooler or cup to take home with you, and an intimate small-group setting for a more personalized experience.

My verdict: I’d recommend this tour for a bachelorette group, couples traveling with friends, or anyone who wants their ghost tour to feel more like a night out. The drinks and social atmosphere are part of the appeal, so this wouldn’t be my pick for someone looking for the eeriest or most serious paranormal experience. If you want stories more than the social atmosphere, I’d choose one of the traditional walking tours instead.

5. Narrated Haunted Ghost Cruise of Charleston Harbor

Tour length: 1.5 hours | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

Climb aboard and sail the harbor while listening to tales of pirate attacks, naval battles, and more onboard this Narrated Haunted Ghost Cruise of Charleston Harbor.

One of Charleston’s most unique ghost tours, this haunted harbor cruise reaches spooky sites that you can’t get to on foot. You’ll sail the harbor on a 45-foot catamaran for a scary good time.

This is one of my favorite Charleston ghost tours because not many places offer a haunted cruise! Plus, there’s a bar onboard the boat and you get incredible views from the harbor.

My verdict: I’d book this tour over a walking tour if you’ve already explored Charleston’s historic district and want your ghost tour to feel like a completely different experience. The main reason to book it is the combination of ghost stories, harbor views, and locations you can’t experience on foot. This is one of my favorite alternatives to the standard ghost tour format.

6. Charleston Ghost & Dungeon Night-Time Walking Tour with Entry to Provost Dungeon

Tour length: 1.5 hours | Rating: 4 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

Explore the dark corners of the city, and then get exclusive nighttime access to the Provost Dungeon on this Charleston Ghost & Dungeon Night-Time Walking Tour.

This tour is a good middle ground if you want to explore Charleston on foot but still want the payoff of getting inside an actual historic site after hours.

The tour starts by exploring the haunted places in the historic district’s dark alleys and graveyards, with tales of ghosts, voodoo, and superstition. At the end, you get to visit the Provost Dungeon, a pre-Revolutionary dungeon with a chilling history.

The most unique part is getting to visit the Provost Dungeon after-hours on this tour; it’s a very different vibe than visiting during the day. This tour also stands out as it isn’t overly scary, and there’s a lot of history included as well.

My verdict: I’d choose this for a history lover who wants the ghost stories anchored by an actual historic site you get to enter after hours. The Provost Dungeon visit gives it something a standard historic-district walk can’t offer. This tour is great for a mix of Charleston history and atmosphere.

7. Real Hauntings of Charleston Small Group Ghost Tour

Tour length: 1.5 hours | Rating: 5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

If you want a haunted Charleston ghost tour without the crowd, then I recommend this Real Hauntings of Charleston Small Group Ghost Tour that’s limited to about 12 people per tour.

This ghost tour passes by haunted graveyards, churches, alleyways, hotels, restaurants, and bars, and gives you the gruesome real stories of murders, pirates, soldiers, executions, duels, and more.

I love how intimate this ghost tour is; a lot of other tours in Charleston can get crowded fast, so keeping this tour to a limited number of people helps keep the spooky factor up and lets you hear the stories better.

My verdict: I’d book this tour for someone who hates being shuffled around in a big tour group. The smaller group is the real selling point: you sacrifice some of the exclusive-access attractions offered by other tours, but you get a more intimate atmosphere where it’s easier to hear, ask questions, and actually get absorbed in the stories. I’d choose this over a larger walking tour if crowds can ruin the experience for you.

8. Original Driving Ghost Tour of Charleston

Tour length: 1 hour | Rating: 5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

If you want an alternative to a walking tour, then I recommend this Driving Ghost Tour of Charleston.

On this tour, you get to travel comfortably aboard a climate-controlled van driven by a professional driver. Meanwhile, an expert storyteller will enthrall you with haunting tales of Charleston’s past. Yes, you get both a driver and a tour guide, so your guide isn’t distracted from the road by telling stories, and you can have a worry-free ride!

This tour is a great alternative to the standard walking ghost tour. You still get all the same great ghost stories, but you also get a smaller group and a more comfortable experience.

My verdict: I’d choose this tour if comfort is your priority, and I’d choose it over the carriage tour if climate control and comfort matter more to you than the novelty of riding through Charleston by horse-drawn carriage. The van makes this especially appealing when Charleston is hot, the weather is questionable, or walking is difficult. You lose some spooky street-level atmosphere, but you gain one of the easiest ways to enjoy the stories without wearing yourself out.

9. Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour

Tour length: 1.5 hours | Rating: 5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

If you’ve ever listened to the popular Pleasing Terrors Podcast then you’ll love this Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour led by host Mike Brown.

Mike is an amazing storyteller who has unparalleled knowledge of the most fascinating and terrifying stories lurking in Charleston’s dark corners. On the tour, you get to visit locations like Poogan’s Porch, the Charleston Library Society, Philadelphia Alley, and St. Michael’s Church.

Mike definitely knows his stuff, and it’s no wonder his podcast is so popular! Plus, he’s a Charleston native, so you get a little extra local flair.

My verdict: I’d book this tour if you want an excellent storyteller. Mike Brown is really the reason to choose this particular tour, so it’s an especially easy pick if you already like the Pleasing Terrors podcast.

10. Ghost & Graveyard Night-Time Guided Walking Tour

Tour length: 1.5 hours | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

If haunted cemeteries are your thing (I absolutely love them!), then you’ll want to take this Ghost & Graveyard Night-Time Guided Walking Tour that explores the Circular Congregational Church graveyard.

Not only will you see the city’s most eerie sites, but you’ll also get to wander through Charleston’s oldest cemetery, the Circular Congregational Church graveyard, after hours. You’ll hear stories of graveyard hauntings, voodoo, and botched burials where people were buried alive.

As noted above, I love a cemetery tour, so I’m a big fan of this tour that gets you exclusive access to the Circular Congregational Church graveyard.

My verdict: I’d choose this tour if you like ghost tours with a heavier dose of macabre history. The stories dig into things like voodoo, premature burials, and Charleston’s graveyard traditions before taking you inside the historic Circular Congregational Church graveyard after dark.

11. Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl

Tour length: 2 hours | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

This Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl is a true crime-focused pub crawl that combines history, storytelling, and drinks in an small group of only about 15 people per tour.

While it’s not exactly a ghost tour, I still like to include it because it shares stories you won’t hear on other tours, plus you still get the creep factor.

During the tour, you’ll hit up 4 different bars and pubs where you can grab a drink and listen to tales of Charleston’s most infamous criminals and their unsavory crimes. You’ll hear true crime stories from Charleston’s beginnings all the way up to recent years.

My verdict: I’d book this tour if you don’t really believe in ghosts, but love true crime. You’re giving up the paranormal focus of the other tours, but in return you get darker real-life stories, drinks, and a small-group experience. If murders and notorious criminals interest you more than spirits and supernatural legends, I’d choose this over the traditional pub-and-ghost tour.

12. Charleston’s Self-Guided Haunted Ghost Tour – Solo Smart Phone Guided Tour

Tour length: 1 hour | Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | Check rates & availability

If you’re visiting Charleston on a budget, then I recommend this Self-Guided Haunted Ghost Tour, where you’ll access an audio tour via an app on your phone.

This self-guided tour takes you to some of Charleston’s most haunted places, including the the Dock Street Theater, Pirates Courtyard, Circular Church Graveyard, and more. You can start the tour wherever you’d like and take the tour at your own pace. You can even re-listen to the ghost stories when you get home as you’ll have continued access to the app.

I love this tour as an affordable option, and it’s great for groups too because you only need to purchase it once. It’s really easy to use, plus it has great instructions to get you from haunted location to haunted location.

This 50-minute to 1-hour self-guided audio walking tour comes with an easy-to-use app on your smart phone and includes turn-by-turn instructions.

My verdict: I’d choose this tour when budget and flexibility matter more than having a live storyteller. It’s easily the better choice if you want to explore on your own schedule. You give up the personality and spontaneity of a live guide, but in return you get the cheapest and most flexible option on this list.

Which Charleston Ghost Tour Should You Choose?

If you’re still deciding between all these Charleston ghost tours, I’d narrow it down to these top choices:

• Best overall: Ghosts of Charleston Walking Tour — This is the one I’d book for a first trip to Charleston. You get the classic combination of haunted history, nighttime atmosphere, and after-hours access to the Unitarian Church Graveyard.
• Best for families: Haunted Evening Horse & Carriage Tour — The shorter ride, no walking, and classic Charleston carriage experience make this an easy choice for families or mixed-age groups who want something spooky without having to do a long walking tour.
• Best for adults: Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour — If you want your ghost tour to double as a fun night out, this is my pick. The drinks and social atmosphere make it especially good for couples, friend groups, and bachelorette trips.
• Best for paranormal enthusiasts: Charleston Old City Jail Haunted Tour — I’d choose this if you’re less interested in strolling past haunted buildings and more interested in actually going inside one of Charleston’s most notoriously haunted locations after dark.
• Best if you don’t want to walk: Original Driving Ghost Tour — If Charleston’s heat, bad weather, mobility, or simply tired feet are a concern, this is the most comfortable option. You still get the ghost stories without sacrificing an hour and a half to walking around the city.

If you only book one Charleston ghost tour, I’d go with the Ghosts of Charleston Walking Tour. It gives you the most well-rounded introduction to Charleston’s haunted side without making you choose between history, ghost stories, and an atmospheric setting.

Once you know which experience fits your trip, I recommend booking ahead — especially if you’re visiting Charleston over a weekend or during a busy travel period.

Check rates and availability for the Ghosts of Charleston Walking Tour.

Top Haunted Hotels in Charleston

Once you’ve picked your tour, you can keep the spooky theme going with one of Charleston’s haunted hotels.

Charleston has a ton of haunted sites, and a lot of them happen to be hotels. This is great if you’re the type of person who loves staying in haunted hotels (I’m too scared to even try). Book a stay at one of the top haunted hotels in Charleston listed below!

1. Battery Carriage House Inn
2. Francis Marion Hotel
3. Mills House Charleston
4. Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Historic District
5. Meeting Street Inn
6. John Rutledge House Inn

Or if you want a likely not-haunted place to stay, check out the recommendations below.

Ghost Tours in Charleston FAQ

More Charleston Tips

Check out the posts below to continue planning your Charleston vacation:

• 14 Romantic Things to Do in Charleston for Couples
• 50+ Fun Things to Do in Charleston at Night
• 10 Amazing Hotels in Charleston, SC
• 10 Best Tours in Charleston, SC
• 16 Best Restaurants in Charleston, SC
• 11 Best Bars in Charleston, SC
• Your Perfect Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary
• 9 Free Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 37 Best Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 7 Days in Charleston: Perfect 1 Week Charleston Itinerary
• 14 Tips for Your First Trip to Charleston, SC

• 13 Abandoned Places Around the World You Can Actually Tour
• 10 Terrifying Haunted Castles Around the World You Can Visit
• 13 Most Haunted Places in Atlanta, GA
• 10 Creepy Haunted Places in Dahlonega, GA
• 13 Chillingly Haunted Places in San Antonio, TX
• 7 Spooky and Haunted Places in Huntsville, AL
• Roswell Ghost Tour Review: Explore Roswell, GA’s Dark History
• Ghosts of Marietta Review: Haunted Walking Tour of Marietta, GA
• Decatur Ghost Tour Review: Discover Haunted Downtown Decatur, GA
• Fox Theatre Ghost Tour in Atlanta: Review
• 13 Most Haunted Places in Georgia
• Windsor Hotel Americus, GA Review: A Historic Haunted Hotel
• 13 Best Savannah Ghost Tours For a Scary-Good Time
• 12 Best Atlanta Ghost Tours
• 11 Most Haunted Hotels in San Antonio, TX
• 10 Spookiest Chattanooga Ghost Tours
• 13 Best Savannah Ghost Tours For a Scary-Good Time

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Ready to visit Charleston, South Carolina? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find accommodation: You can find top hotels in Charleston using Booking.com or vacation rentals near Charleston using VRBO.
• Get packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.
• Save on Attractions: Save big on admission to Charleston’s top attractions using the Charleston TourPass.

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Cheers!

Paige

Have you been on any of these amazing Charleston ghost tours? Let me know in the comments!