Ana Rebeca 9/19/17 Ana Rebeca 9/19/17

5 Self-Guided Walking Tours of Charleston

The best way to explore the streets of Charleston is by foot. Use these 5 self-guided walking tours of Charleston to create your own adventures around the city based on what you're looking for! Use these guides to find places to eat, where to take photos, and where to see the historical sites of Charleston.

5 Self-Guided Walking Tours of Charleston

I'm a city girl through and through. That means I innately hate driving, the inconvenience of having to go somewhere where I can't just walk, and the general idea of something that I need not being accessible to get to. Because of these things, I'm always very picky with where I want to travel. Cities that prove themselves to be extremely accessible and easy to get around automatically get bonus points in my book.

Luckily, Charleston is one of those great cities that are easy to navigate and get around! Plus, you don't really need to get a car to get around and see all the charming streets, alleys, and corners this city has to offer. You can easily get from one end of the city to the other by foot, which is the best way to explore it!

As you're walking through Charleston, you'll be able to go as slow or as fast as you'd like and see as little or as much as you want during your stay. If you don't mind spending a little money, you can definitely sign up for a guided tour with a professional (best for people who want to learn the history and just follow along with a group); OR you can just take the adventurous route and explore on your own (my preferred method)! Below are 5 examples of walking routes that you can take around Charleston to discover different parts of the city.

Good to Know Information Before Heading to Charleston

Check out our full Charleston City Guide so you can get better acquainted with where to eat, sleep, and play on any budget!
Wear comfortable shoes when you're exploring Charleston because you could easily spend an entire day outside walking around.
Come with an empty stomach because the food in Charleston is absolutely incredible! I'd recommend having a full day out where you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner all during your walking tour. You won't have any problems finding great restaurants with the routes provided in this post. Plus, there are tons of recommendations in the City Guide listed above!
The walking tours below are just suggested routes to start with, but I also recommend exploring on side streets and charming roads that look appealing to you! Charleston is so easy to get around so it's definitely easy to just zig zag around from street to street (that's pretty much what I did during my stay).

1. The French Quarter + Rainbow Row Walking Tour

Takes you through the historic french quarter, waterfront park, and the incredibly photogenic rainbow row

Route map for The French Quarter + Rainbow Row by Ana Dominguez on plotaroute.com

Since Charleston was originally founded as a harbor city, it's natural that a lot of the properties near the original waterfront areas would have a lot of history and character. The French Quarter is full of colorful streets, cobblestone alleys, and unique looking churches (including one that looks like it tilts to the side). This is a great route to get a feel for the old, historic part of Charleston.

2. The Waterfront + Broad Street Walking Tour

Explores the lower part of charleston near the waterfront and the popular broad street

Route map for Waterfront, Broad Street, & Rainbow Row by Ana Dominguez on plotaroute.com

If you're a real estate aficionado, this might be your favorite route. On this tour you can expect to see beautiful homes, mansions, and buildings that are lined side by side on both quaint and spacious streets. Make sure to spend time around the White Point Garden and scope out the homes around there. You'll also see the popular Rainbow Row along East Bay Street, as well as the popular Broad Street, which is home to many local businesses and restaurants. You can stick to this route, but I recommend checking out any of the side streets, alleys, or areas that look particularly fascinating to you. There is a lot to explore down here!

3. Downtown Shopping + King Street Walking Route

Perfect route to discover the colorful King street and indulge in some shopping

Route map for Downtown Shopping & King Street by Ana Dominguez on plotaroute.com

You can't leave Charleston without walking around King Street to do a little shopping or grabbing a bite to eat. You can expect to see lots of colorful buildings, cute boutiques, and plenty of delicious restaurant choices. For a list of my favorite shops and restaurants, check out my Charleston City Guide.

4. best Restaurants + Bars walking Route

Takes you through the areas with some of the best restaurants + bars of charleston

Route map for Restaurants + Bars by Ana Dominguez on plotaroute.com

If you read my Charleston City Guide, you know that I included a hefty list of restaurants and bars to check out. This route takes you through the main areas where those places are located in case you want to check them out or do a food + bar crawl. Like the other routes listed here, I recommend you wander off to any side streets or areas that look interesting to you!

5. Harleston Village + Cannonborough/elliotborough ROUTE

Takes you through two popular + Trendy neighborhoods of downtown charleston

Route map for Harleston Village + Part Of Cannonbourogh by Ana Dominguez on plotaroute.com

If you're looking for off the beaten path places to hang, this route will be perfect for you. The Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhoods of Charleston are great areas to find trendy shops and restaurants. The Harleston Village also has lots of local spots since it is home to the College of Charleston. You'll see beautiful homes, streets, and other local hideaways with this route.

What are some other walking routes or areas you would recommend in Charleston? Comment below with some more must-see places!

If you're exploring Charleston, try out these walking tours and let me know what you think!

3 Self-Guided Walking Tours of Savannah

The best way to explore the streets of Savannah is by foot. Use these 3 self-guided walking tours of Savannah to create your own adventures around the city based on what you're looking for! Use these guides to find places to eat, where to take photos, and where to see the historical sites of Savannah.

3 Self-Guided Walking Tours of Savannah

Luckily, Savannah is one of the most convenient and easiest cities to navigate that I've ever been to. Here's why... Have you ever been to New York? It's a grid. Guess what's also a grid? Savannah. Yes! Sign me up!

If you're heading to Savannah, the best way to explore it will be on foot. It will give you the chance to go as slow or as fast as you'd like and see as little or as much as you want during your stay. If you don't mind spending a little money, you can definitely sign up for a guided tour with a professional (best for people who want to learn the history and just follow along with a group); OR you can just take the adventurous route and explore on your own (my preferred method)! Below are 3 examples of walking routes that you can take around Savannah depending on what you're looking for.

Good to Know Information Before Heading to Savannah

Check out our full Savannah City Guide so you can get better acquainted with where to eat, sleep, and play on any budget!
Wear comfortable shoes when you're exploring Savannah because you could easily spend an entire day outside walking around.
Come with an empty stomach because the food in Savannah is to die for! I'd recommend having a full day out where you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner all during your walking tour. You won't have any problems finding great restaurants with the routes provided in this post.
The walking tours below are just suggested routes to start with, but I also recommend exploring on side streets and charming roads that look appealing to you! Savannah is so easy to get around so it's definitely easy to just zig zag around from street to street (that's pretty much what I did during my stay).

1. Savannah Squares Walking Tour

Takes you around each of the squares of Savannah with the route ending at Forsyth Park

View route map for Savannah Squares on plotaroute.com

Before visiting Savannah, a friend was telling me I absolutely had to check out all of the "squares" around the downtown area. I have to admit... I was a little bit confused until I actually got to see them and appreciate them for myself.

Savannah currently has 22 historic squares that you can see and enjoy when you visit. Each square has its own name and look, with most of them having a unique statue, sculpture, or structure as the focal point in the center. They are all lovely in their own right (and I recommend seeing all of them), but my personal favorites are Chippewa (made famous by Forrest Gump), Lafayette, Greene, Madison, and Johnson.

2. Savannah Shopping Walking Tour

Takes you through a good shopping route to explore Savannah's local boutiques and shops

View route map for Savannah Shopping on plotaroute.com

There are so many incredible places to shop around Savannah that are unique to the city. This route takes you through the City Market, Broughton Street, and down Bull Street with the occasional zigzag here and there.

Make sure to stop by The Paris Market, Savannah Bee Company, Chocolat by Adam Turoni, E. Shaver Booksellers (as well as their adjacent tea shop), One Fish Two Fish, Shop SCAD (where you can shop local SCAD student's artwork), as well as tons of shops along Bull Street and Whitaker Street. There are seriously so many amazing shops and boutiques that you can make an entire afternoon of just stopping in different places.

3. Forsyth Park and Historic Streets Walking Route

Takes you through Forsyth Park and parts of the Historic District of Downtown Savannah

View route map for Savannah Streets And Park on plotaroute.com

A visit to Savannah is just not complete without a visit to Forsyth Park. The park, which is especially gorgeous at sunrise and sunset, is known for the iconic fountain shot that you'll see off the entrance of Bull and Gaston. You can walk through the park, sit down for a picnic, visit the rose gardens, play some tennis, or attend concerts and other events that happen from time to time around the park area.

After spending some time in the park, stick around the area to roam the downtown Historic District so you can marvel at all of the gorgeous homes and mansions. All of the tree lined streets with Spanish Moss on them are simply breathtaking. This route will take you around some of my favorite areas, but you should also follow your adventurous instincts and explore the streets that excite you!