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(843) 577-6767Carriage Tours In Charleston, SC
If you're a first-time visitor to the Holy City, there's one iconic experience you can't miss: a real-deal carriage tour. It's not hard to find the old-fashioned open-air carriages as they click and clack their way through the historic districts of the peninsula, starting from City Market. Incredibly knowledgeable tour guides point to the humble, infamous, and famous sights for which Charleston is famous. From soaring church steeples and stunning vistas over the harbor to quaint pocket gardens and four-foot-wide streets, a carriage ride provides a nuanced overview of the complex city we love to call home.
The best tour guides also share tragic, fascinating, and hilarious stories of the men and women who made Charleston the beauty that it is today. And when it comes to the very best carriage tours in Charleston, SC, nobody does it quite as well as Carolina Polo & Carriage Co.
- The Carolina Polo & Carriage Company Difference
- The Best Horses for the Most Fun Carriage Tours
- How Carolina Polo & Carriage Cares For Our Horses
- Our Unforgettable Carriage Tours
- Vis-A-Vis Carriage Tours
- Large Private Carriage Tours
- Your Top Choice for Family-Owned Carriage Tours
- What Clients Say About Us
Service Areas
The Carolina Polo & Carriage Company Difference
Carolina Polo and Carriage Company, the only carriage company in Charleston owned and operated by Charlestonians since the 1600s, is committed to providing the best experience of the historic "Holy City" to its customers. Our horse-drawn carriages, led by highly trained draft horses, offer a tour of the beauty and history of downtown Charleston, accompanied by rich stories from your guide.
What makes us different from other carriage ride companies is that we are truly passionate about sharing our love for the city of Charleston with anyone who visits. Our carriage tours in Charleston, SC, are sure to leave you smiling with a wealth of knowledge about the South's favorite city, whether it's your first or fifteenth time visiting.
A few of the biggest reasons why guests choose our carriage ride company include the following
Extraordinary Draft Horses
Our amazing horses often steal the show, and are highly trained to provide a fun, safe experience. As the stars of our carriage tours, providing them with care, nutrition, and love is our top priority.
Knowledgeable Guides
What would a tour of Charleston be without a tour guide who immerses themselves in the history of the Holy City? If you're looking for the perfect mix of accuracy and entertainment, look no further than Carolina Polo& Carriage.
Comfy Carriages
Our carriages are designed for modern times and mix comfort and safety for our horses while maintaining an authentic look. Go ahead, take a seat. You'll love riding around Charleston in style!
The Best Horses for the Most Fun Carriage Tours in Charleston, SC
Our draft horses are easily recognizable by their tall stature and muscular build, equipped with strong hindquarters that make them perfect for pulling heavy loads. They are capable of effortlessly carrying a carriage full of sightseers, which is comparable to a person casually riding a bicycle. Before becoming carriage horses, most of our horses were working animals on Amish farms.
Our horses are known for their gentle nature and are ideal for pulling carriages. They are trained to ignore the sounds of the city streets and follow the directions given through the reins. We ensure that all of our horses receive the best care and lifestyle possible. They are consistently under the care of equine veterinarians.
To prevent exhaustion, our horses are rotated during the day and are given at least 30 minutes of rest between tours. Moreover, we limit each horse to a maximum of 4 tours per day, 5 days per week. Additionally, we take our horses to the pasture outside of town for two weeks after spending eight weeks downtown. This ensures that they get enough exercise and don't become overweight while also allowing them to roam and relax freely.
While our lineup of horses is subject to change, our currents table includes these superstars:
- Rembrandt
- Picasso
- Yamassee
- Gibbles
- Riley
- Carolina
How Carolina Polo & Carriage Cares for Our Horses
We treat our horses with love and care, because they are more than just workers to us - they're family.
Meals
Our horses are fed low sugar, low starch, high fiber diets of grainless horse feed and high-quality hay. Horses can eat more than 40,000calories, and we're happy to provide them with the feed they need to be active and healthy.
Stalls
Our horses spend time in their stalls, which are bedded with eco-friendly options that are safe and effective.
Monitoring
We make it a point to keep a close eye on each and every one of our horses from the time we open to the time we close. We take their temperatures, keep them fed, and make sure they're watered well. Every one of our horses gets regular veterinarian appointments, which includes dental care, worming, and other preventative health measures.
Horseshoes
Like humans, our horses benefit from shoes that provide traction and cushioning, which keep them comfortable throughout the workday. When their horseshoes need to be replaced, we take them to a farrier for new shoes.
Retirement
There comes a time in every carriage horse's life when it's time to retire. When our horses are old enough for retirement, we work hard to find horse lovers who are committed to providing loving, exceptional care 24/7.
Our Unforgettable Carriage Tours in Charleston, SC
One of the most popular questions we get at Carolina Polo& Carriage Company is what kind of carriage rides we offer to guests. To satisfy every type of visitor, we offer a range of carriage tours, from group options to private rides. Keep reading to learn more about our itineraries and what you can expect from our sought-after historic horse-drawn tours.
Group Carriage Tours
Join us for an unforgettable one-hour group tour through the charming streets of downtown Charleston. Our knowledgeable and passionate guides will bring the history and architecture of Charleston to life before your very eyes. You'll witness stunning gardens and parks, grand mansions, historic churches, and buildings while learning about the people and events that shaped the history of this "Holy City." Don't miss out on this incredible experience!
Itinerary for Our Group Carriage Tours
Our public tours begin at the Historic City Market and cover several possible routes, showing you the most notable and historic sites in Charleston. You will get to witness the Old Exchange building, which is one of the most historic buildings in America and was finished in 1771. It was the last building constructed by the British before the Revolutionary War. The Edmonston Allston House and the historic White Point Gardens, popularly known as "The Battery," are also part of the tour.
During your horse-drawn carriage tour, your guide will enlighten you on the significance of several points of interest along Meeting Street, including the Calhoun Mansion, the Historic House Museum (The Nathaniel Russel House), and First Scott's Presbyterian Church. These highlights are just a fraction of all the incredible historic sights you will see on one of our tours around Charleston, depending on which route your tour takes.
Finally, all our tours end in the Historic City Market, where you are free to enjoy your next Charleston adventure. When you ride with our carriage company, you can be confident that you will have an unforgettable experience of Charleston's rich history and heritage.
What to Expect from Our Group Carriage Rides
When planning to take a tour, please note that tours depart from the Historic City Market every half an hour. To join the tour, you will need to check in at the ticket office located at 45 Pinckney St on your preferred day and indicate your preferred departure time. However, please be aware that during peak season and on weekends, wait times may vary.
Once you are cleared for departure and have boarded the carriage, the City of Charleston Tourism Officials require that all guests check in at the gate before departure. Additionally, for traffic flow and tax reasons, the city randomly assigns one of four routes for each carriage to tour through the historic district of Charleston. This assignment is determined by a spin of a bingo ball machine, with the color that comes up indicating the route or "zone" that the carriage is allowed to tour.
Vis-A-Vis Carriage Tours in Charleston, SC
What does Vis-A-Vis mean, you might be asking? In French, it means "face-to-face" and pertains to the way guests were seated in their carriages back in the day. During this memorable carriage tour, you will get to see stunning gardens and parks, grand mansions, historic churches, and other significant buildings. Additionally, you'll learn about the individuals and occurrences that have influenced the history of the "Holy City" that we call home.
As you embark on your tour, you'll be pleased to know that it starts near the Historic City Market, a 200-year-old public market that spreads across four blocks. Though routes vary, you'll get to see some of Charleston's most notable sites, including Rainbow Row. A collection of pre-revolutionary buildings, Rainbow Row is an iconic landmark in Charleston that spans an entire block.
During the tour, you'll also hear about the fascinating history behind several historic homes and mansions, like the Villa Marguerite, the William Washington House, and the Famous #2 Meeting Street Inn. The latter overlooks White Point Gardens and is a popular spot for photography in the southeast.
As you pass through Meeting and Broad Street, you'll come across the Four Corners of Law, which Robert Ripley named the Four Corners of Law in his famous Ripley's Believe It or Not. There are many possible routes for your tour, and these are just a few examples of the sights you could see!
Finally, all tours end in the Historic City Market, leaving you free to explore Charleston's many other adventures.
Please note the following information before your tour begins. Once you have boarded the carriage and are ready to depart, it is mandatory that you check in at the gate, as per the City of Charleston Tourism Officials' regulations.
The city has designated four different routes for the carriages to follow through the historic district of Charleston. To ensure fair traffic flow and for tax purposes, the city randomly assigns each carriage one of these routes through a bingo ball machine. The color that comes up on the machine determines the route or "zone" that the carriage will tour.
To get the necessary information and directions, please approach an attendant at the Carolina Polo & Carriage ticket office, located at 45 Pinckney Street, at least 10 minutes before your scheduled tour start time.
Large Private Carriage Tours
There's no better way to experience the sights and sounds of Charleston than with your friends and family on a horse-drawn carriage! This private tour is ideal for large groups and provides you with an unforgettable look into the city.
Itinerary for Large Group Carriage Tours
Your tour will commence close to the Historic City Market, which is over 200 years old and is one of the oldest public markets in the USA. Depending on the zone you are given, some of the tour highlights may include the French Quarter, where your guide will bring the area to life with stories of the Dock Street Theatre, the French Huguenot Church, and St. Philips Church. You can also visit the Miles Brewton House on King Street, which is famous for its Georgian architecture, the Swordgate House, and St. Michael's Episcopal Church, which is the oldest church building in the city.
If your guide takes you through the streets nearest the Battery, you may catch a glimpse of Fort Sumter and hear the captivating history behind the attack on the fort and the beginnings of the "Late Great Unpleasantness." These are just a few of the sights that you may experience on our various detailed routes around beautiful Charleston. All tours will finish in the Historic City Market, where you can explore and enjoy your next Charleston adventure.
What to Expect from Our Large Group Carriage Tours
Our carriages are capable of accommodating up to 16 adults or a combination of adults and children. Pricing is per carriage and includes a fully narrated hour-long horse-drawn carriage tour of the historic district. If you have any special requests, please feel free to contact us. After the guests have been loaded onto the carriage and cleared for departure, it is mandatory to check in at the gate prior to departure, as per the City of Charleston Tourism Officials.
For tax purposes and traffic management, the city randomly assigns one of four routes to each carriage via a bingo ball machine. The color of the ball decides the zone that the carriage can tour. To begin the tour, please check in with an attendant at the Carolina Polo & Carriage ticket office located at 45 Pinckney Street 10 minutes before your scheduled tour start time.
Carolina Polo & Carriage Pro Tip
When visiting Charleston, it's important to wear comfortable footwear, such as sneakers, ankle boots, or dressier flats. The cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks are not ideal for hard-soled shoes or high heels. Proper planning and packing according to the forecast and dress code will help you make the most of your vacation!
Your Top Choice for Family-Owned Carriage Tours in Charleston, SC
If you're looking for the most trusted carriage company in Charleston with deep roots in the Lowcountry, Carolina Polo & Carriage should be on top of your list. We take pride in being the only locally owned carriage operation in town. Our business is not just a business, but a family that is deeply ingrained in the Charleston community. With our unique perspective on the city's rich history and vibrant culture, we promise an authentic and unforgettable journey through the charming streets.
If you're looking for something truly special, we have private carriage tours tailored just for you. Our bespoke tours are crafted to meet your every desire, whether it's a romantic evening, a historical adventure, or a fun family outing.
For those once-in-a-lifetime moments, our elegant wedding carriages are perfect. Imagine arriving at your wedding in a fairy-tale carriage and making your special day even more memorable. Our carriages are also perfect for anniversaries, proposals, or any occasion that calls for a touch of class and romance.
Choose Carolina Polo & Carriage Co. for an experience that's more than just a tour - it's a journey into the heart of Charleston. We look forward to seeing your smile very soon.
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