Savannah to Charleston Scenic Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour





Description
Savannah and Charleston are two of the most historic destinations in the American south, and the road connecting the two cities holds just as much history. This self-guided driving tour dives into the history and scenery of that route. Visit the haunting Old Sheldon Church Ruins, snap photos of the Angel Oak Tree, go birdwatching in the ACE Basin Wildlife Preserve, uncover stories of the Underground Railroad, see historic Drayton Hall, and so much more. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, entering your unique password, and accessing your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
For any nature lovers in the car, the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is a must-see. It's a wonderful spot for enjoying unobstructed views of the Lowcountry. Note: The tour is over 100+ Miles long per tour, with more than 100+ audio stories per tour, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Thanks to its proximity to Hilton Head Island and Savannah, the town's population has more than doubled in the last decade.
Indigenous Cusabo tribes occupied the Sea Islands for thousands of years before the first European colonists arrived in the 1500s.
Old Sheldon Church has been through a lot. Not only did it see two wars -- the Revolutionary War and the Civil War -- but it has also been burned to the ground. Scholars are still trying to determine whether the building has seen flames more than once.
The Harriet Tubman Bridge and Combahee River Ferry are part of the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park, a newly created national historic park that preserves sites important during the Reconstruction era, the period following the Civil War when the southern states were forced to end chattel slavery.
Walterboro is known for its signature red rocking chairs and front porches. The town was founded as a summer retreat for plantation owners. Back in the 1800s, plantations along the coasts were breeding grounds for malaria, so owners escaped to higher-elevation areas like Walterboro during the summer months that were less troubled by mosquitoes. Malaria was officially eradicated in the US by 1951, so there is no need to worry today; regardless, Walterboro is still popular with visitors today thanks to its small-town charm and front porch culture.
The ACE Basin is known for its tremendous wildlife diversity. Nearly 300 different species of birds have been spotted on the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge so it's a bit of a bird lover's paradise. The refuge lies along the Atlantic Flyway -- a major flyway for migrating birds that starts in Greenland and travels along the Atlantic Coast to the Caribbean and South American countries.
South Carolina. During the Revolutionary War, Jacksonboro temporarily became the capital of South Carolina. That's because the British controlled Charleston, South Carolina's first capital, from 1780 until 1782.
There is one sight I recommend stopping for, though, and that's the ruins of the Pon Pon Chapel. Built around 1754, the Pon Pon Chapel was constructed along a busy stagecoach route that led from Charleston to Savannah. Locals sometimes refer to it as the Burnt Church since it burned in the early 1800s and was rebuilt. It was used for about a decade after that, then abandoned and left to ruin.
The Angel Oak Tree stands 65 feet tall and provides a shaded area of several thousand square feet. Some of the massive oaks branches sit on the ground and smaller trees have begun growing out of the tree's branches.
Today many visitors want to know where enslaved people lived at Drayton Hall. Surprisingly, the staff at Drayton Hall didn't always know. Thanks to the Bowens family, descendants of those who had been enslaved on the property, more clues exist through the oral histories they've shared. It was discovered that some people who worked inside the house lived in the cellar. George, a butler, Affy, who was thought to be a nanny, and Dumplin, a cook, resided in the home.
Now a South Carolina State Park, Charles Towne Landing has a live oak alley, gardens, and a mini-zoo with bears, otters, bison, and other wildlife that ran amok when the first settlers arrived. There's also a replica of a 17th-century vessel, bike rentals, and interpretive programming that can include cannon firings. The park is open daily, except on major holidays.
All you have to do is keep driving on Ashley River road for the next 10 minutes or so and just like before, I'll give us directions to the highway. We'll be taking a slightly different route than the way we came in, so just make sure to follow my cues to head back to our main tour route.
I want to point out a favorite point of interest among locals. Just ahead, we'll see a Coburg sign with a cow named Bessie and her calf. Once the marker for a dairy farm, Bessie, known as the Coburg cow, has been here for over 60 years.
South Carolina's biggest city, let me share a bit about its historical importance. As a port city, it played a major role in the slave trade -- nearly half of the people enslaved in America entered here. So, it's only fitting that Charleston also heard the first shots of the Civil War.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
Reviews(4)
Enjoyed the history even if we weren't able to stop and see everything. It was very informative of the areas. Only wish we had more time to see more.
Denise, I’m really glad to hear that my Savannah to Charleston Round Trip GPS Audio Tour was informative and helped you enjoy the history along the way, even if you didn’t have time to stop at everything. The great part is that my tour is valid forever, so you can always come back and explore the stops you missed whenever you have more time. If you're craving more Georgia adventures, don’t miss my Savannah Walking Tour or the Atlanta Self-Guided Walking Tour—packed with stories and the same flexibility you loved!
The property had been very nicely updated and we appreciated the rustic motif. Communicate was clear and responsive. Very clean!
Stacy, this review seems to be for a different experience. My Savannah to Charleston round-trip tour is a GPS audio driving guide and does not include accommodations, property stays, or on-site services. I can see that you booked my audio tour and also redeemed the password, so it looks like you had access to it. It seems this review may have been posted on the wrong listing, so I’d really love to know about your actual experience with my tour!
A fantastic way to experience the drive between Savannah and Charleston! The self-guided audio tour was easy to follow, played automatically with GPS, and shared engaging stories, history, and fun facts at just the right moments. Being able to go at your own pace, stop when you want, and enjoy the journey without feeling rushed made the whole trip relaxing and memorable. Highly recommended for anyone doing this scenic coastal road trip.
Larry, I am glad you enjoyed my Savannah-to-Charleston self-guided audio tour and that it made the drive feel relaxing and memorable. Great to hear the GPS timing and stories worked smoothly, and that you could go at your own pace without feeling rushed. Thanks for the recommendation. If you’re planning more trips, you might like the Action+ Tour Bundle for more self-guided adventures.
The audio did not work with our vehicle so only the driver could hear. The sites were not too interesting. And the app did not track our travels.
Joyce, thanks for sharing your feedback. I’m sorry the setup and experience didn’t go as expected. For audio to play through the car speakers, the phone does need to be connected via Bluetooth, USB, or AUX, and GPS-based playback requires location permissions to be enabled in the app. The route itself includes well-known must-see stops along the Savannah–Charleston drive, but I understand experiences can feel different if tech gets in the way. Just to note, all my self-guided audio tours remain valid for a whole year, so you’re welcome to reuse this tour anytime, or I can swap it for another self-guided tour of your choice. I’m available daily from 9 am to 6 pm EST for any questions, help, or refund assistance.



