The Death and Depravity Ghost Tour in Charleston
Description
Unlock Charleston’s Darkest Secrets on the Death and Depravity Ghost Tour. Not for the faint of heart. This is Charleston like you’ve never seen it—raw, unfiltered, and crawling with the ghosts of its most sinister past. Pull back the veil on the Holy City’s most shameful secrets. From shadowy alleyways once lined with brothels to the bloodstained corners of true crime history, this adults-only experience exposes the city's twisted underbelly. You’ll step into a world of scandal, sin, and the supernatural—where desire turned deadly and justice was often anything but. Prepare to hear stories that chill to the bone: grisly murders, tragic suicides, restless spirits, and whispers that still haunt Charleston’s darkest corners. These are the tales most tours won’t dare to tell—and that Charleston itself would rather forget. Are you brave enough to walk with the dead?
Tour Options
Itinerary
As one of few surviving structures from the colonial period, the Powder Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina has the benefit of time on its side. The structure was built in 1713 by British colonists to house guns and ammunition so that the fledgling colony could protect itself from the dangers around it. Its solid walls kept Charleston’s weapons safe for over one hundred years before being decommissioned. It’s safe to say this building has seen a lot of action from, Indian wars and Spanish threats to French invasion and colonist insurrection. And, if you believe the local lore, it’s said that some of those who fought and died in these exchanges never left.
No historical landmark in Charleston, South Carolina, is as well-recognized as the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon at 122 East Bay Street. From its elegantly Georgian appearance to the deeply troubled and haunted basement beneath the street level, the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon has been one building which has truly lived historic Charleston. And, by all accounts, it continues to live in the past every day. Ghosts are said to roam its stately halls, and the startling cries of long-dead prisoners in the dungeon can still be heard. Today, the combined Old Exchange and the Provost Dungeon is now a museum which offers daily tours from 9-5pm. If these walls could talk, the secrets we would learn . . . Well, it’s safe to say that these walls would be haunted.
This is the starting location of the tour. We will discuss the ghosts of the pirates that still haunt this location.
Here we discuss the graveyard and the city's oldest tomb.
The church, haunted by soldiers of The Revolutionary War.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(376)
We loved the history we learned about while being entertained with the ghost stories. Our guide was both knowledgeable and engaging. Definitely recommend this tour. Wear comfortable shoes with the uneven brick terrain.
Our tour guide explained first off that he was a history teacher which made us feel like we were in good hands and in for a good tour. However, it ended up being more like I was in a classroom cramming for a test of History facts. There was a lot of information thrown at us very quickly and little emotion when the ghost facts were actually brought up. There was no storytelling. It was more just factual telling. He did not wait for the group to all be together before he started explaining the next stop as some people were stopping to take pictures ( as most people do on a tour) so if you were one of the people that stopped to take pictures, you missed the beginning half of the next stop. It just felt very rushed and the stuff that was told to us was referred to like we already knew the story, so a lot of us were lost a lot of the time. For it to be such a highly recommended ghost tour, I didn't leave feeling like I knew much about the ghost history of this town. But I can tell you a lot about the civil war and where government documents were written 🤷🏼♀️
This tour was nothing like it was described. The whole thing was bland and boring. No clue why it was “adults only” as there was nothing “depraved” about it. The guide was underwhelming as was his stories. We’ve been on other tours and this was by far the worst experience we’ve had yet.
Underwhelming. We walked away shaking our heads wondering if we got the right tour. It had some nice historical facts but super light on the paranormal portion. There were other tours going into places and we just stood looking through the bars like sad kids not invited to the party. Frankly, it was boring.
If we had to describe our Death and Depravity Ghost Tour in a single word, "disappointing" immediately comes to mind. When we booked the tour, we expressed some concerns about the amount of walking that was required for the tour. We have some minor mobility limitations that we feared might interfere. However, we were assured by the booking agent that the amount of walking was doable and that, as a precaution, the tour guide would be made aware to make certain that the pace of the tour would accommodate all of the guests. As we “dashed" to our first stop on the tour, we suspected that the message may not have been conveyed properly or even worse - ignored. At one point late in the tour, the guide finally noticed we were lagging behind and said “I’m sorry if am I walking too fast- that’s just how I am” and made no noticeable attempt to alter the pace. The tour finished well within 90 minute suggesting that there was adequate time to complete the tour. The tour guide, although enthusiastic, knowledgeable and armed with some interesting facts and stories, led the tour of 10 guests. While walking, she conversed with the smaller group who were closest to her while the rest of us were left following the entourage. At the stops she was inclusive and careful to ensure we had time to wander and take photos. Overall, she had some interesting stories to tell at each stop and often made the stories relatable to more current events, TV shows and historical characters. Regarding her presentation, we were appalled by the inappropriate language that we heard throughout the evening. A professional presentation can be delivered without F-bombs and curse words. We consider ourselves inclusive and generally liberal in our thinking, but we believe that events such as this call for a higher standard. Our guide, a well-educated individual having over 20,000 words available in the English language from which to choose, should be able to present without relying upon the offensive language that we heard tonight. This tour fell short of our expectations. Our time and money could have been spent more productively elsewhere.
We had a great time on the tour and enjoyed our tour guide, Veronica! The stories were captivating, but we learned some contradictory information from other museums which calls into question the stories told on the tour. Make sure you check the facts, especially at the Provost/Dungeon if reliable history info is important to you. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful feedback. We’re glad to hear you had a great time with Veronica and found the stories captivating. We appreciate you noting the discrepancies you encountered—balancing folklore, legend, and documented history can be nuanced, and your perspective is valuable. Your comments will be shared with our team as we continue refining how we present historical context alongside local lore. Thanks again for joining us! 👻✨
Veronica was amazing! The tour was super fun. We actually learned a lot about the history. The stories were great. Our guide knew exactly how to answer the questions, she was engaging, funny and welcomed questions, comments and shared humor. The no kids policy for this tour was perfect. The best part was her light saber light which helped guide the way. We would take this tour again. Thanks for a great night!
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad to hear Veronica made the night such a fun and memorable experience. It’s great that you enjoyed the mix of history, stories, humor, and interaction—and the no-kids policy clearly helped set the perfect tone. The lightsaber guiding the way is definitely a fan favorite! We truly appreciate the kind words and would love to welcome you back again for another great night out. 👻✨
Not much death and very little depravity. Need to spice up this tour with more seedy storytelling. People can get history from museums and carriage rides. Ghost tours should make people believers in the supernatural (and not ho hum).
Thank you for your candid feedback. We understand your disappointment and appreciate you sharing your perspective. Our goal is to balance history with the supernatural, but it sounds like this tour leaned too far toward the historical side for your expectations. Your comments about wanting darker, more seedy storytelling are noted and will be shared with our team as we continue refining the experience. We value honest input like this, and it helps us improve.
Didn't see any spirits but learned a lot. Great tour and guide. Such an interesting city, rich with history.
Thank you for joining us! Even when the spirits stay hidden, we’re glad you enjoyed learning about the city’s rich history and had a great time with your guide. We appreciate the kind words and hope you’ll join us again for another tour! 👻✨
Great small trip around parts of CHS. Didn’t get to go on any grounds, but very informative. Would recommend.
Thank you for the review! While access to certain grounds isn’t always possible, we’re glad you found the tour informative and worthwhile. We appreciate the recommendation!
