S
Great tour
Great tour, Vanna was great, very informative and entertaining. The history of this time period is very interesting
Speakeasy Sagas - Charleston Prohibition Pub Crawl
+19 photos
Description
Step back into the shadows of the 1920s, when Charleston was a city of contradictions—charming on the surface, rebellious underneath. On the Speakeasy Sagas Pub Crawl, you’ll walk the very streets where bootleggers dodged federal agents, secret bars buzzed behind locked doors. During Prohibition, alcohol was outlawed—but in Charleston, the party never really stopped. This wasn’t just a city of Southern charm and steeples. It was a city of hidden rooms, rumrunners, and lawmen who conveniently looked the other way. From elegant society scandals to rowdy waterfront crime, this tour reveals the untold story of Charleston’s wild side. Along the way, stop at hand-picked pubs where you can enjoy your favorite modern cocktails (not included in tour price) in the Holy City with a refusal to stay dry.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Step back into the roaring 1920s, when Charleston was a hotbed of bootleggers, speakeasies, and federal raids. On this spirited pub crawl, we’ll uncover the city’s wild Prohibition-era past—starting with the imposing U.S. Customs House, once a stronghold in the fight against illegal liquor. From whispered deals on the docks to hidden bottles behind bar counters, you’ll explore how Charleston danced around the law—and raised a glass anyway. Cheers to rebellion, rumrunners, and the city that never stayed dry.
While best known for its soaring steeple and sacred history, St. Philip’s Church played a quieter role during Prohibition—as a rumored lookout point and meeting spot in the Holy City’s underground world of bootleggers and backroom deals. Just steps from where the law preached temperance, locals whispered about hidden stashes and secret sips. In a city where sacred met scandal, St. Philip’s stood at the crossroads of faith, folklore, and forbidden spirits.
High Cotton, a beautifully restored former bank building in Charleston’s Historic District, is where elegance, wealth, and rebellion once collided. Named after the Southern phrase “living on high cotton,” this landmark reflects the prosperity of Charleston’s cotton-trade era and the lavish lifestyle of the city’s elite. But beneath the refined atmosphere lies a more controversial story. Local legend connects the building to the fiery temperance activist Carry A. Nation, famous for storming saloons with a hatchet during her crusade against alcohol in the early 1900s.
Rudy Royale reflects a spirited history but behind its modern Southern charm lies a connection to one of the most controversial periods in American history - Prohibition. During the era of the 18th Amendment, when the sale and production of alcohol became illegal across the United States from 1920 to 1933, Charleston’s bars and backrooms transformed into hidden speakeasies where liquor continued to flow despite federal law. Charleston remains a city that resisted quietly, celebrates loudly, and keeps its spirits full behind closed doors.
Highlights
A knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide
What's included
Included
A knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide
Not included
Gratuities
Alcoholic Beverages
Only for guests age 21+
Traveller Ratings
4.5
200 reviews
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Only for ages 21+
Reviews(200)
R
Wanna was great!
Loved Vanna's presentation, she had great stories to tell and was very animated in telling them. Highly recommend this tour.
Operator response
Thank you so much for the fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed Vanna’s presentation and her animated storytelling. She’ll be so happy to know her stories made the tour memorable and earned your recommendation. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope to see you again for another great night in Charleston!
J
Secrets of Prohibition
Our tour was very fun and interesting. Our guide was very entertaining! Learned the many secrets of Prohibition.
Operator response
Thank you for the great review! We’re so glad you had such a fun time and enjoyed learning more about Prohibition along the way. It’s wonderful to hear your guide kept the tour entertaining and interesting. Thanks for joining us!
R
Great guide, great tour!!
Our guide was so much fun and gave a great tour! She brought the kind of energy and enthusiasm I wanted while visiting Charleston.
Operator response
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re so glad your guide brought the energy and enthusiasm you were hoping for and made your time in Charleston so much fun. Thanks for joining us!
J
we learned a lot it was...
we learned a lot it was very informative, and guide was very knowledgeable. It was his first time being a tour guide, and he did a great job.
Operator response
Thank you for the great review! We’re so glad you learned a lot and enjoyed your guide’s knowledge throughout the tour. It’s especially wonderful to hear that he did such a great job on his very first tour. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words along!
3
History and Cocktails
Andee was great! She was personable and knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions. I liked how she tied history with the drinks and had drink recommendations at each spot.Thanks for a great trip!
Operator response
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We’re delighted to hear that Andee made the crawl such a fun part of your Charleston trip. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed how she connected the history of Prohibition with the drinks and even provided recommendations at each stop. Being able to answer questions and add those personal touches can make the history come alive. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to Andee, and we appreciate you choosing Ghost City Tours!
C
Pub Crawl Tour
Annie was a great tour guide! It was a very chill and fun tour. She even had drink recommendations! -
Operator response
Thank you for joining us and for your kind review! We’re so glad Annie made the experience relaxed, fun, and enjoyable. Her drink recommendations sound like a great addition to the evening, and we love hearing that she helped make the crawl memorable. We’ll be sure to share your feedback with Annie. Thank you again for spending part of your Charleston visit with us!
K
Kendall was an awesome...
Kendall was an awesome guide! Very knowledgeable and so fun!! Would recommend to anyone that asks for something to do in Charleston!
Operator response
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Kendall made the experience both knowledgeable and fun. Charleston’s Prohibition history is full of fascinating stories, and having a guide who can bring that history to life makes the evening even more enjoyable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope you’ll keep Ghost City Tours in mind the next time you’re looking for something fun to do in Charleston!
E
A must read hen visiting Charleston
One very cool speakeasy, but the other two places we stopped at are just normal bars. Kendall was very knowledgeable and friendly the entire time. She did a wonderful job on our tour.
Operator response
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad Kendall was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the experience enjoyable. We understand that the atmosphere of individual stops may not have matched what you were expecting from the word “speakeasy,” but we appreciate you recognizing Kendall’s efforts throughout the tour. We hope the history and atmosphere of the evening still gave you an enjoyable glimpse into Charleston’s Prohibition-era past. Thank you for joining us and giving us the opportunity to share your experience.
J
The Secret Bars were Hidden
Our guide was really good. She had some great insight and historical references regarding prohibition. Expected my backroom, secret bars that we didnt go to.
Operator response
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the historical insight your guide provided and found her knowledgeable about Charleston’s Prohibition era. We understand that the atmosphere of the stops did not fully match what you had envisioned when booking a speakeasy-themed tour. We appreciate you sharing that perspective, as it helps future guests understand the experience they can expect. Thank you again for joining us in Charleston and for recognizing the quality of your guide.
