We live in Southern California and were in Charleston for both work and pleasure. We researched different walking tours (to entertain our clients/friends) and landed on Ed since his reviews were so good. He didn't disappoint! We opted to ride in his car for a complete tour of the city, and we're sure glad we did. His knowledge of Charleston and colorful storytelling made it a fun, enjoyable way to explore the city. It was my favorite part of our 5-day trip! If you're like me, over researching every option, STOP, and go with Ed, you'll be glad you did. read more

I was lucky to book Ed for a group of VIPs wishing to have an hour tour of Charleston - and what a great hour that was! Fantastically prepared, prompt, funny--a sheer delight! This was an hour where we learned, we saw, we laughed and we were inspired. Bravo, Ed! read more

Booked Ed through the Dewberry Hotel to take us to one of the plantations. The minute he met us he redirected us to a local Charleston tour and we did not regret. 2 1/2 hours or lots of facts and a great tour of the city! Ed is one of the best tours we have had in a long time and look forward to coming into town again and getting another tour from him...maybe the spooky one I am reading in his reviews! Anthony & Suzanne form S Cal! read more

This was the best time we spent in Charleston. We'd take a marathon walking tour with Ed! His knowledge spans centuries and cultures with depth and context beyond fun filled info-tainment. :) read more

Ed Macy's Tours - Ed takes every question effortlessly! - Historical Tours Near Me

See all

We LOVED every minute of Ed's tour! What an interesting storyteller! He was so engaging and we didn't want the tour to end!! Loved how we walked Sone and drove around as well! Rainbow tow is what o cane to Charleston for. It's so pretty. He knows all the ins and out of Charleston! Ed is just such a sweet kind man. HIGHLY recommended a tour with him!! read more

See all

Ed, you made our vacation week!! Thanks! See you when we return! Great story teller!!!

Ed gave one of the best history tours I have ever taken! And he's got a great sense of humor! With in minutes it felt like we were walking around and hanging out with an old friend from Charleston. Book it! It was a lot of fun! read more

I arranged for a group ghost tour for our out-of-town family and friends with Ed Macy. This is the second time I've seen him and he did not disappoint. The tour is more historical than spooky in nature. Ed is a natural comedian so he kept us entertained as well during the tour and peeked our interest about the local folk lore. During the warm whether months I would advise you to dose yourself with bug repellent. Luckily for us "Yankees" Ed was all prepared. read more

Ed Macy's Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

See all

If you go to Charleston, you're going to spend some money at one of their amazing hotels. You'll drop a lot of cash at many of their fine dining, seafood, and bbq joints. You're going to pay admission fees to various historic landmarks, plantations, homes, museums, etc. There will be nothing in that entire town worth more dollar-for-dollar than taking Ed's tour. For how little Ed charges, I felt like I should've left that tour with a mask and a gun because he got robbed. He is passionate about Charleston history, extremely knowledgeable, and pretty darn amusing. He makes history come to life, and seemingly can answer any question posed by folks on his tour. Make a good decision...skip the lame horse and buggy ride and take Ed's tour! read more

Ed'a combo history and ghost tour was the highlight of our trip. His energy, love for the city and knowledge was as entertaining and enlightening as we could have ever expected. Do yourself a favor and book his tour! read more

Ed was an amazing tour guide the took us down a historic journey through our personal story in the south. Living there and starting a family almost thirty years ago was an amazing adventure, Ed's ability to find all of our personal landmarks and and important view points was nothing short of fantastic!! Thanks Ed!!! read more

Phenomenal!!!! I would give Ed Macy 10 stars. Not a dull moment and the two hours flew by. A definite must if you're in Charlestown, SC. read more

Ed must be the coolest tour guide of all time. Causally sipping a monster energy drink he took us through some 300 years of Charlestonian history which did include pirate stories, out house stories, porch party stories, his love for blowers and noise making machines during tours stories and much more. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a good time in the city. He is also a great resource when it comes to restaurants and bars! Basically call Ed for a good time. Matt J, Richmond Va read more

Ed is a serious academic who is gifted at blending factual history with great humor. My wife and I connected with him immediately and learned more about Charleston history than in all previous tours combined. We enthusiastically recommend his tours for both Charleston frequent visitors and newcomers. read more

Our party of 4 had a 2 hour private tour of the French Quarter in Charleston. By far, this was the highlight of our stay in Charleston. Highly recommend it! Ed is very entertaining and knowledgeable. His love for Charleston is evident. read more

Ed was awesome. We chose a day when it was raining so our tour was from his car. We were able to hit all the spots and learn so much about Charleston. Ed has a great sense of humor and made us feel comfortable. He wore his mask the whole time at our request. The day after the tour the weather was better so we walked around and saw everything Ed talked about up close. price was right. Ed also had awesome food and drink recommendations which we used. Thanks Ed!!! read more

Our group of 4 had a private ghost tour with Ed and it was wonderful. A lot of history with the right amount of spooky sprinkled in. Ed is extremely knowledgeable having lived his life in Charleston and has written books and been interviewed by the Travel channel. He will not fabricate stories and is very honest. My favorite part was walking around Charleston College at dusk as I've travelled here several times before but had never seen that part of the city and it is beautiful. read more

My mom and I were in Charleston for a long weekend. I had a friend recommend his tours and I love a good history tour. Ed was extremely easy to contact via email and sent me the tour information quickly. We met Ed and began one of the most amazing tours I have ever taken. Ed took us all along the streets of Charleston telling us the history, stories, and fun facts of everything we were seeing. He even told us personal stories of people he knew and things he had seen. His tour was extremely entertaining and he was able to answer all of our peculiar questions. Ed gave us a lot of his time and we are so grateful! When I make it back to Charleston, I will definitely be doing another tour with Ed! read more

We took our three teenagers to Charleston for a long summer weekend.... One of the only things they all wanted to do (that was the same) was a Ghost Tour. It was hot and humid so we were a bit worried that it would not be a great experience walking the city. Ironically every.single.one of them loved Ed's tour. He is a great storyteller and made it interesting for all of us. He was passionate and very knowledgeable about Charleston and the history. I'm still surprised by how reasonable his fees are and his depth of knowledge. He could certainly be charging significantly more as he is both a comedian and tour guide. He is a hidden gem! We would all highly recommend Ed to anyone that has an interest in a Ghost Tour (or history tour) while in Charleston! read more

We did a two hour private tour with Ed. Our 11 year old daughter was with us and he did a fantastic job keeping all of us interested and engaged for two hours. This was hands down the best tour we did while in Charleston! We learned so much more vs the horse drawn carriage tour and covered the entire area. read more

Ed's Ghost tour is the best. Don't even waste your time on all the other advertised tours. He's a professor. Let's just say he knows where all the bodies are buried. So informative. He made the tour quite enjoyable. We are looking forward to another one of his tours when we get back to Charleston. Diane & Lon read more

This was a great option for a more factual story-telling adventure through some haunted locales in Charleston, which I enjoyed more than a pseudo-spooky graveyards tour. Ed is a wonderful story teller and very engaging as he recounts interviews of those who have experienced the ghosts he tells stories about. We had booked another tour which then cancelled on us last minute, I found Ed on Yelp and he returned my call promptly and welcomed us on his tour for that night. A great unique experience in Charleston! read more

Ed Macy has an approach to Charleston that unravels many mysteries and hidden history that escapes the carriage and bus tours. He is an engaging orator with wit and humor while he captivates the imagination. Ed's tours thread through the Holy City's cobblestones and secret alleyways in a direction that highlights the city's rich cultural heritage. His morning tour is spot-on with historical accuracy as he weaves the city's social psychology to its present, well-preserved state. His ghost tour is spooky and authentic, as he is credited with starting the first ghost tour in Charleston in 1994. Any guide who was around then when the ghost tour national phenomena started, such as Mike Brown and the Buxton brothers, will confess that it was mandatory for anyone wishing to go into the business to follow Ed around for a few tours to learn how to tell true Charleston stories before attempting tours on their own. While others have sold out to the commercialization of original ideas in tourism, Ed has stayed independent and steadfast to his own high standards. There are many talented guides in Charleston; however, you will be hard-pressed to find one who is as genuine and fun as Ed! read more

Ed was an excellent tour guide. The most captivating storyteller I've ever heard. Thoughtful, intriguing, awesome. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an awesome look at the city. read more

Excellent private walking tour with Ed... He is knowledgeable, personable and entertaining. As a lifelong resident, he knows the facts as well as special insight into Charleston. Highly recommended! read more

We had a personal historical tour with Ed....he was awesome!! So much knowledge about this beautiful city. And he doesn't just give you the glossed over "history book" version of the city, he tells the gritty low down with dates, names...he knows his stuff! Highly recommend touring with Ed...you can't go wrong! read more

It doesn't get any better than Ed! We took the walking tour, and as others have said, he is an amazing story teller. We had such a great time, Kevin McQuade, wonderful concierge at the Courtyard, hooked us up with a private cemetery tour. So damn interesting. Ed took us around and gave us the history and background to some really fascinating graves. Just a great tour!! We bought Ed's book when we got home! read more

A very interesting way to hear about a different side of Charleston, SC. Ed Macy's Walking Ghost Tour is conducted by Ed Macy himself. Ed is an educator and author of a few books on haunted areas of Charleston. He has been featured on CNN and the Travel Channel. Our party enjoyed his factual description of several of Charleston's properties with a spectral past. Ed also injects a bit of humor in his tour. We didn't see anything ghostly but after downloading our photos we noted a suspicious form on one of them. I think you'll enjoy the tour. The very least you'll hear a different historic briefing of Charleston. read more

Ed Macy's walking ghost tour of Charleston, SC was highly recommended by our hotel concierge, and we were not disappointed! Ed is friendly, personable and really cool! His storytelling skills are top-notch, and we really appreciated the fact that his stories were about real people, not necessarily the famous. Ed cites credible sources and takes his guests inside buildings when possible! It was great to see corners of the city that tourists so often miss. If you are looking for a fun and exciting tour led by a really great guide, don't miss the opportunity to meet the one and only Ed Macy! read more

My family was on the walking tour with Ed Macy several years ago and really enjoyed it. I am so glad that the tours are continued all these years later. read more

What a amazing tour!! Loved all the ghost stories and history of Charleston! All of my 12 yo daughter's friends thought this was the BEST birthday party ever read more

Ed Macy's entertaining delivery is both enthralling and informative. He skillfully weaves history into ghost stories that will haunt you long after the tour. Macy leaves visitors with a indelible memory of their time in Charleston and residents with a new appreciation of their home town. read more

My buddies and I were in Charleston for a bachelor party weekend. The groom wanted to do a walking tour so we reached out to Ed at the recommendation of a friend. Ed is the man, simply put. The guy knows Charleston and its history backwards and forwards and is an incredible storyteller. We didn't do the ghost tour, however we did do Ed's Walking Tour of the city. Ed tackled the city's history dead on, both the good and the bad. We had such an awesome time with Ed that we invited him out for drinks later that night. Ed joined us and we had a great time. Ed is now a legendary part of an overall great weekend. Highly recommend. Jim Richmond, VA read more

Ed was awesome. We took the regular walking tour (not ghost) and he had the entire family engaged, intrigued, and entertained. We all walked away better educated after 90 minutes! read more

I had taken a great walking tour of Charleston's Historic District just a few years ago, so I was not terribly keen on taking another one on our recent trip in April - but I decided to join my friends who were. I'm so glad that I did! If for no other reason than for the pleasure of meeting Ed Macy - and for being exposed to his infectious love of the city of his birth - Charleston (without, I might add, the "moonlight & magnolias" that a fellow Charlestonian, Rhett Butler, once advised his wife Scarlett to drop!). Ed patiently, kindly and plausibly answered all of my many questions - except one. And I'll bet you a Mint Julep that he does his homework and the next time an "Outlander" fan asks him if he knows how Diana Gabaldon finishes off Stede Bonnet in her novel, he'll be able to tell (most likely) her! When the very best concierge in Charleston - Kevin McQuade/Courtyard Marriott - recommends the very best tour guide in Charleston - Ed Macy - how can you possibly go wrong? read more

Kevin McQuade the concierge at the Courtyard Marriott recommended Ed as the best guy in the business to give our group of 9 a ghost tour. Ed was fantastic. Ghost stories mixed with history lessons. A very intriguing story teller who kept our group entertained including the 5 kids ranging in age from 8 to 15. Ed kept it light yet wove in some spooky facts and stories about the history of Charleston. I would recommend him to any and all. He also offers walking history tours which I wish I knew before earlier as we took the ghost tour on our last night there. When I return I will certainly call Ed for a walking history tour of the city. read more

Fantastic tour. Loved every minute it. I learned so much about charleston. This tour is one of the best I have ever had. I will hihhly recommend this tour to anyone that wants a fun and exciting time then this one is for you!!! read more

Greatly enjoyed the knowledge and humor shared by Mr. Ed Macy. Wonderful way to see Charleston College and it's campus. Thanks for spending the evening with us! read more