What is the cancellation policy for this tour?

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

How long does this tour take?

Please check the tour page for the exact duration.

Savannah to Charleston Scenic Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

Q: Where does this tour start?

This tour starts at: Start on Spring Street in Charleston, with a car parking lot on your right. Follow the road and merge onto Highway 17 to begin your journey. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup..

★★★★☆ 4.0

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Overview

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.

Gallery

Savannah to Charleston Scenic Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour — photo 1

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Savannah to Charleston Scenic Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour — photo 7

What's Included

✓ Included

Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)
Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)
This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app
Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)
This tour is NOT a ticket to any attraction or site
Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions
Offline GPS-enabled route map
NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)

✗ Not Included

Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals

Itinerary

Stop 1

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.

Stop 2

Thanks to its proximity to Hilton Head Island and Savannah, the town's population has more than doubled in the last decade.

Stop 3

Indigenous Cusabo tribes occupied the Sea Islands for thousands of years before the first European colonists arrived in the 1500s.

Stop 4

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.

Stop 5

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.

Stop 6

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.

Stop 7

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.

Stop 8

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.

Stop 9

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.

Stop 10

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.

Stop 11

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.

Stop 12

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.

Stop 13

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.

Stop 14

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.

Stop 15

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.

Meeting & End Point

📍

Meeting Point

Start on Spring Street in Charleston, with a car parking lot on your right. Follow the road and merge onto Highway 17 to begin your journey. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.

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Good to Know

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.

Known For:

Car Tours in Savannah, Bus Tours in Savannah, Adventure Tours in Savannah, Private and Luxury in Savannah, Weather Dependent - Low in Savannah, Private Sightseeing Tours in Savannah, Audio Guides in Savannah

Special Instructions

1. Find The Setup Instructions NOW:
• Download the App: actiontourguide.com/app
• Find Your Password: Search your email or text messages for "Action Tour Guide"
• Enter Password: Open the app and enter your 8-digit password
• Download the Tour NOW while you have WiFi or cell service
• Offline Ready: Once downloaded, the tour works without internet
• Need Help? Visit: actiontourguide.com/redeem

2. Download The Tour NOW:
• Download NOW over WiFi or cellular data ahead of your trip.
• Don't wait until travel day - your tour is VALID FOREVER from purchase.
• Your password redemption is limited to the number of travelers booked. Please enter the same password on each device.

3. Audio Tour Tips:
• This is a self-guided audio tour - no one will meet you at the starting point.
• Entrance and attraction tickets are not included. Please book those separately.
• Curious how it works? Watch a quick video here: actiontourguide.com/tutorial
• Bring headphones for the best experience on your walking tour.
• New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

4. Help & Support:
• Visit our FAQs: actiontourguide.com/faq
• Chat online: actiontourguide.com
• Call: 1-412-205-8152
• Email: support@actiontourguide.com