The 21 Best Things to Do in Charleston

"These two sisters, whose family has been in Charleston for seven generations, know the city better than almost anyone. Mary Helen Dantzler and Therese Smythe retired from careers as lawyers, then followed in their mother’s footsteps (a venerable tour guide herself). If you book a tour, you’ll get one sister or the other. They don’t work in tandem. They tried that once, but you know how sibling dynamics go. So they work solo. You can join a group tour for $25 per person by signing up on their website, or call to arrange a private tour for a higher fee. We gathered in Washington Square for roughly a two-hour walk through the cobblestone streets and hidden alleys of Charleston. For a balanced, local’s introduction to Charleston, from grand houses to former slave quarters, this is it." - Allston McCrady