Cruise from Charleston SCBeaufort SC Tours: Historic City Tour by Bus
Among the Beaufort SC tours on sale, this one is a 100-minute fully narrated bus ride through the National Historic Landmark District, run by Kelly Tours - Gray Line Savannah for $37 per person. The route covers the Old Point area, The Bluff with its antebellum houses, the Civil War Union occupation and more than 24 Hollywood filming sites. The catch for Charleston visitors is simple: the tour starts at 930 Bay St in Beaufort, about 70 miles south of Charleston, so you drive yourself there first. This page explains what the price covers, what the day feels like and who should look at a different cruise from Charleston SC instead.
About This Tour
Kelly Tours - Gray Line Savannah runs a 100-minute narrated bus tour of the Beaufort historic district. It is South Carolina's second-oldest city, on Port Royal Island, with a history dating back to 1521. The route covers the Old Point area and The Bluff, antebellum houses and churches, what happened during the Civil War Union Occupation, and sites where over 24 Hollywood films were shot.
The tour starts in Beaufort. It is not a transfer from Charleston and there is no hotel pickup, so Charleston visitors need their own car. Beaufort is about 70 miles from Charleston via US-17, a drive of roughly 1 hour 25-40 minutes.
$37 per person. Food, drinks and gratuities are not included. Reserve now and pay later is available.
100 minutes. The listing also calls it a 1.25-hour driving tour. Check availability for starting times.
930 Bay St, Beaufort, SC 29902. Look for the red, white and blue rocking chairs in front of the building. The return point is not stated, the listing names only the meeting point.
It is not a boat. You ride a climate-controlled bus. Group size is not stated. Wheelchair accessible, no minimum age stated, guide language English.
Included: the fully narrated tour and transportation in the climate-controlled bus. Extra: gratuities and any food or drinks, there is no food or drink on the ticket.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The tour runs rain or shine.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times are not listed in advance, the listing says to check availability for the day you want. Cancelling costs nothing up to 24 hours before departure.
Quick answer Beaufort bus tour at a glance
This Beaufort bus tour costs $37 per person and lasts 100 minutes, fully narrated in a climate-controlled bus through the Beaufort historic district, the Old Point area and The Bluff. It starts at 930 Bay St in Beaufort, so Charleston visitors must drive about 70 miles to reach it.
Key takeaways
- The ticket covers narration and bus transport only, gratuities and food are paid extra.
- Charleston is about 70 miles from Beaufort, so plan your own drive or browse other day trips from Charleston SC.
- If you stay in Beaufort, the free alternative is a self-guided walk with maps from the visitor center.
- Prefer a narrated ride you can reach without a car? Compare the Boone Hall Plantation tour with transfers.
What the Price Actually Covers
The verified included list is short: the fully-narrated tour and transportation in a climate-controlled bus. Everything else in the operator's Includes list, gratuities and food and drinks, is in fact not included.
What Is in the $37
You get a live English-speaking guide narrating the whole route, and the air-conditioned bus itself. The voucher comes in the GetYourGuide app and on the website, and you exchange it for a ticket on the booked date, no printing required. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure, and reserve now and pay later lets you hold a seat without paying today.
The listing's Includes block also shows Gratuities and Food and drinks. The verified split is clear: those two are NOT included. Gratuities are extra, and you need to bring your own food and water.
What You May Pay on the Day
Nothing is mandatory on top of the $37, the listing states no mandatory extras. In practice you will pay for the drive, Beaufort is about 70 miles from Charleston via US-17, plus lunch, drinks and a gratuity. Some reviewers mention the bus air conditioning needs maintenance, so dress in weather-appropriate clothing as the listing advises.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fully-narrated tour | Yes | Live guide, English |
| Climate-controlled bus | Yes | The listing is for a bus, not a carriage or boat |
| Gratuities | No | Not included despite appearing in the Includes list |
| Food and drinks | No | Bring your own or eat in Beaufort before or after |
| Transport from Charleston | No | The tour starts at 930 Bay St in Beaufort |
| Cancellation | Free | Up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund |
The Cuthbert Inn, a historic house on Bay Street in Beaufort, South Carolina. Photo: Farrargirl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
There is no fixed clock time in the listing, starting times are revealed at booking. The whole experience on site is short, so the day is shaped by the drive to Beaufort.
Arriving at 930 Bay St
You meet at 930 Bay St in Beaufort and look for the red, white and blue rocking chairs set up in front of the building. From Charleston the drive is about 70 miles via US-17, roughly 1 hour 25-40 minutes, If you arrive early, the free Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park is nearby, open 6am-9pm in summer and 6am-6pm in winter, with riverside swings and views of the Beaufort River and Woods Memorial Bridge.
The 100 Minutes on the Bus
The route runs through the National Historic Landmark District, including the famous Old Point area and The Bluff with its antebellum houses and churches. The guide narrates the architecture and the people behind the townhouses, what happened to the houses and the people of Beaufort during the Civil War Union Occupation, and filming sites from the over 24 Hollywood movies shot in and around Beaufort. Because it is a driving tour you see these from the bus, the listing describes no stops to get off.
Rain, Shine and the Ride Home
The listing says the tour takes place rain or shine, and the bus is climate-controlled. The listing does not state where the tour ends. Beaufort's historic district is walkable, so you can see a house or street up close before the drive back.
It is a long way to travel for 100 minutes, so you could pair the tour with Hunting Island State Park or Penn Center on St. Helena Island.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing is honest about its limits. Here is what it rules out and where to look instead.
Travellers Without a Car
The tour starts in Beaufort and includes no transport from Charleston and no hotel pickup. If you cannot drive the roughly 70 miles each way, pick something that leaves from downtown. The Fort Sumter Ferry and Fort Entry departs from Liberty Square or Patriots Point, and the Boone Hall Plantation Entry with Transfers includes round-trip bus transport from the Charleston Visitors Center for $71.
People Who Want to Walk Inside Houses
This is a driving tour. You see townhouses up close from the bus window, but the listing describes no entry into any building. If you want interiors, book a house museum instead, or use the free maps at the Beaufort Visitor Center at 713 Craven Street, open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday 10am-3pm, and walk the district yourself.
Anyone Expecting Food, Drinks or a Long Outing
Food and drinks are not included and there is no stated stop on site. The 100 minutes is also the whole product, there is no stated time on site beyond the drive. If you want a bigger day built around transport, compare the other day trips from Charleston SC, or read how the Old Savannah Trolley Tour handles the same format in Savannah for the same $37 over 75 minutes.
Live oaks and salt marsh along the Beaufort waterfront on Bay Street. Photo: Farrargirl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Could You See It Without This Cruise?
Yes, and for many travellers the free version is enough. Beaufort's historic district is walkable and its visitor center hands out maps for nothing.
The Free Self-guided Option
The Beaufort Visitor Center in the Historic Arsenal at 713 Craven Street gives free maps and visitor guides, with parking out front. From there you can walk the historic district, bounded by the Beaufort River, Bladen, Hamar and Boundary Streets, and rest at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, which is free and open 6am-9pm in summer. What the shore cannot give you is the narration: the dates, the Union Occupation stories and the film locations live in the guide's commentary, and the bus covers more ground than a stroll in 100 minutes.
What to Add If You Drive Down
Hunting Island State Park at 2555 Sea Island Parkway charges $8 adults, $4 children 6-15, free 5 and under, open 6am-6pm daily and to 9pm during Daylight Saving Time. Climbing the lighthouse costs $5 per person, climbs every 30 minutes from 9:30am to 4:30pm, weather permitting, climbers must be at least 44 inches tall. Penn Center on St. Helena Island charges $10 self-guided or $15 for a docent-led tour with documentary, and its York W. Bailey Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm.
When the Free Option Is Enough
If you are already staying in Beaufort or passing through on the way to Hunting Island, skip the $37 and walk with the free map. If you have never heard the history and want it compressed into one sit-down ride with air conditioning, the bus earns its price. Back in Charleston, remember the harbor side too: an all-day water taxi pass is $17, and the list of free things to do in Charleston covers the waterfront walks that cost nothing.
Shore and transit figures: Beaufort Visitor Center
Your Day, Step by Step
The listing gives no clock times, so the steps below are phases. Only the 100-minute duration and the meeting point are stated.
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Before boarding
Plan the drive
Charleston to Beaufort is about 70 miles via US-17, roughly 1 hour 25-40 minutes. Build in buffer for the check-in at 930 Bay St.
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Before boarding
Arrive at 930 Bay St
Look for the red, white and blue rocking chairs in front of the building. Have your voucher from the app or website ready to exchange for a ticket on the booked date.
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Departure
Board the climate-controlled bus
Take a seat in air-conditioned comfort and meet your live English-speaking guide for the fully narrated tour.
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On the water
Through the historic district
The route covers the National Historic Landmark District, the Old Point area and The Bluff with its antebellum houses and churches, narrated throughout.
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On the water
History and film sites
The guide covers the Civil War Union Occupation, houses and people of the era, and sites from over 24 Hollywood films shot in and around Beaufort.
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The turn
South Carolina's second-oldest city
The narration ties the townhouses and churches back to a history dating to 1521 on Port Royal Island.
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Return
Return after the tour
After 100 minutes the tour ends. The listing does not state the return point. Walk the streets you just heard about, or push on to Hunting Island State Park, $8 admission, before the trip back to Charleston.
Honest Pros and Cons
The rating is strong at 4.9 from 269 GetYourGuide verified bookings, but the weaknesses are real and worth planning around.
What we genuinely like
- The price is $37 for a fully narrated 100-minute tour, rated 4.9 by 269 reviewers
- The climate-controlled bus makes it comfortable in Beaufort heat and rain, the tour runs rain or shine
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, plus reserve now and pay later
- Wheelchair accessible with no minimum age stated
The honest downsides
- It starts in Beaufort, so from Charleston you face about 70 miles each way by car, roughly 1 hour 25-40 minutes each way, before the 100 minutes begin
- Gratuities, food and drinks are not included, and some reviewers mention the bus air conditioning needs maintenance
- It is a driving tour with no stated stops to enter buildings, so house interiors are not part of the product
- Starting times are not published in advance, you see them only at booking
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers without a car or anyone who wants to go inside the houses, in which case book a tour that leaves from Charleston like the Boone Hall entry with transfers.
Beaufort Bus Tour FAQ
Is this Beaufort SC tour a transfer from Charleston?
No, the tour starts at 930 Bay St in Beaufort and includes no transport from Charleston, so you drive the roughly 70 miles yourself or pick something closer like the Fort Sumter ferry.
How much does the Beaufort historic bus tour cost?
It is $37 per person for the fully narrated 100-minute ride, and food, drinks and gratuities are extra. Compare it with other options on the cruises from Charleston homepage.
What does the route cover?
The National Historic Landmark District, the Old Point area and The Bluff with antebellum houses and churches, the Civil War Union Occupation and filming sites of over 24 Hollywood movies. For a similar narrated format in Georgia, see the Old Savannah Trolley Tour.
Can I cancel this Beaufort tour?
Yes, free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later is available. The same 24-hour terms apply on many Charleston boat tours.
Where exactly do I meet the bus?
At 930 Bay St, Beaufort, SC 29902, under the red, white and blue rocking chairs in front of the building. Free maps for walking the same district afterwards are at the Beaufort Visitor Center, 713 Craven Street.
Is the bus wheelchair accessible and is there a minimum age?
The listing says wheelchair accessible and states no minimum age, with narration in English. If you want a coach tour that actually leaves from downtown Charleston, the Boone Hall Plantation tour with transfers starts at the Visitors Center.
What should I do in Beaufort after the 100 minutes?
Walk the free historic district and Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, or drive to Hunting Island State Park at $8 admission with the lighthouse climb at $5, and the day trips from Charleston SC guide has more ideas.
What Travelers Said
Heather was an enthusiastic, knowledge filled guide! We learned so much as we toured Beaufort’s beautiful streets. Came away with a whole new view of the importance Beaufort played in the Civil War.
Heather was VERY knowledgeable and did a great job filling the entire tour with information (she spent 2 hours with us). We really enjoyed the tour and learned so much about Beaufort! Definitely recommend. It was a great way to get to know the layout of the city.
The Beaufort bus tour was fantastic. Our guide was totally knowledgeable and she made the very important history of Beaufort and its people come to life. One of the best tours ever!!
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