SIGHTSEEING TOURS | FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2026
We’re going to Contact to do business … and have fun! We’re excited to get out and see beautiful Charleston and surrounding areas during Sightseeing Tours, sponsored by Explore Charleston. Transportation will be provided by Motor Coach Family of Brands.
Explore Berkeley County’s role in early American history on this engaging educational tour. Begin with a guided walk at Mepkin Abbey, once Mepkin Plantation, home of Revolutionary leaders Henry Laurens, president of the Continental Congress, and his son John Laurens (think Hamilton). Learn how Colonial rice culture and Revolutionary War politics shaped the region.
Continue to Cypress Gardens for a scenic boat tour through historic blackwater swamps (think Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook—you’ll know the scene!), including a boxed lunch surrounded by Lowcountry beauty.
Experience a taste of the Lowcountry with lunch at Virginia’s on King before embarking on a motorized Gullah-Geechee cultural tour featuring powerful storytelling, language, and traditions. The experience concludes at McLeod Plantation, where preserved structures and exhibits highlight the resilience and influence of the Gullah-Geechee people.
Begin the afternoon with a buffet lunch at Middleton Place Restaurant before taking a curated garden-focused tour of Middleton Place, America’s oldest landscaped gardens. Continue to Drayton Hall, one of the nation’s oldest preserved plantation houses, for a guided exploration of architecture, history, and Lowcountry life.
Discover Charleston’s craft beverage scene with a guided tour and lunch at Holy City Brewery, followed by a visit to Firefly Distillery for a tasting and insight into small-batch distilling in a relaxed Lowcountry setting.
Enjoy lunch at Rudy Royale, a fun and inviting restaurant in the heart of downtown Charleston, then explore the city with a walking history tour, uncovering Charleston’s Colonial streets, architecture, and hidden stories. Free time in the Historic City Market allows guests time for shopping and sightseeing at one of Charleston’s most visited attractions.
*Please note that walking tours involve uneven pavement and historic pathways.
EDUCATIONAL OUTINGS | SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2026
Set aside Saturday afternoon for Education Outings, sponsored by Explore Charleston. Transportation will be provided by Motor Coach Family of Brands. These excursions, open to all attendees, give participants an idea of how outings such as these can be incorporated into itineraries for special-interest (or general) groups. Or, for seller attendees, it’s another fun opportunity to explore our host city.
Visit the site of South Carolina’s first permanent English settlement with a park-ranger-guided tour of Charles Towne Landing. Interactive exhibits, gardens, and a replica ship bring 17th-century Colonial and early Charleston history vividly to life along the Ashley River.
Walking through Charleston’s historic district, you will experience one of America’s earliest examples of religious freedom. Visit historic churches, synagogues, and burial grounds while learning how faith shaped the city’s culture, architecture, and social history.
*Please note that walking tours involve uneven pavement and historic pathways.
Enjoy a self-guided exploration of The Charleston Museum, America’s first museum, featuring exhibits on Lowcountry history, art, and science. Continue to the Joseph Manigault House, a Federal-style landmark offering insight into 19th-century life, design, and social history.