Our Team
Al Ray is a seventh-generation Charlestonian who was first licensed as a tour guide in 1979. A former president of the Charleston Tour association and is widely recognized as a knowledgeable historian and a talented storyteller, strengths that make him an excellent guide. His years of Healthcare Outreach and Public Speaking honed skills that allow him to convey maximum information and retention using humor and logical sequencing of the narrative. Al’s belief is that a good guide will entertain, edify and inform, in that order.
Engage Al as your Charleston Private Tour Guide. Al frequently guides Private tours of Charleston for individuals, family, church, and corporate groups. Private guided Charleston tours are tailored to your time schedule and interests. Tours can be arranged for the city only, or Charleston Town and Country Tours can take you to the Gardens and beyond! Arranged to suit your interests, Private Charleston city tours can include exclusive access to Charleston gardens and museum houses. Sometimes they encompass two days, with one Tour south to the Battery, encompassing the Old Walled City, and the other north to Calhoun Street, Marion Square, and the Charleston Museum.
Your Charleston Private Tour guide can also offer a Town and Country Driving Tour, touring old Charleston in the morning and guiding you out to the Gardens at Magnolia and Middleton Place. Another option is the South Islands Tour, which can include McLeod Plantation, the Angel Oak, The Tea Plantation, and a stroll through scenic Rockville. Sometimes groups wants to go to the Firefly distillery for tastings! For Civil War buffs, we can visit Fort Lamar on James Island at Secessionville and the Seashore Farmer's Lodge at the historically African American community on Sol Legare Island. Reserve your Charleston Tours online today to make arrangements.
Eric Wright is a Licensed City of Charleston Tour Guide and member of the Palmetto Guild. He has been a licensed Charleston guide since 1996 and has been full-time ever since. He spent time working trail maintenance out west for the National Park Service before finishing a double major in History and Philosophy from Mississippi State University. His background in southern history led to a quick enthusiasm for Charleston’s unique story – not only the old city’s rich history and ancient architecture but also the natural beauty of the Carolina Lowcountry. He gave his first walking tour in 1997. By 2000 he was working for Mayor Joe Riley as City Hall Historian. In the last twenty years, Eric has led tours covering a diverse range of topics. He mentored with Jack Thompson, owner of the Original Charleston Civil War Walk, and he is eminently qualified to lead Civil War walks. His other subject walks include Slavery and Freedom, War for Independence, and Historic Homes. Eric also has several years of experience with harbor/sea island boat tours. Eric lives in Old Mount Pleasant with his wife Catherine and dog Ava.
