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If you’ve been thinking about taking a carriage tour in Charleston, SC, but aren’t quite sure which company with which to go, we’re sharing a few of the quotes we’ve gotten in the past few months. Lots of companies will tell you how great they are, but it’s always better to take it straight from the horse’s mouth–or in this case, the customers’. “Justin was our tour guide! He was very knowledgeable and hilarious! And Tom and Jerry were our beautiful team pulling us!” -Kerri Murphy “Great people who truly love and care about the horses and mules. I like how they keep track of the horses hours, just like the staff. To make sure none are overworked. With me being an equine person most of my life, I was extremely interested with the horses shoes. Fantastic job (picture attached)….

At Palmetto Carriage Works, our horses are powerful animals that work diligently. Their strong hindquarters effortlessly propel them through each day and their witty sense is admirable. But what makes these incredible animals so unique? Here are 10 horse fun facts:   For starters, horses have the largest eyes of any land animal. No wonder they are able to move so elegantly without missing a beat. Since their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head, horses can see almost 360 degrees at all times. So, rest assured, if you drop a peppermint on the ground, they’ll be the first to spot their favorite treat! Horses’ teeth take up more room in their head than their brain. However, this happened gradually after early generations of horses were transitioned from eating a diet of predominantly fruit to grass. The bigger…

TravelMag recently featured Palmetto Carriage Works in its “Top Things to Do in Charleston At Night” and we’re thrilled to have made the cut. If you’re wondering what to do in our historic city once the sun sets, check out their recommendations here (including an evening carriage tour). One of the most traditional activities to enjoy in Charleston is to explore the city aboard an authentic carriage. There are several companies offering such tours in the city, and one of the most renowned is Palmetto Carriage Works. Among the tours they offer is an Evening Carriage Tour of the Commercial District, which takes in parts of the old walled city, historic churches and public buildings as well as the Cooper River Water Front. Tours run for about 35-minutes, during which you’ll learn about Charleston’s history, architecture, and the people that make up…

It’s no secret that over the past decade, Charleston’s popularity has increased–and not just with the cruise ship tourists. Bloggers, foodies, fashionistas and entrepreneurs the world over have stopped in to the Lowcountry to see the historic sites, eat our world-renowned cuisine and they might even stay awhile. But if you find yourself planning a trip for a Charleston long weekend someday soon, the recommendations can seem overwhelming. A few writers have crafted “three perfect days” in Charleston. One of our favorites was published recently at Hemispheres. Besides gnoshes at Leon’s and Husk, they discuss their experience taking one of our tours. The excerpt is below:   We hop a cab back to the Historic District and climb into a different set of wheels: a carriage pulled by two brown and white horses, Sally and Deedee. Horse-drawn carriages seem to…

Have you ever wondered about a carriage horse’s retirement? Here’s the perfect example. Loretta was a company-wide favorite horse and worked with us for many years. We’ve gotten permission to share this lovely update from her new owners in Maine, who are enjoying her tremendously. We are incredibly proud of our animals and the impact they have even after they leave the Big Red Barn. Learn about Loretta’s new chapter and enjoy the beautiful photos they’ve shared along with us: I wanted to reach out to you personally and let you know how Loretta is doing in frigid Maine.  It’s been a quick 1.5 years and she has accomplished so much during her short time here. First, thank you for raising such a well-rounded horse! Within a few weeks of her being here, she turned Duke back into a horse….

We’ve all seen those vintage cowboy movies. There are wild horses running freely and all of a sudden, a hero-type jumps in, ropes her neck and begins the breaking process. Soon, the horse is eating out of his hand and maybe coming to his rescue. But how did the domestication of horses really happen? Here’s a brief history:   Did you know that people began domesticating horses up to 10,000 years ago? According to new DNA research, archeologists that once believed horses began being trained about 4,000-6,000 have now discovered new lineages and surmised that different groups of people across Eurasia were raising and/or training horses within the last 10,000 years ago. Evidence of bits being used on horses have been recovered from 5,000 years ago.   Before the invention of the locomotive, horses were the fastest way to travel…

All equine lovers know that maintaining healthy, happy horses and mules is not an easy task. It not only requires a lot of horseshoes and shampoo, but a lot of love! Here are a few quick horse hygiene facts that you may not know about Palmetto Carriage Works. Currently, we have 32 horses and 10 mules on our team. That means 168 feet to maintain. Our farrier comes by three times a week asses our animals’ shoes. We use rubber or elastomer shoes, boots or pads to prevent slipping on the pavement, brick or concrete. Have you ever heard of floating? No, not down the Edisto River. We mean floating for horse’s teeth! A float is a tool that is used to file a horse’s teeth. Therefore, floating is filing a horse’s teeth in order to keep them relatively smooth…

Charleston is full of historic sites that you might pass by and never know the significance they carry. When you climb aboard one of our carriages, driven by one our licensed tour guides and pulled by our beautiful horses and mules, here are some of those historic Charleston sites you are likely to see (depending…

Every year, our fans and followers tag us in awesome social media photos. We love that we get to entertain you and your family and friends while you’re with us in Charleston and hope that we get to do it for generations to come. Without further ado, here are a few of our favorite fan photos from 2018:   First up is our snow from January 4.   Next, we’ve got a few smiling faces from our carriage fans:   And finally, a few amazing shots posted on Charleston Wedding Guide:

Our city’s history is dense, but 2018 proved to be a great one. Here are the top five Charleston moments from 2018 in New Year’s Eve countdown fashion: Charleston issued over 5,000 wedding licenses last year! Weddings continue to be a huge staple of our economy and we enjoy it, too. Check out this great shot, published by Charleston Weddings Guide on Instagram and snapped by Christa Rene:     Depending on who you are, this may be good or bad news: Travel + Leisure named Charleston the #1 city in the U.S. for the sixth consecutive year. We love all the recognition and influx of visitors from all corners of the country (but some locals like it less).   Hurricane Florence caused some hysteria this fall, but the good news was that the damage and rainfall was much less…

At Palmetto Carriage Works, we know what we are best known for is our beautiful animals and our carriage ride tours through the historic district of Charleston. But what is life without a little variety, eh? We are now introducing historic walking tours! Here’s a checklist to see if you are a match for one of our historic walking tours: You want to learn about the unique history of Charleston, SC. You’re an architecture buff and want to see all the charming homes and buildings that our city has to offer. You like being entertained and smiling. Your family is visiting and you really need something to do with them that doesn’t include spending an exorbitant amount of money on King St. You’ve lived here awhile and you still don’t know anything about your city. You’d like to meet new people….

Palmetto Carriage Works may be the oldest and largest carriage company in Charleston, SC, but we’re also the most fun. To prove it, we’ll be highlighting our employees from time to time. First up is our driver and guide, David Collins, a local Charlestonian who loves his job as a Charleston carriage tour guide.   From where do you hail? Charleston! Describe Charleston in five words or less. Seductively Southern How long have you worked at Palmetto Carriage? One year What’s your favorite thing to do on a Saturday? Watch Gamecock football What’s your favorite historic site to talk about on tour? Calhoun Mansion If you had to choose a favorite animal, who would it be? Carlos  (he’s our 2009lb 9 yr old Percheron Gelding) Where is your favorite place to have lunch Downtown? The first of every month at…