Colorful character Jon Sharp runs the popular Jon Sharp’s Walking History Tour (843/575-5775, www.jonswalkinghistory.com, Tues.–Sat. 11 a.m., Sun. 1 p.m., $20), taking a break during the summer months. The two-hour jaunt begins and ends at the Downtown Marina and takes you all through the downtown area.

The Spirit of Old Beaufort (103 West St. Extension, 843/525-0459, www.thespiritofoldbeaufort.com, Mon.–Sat. 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7 p.m., $13 adults, $8 children) runs a series of good, year-round walking tours, roughly two hours long, with guides usually in period dress. If you don’t want to walk, you can hire one of their guides to join you in your own vehicle for a $50 minimum.

As you might expect, few things could be more Lowcountry than an easy-going carriage ride through the historic neighborhoods. Southurn Rose Buggy Tours (843/524-2900, www.southurnrose.com, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., $18 adults, $7 children)—yes, that’s how they spell it—offers 50-minute narrated carriage rides of the entire Old Point, including movie locations, embarking and disembarking near the Downtown Marina.

Another similarly priced carriage operator is Carolina Buggy Tours (901 Port Republic St., 843/525-1300).

An important specialty bus tour in the area is Gullah-N-Geechie Man Tours (843/838-7516, www.gullahngeechietours.net, $20 adults, $18 children), focusing on the rich Gullah history and culture of the St. Helena Island area, including the historic Penn Center. Call for pickup information.