Southern Charm: Self-Launched Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island
7 days · Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island
Collette charges £2,750
No-markup version: ~£544 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Collette's "Southern Charm" tour, linking Charleston, Savannah and Jekyll Island independently by bus, train and a short drive. You'll sleep in well-located hostels and budget inns instead of four-star hotels, join small-group walking tours and cooking classes booked directly (GetYourGuide/Viator/local operators), and cover the same ground — Boone Hall Plantation, the Fort Sumter ferry, Savannah's Historic District, Pin Point Heritage Museum and the Jekyll Island tram — for roughly a fifth of the tour price. Costs are approximate per person based on backpacker/budget rates and exclude flights to/from the USA.
Day-by-day
Arrive Charleston — Historic District orientation
Charleston, SC
Land at CHS and take the CARTA Route 11 bus or a rideshare (~£12) into the Historic District. Check into a hostel or budget inn near King Street, then spend the afternoon free-walking the peninsula: Rainbow Row, The Battery and White Point Garden. Evening in the French Quarter with a low-cost Lowcountry dinner (shrimp and grits or she-crab soup).
🚌CARTA bus or rideshare from CHS airport ~£12
🛏Hostel or budget inn near King Street (hostel dorm ~£28, private double ~£55)
- →Self-guided Historic District walk
- →Rainbow Row & The Battery
- →Waterfront Park pineapple fountain
Charleston: walking tour, City Market & Boone Hall Plantation
Charleston, SC
Book a pay-what-you-wish or small-group historic walking tour of the hidden alleys and lanes online (GetYourGuide, ~£18) — a solid alternative to the guided walking element. Wander City Market for Gullah sweetgrass basketry, then take a rideshare or the Carta bus part-way plus a short rideshare to Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, one of America's oldest working plantations (~£20 entry). Do the self-guided house and slave street audio tour. In the evening, do your own 'welcome dinner' at a local Lowcountry restaurant (~£18).
🚌Rideshare/local bus to Mount Pleasant ~£20 return
🛏Hostel or budget inn near King Street
- →Small-group historic walking tour (GetYourGuide pre-book)
- →City Market sweetgrass basketry browse
- →Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens self-guided visit
Fort Sumter ferry to Savannah - cooking class on River Street
Charleston → Savannah, GA
Morning: swap the harbour cruise alternative for the National Park Service-licensed Fort Sumter shuttle from Liberty Square (~£28, well worth it for the ranger chat). Then take the Greyhound or Amtrak Palmetto from Charleston to Savannah (Amtrak ~£20 for 2 hours; Greyhound ~£18). Check into the Retro Inn or a Savannah hostel near the Historic District. Evening: book a regional cooking class or chef demonstration on or near River Street (GetYourGuide/Viator ~£45), which replaces the tour's cooking demonstration dinner.
🚌Amtrak Palmetto or Greyhound Charleston→Savannah ~£18-20
🛏Retro Inn or hostel near Savannah Historic District (hostel ~£25, budget double ~£55)
- →Fort Sumter ferry with NPS ranger talk
- →Factors Walk & River Street stroll
- →Regional cooking class/dinner demonstration (pre-booked)
Savannah: trolley or ghost walking tour & Mercer Williams House
Savannah, GA
Ride the Old Town Trolley (hop-on-hop-off, ~£25 booked online) through the Historic District, or take a guided ghost walking tour (~£20), both easily self-booked. Afternoon visit to Mercer Williams House (~£14) in Monterey Square. Evening self-guided stroll of the squares, Forsyth Park and River Street bars — cheap beers and live music most nights.
🚌Trolley ~£25; otherwise walkable
🛏Retro Inn or historic district hostel
- →Old Town Trolley hop-on-hop-off
- →Mercer Williams House guided tour
- →Forsyth Park sunset walk
Savannah → St. Simons Island → Jekyll Island
Savannah → St. Simons Island → Jekyll Island, GA
Hire a midsize car for three days (~£90/day split between two; or ~£45/person/day) or use the combination of Greyhound to Brunswick and local Golden Isles buses if you prefer no car. Stop at the Pin Point Heritage Museum (~£7) for the Gullah Geechee story, then drive over the causeway to St. Simons Island for the pier village, shops and a beach swim. Cross to Jekyll Island for the night — camping at Jekyll Island Campground or a budget motel in Brunswick.
🚌Rental car pickup in Savannah ~£90/day split; fuel ~£16
🛏Jekyll Island Campground cabin/tent site (~£32) or Brunswick budget motel (~£50)
- →Pin Point Heritage Museum
- →St. Simons Island pier village & East Beach
- →Jekyll Island causeway drive
Jekyll Island: Historic Landmark District tram & beaches
Jekyll Island, GA
Book the Jekyll Island Historic Landmark District tram tour directly with the Jekyll Island Authority (~£22) — the same route the tour uses. Explore the historic club cottages, then rent a bike (~£12/half day) for the island's flat trails, driftwood-strewn Driftwood Beach and Glory Beach. Optional sea turtle centre (~£8). Farewell dinner at a casual island spot (The Wharf or a local crab shack) ~£20.
🚌Bike hire ~£12; local driving ~£6
🛏Jekyll Island Campground or Brunswick budget motel
- →Jekyll Island Historic Landmark District tram tour
- →Bike loop to Driftwood Beach
- →Georgia Sea Turtle Center (optional)
Jekyll Island → Jacksonville departure
Jekyll Island → Jacksonville, FL
Morning beach walk or final swim, then drive ~1h15 to Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to drop the rental car, or take the Golden Isles shuttle/Amtrak Thruway connection if car-free. Note that the original Collette tour doesn't include the airport transfer either unless you book their air package — factor ~£35 for a rideshare or shared shuttle from Jekyll/Brunswick if you're not driving.
🚌Rental car drop at JAX or shared shuttle ~£35
🛏—
- →Sunrise beach walk
- →Drive to Jacksonville airport
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£544 | £2,750 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,206 per person (80%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£544
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Southern Charm: Self-Launched Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £544 per person for 7 days in Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £2,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £544 — a saving of roughly £2,206 (80%) per person.
How long is the Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Charleston, Savannah & Jekyll Island, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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