CHARLESTON, S.C. - A new walking tour is being offered in Charleston based on places featured in the new Pat Conroy bestseller "South of Broad."

The two-hour tour is available Tuesday-Saturday, departing from the lobby of the Mills House Hotel at 115 Meeting St., and ending outside the Gibbes Museum of Art at 135 Meeting St. Both places are mentioned in the novel.

Tour stops linked to the book include St. Michael's Episcopal Church, where characters Chad Rutledge and Molly Huger were married; Legare Street, one of Charleston's most elegant streets and part of protagonist Leo King's paper route; Water Street, where characters in the novel ride out Hurricane Hugo; and the Dock Street Theater, visited by Leo's parents the night of a family tragedy.

The tour is US$25 a person, which includes admission to the Gibbes Museum of Art and choice of a cocktail or dessert from one of Conroy's favourite Charleston restaurants, named Slightly North of Broad.

Tickets for the walking tour must be reserved in advance at 843-568-0473 or http://www.oldcharlestontours.com/southofbroad.html.