One of America’s Must-Do Experiences Is Right Here in Charleston: Meet Casual Crabbing with Tia

One of America’s Must-Do Experiences Is Right Here in Charleston

There are plenty of ways to experience Charleston.

You can tour the historic district, eat your way through the city, head to the beach or spend an afternoon walking along the waterfront.

But one Charleston native has built an experience that takes visitors—and locals—much closer to one of the things that has defined the Lowcountry for generations:

the water.

Casual Crabbing with Tia, founded by Charleston native Tia Clark, invites guests onto the Ashley River to learn how to catch blue crabs while discovering the culture, history and ecosystem surrounding Charleston’s waterways.

And what started as one woman discovering a new passion has now become one of Charleston’s most nationally recognized local experiences.

From a Personal Discovery to a Charleston Business

Clark grew up in Charleston, surrounded by water, but has said she didn’t initially have the deep relationship with Charleston’s waterways—or her family’s fishing traditions—that she has today.

That changed when she discovered crabbing.

Clark has described the activity as therapeutic, but it also opened another door: a stronger connection to her Gullah Geechee heritage, Charleston’s waterways and the traditions that existed within her own family and community.

What began personally eventually became something she wanted to share with others.

Casual Crabbing with Tia officially emerged as an Airbnb Experience in 2018.

Within months, it was already gaining international attention.

From the Ashley River to Global Recognition

In November 2018, Airbnb recognized Casual Crabbing with Tia as one of its four top-rated Experiences in the world.

Clark was invited to Airbnb’s headquarters in San Francisco and honored as an exceptional host alongside experiences from around the globe.

Nearly eight years later, the recognition hasn’t stopped.

In May 2026, Travel + Leisure selected Casual Crabbing with Tia as South Carolina’s featured experience in its list of 50 unique experiences across the United States celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.

One experience was selected for each state.

South Carolina’s?

Crabbing with Tia in Charleston.

Travel + Leisure also published a separate feature on Clark in April, focusing specifically on the way her experience connects travelers with Gullah Geechee history and Charleston’s relationship with the water.

Food & Wine has also included Casual Crabbing with Tia among its essential culinary experiences in Charleston, highlighting the opportunity to catch blue crabs while learning about their place within the Lowcountry ecosystem.

So… What Actually Happens When You Go Crabbing With Tia?

This isn’t simply standing on a dock with a piece of string and hoping something bites.

The experience introduces guests to the basics of Lowcountry crabbing while teaching them about the environment surrounding them.

Depending on the outing, guests can learn how to bait crab lines and baskets, safely handle blue crabs, throw a cast net and identify legal catch while hearing more about sustainable harvesting and Charleston’s marine ecosystem.

The current Airbnb listing describes the experience as beginner-friendly, with guests ages two and older welcome to participate. Guests meet at Brittlebank Park along the Ashley River, and applicable participants are asked to bring a South Carolina saltwater fishing license.

And yes—when regulations and the catch allow it, this can become a true water-to-table Charleston experience.

Food & Wine notes that Tia’s team can clean legal-size crabs for guests to take home and cook, while visitors without a kitchen can receive recommendations for local restaurants that may prepare their catch.

But This Story Is Bigger Than Blue Crabs

One of the things that separates Casual Crabbing with Tia from a typical outdoor excursion is the story being told alongside the experience.

Clark uses the water as an entry point into conversations about Gullah Geechee heritage, Charleston history and the traditions that have connected generations of Black Lowcountry families to fishing, crabbing and the coastal environment.

She told Travel + Leisure that reconnecting with the water also strengthened her connection to her culture.

That relationship has also pushed Clark increasingly into conservation work.

Crabbing Meets Conservation

In 2025, The Explorers Club named Tia Clark to its EC50 Class of 2025, recognizing 50 people whose work in exploration, science and conservation deserves greater attention.

Her designation?

Crabber & Coastal Conservationist.

The organization highlighted Clark’s work in coastal protection and marsh restoration alongside conservation groups, schools and community organizations.

Her conservation work has included involvement with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement program, commonly known as SCORE.

Recycled oyster shells and manufactured wire reefs can be deployed along shorelines, creating habitat for blue crabs and other marine life while contributing to coastal restoration efforts.

Clark has also worked with Charleston-area students, including children attending Title I schools, to help create connections between young people and the marine environment surrounding their own city.

A Charleston Experience Locals Should Know About Too

Tourists have helped make Casual Crabbing with Tia nationally known.

But this feels equally relevant for Charleston residents.

There is something different about experiencing your own city from the water—and learning why that water, its seafood and its traditions matter to the culture surrounding you.

Casual Crabbing with Tia manages to sit at the intersection of several things Charleston is known for:

food, history, Gullah Geechee culture, outdoor recreation and the Lowcountry’s relationship with the water.

And somehow, it started with one Charleston woman deciding to go crabbing.

Today, that idea has grown into an experience recognized by Airbnb, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine and The Explorers Club.

Not bad for a day on the dock.

Know Before You Go

Experience: Casual Crabbing with Tia
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Current meeting point: Brittlebank Park
Experience level: Beginner-friendly
Ages: 2+
Saltwater fishing license: Required for applicable guests
Reservations: Advance booking recommended

Details, schedules and requirements may change, so guests should verify current information when booking.

Explore More of Charleston

Looking for more local businesses, experiences, restaurants, nightlife and things to do around the Lowcountry?

Explore the Charleston Guide from What’s Going On In Charleston.