Another downtown Charleston favorite are Patrick Properties spaces: Lowndes Grove and William Aiken House for . The house is largely unfurnished and has been conserved and preserved rather than restored to allow visitors (and researchers) to be able to see the original construction, materials, and architecture. Last updated: 22 Feb 2023 You can also visit Elizas House, which is a Reconstruction-era house used for African American freedman and is named after the last resident, Eliza Leach, who lived here until the 1980s. Boone Hall Plantation was founded in 1681 by John Boone and the Boone family lived here until 1811. Or you can stop at the Boone Hall Farms Market nearby after your visit. We havent found any tours that include a visit to McLeod, but the plantation is easy to reach by public bus from downtown Charleston. Drayton/Hastie family. All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties. It was founded in 1676 by the Drayton Family, making it one of the oldest plantations in the country. The house at Boone Hall only dates to 1936, but the current owners have collected a lot of antiques and period sympathetic pieces so that it resembles an antebellum planters home. The slave cabins each have 2 to 3 steps to get inside and the trolley requires 6 steps to get inside. The Inn at Middleton Place has wheelchair accessible rooms. For local events, Id check the Charleston CVB and other websites for Charleston events in September 2021 and you can put in your specific dates. On the Trolley Tour, visitors also stop at the plantations greenhouse to see where the tea seedlings are grown. Tour the Plantation House. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is ranked #3 in Charleston with endorsements from 6 reviewers like Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure and Fodor's. Middleton Place. Wear comfortable practical shoes. Some of the antebellum plantation homes that did survive, or had been rebuilt after the War, were damaged or destroyed by the Great Earthquake in 1886. You will get a time and what to expect before entering the Plantation. Don't remember exact cost as it was 6 months ago. For each Charleston plantation in this guide, we have an Accessibility section which provides information on wheelchair accessibility, stairs, and services for those with mobility difficulties. Which company provides Magnolia Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston? What is the national COVID-19 helpline number in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens? Charles Pinckney was a principal author and signer of the constitution and the site is part of Pinckneys Snee Farm, which was a rice and indigo plantation. Another thing to perhaps ask about when visiting is whether slaves were involved in the building and construction. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact, If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, wed be happy to help. . Once you arrive you choose what tours you want. There are a number of outbuildings on site, including five former clapboard slave cabins with brick chimneys. The Middleton Place house museum contains a large collection of furniture, art, documents, and family heirlooms that date from about the 1740s to 1880s. The plantation was used to grow indigo and cotton, and to raise cattle. There are extensive gardens at Magnolia Plantation, and these. The quickest way to get from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is to taxi which costs $5-$7 and takes 22 min. The gift shop is so quaint and better prices than I found at the Market! Slaves were brought over from various parts of West and Central Africa and they developed a Creole culture and language that enabled them to maintain parts of their own African cultures, traditions, and language. Hear about the veggies being grown and the sources from which they come. The plantation has the oldest landscaped gardens in the country and the house also contains a nice collection of 18th and 19th century antiques and furnishings. The Drayton family lived in the current main house until 1975. Rome2rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. What are the travel restrictions in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens? The Peacock Cafe serves breakfast, sandwiches, snacks, and drinks. Yes,available year round, would be beautiful that time of year with flowers blooming. However, it is not a great value for those primarily interested in visiting plantations as although it includes two Charleston plantations (Drayton Hall and Middleton Place), it only grants free entry to the grounds and gardens and does not include a house tour at either. A brief history of plantations in Charleston South Carolina. The Horlbeck brothers, using a large slave labor force, produced millions of bricks a year in the mid 19th century. Im looking forward to returning for another stay. The Drayton family lived in the current main house until 1975. As the closest campground to Charleston, We are just minutes from Charleston's historic plantations, downtown, historic district, shopping, golf and the beaches. Later, the Middletons rebuilt the destroyed South Flanker in 1869 and it was lived in by the Middleton family up until 1975. Charleston Historic District to Charleston Airport CHS, Charleston Historic District to Charleston Amtrak Station, Savannah to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Mills House Charleston Curio Collection by Hilton to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Mount Pleasant SC USA to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Embassy Suites Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Hotels and accommodation near Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Comfort Inn Downtown Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, 5 airports near Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Hotel Emeline Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, There is a social distancing requirement of 2 metres. Guides also share information about past residents to try to give voices to the history and also point out buildings and artifacts when relevant. In the antebellum period, it is estimated that there were over 2,000 plantations in South Carolina, most within the Lowcountry area. The plantation focuses not only on the lives of the enslaved but also the lives of the formerly enslaved and their descendants after the Civil War to the 21st century, which is a time period less often mentioned during plantation visits. I was really glad to have ta. Take Hwy 61 North for about 9 . If you have questions about accessibility, wed be happy to help. The gardens alone boast hundreds of species of flora, and are often overgrown onto the trail. The most obvious choice for rainy day things to do in Charleston, SC, with kids would be the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry. Plantations tours are not always a great fit for children, especially younger children, who can have a hard time standing still or paying attention during longer tours about history, slavery, architecture, and antiques. Yes, there is the Butterfly Caf which offers a limited selection of sandwiches, snacks, ice cream, coffee, and drinks. At certain times of the year, the plantation allows visitors to pick and purchase their own fruit from the fields. cannot resit to take photos. The antebellum era plantation is located in Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina, U.S.A., and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in nearby Summerville just before the Revolutionary War and moved to its current location shortly after the Civil War. Follow Highway 61 north for approximately 9 miles. Do note that there are other plantations in and around Charleston. My parents just got back from a trip, and I think March is probably the perfect time. 4 of the Best Charleston Plantations. Charleston became one of the wealthiest and most powerful cities in the United States, largely due to vast incomes made through the plantation system and slavery. If you decide to visit Boone Hall, wed recommend at least 3 hours here, but you can easily spend half a day. The eight lane bridge satisfied the capacity of U.S. Route 17 when it opened in 2005 to replace two obsolete cantilever truss bridges. If you are visiting other attractions in Charleston, we recommend. Then, board a tram for a narrated 45-minute ride through the grounds: see slave cabins, swamps, and rice fields. Although the history of the plantation itself only goes back to 1987, the history of tea growing in South Carolina goes back over 200 years. It doesnt have the history of the other plantations, but its interesting to see how a real tea farm operates. have been a tourist attraction for over 100 years, and some of the details date back to the plantations creation, making them the oldest unrestored gardens in the United States. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (464 acres, 187.77 hectares) is a historic house with gardens located on the Ashley River at 3550 Ashley River Road, Charleston County, South Carolina. During certain periods of the year, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens offers an All-Inclusive Pass which includes all of the tours and attractions. One reason is that the ticket price includes all the offered tours and attractions, so you dont have to pay extra to visit the house or take the tours. Boone Hall has a small cafe with sandwiches, snacks, ice cream, and drinks. There are 399+ hotels available in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Finally, in 1865 after 4 years of brother fighting brother, the American Civil War was won by the Union and slavery was abolished forever. How to get from London City Airport into central London, Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC), Charleston SC USA to Georgetown Georgetown County SC USA, Charleston SC USA to Henry Township House, There is a social distancing requirement of 2 metres. Although it doesnt have an original house on site, it does have a number of antebellum outbuildings including well-preserved brick slave cabins and is well-known for its Gullah cultural program. Rudis Cafe offers European-style sandwiches, meat and cheese plates, snacks, coffee, and drinks. After the Civil War, the land was also used for phosphate mining. Gift Shop: A large gift shop sells the tea from the plantation, tea-related items, body care products, snacks, souvenirs, and other items. There's so much to do here. Our guide, Shawn, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Costs for some plantations with all the add-on tours and attractions can be over $50 per person. Hopefully this at least somewhat answers your question and I think there are books out there that are focused on the slavery history and/or architecture that could give more expert advice on this topic Just let us know if you have any other questions about visiting the plantations in Charleston. You might also consider checking out books about South Carolinas plantations and historic homes. The closest is probably Boone Hall with its pretty oak alley and brick Colonial Revival mansion house, but the house only dates to the 1930s. The negative, Thank you for truly amazing experience. 2.4 Getting to and around Atlanta. The plantation has a number of ponds and lakes, swampland, and is next to the Ashley River so changes of seeing waterfowl and other water critters are very high. There is also a slave cemetery that was re-discovered in 1996 which contains about 100 graves of people who are likely slaves at McLeod although much is unknown about the site and burials here. We will break up the choices into options in central Charleston, and ones that are a little further out near some of the plantations. Main House Furnishings: The first floor of the house is furnished with antiques and period sympathetic pieces to resemble an antebellum planters home, but the furnishings are not from the original antebellum house. The area became particularly known for its rice, and the use of tidal irrigation changed the landscapes of this area and make this a much more profitable endeavor. In Charleston, we recommend visiting the Old Slave Mart Museum which is a museum dedicated to sharing information about slavery. The house has been owned and run by the. Photography Allowed: Photography is allowed everywhere except inside the main house. Our tour guide comes along to add a few details and answer questions. The terraced gardens contain a wide variety of flowers and trees. Most of the others were destroyed or have been heavily restored or reconstructed. There are some beautiful old live oak trees here. Thanks for the good work. In the 20th century a handful of plantations were bought and restored, either to be opened as public historical sites or for private use. New Homes in a Master Planned Community Cane Bay Plantation is a newer community in Summerville built on an impressive scale. But some definitely focus on it more than others. In 2020, the name was changed to Charleston Tea Garden. Our Impressions of Middleton Place Plantation. Unlike antebellum plantations in some other areas of the country, such as the Louisiana plantations along the River Road, very few of the original antebellum grand plantation homes remain. All of the plantations are worth visiting but they each offer different attractions and each has a different focus. Prices start at 7,500 per night. But the plantation system would come to a quick halt at the beginning of the American Civil War, a war fought between the North (the Union) and the South (the Confederacy). Between grabbing a snack (in a slow line) and having to hurry over to the house tour, there was no time for the petting zoo, a leisurely walk through the gardens on our own, and some real time in the gift shop. Find the travel option that best suits you. Paths can be muddy. There is also a slave cemetery on site, as well as the newly-built welcome center and pavilion. The gardens here are more wild and natural. Working plantation today? No formal gardens. Tour guides in most cases can not provide special assistance to guests (in terms of carrying walkers or wheelchairs, assisting people up stairs) during tours or walks, and it is strongly recommended that guests who need assistance visit with a companion. Lodging: No accommodation on site. Yes, there is an extensive gift shop here. 1.5 Find the best deals on car hire. These tours are focused on Gullah culture, the lives of the African Americans who lived here (both during slavery and after Reconstruction), and the cultivation of the land. Domestic travel is not restricted, but some conditions may apply. Nearby is the Boone Hall Farms Market (2521 N Hwy 17, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466) which sells produce from the plantation farm and has a cafe where you can get hot meals. Main House Furnishings: The house is largely unfurnished and has been conserved and preserved rather than restored to allow visitors (and researchers) to be able to see the original construction, materials, and architecture. They were also one of the few brickmaking producers still operating after the Civil War. Be sure to check the admission ticket prices and what they include before you visit. There is also a weather-dependent horse-drawn carriage tour of the grounds offered for an additional fee. I loved the colors green, white, and gold, trying to keep it simple but also chic at the same time.' . The Drayton family, owners also of the previously described Magnolia Plantation, owned a huge network of commercial plantations in South Carolina and Georgia. Charleston Tea Garden doesnt have any of the historical plantation buildings of the others on the list, but it is still worth visiting if you are interested in seeing a working plantation and are interested in seeing how tea is made. Exceptions may apply, for full details: Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC). Wish it was a smal, The plantation visit was notable for its extensive history of the enslaved people and the aftermath of the Civil Wa. Magnolia Plantation, another former rice plantation near the Ashley River, has been owned by the Drayton family since 1676. Are there any tours that emphasize the way rooms have almost invisible access points that enslaved people used for coming and going as they served those that owned them? Most plantations dont take timed reservations in advance, but most do allow you to book your admission tickets in advance online. The original house was ransacked by the British but survived the Revolutionary War. Many of the paths are gravel and walking tours go onto grass so can be difficult for a wheelchair. The Charleston Tea Garden produces both black tea and green tea, and focuses on teas that taste good iced since most Americans consume tea cold rather than hot. Most do not allow drones or tripods on site. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 1h 57m. Yes, photos are allowed everywhere including in the house. The portico was added to the rear facade, and the rear is now used as the front of the house. As an African American, Charlestons antebellum grandeur and history hold very different perspectives for me. Each of the former slave cabins was restored to represent a different time period: 1850 slave cabin, an 1870 freedmens home, a 1900 gardeners home, a 1930 gardeners home, and the 1969 Civil rights-era home of the Leech Family who lived here until the 1970s. If youve visited any of these plantations, feel free to share any advice or tips of your own and please share any information updates. Wearing a face mask on public transport in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is recommended. The cafe, petting zoo, boat tours, garden center, theater, Audubon Swamp, and most of the garden pathways are wheelchair accessible. Each of the Charleston plantations offer different experiences. Booking a tour with Adventure Sightseeing was well worth the cost. The Garden Market is a causal spot to eat, selling sandwiches, snacks, ice cream, and drinks. 2 Atlanta. The Plantation House can only be visited via a guided tour. Charleston became wealthy from these plantations, but these riches were of course made on the backs of the slaves who were forced to work the fields. We enjoyed our time at Magnolia Plantation, and liked that there were so many different things to do. Today, Drayton Hall is a National Trust Historic Site and is run and operated by the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust. Some people who have used ride share services have become stranded at plantations because there were no ride options back into Charleston. It was built using the design-build method and was designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff. The Mansion tour was too crowded though. It takes approximately 1h 57m to get from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, including transfers. Some notable features are the sundial garden, the abundance of camellias and azaleas, and the Middleton Oak (large old live oak tree). How do I book a plantation tour or ticket? This is a beautiful time of year to visit the plantations, but expect more crowds and higher prices on accommodation. Magnolia Moment - Joseph McGill City of Charleston. Just be sure to book your day tour in advance as some require you to book at least 24 hours or more before you tour date. For people who get sea sick, would this generally be a concern with the tram? Cannot accommodate wheelchairs, but we can accommodate those with limited mobility if they can be assisted by a companion. Mack Fleming and William Barclay Hall would take over this farm and establish the Charleston Tea Plantation. Best, Jessica, Your email address will not be published. A staple in Charleston for over 30 years, Magnolias remains a forerunner in upscale Southern cuisine . What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms when I arrive in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens? McLeod also has an intact antebellum Georgian style plantation house on site, although it underwent significant changes and additions in the 20th century. The gardens attracts butterflies during the warmer months. If you crave a historic hotel in Charleston, you can also consider staying at one of Charlestons many historical hotels or inns, such as John Rutledge House Inn, Planters Inn, Mills House, Barksdale House Inn, Governors House Inn, or the Wentworth Mansion. The south flanker, which had served as a gentlemens guest quarters and business office, was the least damaged and was rebuilt in 1869 as the family home and is the house you see today. We recommend checking the events schedule as events will mean larger crowds and that regular plantation tours and activities may be suspended. Historic homes shortly after the Civil War, the name was changed to Charleston tea Garden River, has owned... 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