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. Most people only have time for one or two, and admission prices can be prohibitive to visit more than one, especially for large families. If its canceled because the minimum isnt met, youll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund, This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers, Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized, Contactless payment for gratuities and add-ons, Excellent for guide who explained all the Charleston historic sites in detail. There is also a video here and you can also about available supplemental materials for those who cannot do the house tour so you can see photos/videos of the interior. There are 4 ways to get from Charleston to Middleton Place by bus, taxi or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. What are the travel restrictions in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens? 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. Leave yourself plenty of time to explore the plantations. According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Magnolia Plantation & Gardens: Magnolia Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston (From C$100.74) Middleton Place All-Access Admission / Self Guided Tour & Lunch from Charleston (From C$161.68) Plantation Extravaganza! The only plantation house that is currently open to wheelchair users is McLeod Plantation Historic Site. We are considering April 4. Today it is a 37 acre park dedicated to Gullah heritage and African American history. Mack Fleming and William Barclay Hall would take over this farm and establish the Charleston Tea Plantation. Main Cash Crop: The plantation was used to grow indigo and cotton, and to raise cattle. Visitors can also explore a self-guided black history exhibit, front gardens, and butterfly pavilion on their own. 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. Food: There is a tea bar in the gift shop where visitors can sample both hot and cold tea. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens comes in at #5 in Charleston with recommendations from 7 publications such as Frommer's, Travel + Leisure and Lonely Planet. The site has been dedicated as a Sankofa memorial garden. . . This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC. So, I really appreciated the way you addressed this re: the plantations. There is also a weather-dependent horse-drawn carriage tour of the grounds offered for an additional fee. The plantation has been owned and managed by the Charleston County Parks and Recreation since 2011; they opened it to the public for tours in 2015. A small field of cotton is also planted each year for demonstration purposes. It takes approximately 1h 57m to get from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, including transfers. one of the most beautiful native trees, evergreen leaves, very fragrant, very large white flowers. The house and gardens are open daily; an admission fee is charged. The guides are locals and highly knowledgeable! They were also one of the few brickmaking producers still operating after the Civil War. Accessibility: The house is not wheelchair accessible, and requires 6 steps to get inside and another several steps to visit all the rooms. The most obvious choice for rainy day things to do in Charleston, SC, with kids would be the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry. Recommended option Line 10 bus, line 12 bus 1h 57m Gift Shop: Yes, there is an extensive gift shop here. Board an air-conditioned coach and enjoy views of the rolling Lowcountry landscape as you make the 45-minute drive to Magnolia Plantation, one of the oldest plantations in the South. A rushed visit here is sure to feel overwhelming as youll be forced to choose between tours and have limited time to explore the grounds. The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is easily one of the most spellbinding sites in the city of Charleston, with acres of wildly growing gardens that have captivated visitors for generations. Nice touch of having the Porky and Bess show music play on the ride back to Charleston since it was originated in and about the area. The Caretakers House was built after Emancipation and the exhibit here focuses on the lives of African Americans at Drayton Hall after the Civil War as many families continued to live and work here in maintaining the house, grounds, and doing phosphate mining until around 1960. I dont think any of the plantation house tours really focus on this point, but it is certainly something you could ask about. Magnolia Plantation is one of the most well-known and frequently visited plantations in Charleston. Middleton Place offers a lot for visitors to see and do. Weve visited tea plantations in other parts of the world (e.g., Vietnam and Sri Lanka) but it is great to be able to visit one in the United States. 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. There are 3 ways to get from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens by bus, taxi or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. If you dont want to rent a car in Charleston, we recommend taking a day tour to visit the area plantations. The original house was built by John and Elizabeth Boone circa 1680s and was likely a small cabin. It takes approximately 22 min to drive from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. It accommodates about 25 people, The meeting and return location is at the Visitor center shed across the street from the Hampton Inn. With its central location, deep history, and serene neighborhoods, West Ashley is one of the most desirable residential communities in the Charleston metropolitan area. And just as many hotels and inns are in historic downtown Charleston, a 25-minute drive away. Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens bus services, operated by CARTA, depart from Mary St / Meeting St station. The gift shop is so quaint and better prices than I found at the Market! The house contains exhibits about slavery and African Americans workings at Middleton Place after the Civil War. In the 1670s, English planters began to migrate from Barbados to the area now known as Charleston, South Carolina. (late 18th century or early 19th century), a larger sixth cabin was built later, a cotton gin house (19th century), dairy (19th century with 18th century cellar), kitchen (19th century), and a 4-person privy. If you don't see the confirmation e-mail, please check your spam folder. If you are looking for a house like Scarlett OHaras Tara (which was actually a movie set in California) in the film Gone with the Wind, you may be a bit disappointed. The current house was constructed on the site of the former house in the early 1870s. Your email address will not be published. Private tours are also possible. Youll also see the beautiful 3/4 mile long Avenue of Oaks leading to the house. It is sold as loose leaf tea, tea bags, and bottled. If you decide to visit Boone Hall, wed recommend at least 3 hours here, but you can easily spend half a day. Slavery Information: The best way to learn about slavery at Drayton Hall is to take the interpretive guided tour focused on slavery offered twice a day here. While certainly a top-five plantation property and the most visited in Charleston, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is best known for its thousands of beautiful blooms and salient structures . Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. It is also possible to reach Boone Hall Plantation by taking public buses; however, it takes a long time and requires a 25 minute walk from the final bus stop. The casual garden cafe offers sandwiches, snacks, and ice cream. It takes approximately 22 min to drive from Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. The lives of the enslaved and their culture is now the main focus at some places like McLeod Plantation Historical Site in Charleston and at Whitney Plantation near New Orleans, LA. Magnolia Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston price starts from $75.33. We enjoyed our time at Magnolia Plantation, and liked that there were so many different things to do. In 1995, an act was passed making South Carolina-grown tea the official state hospitality beverage in South Carolina! Last updated: 22 Feb 2023 The Magnolia Plantations and Gardens feature 600 acres (243 hectares) of gardens, lakes, forest and old, flooded rice fields. Most hotels are fully refundable. The. Whether you have a pop-up or a large motor home, let Oak Plantation Campground welcome you with our friendly, southern hospitality. In addition to the Romantic gardens, there is a nature tram tour, a boat tour, and the Audubon Swamp Garden. Location: 4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 48614P1. The house tour was definitely a highlight here and we enjoyed a short wander around the estate and visit to the African American cemetery. Guides also share information about past residents to try to give voices to the history and also point out buildings and artifacts when relevant. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms when I arrive in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens? The tea is now owned by the Bigelow Tea Company but Hall is still very much involved with the plantation. 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. Days Tours Available from Charleston: This small grouptour includes a visit and trolley tour of the Charleston Tea Garden, a stop at Angel Oak, and a visit to the local winery and a distillery. You might also consider checking out books about South Carolinas plantations and historic homes. But there are other plantation houses and plantation historic sites worth visiting that are open to the public and most are run by state, federal, or city government entities. The gardens give young children plenty of space to explore and they may also enjoy seeing the animals and watching the craft demonstrations by local artisans. After our conversations together with Hope & Justin about live oaks, spanish moss, sandy beaches, spring blooms, the downtown vibe & market street restaurants, we landed on a plan for the day: Getting ready & first look at their airbnb in Charleston; Ceremony and exploring together at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. By Kristine Cummings / August 15, 2022. the Drayton family. Charleston Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. The Drayton family decided to sell Drayton Hall to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the State of South Carolina in 1974. Although the house itself is largely unfurnished, there is a collection of furnishings and artifacts from the Drayton family on display in the new Gates Gallery. 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