Charleston’s plantations are a great way to add some history into your visit. I’ve been to all of Charleston’s plantations and I love that each one has something different to offer. I’ve put together this list of all the plantations in our area with a quick description of each spot, plus some of my personal favorite details, to make choosing between them a bit easier. I’ve listed these in alphabetical order, not necessarily in order of preference so be sure to take it all in before making your choice!

Boone Hall

Time Needed: 2 – 4 hours Driving Time From Downtown: ~ 15 min

Boone Hall is one of the area’s most visited plantations, and for good reason. You’ll want to plan on booking a house tour and a carriage ride around the grounds, plus leave ample time to walk the homes along the slave quarters and take in the Gullah presentation by some incredibly talented ladies. Boone Hall also hosts a range of events throughout the year, so I’d recommend checking their calendar for events occurring during your stay. Basically if you’re looking for an option that does a bit of everything, Boone Hall is a great choice!

Personal Favorites 1.) The Gullah history presentation – Trust me. This is an absolute MUST. 2.) The live oak avenue at the entrance – A great photo op for Instagram-worthy photos as seen above!

Drayton Hall

Time Needed: 1 – 2 hours Driving Time From Downtown: ~ 15 min

While Drayton Hall doesn’t offer quite as many activities as some of the other locations, it is the only plantation that can boast still having the original home, lovingly preserved as it was when the location was acquired from the family. And it is seriously beautiful. The home tour at Drayton Hall is a must for anyone who loves historical architecture. According to the website, it’s “the earliest and finest example of Palladian architecture in the United States”. Certainly if the house itself is the attraction you find most interesting, then this is your place. It is also worth mentioning that Drayton Hall is essentially next door to Magnolia and Middleton Place, so you could easily pair it with a visit to either of the other two.

Personal Favorite Feature The entire house is so beautiful and with such intricate detail that it’s hard to choose a favorite feature, but I was really taken by the sweeping double staircase at the rear of the house.

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

Time Needed: 2 – 3 hours Driving Time From Downtown: ~ 15 min

The gardens at Magnolia are ranked among the top in the U.S. and when you see them it’s easy to understand why. This place is a horticulturist’s dream. It’s the last remaining large scale romantic garden in the U.S. and the site has its own garden center where you can buy some of the beautiful plants you’ll see around the grounds to take home with you and plant in your own garden. Basically, if gardens are your thing, then you’re going to love love love this one.

Personal Favorite Feature My favorite spot on the plantation is the iconic White Bridge – another great photo op!

McLeod Plantation

Time Needed: 1.5 – 2 hours Driving Time From Downtown: ~ 10 min

McLeod Plantation has dedicated its site to the history and lives of the enslaved workers who lived there. They’ve done an amazing job researching the past and bringing it back to life as a tribute to the men and women who lived and worked at McLeod Plantation. As part of the admission price you can take a guided interpretive tour and I would strongly recommend doing this as it will greatly enhance the experience. You can also tour the bottom floor of the plantation home and, again, there is always someone available who can answer any questions you have as you walk through the home. If you’re looking for an amazing educational experience about the Gullah culture, slavery in the south, and the transition to freedom for the African-American people then I couldn’t recommend this location more.

Personal Favorites 1.) As I said, the interpretive tour is a must. And different guides focus on different aspects of the history of McLeod plantation so you can include more than one in your visit. 2.) The view of the house through the moss-covered oak trees makes for beautiful pictures!

Middleton Place

Time Needed: 3 – 4 hours Driving Time From Downtown: ~ 20 min

Last, but only alphabetically, is Middleton Place. This one is my personal favorite! You’ll want to plan to be here for the better part of an afternoon because there’s so much to do. You can take a tour of the house (much of which was lost to fire, but the South flanker remains and is beautifully decorated with the family’s heirlooms), walk through the slave homes and watch skilled artisans reenacting the trades that would have been done by the slaves on the plantation. The site still has a working stable yard where you can see the animals kept at the plantation and get an idea of what life on the plantation was like. Then save plenty of time to walk through the beautiful gardens on the grounds. You can also stay and eat on site at Middleton Place’s own inn and restaurant.

Personal Favorites 1.) Have a traditional Low Country lunch at the Middleton Place Restaurant – this is a must! 2.) I love watching history come to life so, for me, watching the skilled artisans in the stable yard was wonderful (and educational to boot!) 3.) Consider buying the combo ticket to both Middleton Place and the Edmondston-Alston House downtown. You can pick up more of the family history this way, plus get to tour a home on the battery!