Architectural Style: The main house (now destroyed) was a 3-storey brick house and was likely Georgian in style. To see a working plantation near Charleston, we recommend visiting either the Charleston Tea Garden or Boone Hall Plantation. There are 399+ hotels available in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. So if you are mainly interested in the gardens, then the basic admission ticket is for you. Opened to the public in 2015, visitors can take a guided or self-guided interpretive tour of the site to learn more about the daily lives of the enslaved, Gullah culture, the lives of African Americans after the Civil War, and the cultivation of the land, particularly the growing of cotton. The plantation was bought by the Drayton family in 1676. By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our, Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Take the line 10 bus from Mary St / Meeting St to N. Charleston SuperStop on Rivers Ave, Take the line 12 bus from N. Charleston SuperStop on Rivers Ave to Dorchester Rd / Reserve at Ashley River, Take a taxi from Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Drive from Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. In fact, about 57% of South Carolinas population were enslaved blacks by 1860 according to Census data! You can save some money by staying outside of central Charleston, such as in Mount Pleasant, near the airport, or in Summerville. It takes approximately 22 min to drive from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. The best way to get from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens without a car is to line 10 bus and line 12 bus which takes 1h 57m and costs $4-$7. 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. 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. Please find a way to add an extra 30-40 minutes after the house tour for folks to relax and enjoy the property. Mack Fleming and William Barclay Hall would take over this farm and establish the Charleston Tea Plantation. Today, Charleston Tea Garden remains the only commercial tea plantation in the United States. Elizas House requires 4 steps to enter. During certain periods of the year, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens offers an All-Inclusive Pass which includes all of the tours and attractions. Later, the Middletons rebuilt the destroyed South Flanker in 1869 and it was lived in by the Middleton family, up until 1975. They offer a house tour, gardens tour, slave quarters tour. Travel directly from downtown Charleston to Magnolia Plantation, and then tour the grounds. We havent found any tours that include a visit to McLeod, but the plantation is easy to reach by public bus from downtown Charleston. That said, Magnolia Plantation, Middleton Place, and Drayton Hall also all provide tours focused on the experiences of the enslaved and African Americans. Somehow we didn't figure out the exact pickup location, as it is not exact, Tour guide was very informative and funny, but when we got to the market he asked if we wanted to walk around and t, My husband and I took the Adventure Sightseeing Tour our first day in Charleston. Magnolia Plantation is known for its well-preserved Romantic Style garden, which is designed to be an oasis away from the city. 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. The main house and south flanker were damaged beyond repair, and later reduced to rubble by the Great Earthquake in 1886. 1,287 Sq. Of course, slavery wasnt limited to plantations and rural life. Leave yourself plenty of time to explore the plantations. It also offers a variety of tours from the house tour to the slavery talks to the tractor tours of its farm. The Welcome Center, gift shop, picnic pavilion, and toilets are wheelchair accessible. 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. But, between that and the house tour there was not enough time to simply walk around and enjoy the property on our own. Address: 4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston,SC 29414 The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River in South Carolina, USA, connecting downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant. What is the national COVID-19 helpline number in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens? If your primary reason for visiting is to learn about slavery and African American history, we recommend visiting the McLeod Plantation Historical Site. There is also a hospitality center (seasonal), dock house, and a butterfly pavilion (seasonal). John Drayton purchased the property in 1738 and the Drayton family would own the property and live here for generations. The best way to get from Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens without a car is to line 10 bus and line 12 bus which takes 2h 10m and costs 350-500. Visitors can tour the original plantation house and contrast it with the living conditions in the slave quarters. Some are free to attend and other will require tickets. Currently about a half a dozen plantations near Charleston are open to visitors. Magnolia Plantation is 3 miles up Highway 61 on the right. We're working around the clock to bring you the latest COVID-19 travel updates.This information is compiled from official sources. Fort Moultrie is a series of fortifications on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. All of the plantations are worth visiting but they each offer different attractions and each has a different focus. I've been to Magnolia and Middleton this spring. To learn more about the plantations around South Carolina, this website is a good resource on finding historical information on South Carolinas plantations. The main house (now destroyed) was a 3-storey brick house and was likely Georgian in style. Tour historic buildings or take a boat ride through the wetlands. The gardens here are special so take some time to wander around and appreciate them. It has stunning bridge-covered ponds and beautiful flowers. Youll want to spend at least half a day here, although you could easily spend a full day here. They are widely believed to be the oldest existing landscaped gardens in the United States. If its canceled due to poor weather, youll be offered a different date or a full refund, This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. McLeod Plantation was one of the original plantations on James Island dating back to the 17th century, and it played a role in the American Revolution, Civil War, and Reconstruction. During the Civil War the plantation was used as a headquarters for Confederates troops and then by Union troops. Then a second two-story frame house with a one-story front porch was built later. So many plantations also present information about African American history through the 19th and 20th centuries as well. McLeod also has an intact antebellum Georgian style plantation house on site, although it underwent significant changes and additions in the 20th century. HISTORIC GARDEN WALK. Wearing a face mask on public transport in Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is recommended. Slavery Information: Boone Hall offers daily live talks on both slavery and the Gullah culture. Then we were off to the Nature Trail on a tram with a guide. The guides are locals and highly knowledgeable! Which plantation you choose depends a lot on what you are looking for in a plantation experience. Do note that there are other plantations in and around Charleston. We did not visit the petting zoo but saw a few of the small ponies near the food court! Crowds: Moderate to Large. The Middleton Place Restaurant offers seasonal low country food in a sit-down setting; reservations recommended for dinner. It has appeared in TV series such as North and South, Days of Our Lives, the 1993 mini-series Queen (by Alex Haley) , and the 1994 Scarlett mini-series (sequel to Gone with the Wind). At certain times of the year, the plantation allows visitors to pick and purchase their own fruit from the fields. These may actually be better places to ask about this as the tours of the house specifically are generally longer and more focused on the house itself. To get the most value out of your ticket, we recommend doing all the included talks and tours (slavery, gardens, animals) and seeing all the exhibits (Elizas House, craftspeople). Boone Hall Plantation was founded in 1681 by John Boone and the Boone family lived here until 1811. 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. They can also learn about historical daily life and the role of slavery and cotton in South Carolina history. But it is a great place for anyone wanting to learn more about the African American experience and the local Gullah culture. It takes approximately 1h 57m to get from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, including transfers. Most Unique: The focus on African American history, Gullah culture, and land cultivation. The original main plantation house was built circa 1705. Charleston City Passes that include plantations? From downtown Charleston, travel south on Hwy 17, over the Ashley River, until you hit Hwy 61. The cheapest way to get from Hyatt Place Charleston - Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens costs only $2, and the quickest way takes just 21 mins. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. By 1850, slaves made up almost half of Louisiana's population. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 48614P1. Working plantation today? In our opinion, Drayton Hall has the most impressive plantation home of all the Charleston area plantations. We can highly recommend this company and our guide, Lisa. Originally the main cash crops were indigo and cotton, but later the plantation became one of the largest pecan producers in the world. Tel (843) 571-1266. The South lost the war, of course, and slavery was abolished by the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865. 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. Millie took us on our tour of the house. The bridges over the ponds here are also very picturesque and a popular place for engagement and wedding photos. Our tour guide was excellent as he entertained us on the way to the plantation with various facts and stories about the plantation and Charleston area. Cannot accommodate wheelchairs, but we can accommodate those with limited mobility if they can be assisted by a companion. The main historical outbuildings are the four slave cabins (built in 1850s) plus a fifth cabin built around 1900; these cabins were lived in until the 1990s. (built in 1850s), smokehouse (oldest building on site c. 1750), and stables (1930s). Since 2018, the plantation museum has opened a new visitor center, exhibition space, garden, and a cafe. The bus was comfortable and our guide, Lisa, was friendly and very knowledgeable. My hotel recommended this tour company and we were lucky to get a spot! Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. Watch on. Currently, it takes about 16 minutes to reach the plantation site from the Charleston Museum if you take Bus 31. 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. Address: 6617 Maybank Highway, Wadmalaw Island, SC, 29487 The main tour here is the Trolley Tour which is a 40 minute guided our of the plantation via a historical trolley. Boone Hall is one of the oldest continuously working farms in the country, and has been producing crops for over 300 years. 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. I recommend the tour. We have visited there and it was surprising to know that it took so long to have a plantation attraction that is more focused on the lives of the enslaved rather than the owners or the history of the plantation buildings. My parents just got back from a trip, and I think March is probably the perfect time. The second house completed in 1811 was burned by the Union troops in 1865 during the Civil War. After the Civil War, the land was also used for phosphate mining. It has stunning bridge-covered ponds and beautiful flowers. One thing that disappoints some visitors is the house tour. 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. It is sold as loose leaf tea, tea bags, and bottled. Within the community, you'll find 3 public schools, 25 miles of walking trails, a Roper St. Francis primary care center, a Publix shopping center, and restaurants. In Charleston, we recommend visiting the Old Slave Mart Museum which is a museum dedicated to sharing information about slavery. This original house was struck by lightning and burned down in 1810. We recommend choosing 2 or 3 of the following: McLeod Plantation Historic Site, Magnolia Plantation, Drayton Hall, and Middleton Place. The trolley tour takes you around the fields and you get to see how tea is grown, picked, processed, and brewed. See pictures and our review of Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. Yes, the driving distance between Charleston Historic District to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is 21 km. There is also an introduction to Gullah-Geechee culture. 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