Historic Plantations Tour: Experience Southern Heritage
4.9
9 Ratings
Charleston
Experience the rich heritage of the American South on a historic plantations tour. Visit 5 historical sites, including plantations and a family church, and learn about the core of real plantation life. Book now!
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • McLeod Plantation Historic Site - Charleston’s difficult history is recounted at McLeod, highlighting the harsh daily life on a pre-Civil War farm.
  • Drayton Hall - The oldest and only remaining plantation house in its original state on the Ashley River. While we won’t tour inside the house, we will stop for photos and a history lesson. The Drayton Family, who owned this property from its inception until recently, is truly fascinating.

Please note this is a driving tour, and we do not enter the admission areas of the grounds.

  • Magnolia Plantation & Gardens - Thomas Drayton and his wife Ann arrived from Barbados to the new English colony of Charles Towne and established Magnolia Plantation along the Ashley River in 1676. It is the oldest public tourist site in the Low Country and the oldest public garden in America. We will drive down Live Oak Alley and stop for photos in front of the house.

Please note this is a driving tour, and we do not enter the admission areas of the grounds.

  • Middleton Place - View the entrance vista of Middleton Place. We will shop at the open-air market and museum store.

Please note this is a driving tour, and we do not enter the admission areas of the grounds.

  • Old St. Andrew’s Parish Church - We visit the oldest church building (1708) still in service south of Virginia. We will stroll through the church graveyard and get a peek inside this 300-year-old structure. Learn how Reverend John Drayton Jr. saved the family’s cruciform church and curated the Ashley River gardens.
What's Included
  • Bottled water included
  • Complimentary snacks
  • Air-conditioned vehicles
  • All fees and taxes covered
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Don’t limit yourself to a single estate! Embrace the opportunity to explore 5 historical landmarks in one comprehensive tour, all while enjoying the comfort of our small-group (8 people or less) Mercedes Sprinter journey. Our itinerary includes visits to 4 estates and a family church, each steeped in over three centuries of heritage that form the cornerstone of the American southern history.

Our journey begins at the McLeod Estate, where we’ll partake in their educational tour, providing invaluable insight into authentic estate living. Following this, our journey continues along the picturesque Ashley River Road, offering fleeting yet scenic visits to the Drayton, Magnolia, and Middleton estates. Note that this is primarily a driving tour, so we will not be entering the ticketed areas of these sites. Our journey concludes with a visit to the historic Old Saint Andrews Church, dating back to 1706.

As a city-certified tour guide, I will take you on a revealing, historical journey beyond the city limits. Come and embark on this immersive journey back in time. Minimum group size is 4 people.

  • Please note that we do walk the grounds of these plantations and the Sprinter van is equipped with a double step.
Location
375 Meeting St
Meeting Street
Meet the black sprinter van at the Charleston Visitors Center, inside the bus shed. There is parking out in front of the Center, or a parking garage that adjoins the bus shed across Ann Street.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(9 Ratings)
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Karlin_b
Apr 16, 2024
Super Plantation Visits - Leann is a great tour guide. She gives great insights and a great education and background of the plantations. The plantations are beautiful. I would recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Linda_h
Jun 22, 2023
Our Plantation tour - Lee Ann was awesome. It was a great way to see all the Plantations and get some history without all the walking
Review provided by Viator
Dorothy_n
Jun 12, 2023
Fun time! - This was our first time in Charleston! Leanne showed us a wonderful time. Leanne is very knowledgeable and pointed our very interesting things along our trip. Was great to see 4 plantations
Review provided by Viator
Connie_f
Apr 3, 2023
Plantations tour - Excellent tour and Lee Ann our tour guide was very good. She was knowledgeable and fun. Lee Ann was also very accommodating to all by of B us on the tour dropping us off at a convenient location.
Review provided by Viator
Icecream199
Mar 16, 2023
Leanne was great - Leanne was a lot of fun and entertaining and took fantastic pictures and was very informative about the different plantations in the stories behind them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shannon
Mar 16, 2023
Great plantation tour - Lee Ann was a great guide. She was kind and loaded with knowledge. She provided snacks and water. Would highly recommend👍🏻
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Staceyg222
Nov 2, 2022
An overview of the Planation Homes - Leanne is extremely friendly, easy to talk with, and flexible. There were only 3 of us on the tour so we actually had a private tour with Leanne. She gave us options to what we wanted to see and hear in more detail or not. She was kind and thoughtful to bring us a snack bag and water during the tour. This tour gives you a glance of the 4 plantations. You do not go into each plantation home or gardens. I like the tour because it gave us an overview of the plantations, so when we return, we know now what individual plantation home we would go to directly and spend a few hours in the house and the grounds. Additionally, this tour is ideal for individuals that are not able to walk. Thank you Leanne.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brooke
Oct 7, 2022
Amazing glimpse of Charleston’s best attractions - Leanne was a fabulous guide! She was so knowledgeable and engaging during our tour. She even took the time to add an extra stop after one of the plantations was unexpectedly closed which was much appreciated. I most definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to get a glimpse into various attractions in Charleston! Thanks, Leanne!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Divya_a
Jul 23, 2023
Too little time yet informative!! - Learning the painful history of plantations and celebrating the ongoing efforts of changes in progressive modern day livings.
Review provided by Viator
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4 Adult
June 2024
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