Wonderful Last minute Add-On to Charleston Visit - We were visiting Charleston for the House & Garden tours and had our last day to enjoy other things before our night flight and thankfully my friend had seen this spot to check out. We truly enjoyed our drive to the area and the visit to the Tea Garden. We purchased trolley tour tickets in advance and arrive a bit early so we enjoyed the factory tour first--yes, this would be more interesting if it was harvest season May-Oct to actually see the machine process, but still very informative! Getting to enjoy hot or iced teas during our visit was a big plus! We all came home with tea purchases! The trolley tour was very interesting and John was friendly and informative. Would highly recommend this stop if you are in the area!

Enjoyable time at the Tea Plantation - We enjoyed the entire visit...the Trolley Tour, the tea tastings, the video and the opportunity to view all the machinery and the process of making tea. The gift shop is an added plus and our purchasing different teas as well as other products.

Tea Connoisseur - Our visit was 28 August 2023 during a family vacation for the week. I am a connoisseur tea drinker, especially for herbal tea varieties. We were a family of 6 women from 80s to 50s. It was nice to ride in the bus with seniors especially in heat. Some of the dust does kick up when it is dry out. We really enjoyed the tour and information provided. The staff were all so pleasant and the sample teas helped in our choices. Yes, we all left with some teas and other items. I am still cherishing the last box of mint tea and apple butter that I have. My two great-nieces enjoy their flower pens. I would recommend a trip to this location. If down with my traveling friends, I would bring them over as well.

America's only tea plantation - This was an awesome tour. While waiting for our tour, you wait in their gift shop, which is fantastic. Garanteed that you will purchase something, even if it is some tea. You can sample a few of their teas also while you wait for your tour to begin. It's a nice ride around the plantation with explanations of what you are seeing. There are some photo op opportunities as well. This is a must visit place while in the Charleson area and America's only tea plantation!

Unique and Fun - Trolley Tour and Charleston Tea Garden was worth every penny. Trolley driver, Sally, was a retired teacher that was very pleasant and a very effective communicator. Tour last about 45 minutes and provided plenty of education about cultivating tea. We purchased tickets for the tour in advance via the Web, but it was not busy - the trolley seated at least 30-40 people and there was only 8 on our tour on a Sunday in December.

Fun Day at the Tea Garden - I learned so much about tea and the trolley tour and factory tour were amazing. There were very few people there when we visited and we really were able to almost have a private tour. We saw the workers weeding in preparation for harvesting. I did not know that black, green, and oolong tea all come from the same tea plant--the difference is in the amount of oxidation they provide in the processing. They have all sorts of teas to try, both hot and cold, and of course, we bought some to take home. It was truly delicious (I bought the Carolina Mint Tea). There is a lot to do for free.

All you ever wanted to know about tea - I was looking for places to visit outside of the city and found this tea garden. The idea of a tram tour to view the plants, plus a factory tour and free tea to sample all sounded interesting. The site is located on an island and reached by driving a long, flat road. There is adequate shaded parking and rest rooms before entering the visitor center/gift shop. We bought tickets for the tram tour which lasts about 45 minutes. The driver narrates some of the tour while the other half is recorded. The ride is over dirt roads and can be bumpy. Before or after the tram tour be sure to do the factory tour which is recorded and explains the machinery used to turn all those tea leaves into tea.

Worthwhile experience - The trolley driver was great. He along with the taped voice information made the tour very educational and fun. I recommend visiting the tea plantation more than once.

Tea time - I loved this place! Learned so much about tea and its cultivation and production! The free hot and cold tea samples were delicious! The trolley tour operator John was smart, kind and friendly ! The green house was an eye opener! The gift shop had so much stuff! Would have given 5 stars except I would avoid the bathrooms unless absolutely necessary! They were not clean! They also suggested an earlier tour and to switch my tickets but then charged me $8 more which did not make any sense to me!

A Few Recommendations Before You Visit - First of all, we had a very good visit. However, there are a few things to be aware of before you visit. If you are NOT planning to take the trolley tour, it's probably not worth the trip. There is no live tour of the tea factory, merely a 15 minute video of the process, although you can see the machinery through the glass. Second, the trolley tour is great and the driver is VERY funny. It is also very informative. Definitively worth doing. Finally, while you can visit anytime, the BEST time is probably from May through September when they are harvesting tea, as you'll get to see the process in action. The gift store is nice and you can try most of the teas. Note also that a bonus along the way is the Angel Oak Tree, which is about 10 miles before you reach the tea garden.