Charleston Travel Guide

Plantations

Along the Ashley River are a series of magnificent plantations that can be visited, as well as north along the highway towards Georgetown, where the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation are the main attraction. A majestic oak avenue leads to the estate that has been the model for several films including and The original slave quarters and cotton gin house can be visited along with the classic mansion, all furnished and decorated to look as they would originally have looked when the house was built. Closest to Charleston along the Ashley River is Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation house in America, dating from 1742. The Georgian mansion is a National Historic Landmark and the only plantation house on the river to have survived the Civil War intact.

Middleton Place was largely destroyed during the Civil War, but the south wing has been restored and houses an impressive collection of silver, historic documents, furniture and paintings. The plantation's gardens are the o
Website: www.draytonhall.org
Telephone: Boone Hall Plan
Transportation: There is a daily shuttle service available from downtown Charleston to the three Ashley River Road plantations. Catch the once-daily pick-up at 8:45am, at the bus shed at the Charleston Visitors Center, 375 Meeting Street. Pick-ups for the return trip wil
Opening Time: Plantation opening times vary. Boone Hall is open Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6.30pm, Sunday 1pm to 5pm in summer, closing an hour earlier in winter. The others vary from between 9am and 4.30pm. Most are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Admission: Plantations have differing entrance fees, ranging from $14 to $18