We are Ryan and Monica Hoffmann, proud parents of special needs children. It took a long time to get here, but we have been to 33 US states in the past 4 years and we are just warming up.
Tourists are drawn to southern coastal cities for their healthful climate and not so healthful food (link). Also drawing us to this region is the deep, historical value, which undoubtably includes the former working Charleston plantations. These plantations were large agricultural properties dedicated to planting cash crops like indigo, cotton, and rice, or manufacturing a product, like bricks, while utilizing the labor of slaves. Many years later, what is left of these plantations are their historical grounds and their stories, which will be our criterion as we discuss the four best plantations in Charleston SC.
While all plantations used slave labor to run their operation, there was tremendous variety in their dynamics. Some plantations featured stunning gardens, while others operated like factories. A plantation could change owners several times over the course of its lifetime spanning two hundred years or more, and with ownership change a completely new direction in production could occur.
The best plantations in Charleston SC are important relics of what life was like in the early south. They are magnificent and they are harrowing, and paying one of them a visit is a quintessential component of any Charleston tour. We hope you enjoy reading about these significant societal cornerstones. And when you’re done, be sure to read our Complete Guide to Charleston for every tip we have to offer.
Many of the blurbs below have additional links (in blue) that connect to other articles we’ve written or helpful websites associated with the attraction.
The Middleton Place Plantation is considered the oldest landscaped garden in America, and has been welcoming visitors for over two centuries. Located on the Ashley River to the northwest of Charleston, Middleton Place is located beside two other famous plantations, Magnolia Plantation and Drayton Hall.
The botanical arrangements at Middleton Place are exquisite, surpassed by no other plantation. Spend hours walking along rows of azaleas, wandering between formal and informal gardens, beside river paths, and beneath rows of moss-strung oaks. We believe it is this component that makes Middleton Place the best plantation in Charleston SC.
The expanse of the backyard overlooking the river is awe striking: Twin butterfly lakes rest beneath a vast, tiered lawn; a setting fit for Royalty, adorned with fountains, statues, and the occasional alligator.
While at Middleton Place you can visit the home of the distinguished Middleton family, and learn about the African Americans, both enslaved and free, who sustained the agrarian plantation economy.
Rice threshing is discussed at length, as Middleton Place was known to produce the valuable product. As much as there is to see and experience, the unquestioned star of the show are the gardens. They are easily one of the best attractions on the South Carolina Coast (link), and the defining component of this incredible Charleston plantation.
Available Tours:
Beyond the Fields — Slavery at Middleton Place.
Meet the Breeds — Historic breeds of livestock.
Garden Overview — Significance of the gardens.
Nature Walk — Explore flora and fauna.
Cost to Enter: $29
Address: 4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414
Phone Number: (843) 556-6020
Hours: 9-5
Website: middletonplace.org
The Cypress Gardens has been a crowd-pleaser for generations, and further increased in popularity after the release of The Notebook in 2004. The central feature of the plantation is a self-guided rowboat tour through the black water swamp. It is a magical experience for couples or families, and by itself makes Cypress Gardens one of the best plantations in Charleston SC.
They call it a “swamp boat adventure,” which sounds highly unromantic. Rest assured, fans of The Notebook, it will be incredibly romantic (with moments of fear and uncertainty when you steer the boat into a cypress tree, wobble the boat while posing for a photo, or peer too deeply into the black water.
Our Best Advice: Be the first to arrive when the park opens and head straight to the boat tour in the back left corner. You cannot beat the pleasing combination of still water and solitude, a choice reward for being the first rowboat tour of the day.
Which used the confluence of two rivers to their advantage. In 1931 Cypress Gardens was opened to the public, and it was donated to the city of Charleston in 1963. In 1989, the park was hammered by Hurricane Hugo. Tragedy struck again in 2015 when the region flooded. The park reopened four years later in 2019 after which substantial improvements were made, and it is now one of the best plantations in Charleston SC.
Cypress Gardens has a splendid line-up of attractions. Firstly, there are miles of gorgeous hiking trails all throughout the swamp. There is a butterfly house, the largest in South Carolina. The “swamporium” is an aquarium/reptile zoo that houses all sorts of interesting species. Have you ever heard of a siren? It’s the stuff of nightmares — a long fish lizard with arms and hands.
Cost to Enter: $10
Address: 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Phone Number: (843) 553-0515
Hours: 9-5
Website: cypressgardens.berkeleycountysc.gov
If you love to travel, we have something we would like to give you. It is our professionally designed e-book and it is FREE of charge. We think it’s pretty great, and we’re hopeful you’ll like it, too. It’s called, “Cultivating a Lifetime of Travel”. Click HERE. and we’ll send it on over!
Magnolia’s claim to fame is they are “Charleston’s most visited plantation.” Its easy to see why.
Founded in 1676 by the Drayton family, Magnolia Plantation is the oldest public tourist site on the Carolina coast, and the oldest public gardens in America, having opened its doors to visitors in 1870.
Like Middleton Place, Magnolia Plantion has a large, multifarious property, the highlight of which is a sprawling garden setting along the river. They have a delightful zoo of peacocks, owls, deer for petting, and scores of other interesting critters.
Magnolia has been selected as one of “America’s Most Beautiful Gardens” (Travel + Leisure Magazine), and is the only garden honored with this distinction in the State of South Carolina.
Another claim Magnolia makes is to be “America’s last large-scale romantic-style garden.” Unlike most of America’s gardens, which are formal and seek to control nature, Magnolia cooperates with nature to create a tranquil, Eden-like landscape where humanity and nature are in harmony.
The gardens at Magnolia Plantation in Charleston are beautiful, and there is much to see and experience.
The Drayton Family House — The third home to grace the property.
Guided Romantic Garden Tour — Ahem, the “world renowned” romantic gardens. Walk along the paths laid out by the Reverend Drayton and his enslaved garden superintendent Adam Bennett in the 1840s.
Slavery to Freedom Tour — No visit to Magnolia can be complete without an understanding of the families who have lived here.
The Swamp Garden — A unique tour where trees grow from the water.
Nature Boat Tour — Boat along Magnolia’s old flooded ricefield on the Ashley River.
Nature Tram Tour — An action-packed tour of the plantation’s wetlands, lakes, forests, and marshes.
All tours are an additional $10 cost, except for the Slavery to Freedom Tour.
Cost to Enter: $29
Address: 3550 Ashley River Rd. Charleston, SC 29414
Phone Number: (843) 571-1266
Hours: 9-5
Website: www.magnoliaplantation.com
Related Article: The 20 Best Restaurants in Charleston.
The Boone Hall Plantation was founded in 1681 when Englishman Major John Boone came to Charleston and established a lucrative plantation and gracious home on the banks of Wampacheone Creek. The family and descendants of Major Boone were influential in the history of South Carolina, the colonies and the nation.
During its peak production-years the plantation’s cash crop was indigo (until the market went soft). At the time, the production of indigo was big business and took a discouraging amount of work to produce. At another time, the plantation focused on producing bricks. It is said that many of the bricks comprising downtown Charleston were manufactured at Boone Hall.
Boone Hall is the only one of the Charleston plantations to give a live presentation of the unique culture adapted by African slaves. Gullah, short for Angola, is the culture of the African slaves in Charleston. At Boone Hall you can learn about their crafts, language, and historical culture through storytelling, song, and dance. This was the highlight of our Boone Hall experience, and beside the Old Slave Mart Museum, we learned the most about slavery from Boone Hall’s presentation of Gullah culture.
While not as beautiful as the others mentioned, historically speaking, Boone Hall is one of the best plantations in Charleston SC. it is an actual working farm that can be toured on a tractor. The house tour is limited in breadth, yet interesting (its not the original house).
Cost to Enter: $28
Address: 1235 Long Point Rd. Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464
Phone Number: 843-884-4371
Hours: 9-5, Sunday 12-5
Website: boonehallplantation.com
Middleton Place was our favorite of the plantations in Charleston SC because of the superior beauty and variety. The Magnolia Plantation — with its many claims — was beautiful and strolled well, yet was less-than by comparison. If you’re going to see both, we recommend seeing Magnolia first, saving the best for last. That said, the Magnolia Plantation in Charleston is absolutely worth a visit.
We strongly recommend Cypress Gardens in addition to any other plantation tours, because Cypress Gardens is a different experience altogether (and the row boat tour is fantastic).
The plantations in Charleston do their diligence to portray slave life with honesty and respect. A slavery tour is an important component of the plantation. To obtain a fuller understanding of slavery in the south, be sure to visit the Old Slave Mart Museum in downtown Charleston.
If you are in Charleston, God bless you, there is so much incredible stuff to experience. To read about all of it, please enjoy our comprehensive guide, The 25 Best Things to Do in Charleston.
Some other things to consider:
The 20 Best Restaurants in Charleston
The 5 Best Beaches in Charleston
The Best Islands in South Carolina
And we strongly recommend learning your way around Charleston before you visit. Here is our Guide to the Streets and Parks of Historic Charleston.
Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!
7 Best Things to Do in Memphis Tennessee
Things to Do in Door County: Complete Guide
20 Best Things to do on Hawaii Big Island
Don’t Be Afraid to Buy an RV
20 Best Things to Do on the Oregon Coast
North Shore Minnesota: Sights & Stops
20 Incredible Things to Do in Wisconsin
Las Vegas With Kids?
10 Tips to Visit Big Bend National Park
25 Things to Do in Charleston SC
Learn our skills for traveling as a family. Get our free e-book PDF and jumpstart your family's journey.