Drayton Hall Reviews

I knew this plantation was much simpler than the others in the area, but loved it too. The architecture is amazing , and the grounds are beautiful. I got to see an alligator out basking in the sun.

This property is a few moles from charleston in a huge park.
The visit was particularly interesting, led by a highly educated and interesting speaker. The house is not furnished but contains beautiful wall decorations.

My sister and I visited the Hall last month. The grounds are lovely and provide a nice walk if you get lucky with the weather. Our tour guide was nice, the gift shop offers some unexpectedly nice finds. One thing that impressed me is they seem to be making an effort at recognizing the slave history and cemetery, making your tour not just about the family who owned the home, but the people who labored there too.

On our way out of Charleston, we stopped in time for a 2:30 pm tour and were so glad we did. It was very interesting to see an unfurnished home and learn about the 7 generations who lived in the home and those who were enslaved. We really enjoyed seeing a home of this time period not restored and just use our imagination. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to walk the grounds so will definitely return to do so. Betsy was an excellent docent.

WE toured here September 30, 2019. It was a great tour. Our tour guide was very educated on the history of this historical place. Be sure & take time to tour it. It is beautiful.

Each plantation is unique but this place is special. The large home reflects 18th to 20th century updates by the family but no electricity, plumbing, etc. was ever installed. It's rare to see the original family house of two levels plus a basement cooking area managed by enslaved people. The grounds are also lovely and extend out to the Ashley River. Best photo op of the house is across the Victorian-era reflecting pond. The ponds do carry an alligator advisory. We saw a small gator in the reflecting pond and were told mama gator was probably submerged there on a hot day. The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable about the extensive history associated with the home from Revolutionary through Civil War times. There are a few other original buildings plus a year-old visitor center with museum and gift shop. A cafe offers a limited menu. A final resting place of African-Americans is located near the entry kiosk.

Drayton Hall is hands down one of the top historic home tours in Charleston. We loved our experience with Morgan. She was extremely knowledgeable about the property and made the hour long tour enjoyable and informative.

Beautiful place so full of history. Make sure to stop and listen to the volunteers they were wonderful and tremendously knowledgeable

the location and garden are spectacular , we even saw a small gator warming up in the sun on the grass, we did not take the visit inside the mansion.

Interesting, and lovely grounds but be advised this home is being preserved in its original state - it doesn’t have the grandeur of Middleton, etc.

Peaceful and delightful. Well maintained and a complete opposite to the very close by Magnolia Plantation. Visit here and give Magnolia a miss.

Although there's a pricey admission fee, this plantation house is very interesting as it was not destroyed during the Civil War and the same family held onto it until the 1970s when it was put into the trust that runs the property today. The philosophy here is to stablize, but not restore the house so that you see how it really was during the times that people lived there with the painting that occurred later (in the 1930s), etc. There's also a lot of archeology work going on around the property to learn more about the people who lived there, including the enslave people. You can see the finger prints of the enslaved people who made the bricks and built the house and a post with pencil marks showing the heights of some of the owners (and one owner's dogs). It's little things like this that make the home "come alive" to me and make it really interesting. The visitor center has a movie and museum, nice gift shop, restrooms, and a small cafe (more just a concession stand). We had a very knowledgeable tour guide and really recommend making this a stop around Charleston.

The Tickets we bought through Trip Advisor did not have a time on them only a date, we assumed we could visit the Plantation anytime during normal business hours. When we arrived at the gate we were told sorry you missed your time slot, I showed the lady at the gate our tickets that did not have a time listed, she said no refunds I should have bought them from the Plantation website. She eventually let us walk the grounds but we were not allowed to enter the house. We left disappointed to say the least.

This was one of my best experiences. The tour guide was knowledgeable regarding the history. The house is basically untouched except for preservation and safety upkeep. The cemetery was not listed on tour map but yet it was advertised as one of the reasons to visit the house. I feel they should put a little more emphasis on telling about the cemetery and its location. To me, it was treated as an afterthought.

Not a commercial attraction. The house is PRESERVED but not restored. No furnishings but much original construction. The only intact plantation home. Excellent and informative guide

Our interpreter for the tour was excellent. She provided interesting information along the tour and was happy to take questions.
Book your tickets online. You save a few dollars and this will reserve the tour time you want.

Wonderful history and worth the see. The tour folks are excellent but need to move along the story faster given the heat.

Excellent example of architectural preservation, research, social history and community history.
2 1/2 hours is an appropriate amount of time on the site… don’t miss the orientation film, exhibit in the caretakers house & African American cemetery… very moving way to end the visit.

A couple of heads up. The price for adults is $32 a person. While descriptions accurately describe the property as a plantation the focal point of the visit is the house. You go back to Colonial America by exploring the house. An expert guide explained the design of the house both the exterior and the interior. There is much to drink in but be aware there is no furniture and the sense of the people who lived here is very mild. The house has no electricity or running water (the visitors center has both). The grounds are substantial and well groomed. This is an architectural experience.

The tour of Drayton Hall was interesting and informative. Our guide was personable and knowledgeable and shared many interesting details about the home and plantation which made the tour a memorable one.

What makes Drayton Hall different from other historic homes is that it is empty and is in the original state that it was in when the preservation foundation took it over. There are two archeologists working at the plantation site and many artifacts on display. The ongoing archeology work continues to shed light on life for the Drayton family and its many enslaved staff which means the tours guides receive new information on a regular basis to share with visitors.

The gift shop has a nicely curated selection of items related to the home and area. We spend about 3hrs there, including the 90 minute house tour. We enjoyed our time at Drayton Hall and highly recommend it as a must-do activity while visiting Charleston.

This is a must do for those interested in history, architecture etc. House is original, having survived the American Revolution and the Civil War--quite moving. Tour Guide Mary Jo? Mary Lou? was knowledgeable, interesting and lots of fun! It is empty and the impact of that is profound. It is preserved, not restored. To walk the same staircase as Cornwallis? Amazing! Take your time here, walk the African American cemetery near the entrance gates as well.

My fiancé and I visited Drayton Hall and fell in love with it! Our tour guide did a phenomenal job with explaining the history of the property and family. The view of the river behind the house is also pleasant and beautiful. The entrance and buildings added by the foundation are second to none. Excellent overall experience!

Very nice and informative! I really liked that they didn't shy away from the fact that slavery was a big part of the house's history. Also our tour guide Rosemary was PHENOMENAL. We loved her so much we got a picture with her!

This is the only original plantation house on the Ashley River that was not destroyed during the Civil War. Interesting tour through the house and worth the trip.

Dont pass this plantation by! As the only Plantation on the Ashley River to remain intact after the Civil War, this Plantation should not be missed. The rooms are bare, allowing you to appreciate the details of the architecture. A self guided audio tour gives a sense of Plantation life through the eyes of Charles Drayton. Be sure to walk the grounds after the tour. The privy and it's septic system of the day is a wonderment on its own.

Drayton Hall was wonderful. The grounds were beautiful and peaceful, the house is authentic, the tour guides were knowledgeable and eager to talk. There were a few benches along the river where tourists could sit. The history of the plantation after the Civil War and Emancipation was addressed. It was all very well done.

I think I also went here in June 2015, it is cool. The grounds are beautiful, so is the house on the outside and inside. Warning there is some walking, but it is so worth it! Also they have a rule, at least they did when I went, no flash photography. I would recommend Drayton Hall to be one of your a travel destinations!

The highlight of our tour was running into Earnestine (employee). She was warm, welcoming, and just a lovely person. We really enjoyed our conversation with her and appreciate that she took the time to visit with us. She’s a wonderful ambassador for Drayton Hall and the best part of our day.

I was disappointed that this is a preserved not restored mansion and several areas are off limits or have reserved tours on certain days. The upstairs and cellar area were not available when I visited on Thursday. Architecture is beautiful and was interesting to see the children's growth chart preserved. There are no furnishings or decor. Docent was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

When you first drive up to the home, it shows that there was vast property and a large home, there was even a alligator by the pond basking in the sun. The front of the house is not as beautiful as the rear of the home facing Ashley River. We got to see the cellar are and the first floor however, they were renovating the double staircase and the bedrooms, so that was a little disappointing. If you had lived there, the view of Ashley river would just be amazing to look at.

I would highly recommend going and doing the tour if you want to learn more about the history of plantation’s. Highly recommend the guided tour.

I love taking family and friends To Drayton Hall. I love the history and changes to the tour as the archeologists discover new information.
Loved the video and archalogical museum. The views were amazing, the information was great, but the tour guide lacked enthusiasm this last visit.

Highly recommend visiting! I would have given it a 5 star based on the grounds itself. The reason I did not was although our tour guide was very knowledgeable she was not the friendliest and very strict/rigid. We were all adults and no one acted improperly or was distracting and yet some of the tourists got scolded and hurried along a few times. Besides the cranky tour guide, I would definitely recommend and go again just because I found it so very interesting!

Visited on a Saturday at 2pm, not very busy which made the experience extra enjoyable. Tickets were $22/adult and covered everything offered on the grounds (we purchased at the booth entering the property). There isn't an organized tour but even better, a curator was giving basically individual tours of the house and answering all questions in detail. Keep in mind, this isn't a lavish garden or restored home but focus on the architecture and preservation of the home. There was also a nice guide to use throughout the property.

We chose this house to visit solely based on the grandness of the design and its stately presence in the landscape. Come to find out this is the home from a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The visitors center is top notch and the staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The house is in a beautiful state of non-restoration. I love the state of the paint so we can see the wood behind. I get what they are doing, but I think the home would be better served being repaired...short of complete restoration. I just don’t see the benefit of not completing some of the plaster elements etc.

The history and the house are well with a visit...I just have gotten more from the many other historic houses I’ve visited over the years, so that is why the 4 stars. Don’t pass it up though.

The video of introduction was helpful, seeing the home and simplicity of the grounds made for a special, non commercialized visit of Drayton Hall. The diaries of everyday life on this plantation of several thousand acres was insightful of the agriculture, the life of the slaves and slave owners which today is more sensitive in its portrayal. Thank you for presenting the history without apology yet covering aspects of plantation life as it was.

Definitely disappointed and not worth the money. You can see most of the first two floors - empty rooms. The guide didn't even have much definitive history - she kept saying "We assume...' Save your money and go to Boone Hall or the Magnolia Plantation. Waste of money!

Went to a wedding on the property. It was lovely. The food was catered. Did a tour of the homestead. Interesting as the oldest plantation in the US. Shop on the premises. Lovely place to walk along the river. Non-Profit.

Simply amazing and truly beautiful! Our tour guide, Thomas R., was exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly. The tour group was small, creating a more intimate, "behind-the-scenes" experience. Drayton Hall is a must-see for anyone interested in American history, from before the Revolution through today.

What a wonderful estate that is being carefully restored. There’s not tons of walking and also a film to help with information.

Our guide was knowledgeable and provided a very good experience as we toured the house. We especially enjoyed the fact that the house remained very close to the way it was nearly 300 years ago. Fascinating to stand in rooms where discussions had taken place regarding intent to support the crown or work toward forming a new country.

Nice self guided tour of the grounds surrounding the house.

Our guide was fantastic. He was extremely knowledgeable & was able to answer all of our questions. You will get so much more out of your visit by using a guide!

We drove out HWY 61 by ourselves to visit here and were not disappointed. The admission was $32 per person with a $1 AAA discount. I had done a fair amount of reading about Drayton Hall before we left home. You could spend hours walking around the grounds but on the day we visited it was quite cold. The docent who gave our tour was extremely bright and knowledgeable. The staff is very dedicated to the preservation of this plantation estate. It was the British Headquarter during the siege of Charleston in 1780.

Beautiful grounds, preserved property (not restored), self guided tour, knowledgeable volunteer (he was a graduate student studying history). Recommend.

Drayton Hall is the best of the plantation sites in Charleston! Great self guided audio tour with staff on site to answer questions. The home is preserved in its original state from the 1700’s. Other sites in the area are later buildings after originals were destroyed. Beautiful grounds and great stops along the way. Moving African-American cemetery was a moving way to finish the visit.

Our guide, Morgan, did a great job explaining the history of Drayton Hall as well as the procedure of preservation as opposed to restoration. Grounds were beautiful to walk around. We took our time with the self-guided landscape tour. The audio assistance via QR code was very good.

We were travelling from Calgary Canada and read reviews and was looking forward to Drayton Hall. It was ok, the tour guide was fantastic, informative but the tour was lacking a bit. There is no furniture inside you only tour the shell of the house and learn what they suspect was in there. It was a bit pricy for what you get and not as much information as you would hope. We did 5 plantation tours during our 3 days and Drayton was the least of the 5 for the price. I do however appreciate the facility (shop and education center they built) and I really love that the Drayton family still gets together for Thanksgiving on the back yard-simply wonderful.

The tour was excellent. I learned about the paradox of the very wealthy and the life of the slaves. I was glad to see a mansion that was built before the Civil War.

This was an interesting tour. The 300 or so acres on which it sits were never a plantation, although the Drayton’s owned significant property elsewhere. The structure gives you a good lesson in Georgian and Palladian architecture. There are no furnishings in the house, also no water or electricity. You can see a lot of the original decoration as well as the Victorian era changes. The guide was knowledgeable. It is an example of the great wealth of the city in the pre-Civil War era when slave labor made a lavish life style possible.

This plantation tour is from the preservation perspective. There is a video to watch, I recommend doing this before the tour. There is an museum exhibit that I wish we had explored. I believe that would present the human aspect of the plantation. The audio tour of the grounds continues the preservation theme and is lacking in explaining the stops on the tour.

Save your money. Drayton Hall is an empty plantation main house, devoid of any furnishings. A visitors Center has been constructed with material culture from the 18th century. Our Docent could have been better and needed to know the history of the house or Charleston. Go to Middleton Place for a nice lunch, walk the grounds, and see remnants of the original plantation. Go to McLeod Plantation for a real visit to a plantation with well trained Docents. Visit the African American Museum in Charleston.

First of all, if you are members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the admission is free! Also, the audio tour of the grounds and the plantation is well paced and very informative. Because the objective here is to preserve the house as it was when the National Trust purchased it, the tour shows off both how the plantation house functioned at its height, as well as how it was changed as it passed through generation after generation.

We took the guided tour through the house. The guide is an archeologist. The details she shared about the house and the Drayton family were interesting and fun. We learned a lot about SC life. Well worth the the time to visit

An interesting preservation project. well done. A member of the Hall family lived in the home until recently. The Air Force has re-routed it's flight pattern to avoid flying over the structure. This action keeps the jet fuel vapors from settling on the roof and surrounding area.

As a museum professional, I often find it difficult to be "wowed" by a museum. Drayton Hall blew me away with its cutting edge interpretation, incredible service provided by staff, a wonderful tour of the historic house, and a beautiful facility. I commend them for their bold, assertive take on a historic planation. I'll be back!

We paid full price (plus extra for a guided tour) only to find that the upstairs was closed. We didn’t learn much about plantation life, and spent $70 to spend maybe 2 hours total on the property. My biggest disappointment is the lack of education or honoring of the plantation’s slaves. They are just now starting to excavate where the slave settlement was and they spent minimal time really talking about the life of the enslaved.

The tour was great, very interesting and informative!! We had been to Boone on an earlier visit and enjoyed this one so much more! Definitely recommend this if you visit Charleston.

We were uncertain about seeing a plantation that was not restored, but learned why preserved is just as important as restored. The house remained in the same family until 1974 which is a feat unto itself. It was so interesting to see the different architectural details used here and learn how the wealthy lived before plumbing and electricity. The tour did a good job explaining how and when the house was used by both the owners and the enslaved. A very interesting history and the family growth chart left behind made it real and personal.

Audio tour which enabled me to go at my pace. Lots of information, beautiful landscape and interesting information about life on a plantation

Interesting guided tour through this historic building. Interior has not been restored but left in original condition. This is not a plantation tour.

Drayton Hall is wonderfully frozen in time and preserved. The craftsmanship is incredible. The importance and influence as a work of architecture in America is undeniable. The new visitor centre and facilities are excellent.

The small museum was interesting for its furniture contents as well as their descriptions. The latter were notable as someone had invested considerable time to research their specifics. Well done!

The research time invested for the furniture descriptions was clearly NOT done for the Delft tiles on display. Their descriptions referenced the origins as Holland. A cursory inspection shows the obvious details specific to Asians [clothing, hair style, building construction details, etc.]. In addition, there is NO mention of the early Jesuits missionaries in mainland China who were notorious for stealing "trade secrets" to enable the Roman Catholic countries of Italy, Spain and Holland [the latter under Spanish rule at that time] to begin manufacturing copycat items.

What I found interesting was the mention of Jingdezheng [China] origins for some the porcelain dishes but not for the "Delft tiles." No one apparently considered if the displayed porcelain plate originated in China, why would the tiles not come from the same source?

As a point of information, these "Delft tiles" were made in Jingdezheng, one of the four imperial Chinese porcelain manufacturing sites, not Holland.

I suggest giving the "Delft tiles" researcher a fresh pair of eyeglasses.

Drayton Hall is interesting to see and the house is beautiful. We wanted to see a house that was preserved--not fixed up to look like it might have looked in it's pre-civil war era. That's why we chose to tour Drayton Hall instead of some of the other plantation homes.
We were not expecting a completely bare house. There's nothing on the walls and no furniture. The house has been preserved from the time the Drayton's sold it in the 70's--not from the 1800's. It is still in wonderful condition and beautiful--but there is not a lot to see. The details in architecture and mahogany double stairs are the highlights of the house. The grounds are beautiful and it was fun to imagine all the lawn parties and visits from neighbors--and life on the river.
Our tour guide was very sweet, but she talked to us like she was a grade school teacher talking to first grade kids. We would have liked more information and more stories about Drayton Hall--and less chit-chat. More facts about what the estate was like in it's heyday--not comparisons to the TV show Victoria.

Wonderful visitors center and museum. Staff were friendly and very helpful. We didn’t realize the archeological work being done.
This is a preserved house, not a restored house, so we weren’t able to see what it looked like in the 1700s.

I've visited several plantations in Charleston and found Drayton Hall to be the best of all that I've seen. The museum and gift shop are beautiful and the slave talk I found very interesting. The house is a preserved house which is always my favorite versus a restored one. Our guide was extremely informative and the grounds to the property are beautiful!

Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and handled telling the history of a turbulent time with grace and knowledge! All questions were answered, and he went above and beyond to educate us about Drayton Hall and all those who lived and worked there!

Drayton Hall is not preserved. It is left as the family wanted it to be. Authentic. You are amazed at how long the home has been standing!

Ms Betsy was an excellent guide with a wealth of knowledge not just about Drayton Hall but history in general. The home and grounds are beautiful . It was a great experience.

Went today for the guided tour. The guide talked way too much and there wasnt enough time to really get a good look at the house. They won’t let you explore it on your own. The whole group has to stay together in the same room, standing on the carpet, not the hardwood. The grounds are well kept and the scenery is beautiful by the river though.

This plantation is being preserved and not restored, which is what we really liked about it. The tour was wonderful! Be sure to walk around the beautiful grounds and enjoy the displays in the new museum.

We loved Drayton Hall! It is a fine piece of history that has been preserved rather than restored. I actually prefer this. Restorations and replicas are beautiful, but they are not authentic. Drayton has been kept in its original state, so there are no modern amenities like air conditioning, electricity, running water, or elevators. It can be hot during the tour since there is no air conditioning, but again, it’s authentic. Our guide was knowledgeable about the history of the house and family. Overall, it’s exactly what I wanted to see- a real plantation home that is as close to original as possible.

Chose to visit this plantation because it is an original building from before the Civil War. It was disappointing that there were no furnishings but understandable based on how they want to keep it. The guide was very knowledgeable and quite entertaining.

Very tranquil location off of the main road...the visitor center and the gift shop are clean and staffed and helpful in understanding what this plantation was /is all about....the grounds are maintained nicely; the actual home stands majestically unadorned by modern sidewalks or gaudy landscaping...inside, you will not find any furnishings; you will not find the walls updated; things just are as was...our guide, while a bit anxious, was very knowledgable and polite..No question seemed to stump him; and at the end, we were thrilled to see Luke and Nicole, doing anthropological excavation..there also was a chance to walk the grounds by ones self , and hear great audio by the curator..... Overall, we really enjoyed this plantation much more than our time earlier that day, at Middleton Place.

The plantation was preserved rather than restored which gives you authentic view of the past. The tour guide was quite knowledgeable as she was also working on the archeological team. Provided history of slavery, economy, and social status issues. Highly recommend. It’s about 25 minute drive out of Charleston

The tour guide was very knowledgeable but honestly I found the whole thing boring and a waste of time. There was another group in front of us so we spent time waiting for them to move on so we could too. With all the things to do in Charleston, this one would not be on my list.

This was the only plantation that we visited in the area and it didn't disappoint. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. We took many pictures and even used one for a Christmas card. The house is preserved not restored but we enjoyed our tour and the guide was informative. I recommend giving it a try.

Major suggestion. Take the guided tour. It is well worth the additional $10. Also, since there isn’t any air conditioning, I highly recommend an early tour. The people here are EXTREMELY knowledgeable. The place is a Time Machine. There’s a difference between restoration and preservation. This place has been preserved. It looks like it did when real people lived here, and they did within my lifetime.

This was our only plantation visit during a trip through the southeast, and we chose well. History is very much alive at Drayton Hall, and it was clear that our docent was sharing only a fraction of all she knows. Hearing some other docents talking later about how to present new information only confirmed my respect for their approach.

If you are looking for a decked-out plantation, this is not for you. However, if you want a plantation preserved for its architecture, this is the place for you. The self-guided walking tour was very informative. If you have any questions, there are docents that can answer your questions. I would highly recommend this tour.

I had read about this place for many years, and finally arrived! It is the one antebellum plantation in Charleston area that survived intact (and not a reproduction) The National Trust for Historic Preservation manages the property and is building a visitor center etc, which should be very nice. The tour and guide gave a great history on the property. Walking to the river was very nice, and the reflection pond is a great spot for pictures. Wonderful home and history!

Drayton Hall is the oldest preserved plantation house in America where the public can come to view its architecture and beautiful location. Having recently climbed its steps to enter through the front door and then view the Ashley River through its back portico, I can attest to the fact that visiting Drayton Hall gives you the sense of what it was like to call this home in the 1700’s. Yet, it was our tour guide, Susan F., who brought this structure to life by delivering in a poised, pleasant, and clear manner its history from Revolutionary times to current day. As we toured the home, attention was brought to examples of its Palladian style, the lives of its owners and enslaved peoples, its move from a productive rice plantation to phosphate mining, and its progression from a personal residence to museum. Our docent Susan remained engaged and connected to our group throughout our tour by continuously encouraging thoughtful conversation and comments. So much to be learned at Drayton Hall. Highly recommend.

Plenty of room to run and play, but other than that, only the most intelligent of children will benefit. I am interested in this history and have a lot of background information, and so, it was worth my time.

We did not have young teens with us, just over 40 about 4 of us. Not worth 26, go to Middleton and Magnilia or go downtown for finished restored homes with period furniture and more

This is a really splendid place to visit for people who like authentic historic places. The House is original and still stand s from the 18th century- a rarity in the Charleston plantation sites. The guide,Brandon,was really good and gave great info= you could tell he had passion for his work. The grounds were splendid. Very picture friendly views. The new museum with relics was excellent. The grounds were clean, staff was super friendly. I enjoyed walking the trails and seeing the store remains= not many people take the time to go deep in the woods and explore. The old cemetery was nice. The house is outstanding. what a beauty= the tour takes you to the 2 floors and the basement- I highly recommend for history buffs===I have explored/toured buildings all over the world and Drayton Hall did not disappoint, it was fantastic!

You can get a Lyft or Uber from the airport, leave your suitcase at the spiffy new visitors' center, and have a nice afternoon before going the rest of the way into Charleston. The site is large and the house tour is interesting. This is the only plantation with most of its original house, and the docent tour is the right length and informative. A cafe, welcome video and some artifacts round out the tour. Leave by 3 to avoid heavy traffic into Charleston

We visited Drayton Hall on a cold January day. Our tour guide, Mary Jo,was fantastic. She did a great job of pointing out things my kids would be interested in. I was definitely concerned how my little ones would be on the tour. My 4 year old made it through about 35 minutes which was great. My 11, 9 and 6 year old enjoyed the tour. I would have loved to walk around the grounds more but being the house has no electricity, we were pretty frozen by the end of the tour. The house is empty of furnishings but the small museum has some interesting things. We actually went to Middleton first but we were put off by the price for a family of 6 so we went to Drayton and were pleasantly surprised.

Great and knowledgeable staff. This mansion has been restored to its original condition. Very nice tour of home and grounds.

If I could have caught more than a few words of each sentence delivered at machine gun pace I may have found this more enjoyable. But, I am not a lip reader. So much of this tour was an incomprehensible jumble of droning on and on that didn't reach my brain even though my hearing is perfect. I did get the message about the "enslaved," a word mentioned so many times I could not miss it. I think I know who the homeowner was, but am still not sure about the rest of the family or much else. So sad that the transfer to the National Trust (or some similar organization) included a ban on doing more than preserving the structure. There are no furnishings and it is all pretty bland and subject to a good imagination about how these people lived.

A little drive out from Charleston but easy enough to find. You have to join a tour. There's a video you can watch before the tour and some artefacts and furniture to look at as the rooms in the house itself are unfurnished. The house not as large as I expected it to be. Very interesting tour.

We had a great tour of this beautiful unrestored plantation home today. Cody was an excellent, very knowledgeable tour guide. He gave a lot of background and history and had some great stories. This is completely unfurnished so you get to see the actual size of the rooms. I would go back.

We made the 2.5 hour drive from North Myrtle Beach to Drayton Hall last Thursday. (We visited the plantation prior to our walking tour of Charleston the same day).
The young lady at the admission booth was very nice. The cost to enter the property was 26.00 for each of us four adults. (We arrived at 10:15 am and missed the guided tours so we were instructed to download the app on the property so that we could get our own prerecorded guided tour).
We proceeded to the gift shop to download our app before visiting the newly built visitors center for a short video. After the video, we were on our own to walk the beautiful grounds and tour the house.
Historical places such as Drayton Hall always leave you bewildered as to the shear history. The home itself is void of any furnishings but you still get the gist of the days gone by.
The various staff that are on property are helpful answering any questions you may have.
This property is not as busy as places such as Boone Hall, etc so it was nice to visit without the heavy tourist traffic.
I would highly recommend a visit to Drayton Hall.

This tour was perfect for vintage home owners. The architecture was remarkable. The original woodwork was amazing. If you are a woodworker or live in a colonial home, don't miss this tour. 45" wide paneling!!! Doesn't get any better. See the internal back staircase.

Beautiful grounds, but wifi not working on property so could not listen to tour. Had two tour guides in the house if you had questions, but not the same as listening to a tour while visiting the house. Brought lunch, ate in picnic area. Lovely Peaceful Day

With 3 plantains in a row to visit, based on other reviews, I choose Drayton for its preserved as found condition. It's not filled with fake history, its an empty beauty and its architecture and history are fascinating. The dual staircase is a true work of art and it not accessible currently as they work to preserve its integrity, so it was disappoint not to see the upper level, but understandable. The views from the home and the property are bucolic, as are the ancient oaks, one or two older than the plantation itself.

Very nice to tour a place that is just preserved and not restored. Beautiful home on gorgeous property. The tour is about 45 minutes. There is also a cute little gift shop on site. Entry is $35.

Don’t take an Uber there. You’ll never get one to pick you up. We would have been stranded except for the kindness of the last visitor there. The staff said it was against policy to give us a lift

Drayton Hall is a beautifully preserved plantation house in Charleston, South Carolina.The house is void of furniture and art but has the most beautiful woodwork, crown molding, and hand carved plaster ceilings. The is no air conditioning inside this home but the house was comfortable on the August morning of my visit because of the door and windows being open . The house grounds lead to the Ashley River with a park bench and spanish moss draped trees for a lovely restful spot . The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the Drayton family history and the architectual features of the house. A gift shop and museum were there also. Rather sad to see the branding irons used on the slaves displayed there. This is a beautiful home and a very nice tour. Do take lots of photos inside and outside the home it is stunning there !

It is really interesting to visit the various plantations in the area and compare and contrast. Drayton Hall does not have some of the wildlife tours and children's activities that Boone Hall and Magnolia have, but Drayton Hall certainly has a rich history. Somehow it feels more authentic than the others. Drayton Hall focuses on "preservation" rather than "restoration".

The history of the property is amazing, with English armies using it as a major headquarters during the Revolution, then with slavery, and also during the Civil War. Our tour guide didn't shy away from the slavery issue at all, unlike at Magnolia.

Careful walking the property, as we came across several small alligators, to the delight of our kids.

We visited Drayton Hall Plantation and did the tour where we could listen on our phones and go at our own pace. Our visit was on the first day of our stay in Charleston and it was the perfect way to start our vacation! This is a beautiul home and the grounds are amazing. If you are a history lover (like me) you will love touring this place! The staff made us feel as though we were the most important people to ever visit from the moment we arrived which made it even more special. We absolutely loved Drayton Hall and were able to get some amazing pictures for our memories.

Excellent. Was told this was the most historical. Would definitely recommend to any interested in the longevity of the family who owned it

Great place to see an original plantation still owned by family. Make sure to see the slave quarters. Petting zoo. Beautiful gardens., Lots of history.

Self tour at your own pace with people around to answer any questions. Unlike most home tours they have not furnished to the time, you can use your imagination instead. I enjoy the tour which does not just talk about the plantation owners but also the people they enslaved.

Oldest preserved plantation house open to the public. Originally built in the 1730s. The only Ashley River Plantation that survived the Civil War. Definitely worth a visit. Not restored but preserved. No furnishings but left untouched from the 1860s. Somewhat of a ghostly or haunted feel to the place thinking about the atrocities that went on here. Good audio tour of the house and grounds. Some noisy construction project with loud hammering going on in the lower level during our visit was incredibly distracting. Hopefully this isn’t going on for too long. Purchased the Charleston Heritage Passport that provides admission here as well as 10 historic houses and museums in Charleston. Cost about $70/person and well worth it.

While architecture fans will enjoy this rare, early example of a Palladian-inspired villa, the important story told here is how and why the owner was able to afford it. Displays and videos at the new visitor center show the extent of the original land holdings, and visitors can readily surmise just how much backbreaking labor was required to maintain this expansive operation. Combine this visit with one to the Slave Museum in Charleston to gain a deeper understanding of what built this nation of ours.

We had a very nice visit here in a earlier morning visit. (To avoid all the people) We saw quite a lot, as well as learned a lot as well. Some grim reminders of the past, in the slave exchange capital, as well as some graffic reminders, but a very interesting tour/ visit. I suggest going as early as possible in the day, and watch for gators!

Please think twice about visiting Drayton Hall. If you are not aware or do not care the edifice was built by enslaved people under back breaking conditions. The CEO of Drayton Hall claims to have a PhD, but it is nowhere to be found. The Director of Preservation claims the enslaved slept in a dank, damp basement that had an underground spring on one side. A new Visitors Center has been constructed with material culture from the Drayton's period of occupancy, but the house itself is empty. Do yourself and your wallet a favor and visit Middleton Place, with its lovely gardens and partially remaining historic buildings, and have a nice lunch at the restaurant. Go to McLeod Plantation to visit a real enslaved plantation with top-notch Docents. Also, visit the new Charleston African American Museum.

We learned a lot about this home on the tour. What I didn't realize going in was that aalthough this place was built in 1740, it had been vacant and virtually abandoned since 1840. Not only does it have Civil War history, it has Revolutionary War History. We took the interpreter- Guided tour. The visitor's center and museum are very new and I feel like the museum should be gone through first before seeing the house itself. Not glamorous like other plantation homes, still it is a most interesting visit.

The lady at the gate just turned us off... Not sweet. Go to Magnolia Plantation instead. We enjoyed it and then hit wine tasting.

Legend has it that the Union army didn't burn down this magnificent house because it was rumored to be a smallpox hospital. Whatever the reason, it's a breathtaking example of Palladian architecture, and the tours are excellent. If you only have time to visit one Charleston plantation, make it this one.

I enjoyed the House tour and getting the chance to see the all the original details of it. I also enjoyed the building where all the furniture and other Drayton Hall items are located. There are so many things to read about in this room as well. This is such a historic home with so many things to learn and discover. A big thanks to Amanda, our guide. She was so friendly, informative, and passionate about her job!

My husband and I love antiques! We expected to see a house full of antiques! Instead the house was empty! It was an exceptional tour! We learned so much about the way the house had been built, who built it, archetectual features were beautiful! Really learned a lot!

Interesting piece of history, however $32 for a 45 minute tour of an unrestored mansion is ridiculous!

This is a more raw experience than a furnished hacienda with all the frills. This is a great example of preservation vs restoration. The walls can better tell the stories of all, not just the patrons.

There was more to the experience than I expected and it was well worth the drive to Mt. Pleasant from Charleston. The talks were informative and well done. The staff on the property were eager to share their knowledge of the history of Boone Hall and the plantation, but also of the broader culture and history of the region.

What a cool experience it was to visit Drayton Hall. We learned a lot about the Drayton family, the plantation operations and the history of the land and the surrounding area. The guide was very knowledgeable. I wanted to see a plantation, but did not want the kind of "Gone With the Wind" experience that I felt I would have at other nearby plantations like Magnolia and Boone Hall. I did not want to celebrate a culture that allowed the suffering of the enslaved people who made the plantation system possible. I felt the Drayton Hall tour met my needs in that regard. The house is preserved but not restored. There is no furniture in the house, but there are artifacts from the house in a small museum on the property. There was an audio tour of the property that was very interesting and informative. Just make sure to bring the mosquito spray! I highly recommend this tour.

first experience in an unrestored building. guide was excellent and certainly was knowledgeable and interesting. had a wonderful experience in spite of rainy weather

This was our favorite stop in Charleston this trip! The tour guide was awesome-forgot to write her name down though. The house has been kept in a frozen time capsule. We enjoyed strolling down to the Ashley river and checking out the reflection pond in front of the home. Totally worth you time and money to check this place out !

I learned quite a bit about the family and the economics behind their fortune. The house was interesting to lean about as well. Nice gift shop and the grounds are pleasant.

Hubby and I visited this place @ 20 years ago. . . .our recollection was that we couldn't go in and were able to peek at the plantation house from the porticos. As we returned to Charleston we hoped to see if anything had changed. It was amazing. . .So much has changed. . .while so much has stayed the same. This time we were able to see parts of the house and walk the grounds. If you want to see an actual plantation house while in Charleston this is the place to go.

The oldest surviving plantation in America. Lots to see and do here as well as a great learning experience. Be prepared to walk and for lots of stairs but it’s worth the effort. Lovely garden and pond. Don’t pass this up on your way to Magnolia!

A very interesting tour with a very knowledgeable guide. Visitor’s Center informative- staff friendly and helpful. Short film is worth watching.

Our guide was very knowledgeable. My only issue was that there were various points of interest on the grounds that were marked with a number. But, we weren’t given a map or anything that explained the significance of that spot. Very much steeped in history, but much more attention was directed at the architecture, rather than the cultural significance. Enjoyable, but just seemed to be thrown together. Overpriced for what it was.

Our guide was very knowledgeable. Gave us insight into Colonial America. We did leave wondering why Drayton Hall was spared destruction by the advancing Federal forces during the end of the Civil War

Amazing house that is well preserved. There are no furnishings or electricity so you get to experience what life must have been like in it's prime. The grounds were well kept as well. The tour guide did a wonderful job of detailing the history as they know it.

Over the years, I've toured at least half a dozen historic plantations, if not more, all in a restored state depicting life during the pre- Civil War era. This was probably my favorite. Rather than restore the building to its previous grandeur, the owners have elected the Historic Preservation approach. There was quite a bit of preservation-related construction going on at the time, but the excellent audio tour and exhibits told the story of the house, its owners, and the people who lived and toiled there in minute detail, and it was so well worth it. Highly recommended!

Loved our guide. She was very friendly and pleasant and full of interesting facts and was able to answer any questions we had. Loved it!

I did not find the exhibits here that engrossing. My family members did not as well. There are very few moments and exihibits that honored the slaves that made this plantation.

Unique history and approach to visiting this location. We appreciated the preserve it plan and work done at this Planation. Plenty of information and history here.

Fascinating! Go in the winter/early spring months as I understand the summer is very uncomfortable. The facilities were wonderful, beautifully kept grounds and friendly staff. Our guide was excellent. One of the best I have ever encountered, and I have been on many tours both here in the states, Canada and Europe.

We were very disappointed in this Plantation. There was not much to see, a few rooms of an empty Plantation house. The audio tour of the outside was confusing and disappointing. There was basically nothing to see and we gave up a quarter of the way through. If you want to see a beautiful working Plantation, go to Boone Hall Plantation.

The grounds (with self-guided tour) are beautiful and the visitor center was interesting. Our only complaint was with the house tour. The guidebooks and websites said the house tour was 45-50 minutes and the Drayton Hall website says it's one hour. However, the tour we were on lasted 90 minutes. That was too long for many on the tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and enjoyed sharing lots of details (and maybe hearing his own voice) but many in the group weren't looking for that level of detail. He didn't "read the room" very well. We also spent 20 minutes near the visitor center listening to background before going to the archeological site, then the house. This was helpful context, if a bit more than was needed, but there should be chairs for some people to sit.

House is interesting to interior designers, architects and historians.
The garden is quickly seen. There was a hiccup at the gate. The receipt for tickets is not the ticket! wait for the second email and open the tickets. Luckily the second email was on our mobile or we would have been denied entry even with the receipt.

I want to give you some practical information about Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place. They are all next to each other on Ashley River Rd., but they are a few miles apart, definitely not walkable.
The closest, reasonable hotels are by Charleston Airport, about a 15 minute drive.
Allow a full day each for Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place and 1/2 day for Drayton Hall. They all offer a different experience and recommending one depends on what you'r interests are.
If you like old houses Drayton Hall has never been updated with electricity or plumbing and the woodwork is genuinely distressed from sheer age. It gives you the "going back in time" feeling.
If your interest lies more in plants and wildlife you'd probably like Magnolia Plantation. Their Nature tram ride and Nature boat ride take you through the swamp and you see alligators aplenty as well as a lot of bird life. They also have a Swamp Garden self-guided walk, a garden center (with some gorgeous, pricey plants) and a little zoo.
If you are most interested in history and plantation life back in the day, Middleton Place would be the best. They have great tours of the house, the slave experience and a stable yard with demonstrations of old trades needed on a plantation.
Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place have places to eat and all of them have very clean restrooms.
All of these places offer more to do than what I've mentioned and although a bit pricey they offer a lot of bang for your buck.

This is a must do for those interested in history, architecture etc. House is original, having survived the American Revolution and the Civil War--quite moving. Tour Guide Mary Jo? Mary Lou? was knowledgeable, interesting and lots of fun! It is empty and the impact of that is profound. It is preserved, not restored. To walk the same staircase as Cornwallis? Amazing! Take your time here, walk the African American cemetery near the entrance gates as well.

It is interesting but even they claim as non profit organisation we think is very overpriced to pay 32USD to see empty house, not restaurated. Again, it is authentic and one can hear and learn, but except empty house there is nothing to see

I’ve lived in SC for a bit over three years and Drayton is so far my favorite historical site. The setting is magnificent and one can get a living sense of how life might have been there from the engaged and knowledgeable guides. Unconditionally recommended.

Beautiful plantation! The authenticity of this home makes it unique. Amazing how this house is being constantly preserved. Highly recommend!!

For $24 per person I was expecting an furnished house not jut a shell, and the upstairs was not accessible. The visitors center was pretty lame also. The outside of the house was beautiful and the grounds were nice.

This is our third visit to Drayton Hall. Every time we visit Charleston, South Carolina, my wife and I make it a point to drive up the Ashley River Road to see Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place. And our guide never ceases to remind us that Drayton Hall remains the only plantation house on the Ashley River to survive intact through both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War is because when Union troops came marching along the Ashley River Road and burning one plantation after another, they avoided Drayton Hall because the owner warned them that the plantation was being ravaged by the deadly yellow fever. So here stands Drayton Hall, as it looked in the 1700s and 1800s. Located on the Ashley River about 15 miles northwest of Charleston, across the Ashley River from North Charleston, it was built between 1747 and 1752 and remains an outstanding example of Palladian architecture in North America. The seven-bay double-pile plantation house is within a 630-acre site that is part of a plantation that was based on indigo and rice production and is the former site of 13 slave cabins that housed 78 slaves. Seven generations of Drayton heirs preserved the house. All the outbuildings except the large privy are gone. The house has a double projecting portico on the west facade, which faces away from the river and toward the land side approach from Ashley River Road. The floor plan features a large central entrance hall with a symmetrical divided staircase which is backed by a large salon and flanked by square and rectangular chambers. The second floor is highlighted by a large ballroom. Drayton Hall was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Drayton Hall reminds me of Shirley, the plantation house on the James River in Virginia that also dates to colonial times, two of the finest of all surviving plantation houses in the United States.

We thoroughly enjoyed the excellent tour through the entire home. The rooms were mostly kept in their original style andcolors. Almost all of the furniture and decorations were from the period when the Drayton family lived in the home.

So much history and information to learn when coming here. Grounds are huge. Definitely need a tour guide

This is what I think of when I think of a southern plantation. The long driveway leading up to a huge house.
The tour of the house is cool. It's great to see it in it's original condition even if it is empty. The fingerprints on the bricks are incredible.
We stopped at the slave cemetery on the way out and it is something you should definitely see. Very moving but Let 'em Rest......stay on the path and don't go off exploring. Please have some respect.

This is a great place to see and learn about the oldest house that is still standing after the Civil War. You will learn a lot.

Full of history, this beautiful historic home and property right on the Ashley River is a must see. The 45 min self guided tour is very well done. They property has lovely grounds and a nice gift shop.

The grounds were lush and green. Very interesting to hear how the family continued to re invent themselves to keep it before, during, and after the Civil War. The tour thu the house was way too long, since it had no furniture, electricity or AC, the comments about the original brick, beautiful wood trim and description of room uses could in half the time. The docent just had so much history she wanted to share it.

Connecting Charleston society, the economics of the area and the life on plantations, Drayton Hall is the hinge pin. With a history going back to the 1600's, the people of this plantation settled and developed the area.

There is less to do at this plantation but its simplicity lends to its authenticity. The welcome center has a fine selection of gifts, a short film and a small but important museum. From there, a self-guided tour of the grounds is possible. This also includes a couple of outbuildings.

Entry to the house itself requires an additional ticket. The house has not be renovated, remodeled or improved upon since the family left. Acquired by the public, it was determined that imagination was the key to understanding. Entering the house, the visitor can see the structure, fittings, and lay out exactly as it has always been. While the lack of furnishings has been criticized, I found it quite compelling.

Our guide was a darling, knowledgeable lady who knew a lot about the place. The tour itself was longer than I would have liked and with a lot of talking. I really do just like to look around. Be advised that it isn't restored, just preserved. The house is empty and not "kept up." Underwhelming activity.

Wonderful tour. Very informative. Gave a great history of the home and people. The guide answered lots of questions and gave a lot of history.

One of the few manor houses that has survived wars and hurricanes. It never had plumbing or electricity installed, so it is in a very original state. The grounds were however destroyed by soldiers and later by phosphate mining. It is absolutely worth a visit.

We visited Drayton Hall this week, as it supposed to be in its original state. Well, it was, exept for the painting on the wall, exept for most of the ceilings, and it is empty! Maybe stupid, but I expected a furnished house, were you could get a glimpse of how the owners lived, as promised. The admission fee is way to high for this empty ugly manor, save your money and time and visit someplace nice and worthwhile, like Boone Plantation for example.

Excellent tour! They put a lot or work into preserving the house. Learned a lot of history about Drayton hall and the area. Well worth the tour. The nice thing is the house was never updated to modern times.

What a wonderful architectural gem! Incredible that it has survived so much. The tour guide informative, you can wander the grounds at your own pace after the house tour. Very interesting all the history of this place, a must see.

There’s a lot to enjoy, and a lot to discern carefully at Drayton Hall. The family left it to the National Trust in 1974 with a stipulation that it be preserved as it existed at the time. But discerning what’s 20th century, 19th or 18th century is thereby a constant challenge. The roof (standing seam metal) and windows (narrow profile mountains) are 19th century (or later). The portico has been altered. The stair newel posts are post Civil War. The list goes on. Just because it has no plumbing and electricity doesn’t make it a preserved 18th century plantation house. It’s a preserved 1974 record of the Drayton family’s country house across 270 years. It’s a family treasure with all that history. The missing flankers really destroy the sense of a Palladian-American composition. Gardens per se are nearly nonexistent, though the grounds are extensive. Still worth seeing, but I wanted the guide to be a little more forthcoming about how much is not original fabric. A careful restoration would serve it well, in my opinion. But still enjoyable as the Drayton family’s country house.

We decided to take this tour over the other two plantations in the area. I’m so glad we did. It’s the only original left that wasn’t burned during the Civil War. The are all about preservation not restoration and we loved that. Instead of painting over everything to make it look new you get to see what the colors were when the house was sold. It also has the oldest carved plaster ceiling in the United States and it’s so interesting what they are doing to preserve it. We didn’t miss not having furniture in the house because you do get to see some of the original pieces in the museum.

Very interesting tour. The only house that wasn't burned during the civil war. It's being preserved, not restored. We enjoyed walking around the estate too.

This was a working farm before Mount Vernon. It has been preserved, but not restored, so that you can see the really old features. Our guide was very informative. The grounds are self-guided with a pamphlet that lists the interesting points. The grounds are large and go down to the river. There are two ponds with alligators. It is a beautiful area.

Anyone with a love of architecture and archaeology would enjoy this tour. Rare historical plantation home that was not burned to the ground by Sherman’s March to the Sea. Only 5% of the plantation’s archaeology has been investigated. The tour guide gave an excellent summation of the unique original features of the house and upcoming restoration projects. There is also a self guided audio tour of the grounds that is worth your time as well as a small museum of restored furnishings and introductory film.

My daughter and I were so disappointed with this experience. We bought special tickets for $45.00 per ticket for Drayton Hall Candlelight Tour on Dec. 10 at 5:30. The grounds were not well lit to walk from the visitor center to the mansion. The mansion was not well lit once we got inside. There was not enough candle light to see the intricate carvings that we heard described over the audio presentation. There was not a docent on premise to tell answer questions. I suppose this would be a nice experience in the daytime when you can see things. I also prefer a real person to lead historical tours. I would advise against wasting your money on this nighttime experience.

Our experience was much better at another Charleston plantation where they had live interpreters and storytellers on site.

It is the original structure. We had the tour which was quite informative. I found the slave cemetery to be a hallowed place.

Drayton Hall is a must see! Don't miss the new visitors center. It's fantastic. The guided tour was interesting and informative. Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable about the house and the time period. Loved our visit.

I really liked the tour, film and after-tour talk about the enslaved people. We had a great guide who made it very interesting with her conversational approach.

Extremely knowledgeable guide, punctual and courtious. To some degree, you'll have a better experience if you like history, but even the grandkids picked up some interesting notes. This is a preserved, but not restored property, which for me made it that much better.

The tour was really informative and they did a good job talking about slavery and how hard it was for the slaves. It was interesting to see where some of the slaves lived. We felt like we learned a lot.

The staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and well maintained, as is the house. Will definitely go back and would recommend visiting here to anyone!

This was a delightful tour of an old plantation owners home. There is no furniture in the home, so it was much easier to appreciate all the architecture as described by the guide. This is a beautiful old home that is great condition. Take time to see this home and grounds!

Beautiful area and great preservation work. A great experience will go back! Wonderful museums and exhibits too. The archeology was interesting.

I was very disappointed with the tour. I chose this plantation for how it has been "preserved" but the tour guide did not have much knowledge of its history at all. There was a lot of - imagine an enslaved person opening this front door. Or, imagine the enslaved running up this stairwell. Numerous times, when I asked specific questions about the family who lived there and how they lived in the house, he said he'd have to get back to me. Not worth the money for the tour.

Lovely home and grounds! Home has been maintained as originally designed as much as possible. Guide was very knowledgeable and informative. Thanks for the experience!

This place without any furniture is way overpriced and ugly. Maybe because I'm European and we have so much nice homes, but this entracefee is much to high for what you get to see

It seems like you either love it or hate it. This is not a museum type home. This is the bare bones of a home built in the 1700's. Knowing this, we very much enjoyed our downloaded tour. We were the only ones in the house for most of the visit which made it almost haunted with history. If you are looking for opulent rooms filled with antiques, this will disappoint you. If you are looking for a visit to a building in its raw state, and wondering through winding paths, this might be just what you are longing for.

Beautiful grounds-worth the visit. Really gives you a peek into the past. Self guided walking tours, at your own pace.

We went on a beautiful day and the grounds are gorgeous. The house was a little disappointing because you only get to see the cellar and the main floor, there is nothing in the house but still really cool to see. Be sure to check out the mini museum at the visitors center to see some of the furniture and other pieces.

Very interesting tour of one of the only plantation homes still intact. Beware of alligators by pond....

This plantation house holds special significance as the oldest plantation house in the US. It is empty and unrestored but as such provides insight into the architecture. Rosemary was a very good tour guide and clearly knows the history and details well. The house tour lasts just over an hour.

This tour did a great job of explaining the grounds and house and associated history. The tour was well-paced and gave ample time for taking photos.

Very informative tour of this plantation house. Preservation on this property was very good. Grounds and outlying houses open for viewing and well worth a stroll to look at.

This place is a good representation of how slavery was addressed by the family that owns it. It is important to see the homes of the slaves, if you do not see this you do not get a good description of plantation life. The tour guide for their home does not even acknowledge the other houses outside of where the family lived exempting the slave homes. This place is for profit and still owned by the family.

Overall, very underwhelming. In the intro video, they discuss their “radical preservation philosophy,” which in theory sounds fine — they preserve the structures that are there without any restoration, keeping only the genuine structure with no restored artifice. In practice, it results in a short (< 1 hour will easily get the job done) self-guided tour that mostly consists of a very big lawn, some dirt where a few buildings once stood, and a couple of almost entirely empty buildings. In all, it was a walk around a large but rather bland property on a nice day. I do give them props for respecting, at least in words, the contributions and labor of the enslaved people who built the property.

Impressive historic home from approx 1740. Never updated for electricity, plumbing etc., nearly just as it was during the revolution. Tour was very informative. Unique architectural features. Beautiful grounds.

Not like the other historic home tours in Charleston. There is something so unique about this place that really takes you back in time.

This is very important because of it's architecture but it had extremely important owners and was designed for entertaining like so many Charleston houses were.
Every tourist should see this! It is a very noble house that looks very livable even by today's standards. This is American history and Southern history.

The only plantation not burned by the Union army, beautiful home but it is not furnished so you get the full effect of its architecture. A new museum, grounds are lovely, walk down to the river!

I had first heard of Drayton Hall in the 1980's as an architecture student in college. My History of the American House instructor was effusive about this place. The house is preserved, not restored. That is a huge difference. There are hundreds of restored mansions that are really great to visit. This is the only colonial mansion, that I know of, that you can step into and see and understand house it was designed and built. The tour guide was practicing Architectural Preservationist and was really knowledgable about what we were viewing. It is an amzing story that a family both held onto the house so long, and decided not to update it.

Would have liked to see it more as it was furnished during the time period. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant

Had a great time here with the beauty and the history. Worth the trip out to see this plantation house. This is the only plantation that did not get burned to the ground by Sherman.

Drayton Hall was built in 1742 and located on the Ashley River Road. It is the only plantation house in the area to survive the destruction of both the Revolutionary and Civil wars. The home is named after one of the earliest owners, John Drayton.

The home and ground are magnificent and incredibly scenic. The house is a National Historic Landmark and a superb example of Palladian architecture. The home has not been restored but rather preserved in its original state. It is operated by the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust which provides tours of the property.

A visit to the property was thoroughly enjoyable for seeing the house and walking the grounds. The cost of admission I think is very high at $32 per adult and $15 for children. For this price you get to spend an hour with a tour guide who takes you through the house. I have been associated with many tour guides and the really good ones can bring history alive; almost make you feel as if you were a guest of John Drayton 250 years ago. Alas, our tour guide seemed to dwell on minutia and trivia and talked nonstop for the hour-long tour. It was not really possible to ask a question since the tour guide seem to have a prepacked delivery from which she would not deviate; this is ironic since at the commencement of the tour she bemoaned the fact that people asked so few questions.

Nonetheless, you do get to see a magnificent plantation house in its original condition and walk the grounds for as long as you like.

A tour of the home and grounds at half the price charged would be more appropriate.

Five out of five because it provided everything expected: it is an un restored plantation so you get to see the original architecture. Tour guide was knowledgeable while it said likely to sell out we went the first week of January and had no trouble getting last-minute tickets. The prior week it was packed. Pro tip: go at least one hour before your tour and do the self-guided audio tour of the grounds at your own pace. This will make your guided tour of the plantation house, more understandable, and enjoyable.

This was our second tour and we really enjoyed it. There's a PowerPoint presentation that you can attend that explains facts about the area and its local history. You are taken through the unfurnished home by a tour guide. Lauren really knew her history and made it very interesting. I really preferred this tour over Boone Hall since Drayton Hall had benches available in each room where you could sit down.

This was a really great visit which provided a lot of insight into the colonial history of the area as well as a fascinating insight into the life of a plantation owner and those held in slavery. The house has been in the same family for nearly 300 years and is maintained in exactly the condition it was left, with no plumbing or electricity but beautiful and original plaster ceilings and ornate woodwork. The grounds are beautiful too.

The slave quarters were wooden and have not survived but there is a very peaceful slave cemetery which comes right up to date with the grave of a gentleman born and bred on the estate who returned from WW2 to be the gatekeeper.

Our guide was excellent and all visitor facilities very informative. We loved it and would highly recommend a visit to those who want to see an authentic plantation house rather than the more modern representations.

we have been to all of the plantations in the Charleston area. None compared to the authenticity of Drayton Hall. This was, by far, the best of all the plantations. If you’re a history buff, you must go to this plantation. It’s the real deal. our interpreter Caroline was unbelievably good. She was knowledgeable and was really engaged.

This special candlelight tour was very interesting and our docent was superb, however it was a bit tricky to see the details in the home in the candlelight. I think the ambiance was amazing and I love the idea of the candlelight, but in reality it just made it a bit harder to see the ornate details in the woodwork and the gorgeous ceilings (plaster). It was also a little tricky if you’re at all concerned about being able to see where you are walking, as the ground and stairs are old and uneven (as you would expect but trickier in such dim lighting). Of utmost importance- plan to arrive early for the candlelight tours because the gates close promptly at 6:01 pm. I’d say leave yourself an extra 15-20 minutes when coming from downtown Charleston (leave by 5 or 5:15 at the latest for a 6-8 pm tour). Overall, I would still give this a 4/5 because it was a great tour and a fabulous historic home.

Incredible site with excellent guide. Good pace with ability to take pictures and ask lots of questions. Appreciate the inclusion of ongoing work and preservation philosophy. Thank you for a fantastic experience!

There is so much history at Drayton hall. Unbelievable! Guide was extremely informative and genuinely enthusiastic about the history. Thoroughly enjoyed touring drayton hall

I love Palladian architecture! This house survived both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars unscathed. It was never updated and is virtually intact from the time is was built. This was the highlight of my visit to Charleston & Savannah!

Drayton Hall and its surroundings are beautiful, but our tour guide/interpreter was very poor. We were interested in hearing about the house and the Drayton family, and she said very little about them. Typically, tour guides know *much* more about their topic than they initially present, and welcome questions from those on the tour, but this guide just kept on saying "I don't know" whenever we asked questions.

This is a unique place in US history as it is the only non-renovated Revolutionary era house existing. Plus is the oldest representation of Palladian architecture in the US. Amazing that it has remained in Drayton family all this time.

There is a lot of things they don’t know about the history and the people that worked the plantation, which adds some intrigue.

It also discusses some of the details of the enslaved people that help build much of this country and specifically worked and built this plantation.

We did not take the guided tour which is the only way to see the upstairs of the house. After visiting, I can see the benefits of getting the elevated tour.

Recommend planning to spend 2-3 hours if you really want to learn and see most all. There are no existing plantation gardens to wander and explore. You can wander down to the Ashley River and to the phosphate mining area that happened after the Civil War.

Definitely more adult oriented. Kids have plenty of open ground to run around, but not really anything that will hold their interest for an extended period.

We chose this plantation over the others due to their preservation program. I am highly interested in historic preservation and like to support any efforts when possible. The introduction video is very up to date in accordance with historical interpretation and appropriate representation of multiple perspectives. Our guide was very knowledgeable. The house is not furnished and seemed to be disappointing to some of the other guests but we were pleasantly surprised by the depth of knowledge our guide had about the interior design and history of the home. I appreciate that the historic interpretation is not influenced by the desire to make things pretty for the tourists but rather focused on the academic pursuit of knowledge and preservation. I look forward to more interpretations and representation of the African American Village on site. Don't miss the overseer's cabin, it contains very fascinating information about the enslaved population that lived there. So glad we got the opportunity to enjoy this site!

The tour was great, Thomas our guide was very informative. You could tell he really loved the property and telling its story. The archeological exhibit was really fascinating and unique. The house was beautiful in its natural state. I appreciated the way it was completely untouched. You can even see graffiti on the mantle from 1874. This is a really unique experience and I truly enjoyed it.

When visiting the plantations in the area, I think this is a must. We went to Magnolia Plantation first and learned about the Draytons. We then went to Drayton Hall which is right next to Magnolia, and learned about slavery there and that they are relatives. It was neat to go back in time to see what it was like on the plantation.

Visited Drayton Hall and was a bit surprised by how plain the house was and the person who was the guide during our visit did nothing more than answer a question only when asked instead of speaking about the site. The grounds and Visitor center presentation was so much more interesting than the house, and later learned it was because the last owner of Drayton Hall specified in their will that as a condition of giving it to the trust, that funds could not be used to renovate or modernize the house. Although it was a learning experience to visit, I would have chosen another site to spend time had I known it would be shown in that state. My fault for not doing more "homework" about the site before visiting.

Note this this house has been preserved NOT restored. This gives you a much better feel of what life was truly like in the 1700's.

We loved the grounds and the house guide was great. She was archeologist, so she gave some added insight. I loved seeing things left as they were and cared for instead of "restoring" and making it look all perfect. I love to see the real boards and bricks.

Of the three plantations we visited this one was our favorite. The reason being is that it’s left unrestored and shows a real glimpse into how homes were build, lived in and used. It’s easy to imagine visitors coming up the main entrance or arriving from the river in the back of the property. A QR code was available for self tour and we had our air pods and this made for a comfortable self-paced tour.

The staff were fantastic and very knowledgeable. The house and grounds well worth visiting. I was disappointed to see no furniture or any artifacts from the family or the period the house was occupied. I suspect, and understand, the family took them away when they sold the building. For the money, not worth the price.

We loved seeing this historic home in a state of preservation. My favorite part is the families growth chart on the wall- hundreds of years represented to current times. Details in the home are quite impressive

This place was awesome. Saw my first alligator here! Beautiful grounds and great tour. Great tour guide, the house is not very furnished and is preserved. Oldest original plantation house in Sc.

This tour was set up perfectly including maps and audio. The property is being preserved and an active archealogical dig was being completed in the basement. The plantation and grounds were impressive. Everyone was so knowledgable and helpful.

The fact that this home has been left in its original condition as far as possible really fed my long interest in original source history. And I would have to say that our guide was exceptionally good. He was obviously well-informed, respected every individual in the group...those that raised questions and those that did not...and had a wonderful sense of humor.

Well worth the money and time to visit. The grounds and facilities were beautiful and the house was like no other we’ve visited, being perfectly preserved in the historic period.

The greens and gardens around this house are simply stunning! The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed getting to see a house that had not been decorated and was in its natural state. The gift shop is also very nice and has some beautiful things. This is a must see!

This was one of my favorite tours - and my husbands favorite. Unrestored - in its mostly original state. The tour was just the right length, interesting, informative and educational. You don’t have to use much of your imagination to see the British solders marching up to secure the beautiful grounds and plantation. Extra info - a small cafe with an excellent sandwich!

Our tour guide, WJ Queen, was very informative and offered a rich historical perspective of Drayton. We appreciate that the home was not dressed in a particular period.

First, please understand, this house is preserved, not restored. That is the specific reason we chose to tour and we were not disappointed. There is no furniture, the interior is not painted, the colors that remain on the walls are original. Our guide did a good job of explaining the history of the home and very patiently answered a lot of questions. If you want to see something that has been restored to what it might have looked like, this is not the tour for you. If, on the other hand, you want to see things exactly as they were, take the time and go. You will have time in the day to tour one of the other spectacular plantations in the area.

The parking lot has many Handicap parking spaces, yet one of our group, assisted by a walker, was not allowed into the house. We were not advised our friend could not take the tour until after the guide’s orientation session and the long walk to the house. We prepaid and were not offered a refund. Unprofessional, and somewhat of an oxymoron.

Very interesting afternoon spent touring Drayton Hall sight. Friendly staff. Excellent docents! The museum was a nice overview to the tour. The audio was informative. VERY helpful to have Docents at various locations to answer questions. The Docents are well informed and knowledgeable about Drayton Hall.

My husband and I were fascinated by the history of the plantations (ie labor camps) in the South. At Drayton, our guide was an anthropologist and thus extremely articulate and knowledgeable about all the details of life at Drayton in its “heyday” and thereafter. While the tragic history of enslavement of the African-Americans is shameful and appalling, its a critical part of the south and should be on everyone’s tour of the south. We chose Drayton over Middleton as we understand the presentation of history at Drayton is more authentic and truthful. We “Ubered” there from town and it was ~$20.

The actual building was not that impressive. The thing I loved about this place was the excerpts from the owner's journal which were part of the audio tour. It was fascinating to hear how he viewed the world.

Gorgeous place, house and grounds! We just drove out there and happened upon a tour that was fixing to go. The lady that led us through did an amazing job. She was a redhead with bangs that was an archeologist and was working on a dig there. Lots of great info from her.

Excellent tour divided into three parts
Takes more time than you’d think.
Tour of house interesting butnot enough
Information on relationship between owners
And slaves who actually kept place going

Drayton Family last occupied house in 1820
So slaves really were responsible for upkeep
Would have liked more information

Tour guide world class

This was a terrific tour. While the house is unfurnished, our guide Mary Jo filled the rooms with her detailed historical and architectural knowledge, coupled with digital images of what rooms once looked like,on her iPad. MaryJo’s background in anthropology gave extra texture to her presentation,and we came away with a real feel for the Drayton family and how they lived in that house. Beautiful grounds, too!

The tour guide was excellent. You could tell he loved Drayton Hall. The home is just fantastic. The beauty of seeing it as it was, not renovated, not modernized, was stunning. The historic video and furniture were incredible.

Haven't been here in several years. We are so glad we went. The guide was fantastic and extremely knowledgeable. He just obtained his history degree and is working on his master's degree and his enthusiasm was infectious. They have added a great gift shop and expanded the areas you can tour since our last visit. The approach of preserving but not restoring is refreshing and very interesting.

Drayton Hall is a wonderful exam of historic preservation, rather than restoration. Many of the grand houses in and around Charleston have been restored to a particular period and are not authentic. Drayton Hall, however, remains as it is, without furniture, and restored only structurally as far as needed for integrity. The tour guide did an excellent job explaining this. It was a truly magical experience. This is a must do. The house survived both the revolutionary and civil wars (somehow) and you can imagine a family living an English country life in the 18th century as well as a 19th-century plantation owning family there. It is different than any other sights around.

For me this tour was disappointing. It was merely a shell of a house with no furnishings and not much about what life was actually like. The two main themes emphasized almost exclusively and repeatedly were the plight of the enslaved peoples and the unrelenting vanity of the original builder as shown in the layout and architecture. I gave this 3 stars (although for me it was two) because there were a few in the group who seemed interested in the structural design of the different eras. If this is not you I would skip this tour.

If you love plantations and their history and you want to feel transported back in time then this is the place for you. This was my favorite place on my trip to Charleston. The fact that the house is "preserved" and not restored is absolutely incredible. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and very patient. I would go back again and again! However, I would NOT recommend this tour for small children. We had two under the age of 5 on our tour.....not a place for small children and they were somewhat disruptive.

Take your time to wander the grounds and see the house. Beautiful and very picturesque. Alligators and turtles in the ponds and Spanish moss on the trees. Use your smartphone to hear the narration (very well done - earbuds recommended).

Nick was an exceptional tour guide. It was wonderful to get the historical perspective before we arrived. He was so knowledgeable and took extra time to show us the cemetery onsite. I highly recommend this tour. It is one of the best and ask for Nick. He’s amazing. So professional and so kind. He even brought us water bottles! ☺️

This was a highlight of our week for sure. I much prefer the rustic ambiance of Drayton compared to other properties with furnished houses. The house and grounds are beautiful and conveniently located. Nice gift shop, too. Go early to avoid the crowds!

This is a preserved house and grounds, not restored. Very different meaning. You will be disappointed if you want redone rooms with period furniture. Don’t stop here. Those of you that like the real story, run to this place. You can see where the paintings faded the wallpaper. No modern updates, even some graffiti from when it was not occupied year round. Our docent was great & I really liked the pictures she would show of how they think the rooms would have looked. It would be cool if they were posted instead of on an ipad. The museum was good, but the timeline was the most helpful. The BEST part was the African-American cemetery. It did have slaves, but also tenets after the civil war who kept up the house. It is only preserved too. Incredible how their lives might have been and to finally be honored in death. It was pricey, but most of these places are. It takes a lot of $$ to upkeep. Oh & look out for the alligator and her babies.

We had a great time at Drayton Hall. What an amazing piece of history! This plantation stood out among the many others due to the age of the property, dating back to before the Revolutionary War. Amazing the home has survived so long! We really appreciated that the home has not been "locked in time" with refurbishment to one particular period. It's been kept in it's original condition, with only minor upkeep. The audio tour is played on your cell phone, don't forget your earbuds! There is so much to see here: the main home, the grounds, the Ashley River, the small museum, the caretakers home, etc.

The staff at Drayton Hall is excellent! All were so friendly, helpful and informative! They went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed our visit.

If you're in the Charleston area and you enjoy history, I would definitely recommend a visit to Drayton Hall.

My husband and I love history. This was a nice afternoon visit. We used our phone and was able to be guided around the grounds and home. It does not have furniture and doesnt represent any particular time period but represents the house as it was in the 1700s. They are conintuing to perserve it so work is being done but you are able to see several rooms and get the feel of the place. Would recommend.

What a beautiful home and how amazing to see it in its original condition. I loved having the chance to see Drayton Hall. The building is beautiful as well as the view from the front stairs, and it was wonderful to hear the history of this historic and very special home. It made the house really come alive! Don't miss this spot when you are in Charleston!

As a native of South Carolina i am embarrassed to say this was my first visit to the plantation. Our tour guide Ashton was extremely knowledgeable about the property and really drew you in to what the people living there would have experienced. I would definitely recommend visiting if you are ever close by. Thank you for the awesome tour!

Great insight into the lives of slaves at the height of its use. Cool how this villa has never been modernized.
Bring wireless earbuds if you want to take the audio tour.

Enjoyed touring the home, basement, walk the grounds and the museums to learn about the lifestyle, phosphate mining and see one example of how wealth came to be on the backs of slavery during that time , how the war affected a families generational ownership and the eventual sale
To the state: historical society. Few standing examples
Of
Plantations in the area so was glad
To be able
To
Experience one. Spanish moss in the trees, grounds , unmarked graves ,
Gift shop, carriage house , acreage-all very interesting . This combined w auction house and French quarter in Charleston have an overall feel
Of the area colonial landowners /civil and revolutionary war eras.

This was a beautiful home and grounds but we were disappointed to hear that the present home on tour was built in the 1930's and was not an actual home from the 1800's.

Drayton Hall does not disappoint. You will be transported back in time and view the craftsmanship that does not exist. My favorite part was the Kitchen in the basement. Be sure to pay attention to the details throughout the property. Simply amazing.

The plantation is nice to visit but the house is empty. It would be nice if they picked a timeframe and restored the interior.

House in the middle of beautiful spot on the Ashley River with a long, straight drive from the road to the front of the house. It takes some imagination to picture he house in its heyday before the Civil War because the place is UNRESTORED.
It is 'as is' . Inside has not been painted in 80 years. Ceilings not restored if damaged . Stairways used in rotation to even out the wear and tear.
On the other hand, with the help of your guide and some hi-tech imagery you get to see how the place has levied through 10 generations of Draytons.
Keep your eyes open. See where things have been shored up. Note where pieces are missing (they won't be replaced). It is just a different way of presenting a building. Enjoy the imperfections .
They have a very good gift shop. Site specific items plus a good selection of period and local books and souvenirs.
Snack bar is small but the do make a good sandwich.

When you visit Charleston be sure to visit one of the plantations, Drayton Hall, Middleton Place, or Magnolia

Loved this Plantation! Love the history and that it has been preserved but not changed. Beautiful grounds...peaceful.

They are quick to tell you this is not a restoration but a preservation project. This is a great place. The audio tour was a must. The grounds are beautiful and learning the history was very interesting. I am so glad we visited here!

The house is well worth a visit. Well preserved and such a stunning location. Being well preserved rather than recreated a definite plus.

Very strange tour guide young chap his ‘introduction’ lasted nearly 25 minutes when we just wanted to get on and see the house. He seemed anxious and nervous throughout and while he could recite a fair amount of facts he never brought to life what is was like living in the house for the owners and for the enslaved.

However the property itself is stunning and is well worth a visit

This oldest of the plantation houses in this area has been frozen in time, and provides a fascinating view of life among the aristocracy of early America. No plumbing, no electricity, nothing has been added that detracts from exactly the way the house and it inhabitants existed 300 years ago. Excellent visitors center provides a great overview and introduction, and tour guides lead you through the house itself, telling its story and answering questions. Top notch experience.

I am fascinated by that slice of American history. I thought the visit was informative, the grounds beautiful and the guide so well-informed about the family and the property

This is a strange place.
It's the first plantation home that I have been in that is completely empty.
The building of this house is very strange as well. Style is Georgian Palladian.
It was short tour. The guide didn't know much about each of the rooms. Once inside the house we just wandered around. I left a little let done.

The beautifully preserved Drayton Hall is an example of thoughtfully cared-for history. A note. Preservation is keeping what was. Restoration is ‘cleaning up and creating what was’. Two very different ways to keep history intact.

The newly created visitor’s pavilion gives the first-time visitor an excellent background of the English manor style home, grounds and family history. The tour was well-done, giving a look into the residential life in the house, upstairs and down. The architectural details were discussed bringing their details to life. The family's stories were delightful, especially about one of the last seasonal family resident’s pet, Nipper. This charming property is adjacent to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, also one of the Drayton’s holdings. Do not miss the gift shop after the visit. Nipper’s storybook is a wonderful review of everything on the tour, beside being darling!

My wife and I visited Drayton Hall yesterday. The grounds are beautiful and our tour guide did a fantastic job of sharing the history of the home.

I liked that this was a presentation of the life of Drayton and his heirs. The plantation house was not redone into what it might have been, but was presented with knowledge of what is actually known and how it has developed. The guide, Morgan, was excellent. I also liked that the term "enslaved individuals" was used instead of slaves.

It was quite interesting to learn about the planning of the house by Charles or John (not sure) in order to maintain over his guests depending on their social status. A bit of history - not just another pretty plantation.

This plantation is the only original standing plantation from before the Civil War. The audio tour alows you to go at your own pace and explains the history of the family and the house. Reconstruction is taking place on the staircase but the tour is interesting never the less.

This was a wonderful trip back in time. The tour guide took us on every floor of Drayton Hall and gave us great information. Highly recommended for history buffs. The hall is largely preserved as it looked, making it very unique.

We bought the Passport Pass from the Charleston Visitor Center and it included admission to the grounds at Drayton. We would have had to pay extra for the house tour, but we decided not too as we were short on time. We did go in the Visitor Center Museum and attended the slave talk that is at 11:15, 12:15, 1:15 or 2:15. It is a lecture with a slide show, and we learned so much!

We started visiting Drayton Hall in 2000 and have returned many times.since with our guests. It was always interesting especially the very adroit guides who provided lots of special knowledge about the house the the Draytons. We just went back not to tour the house again but to see the new visitors center. What a pleasant surprise
It was beautifully designed and built. Very tasteful. The display gives an accurate and full feeling of the Draytons from Colonial period on.
Nice little snack bar, spotless restrooms and a new very well done display in the caretakers house. The grounds have been opened up making the view of the mansion more gripping.

This was a wonderful place to visit. They are preserving this place and did not restore it to its original state. A must see with beautiful grounds and great house.

One of the things that stood out about this plantation is that it's in an unrestored state. I found this to be one of its most appealing aspects as it allows you to fully appreciate the toll that time has taken on the building. Historic buildings are so often restored to their original state that it can sometimes be hard to appreciate and envision the history that occurred there. At Drayton Hall, however, you can literally see the history of the place within its walls.

We got a guided tour and thought it was worth it, though you can learn a good deal of information from their small museum near the entrance.

Also, I highly suggest stopping by the cemetery where the enslaved were laid to rest. It's right off the main road as you're driving to the planation house and there's a tiny parking lot where you can park. It's incredibly heartbreaking, though also somewhat peaceful. Keep in mind that it's tucked away in a forest, meaning that there are LOTS of bug. I was constantly swatting them away from my face, eyes, and ears, though this didn't rarely helped keep them away. (5/2018)

Being a history buff, I loved Drayton Hall. This is a preservation house, meaning it is preserved as is, not restored to a specific time. Yes, the rooms are empty but it is so you can see the craftmanship of the woodwork, brickwork, and see the house as it is, being kept safe and in a state of preservation. The self-guided audio tour is excellent and guides you through all the accessible rooms, from the basement where the kitchen was to the main floor parlor rooms, dining room and library. The back staircase is beautiful, with remnants of the original red coloring. A docent is available to answer any questions, and I had to ask her to point out the finger prints and hand prints on the bricks in the dining room. The bricks were made by enslaved children around 6 or 7 yr old.
The grounds and house are beautiful, and well worth a visit. The entire staff I encountered were very friendly and always smiling. I would certainly visit again.

We have visited Drayton several times, and decided to go see the new Visitor's Centre. It's quite impressively built to begin with. It fits in very well with the landscape, even though it's new. There's a small garden with benches to sit on between the Gift Shop and the main centre. They now offer an orientation film. Very well done, although hard to read some of the subtitles (the ones on the light background) and there was quite a glare on the screen on the sunny day we were there (perhaps curtains would help). DO NOT MISS the small museum as well as the Caretaker's House. Both contain some really cool artefacts and information.

Also really worth your time is "Port to Plantation: slavery and the making of the Lowcountry economy" talk. Quite informative! (There was a bit of an echo in the room which made it hard to hear for my husband)

We'll definitely be back!

Wonderful grounds and preserved home. The archeologists working on the excavation were very informative and interested in explaining their process and the history of the plantation. Our tour guide was a bit rigid and inflexible.

My family loved touring this house so much! We had an excellent tour guide who was knowledgeable and made the tour fun. We chose this plantation house tour over the others nearby because it is the actual original house and the oldest surviving plantation house near Charleston. We are so glad we visited Drayton Hall. We didn't have much time to explore the grounds but everything looked lovely. We even got to speak with an archaeologist working on the site!

Very informative the structures were preserved as they were originally constructed. The curators were very knowledgeable.

Don't expect a restored anti-bellum mansion, Instead, you'll find a fascinating lesson in the history of plantation life on beautiful grounds. A lovely visitor center and small but informative museum. One of the best self-guided tour apps I've ever heard.

Drayton Hall, which was built on the Ashley River, 12 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, between 1748 and 1752, is the nation's finest and earliest example of fully executed Palladian architecture and its double portico is acclaimed as the first of its kind in the world. Located at 3380 Ashley River Road, it is the oldest unrestored plantation house in America still open to the public. It has been described as "the most significant, undisturbed historic landscape in America." Other features include a post-Civil War African-American tenant house and one of the oldest documented African-American cemeteries in the nation still in use. Historically, it is one of only three plantations near Charleston to survive both the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Open from 9 to 5 Wednesday through Monday, the main house remains in nearly original condition, allowing visitors to see the beauty of the original architectural designs. A National Historic Landmark, Drayton Hall was constructed with 360,000 hand-made bricks. The main house is a two-story structure capped by a double-hipped roof. The first floor consists of a four-room plan situated on a high English basement. Most rooms are laid in full wood paneling, painted in a seafoam green color with delicate carvings, elegant mantelpieces and classical cornices. The west-facing side and the "land side" of the house feature superimposed Doric and Ionic columns supporting a projected two-story portico. Also note the brick privy that was built to accommodate seven people and the massive hearth in the center of the basement kitchen on which slaves cooked all the meals. The tour guide shares stories about the slaves who worked on the plantation. The Drayton family enslaved 45 to 60 people at a given time. At least 500 individuals were enslaved at Drayton Hall between 1778 and 1860. It all makes for a very educational experience.

I love touring plantations. This one is different. It is unfurnished so that you can see the architecture and admire the beauty of it. The docent was not very interested in answering our questions. In fact my husband asked about all of the beams since they looked to be saw cut instead of hand hewn. Her response was when you have enough money you can buy anything. Really? So, hundreds of years ago they had that capability? Everyone else was very nice.

It's bad enough that half of everything is closed or partially closed during covid. But, I would think you would really want your best people representing your establishment. I spent $50 for 3 of us to tour one floor a vacant building. At least be nice to us.

Some visitors to Drayton Hall are disappointed because there isn't a stitch of furniture in the grand 18th century plantation house. It's empty. But my wife and I have visited Drayton Hall on three occasions and we've never been disappointed. Take a step back in time and enjoy a guided tour of one of the finest examples of Georgian Palladian architecture in North America and the only plantation house on the Ashley River to survive intact through both the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Located about 15 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, west of the Ashley River in the Lowcountry, Drayton Hall was built in 1747-1752. Seven generations of the Drayton family preserved the house in all but original condition. It is situated with a 630-acre site that was the centerpiece of a plantation based on rice and indigo and once included 13 slave cabins, a laundry house and kitchen. Today, all that remains is the main house and the original three-hole outhouse. The house has a double projecting portico, one facing the Ashley River and the other facing the approach from Ashley River Road. The floor plan features a large central entrance stair hall with a symmetrical divided staircase which is backed by a large parlor flanked by square and rectangular chambers. The upper floor is dominated by a large ballroom. The fine plasterwork and original cypress floors and pedimented chimneypieces are evident throughout the house. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History claims Drayton Hall is "without question one of the finest of all surviving plantation houses in America." After you tour the house and grounds, I'm sure you'll agree.

We enjoyed the visit. Little less to see hear because the house is in an unaltered state and upper floors are off limits.

This was such a beautiful place. We took the guided tour by the app, and saw an alligator in the pond towards the end. It was a neat place, because it was more authentic than the other places, and not so commercialized.

A rather plain Palladium home. Guide was poor, tour group (20) was too big and the house had no original furniture or fittings so it was a bare skeleton. For those interested in architecture it would have some value.

My husband and I are docents at an 18th-century Virginia plantation, and we love to visit other period homes when we travel. We always learn something new! As I was researching the plantations around Charleston prior to our trip, I was surprised to learn that none of them are BOTH original structures and fully furnished with original furnishings (the plantation where we work is both original and furnished with original furnishings). So, it seems in Charleston, you have to choose --- do you want to see an original building, but no furnishings? Or would you prefer to see a beautiful garden, but not an original house? A furnished house of a later reconstruction? There isn't one plantation that has everything. So, given the options and our priorities, we chose Drayton Hall, because seeing an original 18th-century structure was important to us.
After having researched it ahead of time, we knew that it would not be furnished or restored. The fact that it was preserved and not restored was intriguing to us, and we weren't sure what to expect.
Wow! Were we very pleasantly surprised! Drayton Hall is a WONDERFUL site and provided us with an outstanding experience. We arrived early in the morning, when it first opened, and we had a bit of a wait before the tour started. That was fine, though, as there was plenty to do. There is a beautiful, brand-new visitors center, which provides plenty of delightful diversions. The gift shop is fantastic -- very large and filled with all kinds of South Carolina and history-related items for sale. We returned to the gift shop after the tour and purchased many gifts for ourselves and for our friends. There is a also an introductory film in the visitors center. It is absolutely worthwhile to view the film prior to the tour. It gave an excellent overview of the history of the home and family, as well as insight into the preservation efforts. Additionally, there is a small but worthwhile museum, which contains some objects belonging to the original family as well as further insight into the lives of the owners and workers who resided at Drayton Hall.
The tour itself was fantastic. Our guide was phenomenal. Seeing a grand 18th-century home that has been preserved but not restored is truly a fascinating experience. It's a snapshot of history frozen in time. The architectural elements are visible, and the evolution of the house over time is also evident. It's hard to explain what makes the tour so interesting --- it probably sounds like the subject matter would be dry or the house would be boring, since it is not furnished -- but take my word for it --- it is anything but dry and boring! The tour guide brought the past to life for us and was wonderfully patient in answering our many questions.
It was a beautiful day, and we did wander a little ways into the garden, but for the most part, it has not been restored, and we did not spend too much time there. There are also some outbuildings that can be visited --- notably the fancy brick "necessary".
Note that Drayton Hall is not a plantation. It was not a working farm. It was meant to be a grand home for its owners, who owned other plantations nearby. For that reason, there weren't as many slaves living and working at Drayton Hall as there were at working plantations. Nevertheless, the tour does provide insight into the lives of both the slaves/servants and the owners who lived there throughout the centuries.
Drayton Hall is truly an exceptional historical site. We learned so much there! If you are wanting to take a half-day's excursion from Charleston, I would highly recommend a visit to Drayton Hall.

Our experience was Good in general, but that's not one of the options so I picked Average. Our Uber driver dropped us off at the front gate because it hadn't opened yet and the website made a big deal about being on time or the tour would leave without you if you weren't there at 9 am. Interestingly, the gate blocked the driveway, but there was no fence so we just walked around it and started walking up the long, tree-lined road to the visitor center. Luckily, a very nice young lady employee drove by and asked if we were there for a tour and, seeing that we were seniors, offered to come back and pick us up in a golf cart, which she did and we appreciated. The new visitor center with video, small museum and gift shop is very well done, and the property is beautiful. The docent started the tour with a longish introduction a short distance from the visitor center so I'm not sure why someone who arrived a little after 9:00 couldn't have joined in at that time, but that seems to be the rule. My husband thought the tour was very interesting, but I was disappointed that we didn't really get to see that much, such as the second floor of the house because it is still under conservation. And, while the docent was informative, her "story" wasn't particularly easy to follow. I realize that docents are volunteers but, as a docent myself, I also know it's important to make the tour "flow" and not keep saying, "Oh, and I forgot to tell you...."

We enjoyed the self guided tour of the house. Learning the history of the plantation was great. Beautiful grounds! Plan to spend 1.5 hours to do the house tour and walk the grounds. Don’t forget the caretakers house as you leave.

We visited a lot of the historic plantations in Charleston and this was one of our favorites because the home and grounds reflect that time period. The audio tour is very informative and easy to follow. Just bring headphones!

Very interesting property; this is the only plantation that has not been restored. It stayed in the family for 7 generations. I highly recommend you make the visit!

My husband and I loved Dayton Hall. It was so interesting to see a plantation that wasn’t restored. The audio tour was informative....make sure you have earbuds for your phone. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed upstairs because the staircase has become unsafe. The grounds are peaceful and luckily it wasn’t busy when we visited. Keep you eyes open for alligators...we saw two on the bank of the pond!

The current family still host thanksgiving here. Gorgeous grounds. A 2010 bridal magazine photographed brides here! So timeless! A must see working plantation on the Ashley River! No A/C so a hot tour during the summer months. Bring bottle water.

We had only a day in Charleston and were not sure what to do after having walked around the Pineapple fountain and French Quarters. Read about Drayton Hall on Trip Advisor and decided to check it out. Glad we did ! It was a weekday, we got there for the 10am tour and there were only 6 other visitors. The guide was very informative. We learnt so much about the history of that period. The exhibits were few but well curated and maintained. The grounds were nice. The home itself was ok - without the guide there is not much one can make out. The trust has decided to preserve the home in its original state, not restore to make it look pretty. That adds to the sense of history.

The guided tour of the house is an hour and keep another hour for the grounds and the small museum.

We did the combo ticket covering Drayton Hall and Middleton Place. It took us about 4 hours in total. We could have easily spent an additional hour in Middleton.

chanced upon Drayton Hall from Tripadvisor reviews.

I was disappointed in the overall presentation. The guides were nice but inexperienced. It was not what I was hoping to see. I would skip this.

The house is a historical site but this is NOT a plantation. It’s a house that is preserved, with no furniture. It’s more of an art history/archeological experience.

We were glad that we opted for the interpreter-guided tour (rather than self-guided) because our guide, Betsy, was very knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the history of this architecturally and historically significant building. Front and center was acknowledgement of the enslaved people whose labor allowed the owners of Drayton Hall to live in opulence. We greatly appreciated learning about the on-going research-based approach that is being taken to uncover the details of daily life at this site. Don't skip the introductory film in the visitor's center, as it provides a helpful overview.

The house is very well preserved but not restored. Our tour guide was one of the most knowledgeable of any of the tours we took all week. She had a degree in archeology and was interesting. This was the first time I learned that some plantations were based solely on the skilled labor of their slaves rather than crops. There is no electric and no AC and no elevator.

You can go to plantations and walk around and see the “new” gardens they have planted and the replica of a Plantation house or you can come here and see reality. This plantation house was built in the 1750’s and is still today as is was. Still no running water or electric lights. Walls, ceilings and floors are as they were then other then what had to be repaired for safety reasons which is minimal.

We spent about 2 hours on sight with an air conditioned museum and self walking tour of out buildings taking about half of the time. We spent and hour in a group of about 15 with a guide that truly new the history, tools us to all 3 levels of the house and answered every question thrown at her.

Remarkable,

This is a gorgeous, serene property. The house is preserved, not restored, so it’s empty (complete with no power or plumbing). The paint on the walls of the great hall is 150 years old. It was pretty surreal walking through the rooms and getting a sense of naked history. There have been some changes over time such as the growth of woodlands on what used to be open fields and a guesstimate of where the slave quarters likely would have been (not many records on that were kept). There’s not a lot of touristy frills on this plantation but time well spent just strolling the grounds which back up to the Ashley River. There’s an audio tour you can stream for the self guided house tour which goes into petty solid detail and is timed really well (takes about 40 minutes). You don’t have to stream the audio, I think we were the only ones there that did—there are docents in the cellar and great hall if you have questions about anything. There’s also a small museum on site with several artifacts from the Drayton family. We spent about 2 hours here. We went on a Thursday mid morning and it wasn’t at all crowded, probably a total of 10 other people there at the time. I actually enjoyed this property more than the more popular Magnolia Plantation.

If you want to visit a plantation, try one other than Drayton Hall. There is a mildly interesting video at the entrance, and a few artifacts from the home that are nice, but the main plantation house is very unimpressive. There are no docent tours, just an audio guide. Honestly, it was very boring. The house has no furnishings, and nothing of particular interest. There aren’t any beautiful gardens, although the trees are quite lovely. There are so many better plantation tours in the south, so
try some other location.

A real gem in a city of gems. Most people go to the Magnolia Plantation, but the Drayton Hall plantation is a lovely secret that should be exposed. Loved the audio tour and you can access it with your IPhone, too. The house is extraordinary and the map allows you easy planning for your time. You can start or end with the video, either way, it's very good. Put it on your list when you have 2-3 hours to enjoy this well-preserved piece of our history.

There is a quick 7 minute video and small galleria across from check in. The house tour is about an hour and the day I went I was the only one on the tour. 10am on a Thursday. The self guided audio tour was about 40 minutes. So plan to spend about 2 hours. Good value for what you get. My only downside is for the audio tour you are walking through grass instead of a designated path so my feet got wet. Overral worth a visit but I still think magnolia or Middleton are worth a first stop. The tour is mainly from a diary of the second generation owner and goes over the workers who attended to the property and architecture.

Drayton Hall is beautiful! It has been preserved rather than restored! It is a lovely old home that welcomes you with open arms. Elisabeth guided us through the property and her love for the home and family that lived there, just oozed from her. She is a fantastic storyteller and I highly recommend you going on a day that she is there! If there were more than 5 stars Drayton Hall plus Elisabeth would get more!

Excellent video setting the story line for the oral presentation. The presenter was knowledgeable, friendly and professional.

This was the third plantation we've been to in the Charleston area. We saved on admission by using the NARM reciprocal privilege card. It's a lovely setting, hard by the Ashley River. The tour is self-guided, using your phone to listen to a historian tell you about the main house and surroundings. That, in and of itself, is fine and pulls no punches in talking about the enslaved population there. However, the house is unfurnished. It is preserved, rather then reimagined. The main problem is that large portions of the house are under renovation and off limits. There's more to look at inside the visitor's center, but it left me feeling it was a little incomplete. I'd recommend finding out first what's open or not before going. I'd recommend the MacLeod Plantation for the consummate plantation experience, which does full justice to the enslaved experience and the cruelty of those who owned them.

Drayton Hall was a great experience! The buildings and grounds are beautiful and well maintained. The archeological dig was fascinating and I am interested to see what else is found on this site.
Our tour guide, Cody, was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and extremely patient. He took his time explaining everything and sharing his own experiences on the grounds i.e. spots for personal reflection and crossing paths with a resident alligator!
I would highly recommend visiting Drayton Hall.

Beautiful open large plantation. Self guided tour of the grounds and main house. The main house is empty only allowing first floor and basement tours. Interesting to learn of the history. Drayton Hall is a preservation protect.

What a beautiful plantation and a true representation of both the beautiful land, very hard slavery history, crops and preservation of the old south. We have been to multiple other antebellum plantation that have been restored-- what is different and interesting is the anthropologists and archeologists' are preserving and not restoring the oldest home. I was surprised by the detail and knowledge of our tour guide (Morgan) and the behind the scene anthropologists (Olivia and others) was a great add -on Be sure to ask about the caretakers cottage history!

Worth the trip! Informative, educational. Have done an excellent job of preserving the past for future generations to understand the history through different lenses.

Amazing tour guide, Thomas! He was knowledgeable and energetic. He made it a wonderful experience. The property is beautiful and the house is unbelievable!

The tour was very interesting and more so visiting the oldest and authentic plantation house.
Note that besides the house there’s not much else to do. Staff are friendly but it can be tricky getting to/from there if you don’t have a car. I did manage to get Uber but you need to time it right as a lot of times the drivers won’t take the rides due to traffic.

Beautiful and historic activity!
The home was magnificent and the landscape was breath-taking! The shop was new and clean and had many wonderful items to choose from! Very friendly staff.

We very much enjoyed the "preserved, not restored" aspect of the site. The focus was on the lives of ALL the people who built Drayton Hall, not just the owners. The audio tour really brought the story alive, and the staff were helpful and knowledgeable throughout. Would HIGHLY recommend.

This was the only plantation home we chose to visit in Charleston, primarily because it is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The goal here is to conserve, rather than renovate the history out of the home and I appreciate that. There is a short video to watch, then you take a self-guided tour with a phone app. There were two docents in the home to answer questions. Unfortunately, when we visited they were reinforcing the main staircase, so we were not able to go upstairs. Still, the downstairs rooms and basement are interesting. We spent a little over an hour.

This was our first plantation ever visited. Our guide was great. I really appreciated the way the home was preserved pretty close to the way it would have been when built circa 1750. While the home is a fascinating glimpse, plan on spending time on the grounds. The garden and small museum are worth a visit. The grounds around the plantation are lovely as well. We had lunch in the cafe and enjoyed it as well.

I loved the preservation of the mansion. Since they haven’t restored the home to period by adding furnishing, etc. you can see what the home details are and focus on the beauty of the home instead of furnishings. Very interesting tour and worth the money.

I visited Drayton Hall in 1968 and again in 2019. The improvement in the tour was huge. We started with a video in air conditioned comfort. The guide was very informative, spoke clearly, and welcomed questions. Due to the high July heat, health regulations prevented us from seeing the upper floor, so I would recommend this tour on a day where temperature is predicted to be less than 90 degrees. The guide did a good job, however, of describing the second floor. I think they should provide pictures (on easels) in each room of the rooms above, with a description, for hot days and for those unable to climb stairs.

Prior to choosing this tour I thoroughly researched other plantations to determine the best option. I chose Drayton as I found multiple reviews stating how they were very informative and inclusive of the full history of America. Unfortunately, my wife and I found this tour extremely disappointing. During the initial meeting with our guide, she described what would be in store and referenced "how Europeans & Africans CAME TOGETHER to start America". It was at this point the tone was set for the information that would be shared. This tour was centered on the opulence of the dominant culture. Emphasis was put on the architecture, travels, and status of the slave master amongst his peers. There was a focus to tell his story absent the direct correlation with slavery. When "enslaved" persons were spoken of it was as if there was this respectful working relationship. Some examples include references from his journals such as; him feeling sorrow from the loss of 2 of his house slaves Jack & Dumpling. Multiple references to what he kept in his journal were made. We found it interesting that we had to ask questions regarding information directly relating to slaves. The tour guide would then explain that he did record notes regarding the the punishment of slaves in his journals. This information would not have been addressed if not asked. When addressed, it seemed a very slanted view primarily from the slavemaster's perspective. All that being said, our tour guide, Rosemary, was a very delightful lady. The tour was an eye-opener to the lack of I formation and truth NOT being shared regarding the history of America. It is a reminder of how far we have to go and the obstacles that remain. I would not recommend this tour to anyone and would prefer a refund. I had to give it 1 star just to review. I would give 0.

This plantation is one which survived the burnings. It is worth a quick stop. The audio tour was very thorough. The staff were welcoming without being obtrusive. Care was given to acknowledge all previous occupants of the plantation in a respectful manner.