Drayton Hall is a plantation that is in a state of conservation. There is a tendency in the area to try to conserve rather than restore buildings. About 20 miles SE of Summerville and on the right bank of the Ashley River and the pretty Hwy 61 is located this Palladian style mansion that survived both the Revolutionary war and the Civil War and that means a lot when you consider that the Revolutionary War was won in South Carolina regardless of what some will say, you win some and you lose some. The tendency to conserve rather than to restore makes you use your imagination to see how this house must've been back in the early days. Some of the materials were imported from the old world like the heavy columns, quite an achievement considering today would require the use of heavy cranes so the use of labor and imagination directing a large number of people must've been a delicate task. Can't deny the fact that they acknowledge that enslaved people took an important roll in building and running this place, delicate subject but well recognized by the tour guide and the museum in site. The house is the focus of the 600 acre property that was in the hands of seven generations of the Drayton family, amazing structure considering there were no Palladian architects in the area back in 1738 when John Drayton bought the land and it took him 15 years to build. A lot a lot more can be said about this place but I am not a historian just simply recommend everyone to come and experience this place that will transport you in time and will make you appreciate history and legacy. Just wish money was no object to the conservation effort. read more

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A little out of the way (like 12 miles, a 30 minute Lyft ride) from Charleston. But worth the trek. Expansive, beautiful grounds. Rolling green lawns. The house is really intriguing, and I love that it's different than all the sites that have tried to heavily restore. Drayton Hall is more about "conservation," or almost like what they call "arrested decay," where they don't want to return it to its former glory, rather than preserve it as is. I think this gives the site a cool vintage vibe. Washed out painted rooms, chiseled fireplace mantles, unusual color palates. Lots of little pockets where you can see where they are still actively discovering the property (the guide kept saying, "once we know, you will too"). Some reviews complain about the decision to preserve and not restore. I say it's what makes this place unusual and more interesting. Our guide was wonderful and knowledgeable. She answered every question, even if someone had asked it before and you could tell someone hadn't been listening. They have a live archeology dig on site, where you can stop and ask the crew questions, which is really neat. While I acknowledge the horrors of what happened at these sites, I appreciate being able to see them. And Drayton does make the enslaved a focus of their tours, which I appreciate. I paid just over 30 dollars and the ticket is good for all day and the whole grounds, which comes with an accompanying audio tour. read more

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Wow! What a wonderful experience Drayton Hall turned out to be. My childhood best friend came to visit, and we decided to check it out. I've been to other historic homes, but this tour easily took first place in my book. Autumn was a wonderful tour guide. She kept mentioning that it was only her third tour, but the amount of knowledge she had was incredible. Our tour group included a few history enthusiasts, and the questions kept coming--but Autumn knew all the answers. The language used and the overall preservation of the plantation are beautiful. The site does an excellent job of honoring the lives of the enslaved, rather than centering the enslavers. It was a truly beautiful tour. read more

Drayton Hall - Drayton house - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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The best plantation tour in Charleston! I've been to almost all of them, but this was most impressive. I felt the ticket value to what you get is the best, plus the house being in it's original state (not a replica) it's such a unique place to stop. read more

Oyster roast was amazing! Fresh oysters, great event meeting new people from various places. read more

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We had an amazing day at Dayton Hall. So much to see and do here. There were so many helpful people to explain life at Dayton hall back in the day. read more

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The physical structure and Palladian architecture of the house is beautiful, but the decision to preserve and not restore requires true imagination for the guests. The kitchen area is on the tour and the first floor of living quarters, but nothing else of the house. The second floor of living quarters are no longer on the tour. No furniture inside or paintings/wall ornamentation. Artists renderings of what the house may have appeared as during different periods would be nice to show in the video at the beginning of the tour. A rendering of the rooms with the original yellow walls in some rooms and red-painted staircase would be lovely to see. LACK LUSTER tour guide. They could do so much more in the accurate telling of the history of the structure, describing Palladian architecture, where the materials were sourced, etc. The little history center built next to the parking lot is quaint and air conditioned. Extremely disappointed in the tour guide's lack of knowledge regarding most elements of the house's construction or the crops grown on the property. Although this was not the main plantation the Drayton's used for growing crops, they did have some. The tour guide said "no crops were grown here." How about the indigo and rice that are in the records of the property? The guide would have one think that they only had a vegetable garden on the side of the drive leading to the house. Read the history before touring as we did. A self-guided tour with a knowledgeable docent monitoring the structure would be more enjoyable. We silently endured our guide's rote narrative. More history and information regarding the architecture or the processes involved in creating the lovely plaster carvings for example would be fascinating or how the grounds were maintained or did they have livestock on the property, etc. read more

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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 disappointment 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 visitor center, and clean restrooms are a bonus. read more

Drayton Hall - The tree predates the plantation - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Did the tour with Autumn, she was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Brought the plantation house to life. The grounds and audio tour are wonderful. Thank you Autumn. read more

Had a great time and a great experience visiting this place! A must place to visit for those who want to learn of the rich history of South Carolina. The only issue I had with this place was that i felt that the tour guide was reading off of a script instead of putting heart and soul into it. read more

We had purchased tickets to the tour starting at 3:30pm. Due to traffic, and our GPS taking us to the wrong turn, we got here RIGHT AT 3:30pm. We get to the gate, and the lady at the front told us "you missed it" extremely rudely. We asked if it would be possible to just walk up and see the home, and got told "you'll only be able to see the parking lot, and I'm locking the gate." While I will admit, we should have looked at the map and planned time for traffic, had their driveway been properly marked, we would've gotten there a few minutes earlier. We also are pretty upset due to the fact that we got there exactly at 3:30. You also cannot get your money back, and we watched the same gate lady shut the gate in someone's face, not very professional. Very disappointed, and I won't be back. read more

Amazing tour even with the covid restrictions. Our guide was amazing and took the time to not only answer our questions but help is to tie all of the information together. Our visit was early in the day to keep from melting (there is no air conditioning in the main house or heat so plan accordingly). The grounds are fantastic and you can take a self guided tour to learn about the different history of the property. I love learning the difference between a restored and unrestored house. 70% of the floors are original; it also the only house in the Ashley River to have survived both the revolutionary and Civil war. I appreciated the sensitivity to the fact that there is a history of enslaved people having lived and served here. It is a sensitive topic and visiting here definitely helped to learn a different perspective. read more

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1. Be careful about taking Lyft and Uber here, especially if you'll be leaving towards the end of the day, because drivers aren't around to pick up in the late afternoon/evening and you'll find yourself in a predicament. 2. We selected Drayton Hall over Magnolia Plantation because seeing an unrestored plantation intrigued us. We were happy with our decision. The preservation staff have done a great job of leaving it as they've found it, except for where they are working to unbury even more. 3. I learned a good deal about life for the enslaved population, including some of their names, and even more about the formerly/descendants of enslaved persons. Do not skip the caretaker's house for a good such exhibit (and that has air conditioning). 4. It's a self-guided audio tour. We didn't have headphones and some other people didn't either. It can be distracting to listen to multiple places of the same recording at the same time. Bring those headphones. read more

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This is an awesome historical place to visit. The house is preserved how it was when it was first built and it is an continuous archeological site which is very interesting. The site also has a gift shop and a museum of period furniture that would have been in the house. I would defiantly recommend taking your time and take a guided tour the tour guides are very informative and answered all the questions our group had. *Do not expect the house to be restored with modern amenities read more

Drayton Hall - Dratons front - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

A well preserved piece of history. Enjoyed the grounds and historical context that the home presents. Thank you for the opportunity to tour and enjoy the views. read more

This is a gorgeous property on the river. The tour guide was one of the best tour guides we've ever experienced. Great connection to Charleston history read more

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OUTSTANDING!!!! I've been to every plantation in Louisiana, and this place is a plantation lovers DREAM! This place is TRULY mind blowing. I think our to our guides name was Hannah (11:00 tour on 1/26/20). The tour is a little over an hour long, but so informative. The house is mind blowing. The house was built in 1740, and 70% of the floors are ORIGINAL! There is SO much other stuff that's also original. This is a true gem and a must see! If you're making a day of it head over to Magnolia after! Be sure to allow for 2-3 hours at Drayton to see the grounds, house, museum, and gift shop! This in my opinion is a MUST SEE! read more

Drayton Hall - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

TLDR: skip this place- not worth the price or the time The home itself is beautiful and it's wonderful to see an example of the Palladian style. It's nice the walls still have the original paint and the plaster work on the ceilings was beautiful. BUT, the tour was far, far too long and our tour guide was exceedingly uninteresting and seemingly unknowledgeable. She did not delve into the history of the house or the surrounding 300+ year old live oaks. This property could easily be touted as a self guided tour and I do believe this would be a better use of resources. An employee could monitor the visitors within the home but it would give visitors the opportunity to view the empty rooms at their pace. Would not go back. read more

Drayton Hall was our favorite tour while in Charleston. The home itself is preserved as found and has not been altered historically. The house is beautiful but the land is stunning and so peaceful. I would suggest using Chicora Tours for your visit to this plantation, you will not be disappointed. They provide private tours and Nick, our tour guide was so knowledgeable about Drayton Hall and Charleston in general. If you want to have an experience tailored to your individual preferences and not feel rushed, this is the way to go. We will definitely return and will use Chicora Tours again on our next trip to Charleston. read more

An historically accurate early 18th century, circa 1738 Palladian mansion on the beuatiful and pristine Ashley River. They are making huge changes to make this another great plantation true to its roots. Drayton Hall is unfurnished, but let's your imagination run away with how grand it truly used to be. It is one of the finest pieces of architecture if not in the South, but in our great nation. Drayton Hall is expanding and adding historically accurate buildings to represent what it was like in the early 18th century. Currently, they have a museum shop, which dates to early 19th century and a slave and later, a servants cemetery near the front entrance, well before the big house. It's nice to walk the primitive nature trails and the grounds of the house. The views along the river are spectacular and great for family photos. There are some of the biggest live oak trees i have ever seen too! They also offer membership, which is totally worth it, especially if like myself, host a lot of family and friends from out of town. Definitely worth the trip! read more

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 were debating which plantation to visit and were happy we picked this one! read more

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My wife and I went here on 2-16-19. We love going to historic places and this did not disappoint. The staff was very friendly and knowledgable. The tour guide was able to answer questions that were asked. The property and house here have been preserved very well. If you go here make sure you walk the property and take it all in. There are plenty of great spots to stop and take photos. They also have a small museum, gift shop and caffe on sight. There were also clean bathrooms on sight for use. They have done an amazing job with the upkeep of the property. read more

While this plantation house is an impressive structure, the tour that is offered here is the opposite of impressive. I learned very little about the Drayton's while on the guided tour. This tour lasts around an hour and costs $35 per person. The house is void of furniture from the time that the family occupied the dwelling; however, some pieces are available to see in the museum galleries. The highlight of Drayton Hall was seeing a couple of gators in the ponds and seeing a few old oaks on the property. I would recommend checking out other Lowcountry plantations or sites in Charleston. read more

Wow. We really wanted to visit Magnolia Plantation for their beautiful gardens. But it just happened to rain on our plantation day. So, we opted for Drayton Hall. This place is simply amazing. Also, our tour guide was able to point out very many interesting facts about the house, it's history and the beautiful details. I could not believe that this home is over 265 years old! The National Trust purchased the house in 1974 from the Drayton family and has decided to perserve the home as it was received. They will not be restoring or refurbishing it. They will keep it as it is. It's definitely worth your time, if you are visiting Charleston. read more

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My friend and I started our first day in the south by driving from Savannah to Charleston, SC to take in the rich history of both the home and the grounds surrounding Drayton Hall. To say it feels as if you have stepped back into another time is putting it mildly. For this person it was beautifully haunting, the winds swaying through the willows and the cracking of twigs in the brush, I half expected the ancestors of yesteryear to appear at any moment. While the home is in renovation it doesn't stop a person to notice the great eye of craftsmanship that went into the home, the ceilings, fireplaces, & staircase alone are breathtaking to the meticulous detail that went into creating it. Our guide was friendly and quite knowledgeable, don't be shy to ask questions. I will forever remember my first visit to the south and The Drayton Plantation. read more

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Drayton Hall is well worth the trip. It is about 10 miles north of downtown Charleston so you will have to hop in the car and head up 17. The drive is quite beautiful with trees canopying the road. We went during the month of August and it was quite humid. Even though this was the case the inside of the house was rather cool. There are no air conditioners but there are fans to cool it off. The tour is around one and a half hours and costs $20. If you get some of the coupons map books in downtown Charleston you may be able to get a few bucks off. There is also a deal to do a convo with the Nathaniel Russell House to get a better deal. I would suggest going to both of them. This particular tour did not mention much about the Civil War but there is plenty about the 1730s and how Drayton was trying to show off a home to the rich Europeans. It is worth the trip north and the $20. read more

Drayton Hall - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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I really wanted to see an antebellum plantation in the Charleston area when I was visiting, not some restored, rebuilt in the Victorian era, frou-frou crap. This place fit the bill, so we went and it didn't disappoint. I think it's the only plantation house in the area that survived the Civil War, subsequent earthquake, fires, etc. So it's very old and has been beautifully preserved. We did both the African American Connections "Tour" and the House Tour. While the former was not really a tour, it was interesting. Peggy was very knowledgable but I did disagree with some of the broader historical context-related things she said. She gave a nice presentation under a tree, but it would have been nice to actually walk around to see where things stood on the property, like the African American Cemetery. The House Tour was also interesting. Our guide was Diane. But she was mainly interested in how rich and powerful the family was. That was pretty much her schpeel. Diane did a great job being patient with the loud children some thoughtless parents brought to this place. Who brings 2-5 year old children to a place like this? What could they possibly get out of it? They were completely unable to be still and quiet throughout the tour, but Diane coped a lot better than I did. She even tried to entertain them during the tour, which their clueless parents were not interested in doing. AGAIN, I HIGHLY advise you NOT to bring young children here. Wait until they're around 10 years old. I also highly advise you to bring insect repellant. It's very buggy. read more

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Drayton Hall was one of the highlights of Charleston for me. I researched a few of the plantations and then decided this one was my first pick. The mansion is empty but shows its original glory, unlike others that were restored to modern standards. It's quite cool to think of what went on in those rooms two hundred years ago. The tour guide, Alice, was awesome. She recalled every generation of Drayton that occupied the home. She was able to answer questions with ease. We walked around pretty much all three floors, except a couple rooms with fragile floors and ceilings. We booked a combo ticket with this plantation and Magnolia and saved $8 per person. They were able to sell us this deal at the main gate. Magnolia, which is a restored plantation, was a good contrast and offered the gardens this was didn't have. read more

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This is the real deal - nothing fake or redone or "researched to appear time-appropriate". It's a time capsule and you can tell people are working hard to keep it in the great shape it's still in. I've visited a lot of plantations and this one is one of my favorite because of its authenticity. A lot of other places are staged with fake reproduction furniture but this one is different in a good way because it has no furniture pieces inside so you can focus on the true beauty and detail put into each room, and use your imagination to view that room alive in the 18th century. The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. It is definitely a special place. read more

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Great tour of a very cool & unique attraction. We've toured many historic homes and this one is different. They've left everything as-is with no restoration and no furnishings. It has a slightly haunted, abandoned feel that is very cool. The tour is brief (45 minutes) and the tour guides competent. Extremely hot with no climate control and about 20% outside, so be prepared for that. read more

We visited a few plantations while visiting Charleston a couple of weeks ago. Drayton Hall was by far our favorite. It feels like you step back in time, almost as if the family took their belongings and left yesterday. There are no furnishings but the house is so well preserved. There are 2 museums on site, pre and post civil war, as well as a gift shop. read more

Historic plantation being preserved by a trust foundation. Empty house, no furnishings. This is what the Draytons desired. The family used this house up until 1974 and it is pretty as it was when built in 1738. No modern conveniences like plumbing, electricity or bathrooms. A docent gives the history of slaves in the area and at the plantation outside of the house. Then she does s guided tour inside the house. She provided great information and insight. The rest of the grounds are pretty much barren except for the privy and a couple of traces of foundations. The African cemetery has a few markers, most of those in recent history. Nothing much to look at outside. They are currently making a center to house personal belongings, documents, etc. I think that will definitely bring more to this plantation and make it interesting. read more

Great old house, some very interesting architecture, but the tour was way too long. Our guide was sweet but very long winded. The house isn't that big and, in fact, smaller than most of the downtown tours we did yet the tour was almost an hour and a half, when the downtown house tours are about a half hour. I had to go to the bathroom which didn't help. They should offer self guided tours. It would have been more enjoyable. If you have a day where you don't have much to do, then check out Drayton Hall, just be prepared for the amount of time you'll have to commit. read more

A fabulous find! The main house is oozing with delightful architecture design. There is a large gorgeous pond and many other strange things to see. A dark past this place may have but well worth the trip. I even went through the old slave cemetery but did not know I was there until I looked behind me and noticed numerous indentations in the ground: a result of collapsed coffins. read more

The is my favorite place in Charleston, as a resident and visitor. Drayton Hall is different from all other home sites and historical places to visit. The house is original. It didn't burn down and get rebuilt. Some rich person didn't buy it and turn it into a museum. It is being restored to it's *original* state. I have been to so many "historic" homes in Charleston and have walked away, sometimes in awe, but not feeling the historical presence of a place. The history alone with Drayton Hall is amazing. It is rich with African-American culture as well as Southern culture. There are events throughout the year. There is a Sunrise Easter service and annual Oyster Roast that will leave you wanting more of the place. If you're a resident, the best thing to do is buy a membership. It's $40 and allows you to visit any time and get first dibs on events (and events do sell out quickly). This is a tourist town and with the restoration going on, money has to be made. If you want true history and beautiful grounds, this is your place. If you want a bunch of women in hoop skirts serving you sweet tea, this may not be your place. Drayton Hall is on my *top ten* things to see! read more

Drayton Hall is a historical building that is different than many others. It is unrestored and unfinished; no furniture and artifacts fill the rooms. In this manner, one can see how the building was constructed and finished in its day. read more

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I came to South Carolina just to visit plantations and learn about slavery, I find it fascinating. I visited four plantations, Boon, Magnolia, Drayton, and Middleton. I would rank them 1) Boon 2) Middleton 3) Drayton and last Magnolia. Our tour guide was awesome and the tour was small enough that it did not feel crammed. The history is very interesting and the shell of the house is still beautiful. However it was $22 for an hour house tour besides for an old out house that is all there is to see. You could see this whole place in less than an hour and half. It's cool but if I did not miss it I would be ok. If your time/ money is limited, skip this one. read more

I wanted to check this place out since I was already in the south and had just watched Django so the timing couldn't be better -- except this is a rice plantation and not a cotton plantation. We just drove through and didn't have time to do the tour, but still paid $8 a person to see the grounds. I'm sure the tour would have been worth it but we were limited on time so the $8/person not so much. Pretty amazing to have the grounds be preserved for so long (over 260+ years). read more

I only had time to visit one plantation home on a recent vacation in Charleston, and I specifically chose Drayton Hall because (as everyone has noted) it is preserved, not restored. It probably comes down to personal preference, but I really enjoy seeing original historic sites whenever possible. While it's true that this is not a "Gone with the Wind" type of home, that is probably due more to the fact that it's from a completely different time period (the 1740s) than because of its condition. The tour guide was extremely informative and provided a ton of information about the Drayton family as well as the architectural details of the home and their significance. I left the tour feeling like I had really learned a lot. The tour leads you through the first floor of the home, one room on the second floor (they don't want people walking in the other rooms upstairs in case the vibrations damage the original ceilings in the first floor rooms), and the kitchen in the basement. One really unique thing about this tour is that you're allowed to take pictures (even with flash) outside and inside the home. Because the house is unfurnished and has no artwork, they aren't afraid of a flash damaging anything. I've found that one can rarely take pictures inside historic homes, so that was a pleasant surprise. In addition to the house tour, you can also freely roam around the grounds of the house. While there are no manicured gardens here, you can do a short walk through a marsh and you can walk down to the river. I would definitely recommend this plantation home to anyone who is looking to really step back in time and get a real sense of history. read more

Having a house that has been preserved for over 200+ years is pretty amazing taking with the fact that there is history of this house and the family which relates to the one down the road (magnolia gardens or plantation). Our tour guide was ok. Rosemary I believe her name was which she knew how to do her job and told the story by the books but I was a little skeptical about what was said so I did some researching when I left... Now I'm not saying I'm a history major or anything but history is a big part of my interest and guessing on how things played out or even pieced together by a tour guide isn't what I'm looking especially. The tour would have been better if we had a smaller group. We had about 23 people in our tour group and and yes the living room area was ok with stand there for a while but once you get into confined spaces everyone is crunched together since we were all only allowed to stand on the carpet to preserve the natural wood. Yes it was hot, very hot and sweaty and not the one everyone enjoys unless the person next to you that you don't know enjoys that kind of stuff. Our guide was not only in a rush but also rambled on to different topics which also never pertained to the tour. Touché. It really made us want to walk around the house ourselves and make believe what each room was used for since there were no information guide throughout. read more