Drayton Hall offers freeform tours of a true historic southern home. The grounds are much smaller than nearby Magnolia, with fewer trails and scenic bridges. We found the audio tour a bit awkward to use in a group, but with very few signs or pamphlets, it was a necessity to listen to. The staff however was very delightful, with both a wealth of helpful knowledge, and that southern warmth of personality that Ive come to appreciate in the Charleston area.Overall I think Drayton Hall is a wonderful addition to the history around Charleston, and it sits among a beautiful backdrop of nature, which may be worth a visit for that alone.

What a beautiful place to spend 3 hours! The self-guided tour can include as much or as little as you like. Of course there are off-limits areas, but thats not where you want to be, anyway. Drayton hall is Preserved, not Restored, so you will see it in its (mostly) original glory. The house is an amazing piece of architecture, and the grounds are gorgeous. Rain or shine, and it was raining during my visit, its a must see!

This was a lovely property, with a great staff and helpful tour guide. You will not find many vestiges of slavery at this plantation because it was mostly residential, and the second floor of the manse was closed due to COVID, but go for beautiful vistas and gorgeous photo opportunities.

A true piece of history. Owned by National Trust for Historic Places. Architectural examples of Georgia /Palladian style from mid 18th Century.

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 isnt 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 isnt 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.

Beautiful historic spot. I got some great photos of the grounds. Nice welcome center with small museum and cafe. We did the walking tour. Excellent guide, very knowledgeable.

I enjoyed the experience of visiting Drayton Hall. Its been preserved, not restored, like other plantations in the area. It felt more geniune of an experience, over some of the others that seem much more a tourist attraction. Very anthropological in the tour focus, I really appreciated the detailed knowledge of the tour guide.

Absolutely beautiful grounds,extremely knowledgable & friendly staff ,highly recommend a visit

Absolutely beautiful. The new visitor center is really nice with some artifacts from the home itself. The history is well worth learning. A must see.

This place is amazing. The history is mind blowing. You will have to come and experience this breath taking place before U die. Words cant describe.

Drayton Hall has done an incredible job in recent years adding a new visitor center, in 2018, that displays some artifacts, shows a short film about the history of the plantation, and has a cafe and gift shop. The house is considered the first and one of the best examples of Palladian architecture in North America. The house is empty and allows visitors to appreciate all the intricate details that makes this place different than other plantations in the area. Another important difference is that Drayton Hall addresses slavery in more direct way than others.If you are looking for beautiful gardens this is not the place to go, however, if you are interested in seeing incredible architecture and a more honest account of history then Drayton Hall is well worth your time and money.

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 friendly, informative, and very passionate about her job!

I havent been here yet, but I cant wait to take the kids here next month, small field trip is already planned as everyone is reccomending Drayton Hall for a fun history lesson while school is out. Adults are excited as well to view all the art on Display.

Was disappointed that this is a preserved mansion & not restored. There are no furnishings & upstairs & cellar are closed. Guide was very detailed & enthusiastic. Grounds are gorgeous.

Wonderful visit to this plantation. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable in the history of the home and grounds. I would recommend this to everyone to visit next time your in Charleston.My wife and I really liked that we can walk around the entire ground by ourselves. The house tour was guided and was very informative. The only downside was that there was no furniture in the house. But that did not take away the fact it was an informative period house.

Very interesting. We had a great tour guide, young man and very knowledgeable. He DID NOT like stupid questions or know it alls. Our tour, of course, had both. The tour was very informative. The grounds are beautiful. Keep in my this is preservation. They are not trying to restore it to the grandeur of old, but rather keep the familys wishes of preserving the house. There are no furnishings. Would be 5 stars but they made my dad pay full price even though he was only going to be sitting in the car with the sleeping 1 year old. Thats ridiculous. If you are not going to tour the grounds or house, there should be a nominal entrance fee of something like $5 or $10, not $32.

Drayton Hall is unique in that it is the only colonial era plantation home to ever be fully preserved by the national trust for historic preservation. The Home is the same as it was in 1974 when the Drayton family sold it to the trust, the paint has been maintained by a glue mixture being sprayed on it, and the graffiti from the last break in before the sale can still be seen. It is a prime example of palladian architecture and while the home is empty, it is possible to envision the way it would have impressed in its hay-day while on the tour. The new (finished in 2018) visitor center/museum/education center is informative and contains a few of the artifacts from the home that the Draytons has provided over the years. There is still room for more growth in the exhibits but if you like preservation, Drayton hall will not disappoint.

Fantastic preservation of an important plantation in the history of one of Charlestons most important planter families. Beautiful new visitors center with a fine orientation film, a few select pieces if furniture, a nice cafe and clean restrooms.

Beautiful property....home kept in original condition as much as possible. Fascinating!

Very interesting experience. Much of the area and architecture is historically genuine and shows a great window into that time. Would recommend for anyone interested in the history of South Carolina and slave life.

What a wonderful visit and tour. Not my kind of thing but the wife wanted to do it. I ended up really enjoying it

Drayton Hall is one of the best kept secrets of the Charleston, SC area. This Plantation is quite unique for the fact that it is still the original structure; having survived General Shermans March to The Sea during the Civil War. (It was built in the mid 1700s)The location is run by very knowledgeable curators, who will share with your the rich history of the grounds and home itself. The tour is very laid back and youre allowed to walk through the home itself. The most interesting part of this plantation tour is that nothing on the inside of the home has been updated. The paint that you see, is the original paint from long-long ago.The grounds are a bit of a bonus when visiting this place as well. The ponds out front are beautiful and if you keep your eyes open, you may even be lucky enough to spot an Alligator or two.Keep in mind that they do have an early closing time for their gate to get inside the grounds.

An amazing piece of preserved history. Took the guided tour inside of the house and it was well worth it.

My grandma is related to the Draytons....far down the line, but it was still super cool to see all of the history.

The plantation tour ticket gets you a tour of the house (as well as the ability to walk around the grounds on your own, but it didn’t really seem like you needed a ticket for that). They have some marked locations around the grounds, identifying where things used to be, but apart from some brick foundations, it’s kind of just a nice nature walk.The house tour was the clear highlight. The tour guide was a very sweet grandma who was very knowledgeable about the house itself and the members of the Drayton family. Seeing the unrestored interior of the house was really cool, since it actually feels like it’s old, as opposed to some other highly restored old building museums.

What a great piece of history. Tour was outstanding. Grounds were beautiful!

We felt that it was not worth the $32.00 ticket, for many reasons. Unfortunately the front gate attendant, who greeted us upon arrival, was the only positive interaction we had with staff throughout our time. Maybe it was because it was cold or toward the end of the day but we felt like an inconvenience when we asked questions or tried to purchase something in the gift shop. It was quite discouraging. Definitely will not recommend this tour to others. Like Abraham Lincoln once stated, “it is kindness that will be remembered above all else.”

One of best plantations I have visited, along with Whitney plantation in Wallace, LA. The introductory discussion was a great to establish connection, and to educate tour takers. Highly recommend!

Stabilized per National Trust requirements...not restored...not decorated...not furnished. Rooms are empty and untouched since the Trust took over. The result is a study of 18th and 19th century design and architecture....the first Palladio-inspired home in North America... impressive.

This historic home is full of history. We really enjoyed learning about this location. They had a lot of artifacts on display when we were there. The tour of the house was the highlight of our visit.

Drayton Hall is a beautiful structure that is a do not miss for architecture and history buffs, as well as people that want to feel like they are stepping back in time when they enter the house. It truly is something special. One of my top things to see in South Carolina

This Was The tour I was looking for. Loved the original structure, didnt care if it wasnt furnished. The grounds are beautiful. Take a walk over to the reflecting pond, look for the gators. Take a walk back to the river.

We are here to visit plantations and the history of the area. Drayton Hall is an unrestored home that shows how a well built building can withstand so much time. Sarah was an amazing guide and made this a top place on our list. If you have an opportunity to see this property dont pass it up.

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.

Excellent place to visit. Everyone was so nice and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Great place.

Great customer service.Outstandingly preservation, guides, amd visitor programsThe annual memberships are a great value to locals!

Wow, this place is absolutely awesome!! The tour guide truly knew the history on this home, the family, slaves, and area, not just a script. The home is completely in its original condition, no electricity or plumbing, so no air conditioning. Absolutely a fantastic experience and WELL worth the money!!! If you are in the Charleston area, do not miss this one!

Incredible. From the preservation to the presentation of this plantation’s history, everything is so well done. I wanted something different (read: doesn’t feel like a tourist trap) and Drayton Hall delivered. The house tour was thoughtful, our guide informative and passionate, and afterward we were allowed to wander the grounds. Didn’t feel monitored or closed up. We ended up exploring Drayton over an hour longer than intended. It’s that special. Entry fee is steeper than most but the website offers a discount if you book directly, so it ends up being the same or cheaper than other, less evocative plantations. If you have time to visit one estate on your trip, make it this one. I hope to return, maybe when they have the cafe up and running more. Right now it’s a little bare bones, not really a place to plan on for lunch.

Drayton Hall. Built in the 1740s, the house was used as a primary residence by John Drayton and later by his third son, Charles Drayton. Their descendants continued to own the house until the 1970s when it was purchased by the National Trust. This property was one of several plantations owned by John Drayton, but as the primary residence it was a self-sustaining plantation and not a producing plantation for the most part. The number of enslaved Africans and African Americans in the 18th century numbered between 60-70 (I can’t quite recall the exact number, and maybe some of you might be able to correct me on that). It is believed that John Drayton was his own architect. Though not much is known about his education, he did posses a significant number of volumes in his personal library. The house is pretty spectacular, in part because it was never retrofitted with modern technology. No electric, no plumbing, nothing. It is nearly intact in its original state, with, of course, several layers of paint applied to different surfaces throughout the house over the years.Our guide did an excellent job of illustrating how the family and their enslaved servants lived and interacted within the house, and juxtaposed their lived experiences, which all took place on the same site — white and black, free and enslaved, powerful and powerless — without being pedantic or too exhaustive. (Her name was Melanie, so ask for her if you visit.)Here are some images that I thought were worth sharing from my visit there. One picture in particular is that of a brand owned by the Drayton family with which they would brand their human property. A reminder that much of what we have in this country was built upon the lives of others who were not given the choice to participate in the building of this country.I’m so glad to see more and more house museums and historic sites go in the direction of inclusivity. The interpretation of history should reflect all people, all backgrounds, and all possible perspectives.

So much history! Loved that the house was still mostly original. Tour guide was amazing!

The grounds and home are beautiful. The best part was how Mack, the tour guide is so knowledgeable and entertaining. Everything is setup nicely and preserved. Great future plans.

Zack was very knowledgeable during his presentation about slavery. The tours ran pretty close together so there was some waiting for the group ahead of us to finish up before we could proceed. Overall, a great place to learn about the plantation history of Charleston.

Loved seeing and touring the house and old cemetery. Amazing stories of this century old Plantation and how it came to be and how it has survived.

Went there for my 3rd grade field trip

If we continue to support historic preservation then we might be able to stop over development. Support historic preservation and land preservation (there are a lot of acres of native plant life (coastal forest) that are crucial to combating the heat dome effects of an over developing charleston).

Haven’t visited yet but it’s definitely on my bucket list!

This is a neat plantation to see, beautiful grounds. You are not going to see all that you see at Magnolia or Boone hall, but its still pretty neat to see.

We had a great time. Beautiful house and grounds.

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.

Great, relaxing day!

What does one do with the very old family home that would require a kings fortune to restore? You make it an historical attraction and charge admission! Very interesting for history buffs.

I took membership at this place in 2018, and am glad I did. They have done a great job in preservation and docents do a terrific job. The new visitor center was well done and an exhibit hall is attached. Your membership gets you a lot and each time I return I learn something new. Research still continues there.

Things have changed here. I confess to being spoiled by the place when little blue haired ladies ran place and you could wander the house as you pleased like rest of grounds. Which this wouldve bothered me less had they been more clear when charging the whopping $32.00 a head with no one specifying, not even in their printed literature, that you could wander the grounds self guided but not the main house. When we got to the house a tour was inside but confusion grew when we saw ropes were blocking stairs with no signage. Our logical thought was to attempt to engage the tour inside but as we tried we were RUDELY chided by a staffer like children. Too bad, a little inquiry goes a long way in customer service and even after trying to explain our side of things it didnt seem to much matter. No tone of, you can put your tickets towards a future tour or lets see about a refund. Nothing of the kind. Beware of Alligators signage may be the propertys least issue as they were actually friendlier.

One of the finest houses in North America. It shows the exalted taste and time of one man and likewise his legacy, all explained as built on the fruits of slave labor.

Very detailed tour. Wish they would restore rather than preserve. No slave quarters are present though. Beautifully landscaped

Excellent tour guide Annika knew her stuff and very well spoken. Loved the old house

We made a dinner reservation for Rusconis. Walking in, we were greeted pleasantly by the staffthe bartender was excellent! He was friendly, knowledgeable and did an exceptional job of taking care of the regulars as well as the first timers like us.

This is beautiful place to have a wedding

First time back since 1979! Preservation spoke for its self! The place is amazing ... I loved the new addition of the shops and museums! The tour guide was awesome and she actually enjoys what shes does which makes a world of a difference!

It is nice to see a preserved plantation with original paint on the walls guide was great Evey room had a place to sit and fans which my pregnant wife much appreciated this was my favorite house I visited

Love drayton hall beautiful landmark tour guide was amazing and love the history I even bought me a year pass:))

This was actually my 2nd trip to this place. There has been several improvements the gift shop is new there are new buildings on the grounds. Everything looks amazing as usual the grounds are kept. I wish I could live on this place. The house has so much history if these walls could talk I can only imagine

Nothing really to do there. Boring empty house tour about poor history of the plantation for extra money. Thousands insects around which are going to bite you during walk in the park. No restaurant or cafe. Extremely overpriced tickets.

Great tour if you like to hear the history of the property. Not restored but that is kinda the point of Drayton Hall

A great tour of the house with a knowledgeable and polished guide. There was also a lecture that day on the slave trade with a focus on its impact both local and national.Dont skip the film prior to the tour.

Such a rich history, and the scenery is absolutely serene to the point of bordering the surreal.

Our docent, Betsy was very knowledgeable and made all of us feel welcome.

Nice old plantation off the Ashley river road. The house is interesting to visit and is quite big. The grounds are not as nice as the other plantations but still beautiful.

Very cool to see historical preservation as opposed to restoration.

Loved our tour with Patty! Interesting Historical information

I enjoyed the tour though at times was rather underwhelmed. Would have liked to see more of the house. It was sad to see the disrepair due to a will preventing repairs? (This part of the tour was confusing, it seemed odd to prevent repairs but leave it to be toured as a historical building)

One of three plantations on the Ashley RiverWorth a stop for its history, all have an element of beauty and sadness

I have been planning to go here for at least the the past 20 years, but finally went here yesterday. I had watched the North and South TV miniseries the night before, and Drayton Hall was the home of David Carradine in the miniseries. So I was in Charleston yesterday and decided to go by the house and it exceeded my expectations. They had a great lecture prior to the tour of the house and I learned a lot of information about the Antebellum South. Highly recommend a visit.

So much history. Building and grounds are beautiful. Very peaceful. Highly recommend.

Great place to visit. House tours are full of great history. Lots to see and do.

Mack was a great tour guide. Hes 5 stars for sure. The actual Drayton House is amazing too. The grounds, while sparse in comparison to some of the other plantations was still beautiful. When they finish their expansion in the coming months Im sure it will be 5 stars. Definitely a must do!

The one star is not for the attraction. It’s for Google. I feel like the closing time should be edited to 3:30, not 5:00. They close the gate at 3:30, once you are inside they permit you to stay until 5:30. It is 100% my fault for skimming the website. I just want to save someone the disappointment of driving there at 3:30 and being denied entrance 1.5 hours before closing.

Wonderful, knowledgeable tour guide. Very enlightening experience.

-Not worth 32$ thats honestly the reason for the lower rated review.-Standoffish employees besides gate person-aint much to do but it is pretty.

Amazing attraction. Beautiful scenery. Very informative tours of this historic, well preserved plantation home.

Wonderful, a must if your around the area!

Absolutely gorgeous and very knowledgeable guides. Definitely a good day trip

Enjoyed seeing a house of this era in a preserved state versus restored state.

Difficult to rate as this is a place of immense sadness and despair. While the guided tour was very informative about the building and the former owners, the real ( and skipped over) story is about the multi generational suffering at the hands of the plantation owners.The National Trust is preserving the home in its current state, but I cannot help but think this should be a monument to the slaves that made the fortunes of the plantation owners and the whole state of South Carolina.This reminded me that the US economy was actually based on human trafficking.

This is a bare-bones skeletal structure of the past. The grounds, while devoid of a properly flowered garden, is well maintained and provides a charm for those that crave a snapshot in time. The house, as stated, has absolutely nothing inside...which made my visit that much better. No lavish furniture to hide the wooden floors (except for rugs that are used to preserve the flooring.) No wall coverings to show the ghostly outlines of the strings used to hold period-piece coverings/art. This is a charm filled experience that leaves the open space as your canvas...just close your eyes and enjoy what you dream.

Unique experience the staff friendly. The house in its state was interesting.

Absolutely beautiful!

Very informative information on the building and all the things that went on. Great place to learn.

Incredible place, tons of history!

What beautiful architecture! I love the fact that this plantation is preserved in its original condition. There arent many museums that can make that claim. The staff is very knowledgeable about the history and make the tours very interesting. We were so very pleased that we stopped here!

Very beautiful place, but beware that the house is devoid of any furniture and no air conditioning (if you are visiting in warmer months).

Drayton Hall is a must if you are visiting the Low Country.Fine example of Palladian architecture. ☆☆☆☆☆

Drayton Hall is a wonderful exam of historic 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.

Lovely old house, its sad to see it in decline.

Well kept. Great site for history buffs

Pros: the super nice lady at the ticket gate, the 60-minute guided tour of the main house, the views by the Ashley RiverCons: the $32 ticket price, the apathetic/uppity/unfriendly white women working inside (including in the gift shop), the absolute lack of instruction/direction/friendliness while waiting for the house tour to beginApart from my interaction with the very friendly lady at the main ticket gate, I felt very unwelcome here. The employees were simply at work. It felt very cold and corporate. The overall experience was very disappointing to me. I was most happy to leave. I visited on October 16, 2018, from about 1:30 to 4:00.

Seriously overpriced for $32.The tour was mostly about the house itself, the structure and architecture, and no stories about the people who lived there and I am sure there were a lot. Minimal mention of the slaves and their experiences. The tour guide clearly knew her historical facts but could focus more on scene setting and story telling. It was hard to picture what she was talking about.Need more stories about Lord Cornwallis, John drayton’s young wife, Richmond Bowen (we know he had plenty of stories to tell), and Charles as a person - as his diary has a lot of information and none of this was really brought up. She didn’t even mention that the house was used as a hospital during the civil war.Redeeming factors: the guide in training was excellent, the slavery economics lecture is worth sticking around for, good coffee in the cafe, the guy working there is really nice and we had a great chat.

Great history to stop and see!

We had a great time and the tour guide was excellent

Very musty. Grounds are beautiful.