plantation tours columbia sc

Visit These 9 Historic Plantations In South Carolina For An Unforgettable Experience

Robin Jarvis

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From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, South Carolina has several historic plantations that are open for tours. You may recognize a few of these and others may be newly added to your radar. Each wonderful property has major history behind it, as well as just being beautiful and interesting to visit. Tour all of these historic plantations in South Carolina for unforgettable experiences.

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South Carolinians have done a wonderful job of preserving so much of the plantation history in the Palmetto State. Visit any one, or ALL, of these historic plantations for an experience you’ll never forget.

Have you toured any of these yet? And which is your favorite? We’d love to know in our comments.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Tour of Historic Plantations & Homes

By prince george winyah church women.

For over 75 years, the Prince George Winyah Church Women have hosted the Tour of Historic Plantations and Homes each spring. In this self-guided tour, visitors have a unique opportunity to tour select historic plantations, town homes, and gardens located in and around Georgetown County, South Carolina. Tickets are required, and we recommend you purchase them in advance. All money raised by the Tour is allocated to community outreach and the preservation of our historic church buildings. The success of the Tour has made a difference in the lives of the poor, the friendless, and the needy in our community, which continues to be our prayerful aim in this endeavor.

Save the Date

March 28-29, 20 25, georgetown, south carolina.

“Phenomenal! The sheer number and variety of homes and plantations we visit is incredible, but it is the irresistible southern hospitality of this community that has me hooked."

Plan Your Tour

While the tour of homes is the main event, we offer several other tour features to enhance your time on tour. 

Founded in 1729, Georgetown, South Carolina, is located in the heart of the South Carolina lowcountry. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the region became home to many indigo and rice planters who once exported so much rice that Georgetown County was once the wealthiest county in the United States. Though indigo and rice are no longer major exports for the region, many of the plantations, town houses, and gardens left by the planters remain and have been preserved by Georgetown's present-day residents. The Tour of Historic Homes and Plantations is self-guided and gives tour-goers a unique opportunity to tour properties, many of which are generally closed to the public, at their own leisure.

300 Broad Street, Georgetown, SC 29440

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843-633-1502

• Destinations

16 Best South Carolina Plantations & Historic Houses

Last Updated By VI in South Carolina on July 01, 2023

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens

Charleston tea garden, drayton hall.

• Complete List & Map

SC Highway 88, 3 miles east of downtown Pendleton, Pendleton, SC 29630, Phone: 864-646-3782

1235 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, Phone: 843-884-4371

6617 Maybank Hwy, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, Phone: 843-559-0383

3380 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414-7126, Phone: 843-769-2600

Frampton Plantation House

1 Low Country Ln, Yemassee , SC 29945, Phone: 843-717-3090

Hampton Plantation State Historic Site

1950 Rutledge Rd, McClellanville, SC 29458, Phone: 843-546-9361 , ( website link )

Hopsewee Plantation

494 Hopsewee Rd, Georgetown, SC 29440-5598, Phone: 843-546-7891

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

3550 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, Phone: 843-571-1266

Mansfield Plantation Bed & Breakfast

1776 Mansfield Rd, Georgetown, SC 29440, Phone: 843-546-6961

McLeod Plantation Historic Site

325 Country Club Dr, Charleston, SC 29412-2215, Phone: 843-762-9514 , ( website link )

Middleton Place

4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414-7206, Phone: 843-556-6020

Millford Historic Site

7320 Milford Plantation Rd, Pinewood, SC 29125, Phone: 803-452-5282

Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site

181 Redcliffe Rd, Beech Island, SC 29842-9535, Phone: 803-827-1473

Robert W. Roper House

9 E Battery St; Charleston, South Carolina 29401, Phone: 843-225-0111

Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site

2677 Sardis Rd, Union, SC 29379-7904, Phone: 864-427-5966

Woodburn Historic House

130 History Ln, Pendleton, SC 29670-8700, Phone: 864-646-7249

• 1. Ashtabula
• 2. Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens
• 3. Charleston Tea Garden
• 4. Drayton Hall
• 5. Frampton Plantation House
• 6. Hampton Plantation State Historic Site
• 7. Hopsewee Plantation
• 8. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
• 9. Mansfield Plantation Bed & Breakfast
• 10. McLeod Plantation Historic Site
• 11. Middleton Place
• 12. Millford Historic Site
• 13. Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site
• 14. Robert W. Roper House
• 15. Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site
• 16. Woodburn Historic House

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Historic Columbia is closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. All tours are canceled, and both gardens and administrative offices are closed. 

Historic Columbia

Kensington Mansion

Kensington is an antebellum site long recognized as a historic landmark in Richland County. Recent work to the property focused on maintaining the historical integrity of the mansion. It is considered a hybrid restoration and rehabilitation because it included preserving, repairing and/or replacing existing fabric, while restoring and upgrading systems to ensure the property is functional and safe. Maintenance and repairs were necessary after the mansion roof sustained damage from an ice storm in 2014. Work on the mansion included a full roof replacement and significant interior and exterior repairs.

“Sylvamo, formerly International Paper, has done an outstanding job at Kensington. The restoration and rehabilitation of two of the site’s structures shows the company’s commitment to ensuring that this nationally significant property is preserved and protected for future generations. Historic Columbia is delighted to join Sylvamo in re-introducing Kensington to the public.” - Robin Waites, Historic Columbia, executive director

Kensington Mansion is a Renaissance Revival Villa style mansion built between 1852-1854 as part of the Headquarters Plantation. It has 29 rooms and 12,000 square feet of floor space. Stylistically, Kensington is a contradiction. At its most basic, the home is a wooden farmhouse. The construction materials and design reflect the owners’ need for functionality. The Italianate and Second Empire flourishes, on the other hand, are lavish and wedged whimsically into the design. While both styles are significant in their own rights, the combination found at Kensington makes the site unique in South Carolina. They reflect its owners’ experience in the antebellum South: existing in a culture entirely dependent upon slave-based agriculture while simultaneously seeking luxury and wealth on an international scale.  

Kensington’s owners, Colonel Richard Singleton and later his son Matthew R. Singleton, enslaved several hundred people across a network of plantations in Richland, Orangeburg, and Sumter districts at the time of the mansion’s construction. Much of what is known about Kensington Mansion and Headquarters Plantation on topics ranging from indoor plumbing to horse training to the heart wrenching separation of enslaved families comes from letters written by the Singleton family, the memoir of Jacob Stroyer–who was enslaved at the site as a child– and the inventory and appraisals of both Richard and Mathew R. Singleton, who died at the beginning and end of the mansion’s construction, respectively. 

Sylvamo, formerly International Paper and Union Camp, purchased the Kensington property in the early 1980s and restored the mansion after it had been used as a storage area for farm equipment, fertilizer, and feed for animals. Over the years, Sylvamo has used the property for a variety of company and community purposes and the property has had varying levels of public access. At this time, Kensington will be opened for select tours one to two times per year to offer the community a chance to learn about the site.

494 Hopsewee Rd., Georgetown, SC 29440 | Phone: (843) 546-7891

Call to book • Book online • Email us • Get directions

Join us TUESDAY, Jan. 16 AS WE REOPEN FOR the 2024 Season!

Photo by Alan Sherlock

Experience Southern History at Hopsewee Plantation

Built circa 1740, some 40 years before the American Revolutionary War, Hopsewee Plantation was one of the South’s major rice plantations and the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Now privately owned, this National Historic Landmark—midway between Myrtle Beach and Charleston in the heart of South Carolina’s Lowcountry—reopens to the public for the 2024 season Tuesday, Jan. 16 until mid-December. We close for weddings and special events , so please check our calendar when booking for availability.

book online

CAll to book

Take two popular tours together and save with our new package deal!

Brand new hopsewee house tour and gullah geechee presentation package deal 1 hour 45 minutes; tues–sat at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:15 pm &  2:15 pm.

Historic House Tour Explore the home from room to room, including the two original slave cabins that still stand on the grounds. Learn about the rich history of Hopsewee, its previous families as well as its current owners, the Beatties, and the enslaved who lived and worked on the plantation.

Gullah Geechee Presentation Join us as we expand the narrative about the experience of the enslaved West Africans on this historic plantation to include their contributions to the wealth and influence of colonial South Carolina through their knowledge, ingenuity, and labor that helped build our nation.

Buy tickets online or call (843) 546-7891 . Please contact us for groups of 10 or more.

Hopsewee Historic Landmark House Tour 50 minutes; Tues.–Sat., 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, & 3 pm

Explore the home from room to room, including the two original slave cabins that still stand on the grounds. Learn about the rich history of Hopsewee, its previous families as well as its current owners, the Beatties, and the enslaved who lived and worked on the plantation. During your visit, make sure to enjoy the mossy oaks and river vista. Afterwards, enjoy lunch or tea at our River Oak Cottage , ranked as one of the state's top tea rooms. Buy tickets online or call (843) 546-7891 . Please contact us for groups of 10 or more.

NEW ! Hopsewee Historical Museum Self-guided; Tues.–Sat., 10 am-4 pm

Learn about the enslaved individuals who lived here as we present some of Hopsewee’s missing history through archaeological investigation and research. What we have learned is presented here so that all may have a better understanding of what life was like for those who were forcefully brought here, who were born here, who lived, loved, labored and died here and even, perhaps, sometimes laughed here. Click to learn more or make a reservation .

BOOK ONLINE

Gullah Geechee presentation 30 minutes; Tues.–Sat., 11:15 am, 12:15 pm, 1:15 pm, & 2:15 pm Takes place in our Slave Cabin Dwelling

Join historians Vennie Deas Moore as we expand the narrative about the experience of the enslaved West Africans on this historic plantation to include their contributions to the wealth and influence of colonial South Carolina and how their knowledge, ingenuity, and labor help to build this nation.

Folklorist and cultural preservationist Deas Moore is the 2020 winner of South Carolina’s 2020 Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award recognizing the work of those in the state keeping traditional arts alive. Her presentation focuses on the experience of the West African enslaved rice growers in the plantation’s fields.

Sweetgrass Basketweaving CLASS

3 hours; Thursdays at 1:00 pm

Sweetgrass baskets are a Lowcountry tradition dating back to the 1700s, when they were brought to the United States by West African slaves. Handmade of tightly coiled strands of bundled grass, these strong yet supple baskets played an important role on southern rice plantations and today are treasured for their artistry and cultural significance.

Discover more about sweetgrass baskets and learn this unique craft in a hands-on class with instructor Vera Manigault . An eighth-generation weaver and Gullah descendant, Manigault is from Mount Pleasant, SC, one of the main areas where baskets are still made, and has been featured in national magazines and on television shows. Read more about her in an article about this important art form .

Hopsewee Ghost Tours

50 minutes; Wednesdays at 5:00 pm

Go back in time and experience Haunted Tales at Hopsewee Plantation, presenting stories of author and storyteller Elizabeth Robertson Huntsinger . She’s given hundreds of programs on the history and ghostly legends of Georgetown County as a Historical Interpreter for over 25 years. She has several books to date as author of Ghosts of Georgetown , More Ghosts of Georgetown , and Georgetown Mysteries and Legends , which you can buy in our gift shop or in our online shop .

Arrive a little earlier for Wine by the River Wednesdays ! Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres as you browse the Hopsewee gift shop and get your book purchases signed by the authors.

Art of Indigo Dyeing Workshop 2.5 hours; Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:00 am

Experience the magic of creating with all-natural indigo! Learn more about this important part of Lowcountry culture and history, right here at the Hopsewee, built by indigo baron and Winyah Indigo Society’s first president Thomas Lynch, Sr.

Rice was the second major crop at Hopsewee. Indigo was the first cash crop for the plantation, the dye from which was used to color the uniforms of English soldiers. All-natural indigo dyeing basics are covered as you create a bandanna, a tea towel and a tote to take home.

Eat and Drink

English tradition meets southern charm at the  River Oak Cottage Tea Room , with a full menu of Lowcountry favorites, sweet and savory treats and a variety of teas. Reservations recommended.

Plan an Event

With beautiful and bucolic wooded grounds along the peaceful North Santee River, historic Hopsewee provides the picture-perfect backdrop for private parties or your special bridal occasion .

#1 of 51 Things to Do i n Georgetown, SC

According to TripAdvisor Travelers as of November 2023

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• Plantation River Tours
• Airboat Tours

Private Charters

Cruise along the historic Waccamaw River on the Waccamaw Lady.

Tour where no ordinary boat can take you on the waccamaw cooter airboat, two tours, three rivers- infinite possibilities for sightseeing and fun., experience the thrill of a backwater excursion on an airboat tour, relax on a river tour of historic plantation homes on the waccamaw river., sit back, relax and enjoy the ride., view nature at its finest..

Our cruise boat is a 60’ Pontoon Boat that cruises at 15 knots. Our Plantation River Tour provides you with a safe and comfortable cruise with shaded deck seating and clean restrooms.

• Airboat Rides

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind airboat tour along the Waccamaw, Black and Pee Dee Rivers. The pristine surroundings offer up close encounters with some of nature’s most awe-inspiring creatures.

• Private Charters or Need a Special Time Request?

Contact Us!

Private charters are available by special request. For more information, please contact us!

Contact Us! Private charters are available by special request. For more information, please contact us!

Modern Fitness Club

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Welcome Aboard

Gift cards are now available! Gift cards are available in any denomination and are valid for any of our tours.

Order Gift Card

Be sure to check out our Gift Card Calculator if you want to purchase a gift card for a specific tour!

What People are Saying

“Best way to spend the afternoon. The airboat tour was fun and informative. Our family plans to come back the next time we’re in Myrtle Beach!”

– Greg S., Baltimore, MD

“Highly recommend an outing on the Waccamaw Lady. We got to see beautiful plantations in a relaxing setting. The historian was very informative and fun!”

– Beth F., Denver, CO

“The airboat tour was a blast! We zipped along the rivers and got to get up close with nature!”

– Mike R., St. Marys, PA

“My family and I booked tickets for the Waccamaw Lady Plantation Tour to get a better respect for the area’s diverse history and this tour did not disappoint! I highly recommend it! Beautiful sights, relaxing setting- we had a wonderful time!”

– Becky R., Pittsburgh, PA

Our scenic views.

Plantation River Tours offers scenic boat tours along historic plantations of South Carolina's beautiful Lowcountry rivers. Departing from Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet, SC you'll see rice plantations, trunk gates, slave cabins, moss-laden oak trees, alligators, eagles and osprey. You will also see transit yachts on the Intracoastal Waterway. Your narrator will be a local historian and will educate you on the history, mystery and legends of the Rice Plantations. So sit back, relax and enjoy the cruise!

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843-446-5826

[email protected]

Plantation River Tours Wacca Wache Marina 1950 Wachesaw Road Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

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Come and Discover

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust fosters a deeper understanding of colonial America and the evolution of life in the South by discovering, researching, conserving, and interpreting the history, context, and culture of Drayton Hall. Learn More

Explore The Estate

Drayton Hall’s preservation philosophy was groundbreaking for its time and is unique among historic sites today.

Drayton Hall is one of the most remarkable houses in North America; in fact, it is the earliest and finest example of Palladian architecture in the United States.

The long-admired landscape of Drayton Hall shows how influences of the past have sculpted the features of the present.

Thanks to multidisciplinary research, we can understand how Drayton Hall’s creators and inhabitants lived their lives and shaped the Atlantic World.

Drayton Hall’s collections include fine arts and historical artifacts that tell the site’s story from its prehistory to the present.

Collections

Rare 18th-century objects.

(843) 769-2600 info@draytonhall.org

3380 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414

Drayton Hall's main house and landscape are open to the public Wednesday - Monday from 9 am to 5:00pm* (gate closes at 3:30 pm). CLOSED ON TUESDAYS. The gate will accept no cash transactions.

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