Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens

"We visited Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens while on a Valentine's Day getaway to the Charleston area. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip! Guests approach the plantation on a dirt road lined by majestic oak trees. Horses graze on the right and slave quarters exist on the left. An iron gate guards the plantation main house, a structure that has been featured in a number of movies and television shows including The Notebook and the Queen mini-series. We took the tour of the main house. The tour told the history of the building and its owners. We discovered that the present house is actually the fourth main building on the property. Another fun fact was that the owners didn't necessarily live on the property, but would choose to live closer to town where conveniences and doctor care would be more accessible. An overseer would then live on the plantation property. We also took the tractor tour that tells the story of the acreage surrounding the house. The land is protected and presently is used to grow several different kinds of crops. We then walked around the slave quarters and viewed the educational presentations in each building. We were surprised that on this particular plantation the slaves may have been better nourished than the owners because they would hunt at night and thus have adequate protein to eat. Buried bones of such hunts have been found around the slave quarters. We took many pictures of the property. Pictures inside the main house are not allowed, however. There is much to see here and we spent two hours on our visit. We would have stayed longer but we had a bit of a schedule to keep for our trip. But we plan on returning someday to enjoy the grounds and learn more about the history that the site provides. We especially look forward to hearing the historical talks and Gullah presentation at the enslaved quarters. For those who choose an extended visit, a Butterfly House offers lunch items for sale. For those looking for an interesting look at past history of the south and lessons on plantation living and enslaved persons, this is a great place to visit."

"I researched touring plantations before we traveled to Charleston. Boone Hall Plantation came up as one of the best to learn about black and slave history, even though it’s not located in Charleston. I’m glad we went. The folks there were clearly passionate about what they do, from the lady who explained Gullah culture and slave trade, to the lady who enthusiastically talked about their horses and their triple crown offsprings; to the laid back guy on the farm and nature tour who talked about local farming, wildlife and nature. it was an eye opening, educational experience. I believe we all should go and learn about our nation’s history. It happened to be Black history month, so we were lucky to be treated with some delicious Gullah cuisine. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will not forget. Thank you, Boone Hall Plantation."

"We went to Boone in early February on a Wednesday. It was definitely not that busy. For the price, there are a lot of tours that you can take. They have a lot of different presentations throughout the property, which are all very interesting and informative. We did the house tour and the farm tour. Since it was off season, there really wasn't alot growing, but it's still amazing to see the expanse of the property. We also did the Gullah presentation, which was also interesting. They enslaved quarters is a self-guided tour through 8 of the remaining buildings. VERY interesting as well. It's a beautiful property and worth it if you are visiting the Charleston area."

"We came here around noon and didn't leave until 5 pm. There is a lot to see and great history to absorb. You could easily do the trip in less time if you didn't go in all the self-guided houses, but we like to see all the details. I want to add, this is largely an outdoor experience (hopefully that's understood, but just in case you were wondering). With the basic tour, you spend about 30 min inside the house (still worth it!), so plan accordingly. We went in early January and the winter months clearly are more bare, but they were still maintaining the garden and the winter foliage was thriving. With any largely outdoor experience, I would be very interested to go back in the spring or fall!"

"This plantation is breathtakingly beautiful and well taken care of. All the staff members are friendly and very knowledgeable about the history that took place. There is a little cafe with souvenirs as well as food and drinks. There are about 10 tables inside as well as some outdoor seating. The big house is remarkable as well as the gardens out front - the gardens are shaped to resemble 2 butterfly wings. Going through the slave houses is very educational. There are artifacts and audio in each to give a history of that time period. They also host special events here such as weddings. I would definitely recommend this Plantation to anyone visiting Charleston."