Discover historic Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved Plantation house in America still open to the public. Founded in 1738, Drayton Hall is the nation’s earliest example of fully executed Palladian architecture. Enjoy a 1-hour interpreter-guided tour of this historic estate and complete your visit with a self-guided tour of the grounds as well as access to two galleries, a conservation lab and an 18th century African-American cemetery. Explore Drayton Hall on this family-friendly excursion from downtown Charleston; guarantee admission to this popular site by booking ahead. Ticket includes admission to all Drayton Hall attractions. Plenty of free parking makes for an easy drive.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 6.
Drayton Hall plantation c. 1738 is located in the Ashley River Historic District of Charleston, SC. Our Interpreter-Guided House Tour is led by professional interpreters who have worked with and in the house for years and have deep understanding of the history and fabric of the house and all the lives which have touched Drayton Hall throughout its three centuries. Offered once-daily on each open day at 9 am sharp (gate opens at 8:45 am). The tour begins with an orientation video in the visitor center and at the conclusion, tour guests are encouraged to take the self-guided landscape tour of the plantation property, taking in the historic landscape, sweeping views of the Ashley River, and enjoying the exciting Lowcountry vistas and wildlife which vary from location to location across this vast estate. Tickets are all-inclusive, there are no extra fees for a landscape visit or to visit Drayton Hall's museum galleries.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 312 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Drayton Hall Admission Ticket with Interpreter-Guided Tour lasts about 1–2 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $35 per person for this Charleston experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.
Children aged 0–7 pay nothing, adults from $35.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The experience is available in EN, EN.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Handicapped Accessible through exhibits, garden, museum shop, and walking trails (however wheelchairs, walkers and motorized scooters may have difficulty maneuvering on the unpaved paths). The guided House Tour does require walking up the portico steps into the house. Personal wheelchairs and scooters are prohibited on House Tours.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 147 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Drayton Hall Preservation Trust.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
We had a wonderful tour of Dayton Hall with a wonderfully educated and informed young lady who has a degree in archaeology. She is so passionate about this home, its history, and the Drayton family through the generations. I highly recommend this great tour.
Breathtaking tour, currently under restoration but that just makes it so much more interesting. Our guide was like a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. My only advice is to bring water and make sure you empty your bladder at the beginning of the tour ❤️
It’s helpful to tour a building undergoing restoration. You are able to see the brick interior wall, servants staircase, window casings changes and upgrades, beam support structures and building framework as well as ornamentations.
Very informative , Tourist should wear comfortable shoes . They give a very good over view of life on a plantation. Tour takes about an hour.
Our guide, the grounds, the history, and the intricate woodworking made this trip a great one for us! Our guide Susan made a point to share our interests. Every single person we encountered was friendly and helpful! Five Stars!
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Caroline. I’m so thankful that the home is in the care of the Preservation Society and that there is still ongoing research being done on this property.
It’s a beautiful estate. It’s very hot, bring water and go to the morning tour to really enjoy it…..
Very interesting....conservation at its best
Wonderful experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable. The gift shop is great and the exhibits are very impressive.
Beautiful property and exceptional tour guide! They have several things to see and have an archeological dig as well with many artifacts displayed
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drayton Hall Admission Ticket with Interpreter-Guided Tour | 1–2 hours | 4.6 (147) | $35 | |
 Boone Hall Plantation All-Access Admission Ticket | 2–4 hours | 4.6 (2,013) | $37 | View |
 Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston | 4h 30min | 4.4 (518) | $82 | View |
 Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour | 1 hour | 4.8 (11,027) | $50 | View |
 Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour | 2 hours | 4.9 (7,000) | $30 | View |
 Haunted Evening Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston | 40 min | 4.7 (4,380) | $45 | View |
 Fort Sumter Access and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry | 2h 15min | 4.6 (3,928) | $46 | View |