
As I mentioned in the overview of my recent trip to Charleston and things to do in Charleston list, I got to cap off my trip with a visit to Middleton Place Plantation. We wanted to do something truly Charleston-y so we decided to spend our last few hours wandering around the plantation and it was well worth the price of admission.
Middleton Place Plantation is a National Historic Landmark and features the oldest landscape gardens in the U.S. But even beyond that, it was just a gorgeous place to visit and so steeped in history. As much as I loved wandering around the city the day before, getting to see the plantation was the perfect ending to my quick trip.
If you’re planning a trip to Charleston and want something unique to do while you’re there, definitely stop by Middleton Place! We only had four hours at the plantation so we were in a rush to see it all, but it ended up being the perfect amount of time to get a quick peak at everything. The tours schedule will really dictate your visit but his is how I would recommend going around the plantation…
Gardens
We arrived around 11am and our first tour wasn’t until 12 so we had an hour to make our way through the 65 acres of beautiful landscape gardens (I would recommend getting there a bit earlier so you have more time to wander around before the noon tour time).
The whole thing is one long path and you can follow the guidebook to each point of interest as you make your way through the different sections of the gardens.
Every section seemed to be more mesmerizing than the last. If there hadn’t been other visitors there, I really could have imagined we had been transported back in time.
There were gorgeous trees all over the gardens and property and were some of the largest oak trees I’ve ever seen. The oldest one at Middleton Place is 900 years old and massive.

There’s also a Garden Overview Tour that talks all about the designs of the gardens as well as the history and horticulture of the gardens. It’s more of a talk than a tour as it all takes place in a shaded sitting area outside so if you do have time for this tour, I would walk through the gardens first.
Stableyards
We somehow managed to make it through the gardens in about 45 minutes so we still had 15 minutes before our carriage tour at 12. The Stableyards are near the ending point of the gardens path so we looked around there for a quick minute.
This area of the plantation really gives you a glimpse of what 18th and 19thcentury plantation life was like with different artisan shops like a pottery maker, textile shop, and blacksmith, as well as livestock areas. The horses were my favorite.
Eliza’s House
Right next to the Stableyards is Eliza’s House, a Reconstruction-era African American freedman’s house which contains Middleton Place’s permanent exhibit about slavery in the south and at Middleton place called Beyond the Fields. We didn’t have time to do more than poke our heads in, but I would have loved to have time to walk through the exhibit.
Carriage Tour
We made our way back over the pickup area for our carriage tour at noon and boarded our open-air carriage (pulled by a very impressive and beautiful horse named Joe).
The tour took us around different areas of the plantation as our expert guide told us more about the history of the plantation and life there.
I loved it – if you enjoy learning about the history behind places while enjoying the beauty of them, you can’t pass up the carriage tour.
Lunch at the Middleton Place Restaurant
By the time our tour was over we were dying for a bite to eat so we walked over to the little restaurant on the property. They serve seasonal, Local Low Country food and I had some of the best grits of my life. It was lovely to get out of the heat for a bit and the food was the perfect pick-me-up to get us through the afternoon.
House Museum
Last on our agenda was the House Museum Tour. The house that still stands was not the main house used by the family when the plantation was running but was built in 1755 as guest quarters. Of the three buildings that originally made up the residential complex this is the only one still standing.

In the house are pieces from the 1700’s and 1800’s including portraits, furniture, silver, china, and documents. They have some truly extraordinary finds in their collection including a signed note from Abraham Lincoln. Even if you don’t like history you have to admit that’s really cool.
The tour discusses different aspects of plantation life and introduces various members of the Middleton family who lived there (including Arthur Middleton who signed the Declaration of Independence!).

Whether you’re a history buff or just love beautiful places, a day spent exploring Middleton Place (or really any plantation in Charleston) would not be a day wasted. We had a lovely afternoon and left the city feeling like we’d really gotten to see a piece of Charleston history.
Have you ever visited a plantation in Charleston or somewhere else? I’d love to see if they’re all similar or unique based on location and the families who resided there!

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