Middleton Place Reviews

There is so much to see at this place, it could take you all day. Enjoy your time and soak up all you can. Stop by the garden shop and buy some of their local items.

The Middleton plantation was absolutely fantastic. I would suggest going as early as you can in the morning to avoid traffic and the lines for tickets. We visited the gift shop the restaurant which was very good and the air conditioning worked fantastic. We also walked the grounds and paid extra For the family house. Better than I expected with very prepared and knowledgeable guides. The artisans like the woodworker tell you the stories of the old days and really enjoy their jobs. A great walk back through history and definitely a sightseeing tour not to be missed at least one time. Thanks again. Kevin Smith. Realtor Southern California.

Our two day visit at Middleton Place will remain with us for some time, leaving aesthetic and social imprints in our memory. Yes, indeed the gardens and grounds set alongside the Ashley, a tidal river, are stunning - a stunning testament to beauty generated by nature and human nurture. There are a number of tours, guides so informative, that open one up to the experience.
Middleton Place breaks open an avenue into American History that I suspect many think they know, perhaps believe they are familiar with - and then we encounter through what begins as the Middleton Family Story (itself offering insight into revolutions that define our national history) and breaks open with the stories of individuals rooted in slavery. Revelatory with its specificity - one cannot but change what they/we thought we knew. The tour guides are more than knowledgeable. They bear witness to what happens when one does more than know history. What happens when one enters into the lives of people who make the events that constitute history.
Middleton Place (complemented by a stay at The Inn) accomplishes what non-profits are supposed to do: In this instance - to cast a light on the lives of people who will make a difference for us in our knowing more about them - those people who were slaves yet were/are so much more.
If you find yourself coming to The Lowcountry, find your way to Middleton Place.

If you only have time to visit one Plantation or do 1 day trip from Charleston this should be your stop. Beautiful grounds, curated tours, and just a great spot to visit.

What a gorgeous place to visit. According to it's website, Middleton Place is home to America’s oldest landscaped gardens. You can enjoy both history and beauty during your tour. While we did not do the house tour, walking the grounds made for a peaceful visit. If you have half a day during your visit to Charleston, I would spend it here.

Beautiful grounds, great buildings with much to learn about the history of that time and helpful, knowledgable staff. Give yourself all day to enjoy!

This place is breathtakingly beautiful. The property is expansive and includes beautifully manicured gardens, lawns, ponds and waterways, and original structures. The “Beyond the Fields” lecture about the space trade and slave life at Middleton was informative and impactful. The house is small but has original items from the Middleton family and other items of interest. This was by far my favorite attraction in Charleston, surpassing Magnolia Plantation just down the road.

When we asked a walking tour guide he said this hands down was the best for a balance of everything. It was very good. We did the slave talk which was informative. It's a large property. Walk the route and be sure to do the "optional" extra along the Ashley river - we were able to see four gators down there and very few other people. We spent about 3 hours. Tickets are $3 cheaper if purchased online.

We enjoyed a beautiful walk around Middleton Place. Trails were easy to follow but watch our for gators! We enjoyed the history and beauty of Middleton Place. If you're interested in eating at the restaurant, I recommend you putting your name in 30-45 minutes before you're looking to sit down. We only wanted to eat outside and by the time our name came up, they were no longer seating people outdoors.

Beautiful, interesting place to stay. Amazing breakfast and great lunch and dinners. Wonderful to have a fireplace in our room and a beautiful view. Walls of windows

I really enjoyed this spot. Beautiful scenery and flowers weren't all out yet, but the greenery, live oaks, turtles and gators and the river as the backdrop were outstanding. highly recommend the 40 min story telling of the enslaved at the plantation. Our presenter was so well spoken, it was very moving. The restaurant on site is fantastic!

The caretakers are doing a wonderful job maintaining the lovely gardens at Middleton Place. As 'young lovers my husband and I spent time falling in love with each other and with Middleton. Now 50 years later Middleton Place still impresses.
The butterfly lakes still inspire us and the garden paths hold lovely surprises around every corner. Unfortunately we missed the azaleas at their height...I know they must have been gorgeous.
The crafts people were informative and we enjoyed learning how they became involved with Middleton Place.
We stayed a couple of nights at the Inn at Middleton Place and enjoyed 2 dinners at the restaurant
A visit to or near Charleston should also include Middleton Place.

#2 because the gardens are formal, originally the better to impress first the wife, and then the visiting European businessmen who might stay a month while negotiating deals for plantation output. But the unique factor here: Middleton Place Restaurant, where all of us had a wonderful meal, which also allowed us to lengthen our stay.

The tour offered by the Pineapple Tour Group was excellent. We saw many interesting things and learned a lot from each of the guides. The free time to explore the gardens and outbuildings was nice. Our tour included an excellent lunch on the grounds. We were more than pleased also with our friendly guide/driver who provided a video during the trip along with additional information.

Gives scale to the enormity of need for labor to maintain that elegant lifestyle. Our garden tour docent was full of information about the family and the flora

We visited on a beautiful day in May. The grounds surrounding the house are what you are paying to see with the cost of the ticket. They are truly beautiful and it is such a relaxing setting in which to spend a few hours. The house tour is nice but we found it to be a bit lacking. It is worth the $15 upcharge, so do it, but it would be nice to get a fully narrated tour rather than just an introduction and house rules, with a self guided tour. The parts of the house that are available on the tour are the main entry hall, dining room, parlor, library and 3 bedrooms. It's quite a small area. The formal gardens weren't quite as impressive as say those at Biltmore, but were pretty. We didn't take the guided garden tour but maybe we should have. We were a bit limited on time as this was our last stop prior to departing. Overall, we recommend it and really enjoyed our time there. Overall, the grounds are stunning and it is a nice way to spend a few hours in Charleston. Highly recommended.

The photos look much nicer. The museum is not really a museum. But I like the ponds and atmospheres.

Some staff was nice there, but others were ignorant as they didn't want to show me around as they were supposed to. They seem to care about only white tourists.

We enjoyed learning about the history of the home & owners of the plantation, walking around the peaceful gardens, woods, ponds, & river, exploring the stable yards & historic buildings for carpentry, textiles, candle making, blacksmith, etc., and visiting the slave quarters. The staff were professional and informative. We spent 4 hours exploring Middleton Place and absolutely loved it.

Buffet is really nice. Ambience is very welcoming. The grounds around are all so well kept. Thank you

This was our second plantation in the area and absolutely wonderful! Beautiful pathways, gorgeous flowers and trees and manicured grounds. Everyone was so friendly and the docents were genuinely enthusiastic about their jobs. We spent almost 5 hours there and didn’t even tour the house! Don’t miss it!

A lovely place to wander the grounds. Well groomed gardens and the live oaks were amazing for this northern girl to see! We visited quickly on our way to the airport. We are going back soon and hope to have a guided tour!

So beautiful. From the moment you pass through the hedge to be greeted by the first of many ponds, the gardens of Middleton Place take your breath away. There's as much or as little information about the place and its history as you choose, so it's totally up to you - wander around at your leisure or join up with one of the staff giving tours, and telling tales about how the plantation has evolved.
Gorgeous at every turn, you could happily spend days here!

The Inn at Middleton Place is a very nice resort set back in the woods with lots of trails to walk. Our room was very nice with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake. There was a wood burning fireplace and everything needed to have a fire was provided. The only negative was the breakfast which was included. It consisted of Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches that you could heat in the microwave, some fruit, cereal, Danish and juice. Hard for someone who doesn't eat most of those items. If the breakfast was improved we would definitely stay here again.

Lovely walking trails that wind through European style gardens are what makes this place special. All the walking tours are worth taking, especially the garden tour. The restaurant is also terrific serving a variety of southern specialties. My children loved the barnyard with all the farm animals, including baby lambs. There are also several interesting interpretive displays. It was all very well done, right down to the parking lot. My only recommendation would be to expand the giftshop as it is small and a bit difficult to move around with more than a handful of people in it. Would be nice to expand it before the holiday shopping season. We'll be back.

We visited in mid-January and the grounds were still amazing and beautiful. Camellias in bloom everywhere! The views of the live oaks dripping with Spanish moss with the river as a background are wonderful. There are lots of informative and interesting exhibits of daily life in the 1800s—farming, textiles, pottery, for example.

We visited three plantations while visiting Charleston & Middleton Place was our favorite. Not only was it the most beautiful, but they did not shy away from the fact that the plantation was built by slaves. There were many educational pieces scattered throughout our day including a visit to Eliza’s House & a lecture with a great speaker. I highly recommend a visit to Middleton Place if you are looking to visit a plantation.

We Visited Middleton Place with our two children 13 and 10 and the highlight of our visit was the time spent with Mr. Bruce Georgi. We learnt so much.The almost hour spent with him gave us so much detail, history perspective on the history of slavery in the US. He is so knowledgeable and did not hesitate to answer all the questions my children had even after the tour time finished. Thank you so much Mr Bruce!!

Beautiful place to spend the day. Various tours offered throughout the day. The animal tour was my favorite. The onsite restaurant is fabulous.

It was hot and humid. The shaded paths helped to forget about it. It's so worth the time. Get a bottled water at the market to take with you. When your done head to the air- conditioned gift shop. They have a great selection of books and items made in Charleston.!

Had a great visit. The grounds were amazing. Staff at house were very knowledgeable. I ended up dropping my phone in the pond and a staff member Dave went in the freezing water and got my phone. Wow! Thanks Dave, you saved the day!

We loved the garden tour with the Johnson’s!
They shared lots of information and stories that help to bring the place to life for us.
We also loved the home with its original paintings and belongings.

We took a private carriage tour when we arrived, which was expensive but worth it. The guides were very knowledgeable about the history of the plantation, and very balanced in their description of the antebellum South. The home tour was amazing, especially when we learned that the contents were virtually all original to the family, the and grounds and gardens were wonderful to explore. A truly worthwhile excursion outside of Charleston!

This place is so beautiful!! The grounds of this plantation are breathtaking. The buildings on the plantation are neat to see and there are farm animals (horses, sheep, chickens,etc.). We also saw squirrels as well as alligators as we walked. The staff are very friendly as well! Wear good walking shoes!

These beautiful gardens are very nice; although in March 21, they did not have as much color since the azalea bushes were not blooming yet. We enjoyed the garden tour, but did not do the house tour.

If you are going to pick just one plantation to visit this is the definite winner. Only drawback is ticket cost, it’s pricey. But splurge for grounds AND house, docent led tour is worth it, though the messaging needs to get more woke, still fascinating history. But, the best part: the grounds, they are absolutely lovely. The working plantation exhibits are quite interesting (good for kids with animals milling about). Slave quarters deserve a visit, chilling displays, especially the records of enslaved. All in all very worthwhile.

I have to say that this review is biased as we visited on what has to be the very best day February could offer. We purchased a combo ticket that included admission and lunch for $40. At this time of year, the visitors are few, parking is easy, there is no waiting, and the camellias are in full bloom. Walking around the gardens was beautiful. We also joined a guided tour which was also very good.

The included lunch (which also included a tip) involved two courses. I started with the she-crab soup which was delightful. My wife had the pulled pork and I had the fried chicken for entrees and both were very good.

We did not pay extra for the home tour. After so many historic buildings, I get jaded. Still, we spent about four hours on the grounds. If one is hesitant in visiting, knowing the growing season is important. We hit the camellia season. At the end of March the azaleas will be in bloom. Later in the year you may only see annuals. The formal gardens do not high light lots of colorful flowers. Our experience was grand and I feel the price of admission was worth it.

Absolutely loved walking the gardens, seeing LOTS of alligators and blooming azaleas. Kids enjoyed seeing the various tradespeople and the animals! Wonderful, peaceful, informative visit!

Be ready to walk. So worth it a wonderful blend of horticulture and history. Places to sit throughout.
Restaurant and gift shop on site. Guided tours although the map they give you for self guided is more than efficient.
Bring a picnic, we wish we would have, they have picnic tables and beautiful spaces to just sit and enjoy.

We took Pineapple tour-loved the whole experience from learning the history, touring the home and beautiful gardens/property and dining at the restaurant with views worth the stop there.

The person who spoke about slavery was so knowledgeable and informative. He gave an excellent, interesting and in depth description of a very difficult topic and stayed to answer and discuss all questions.

The guide who stumbled upon us in the gardens was extremely helpful. He walked us through and described areas that we would not have explored without his help.

Extremely well done with manicured gardens. Hidden gems all around. Far superior to Magnolia Plantation. Restaurant was good with friendly staff.

This was worth it. From our shuttle driver Wayne (a heck of a tour guide himself!) to the grounds and the volunteers who gave us the tour this was really well organized and informative. Lunch was a nice surprise, food was excellent. Plenty of time to walk the grounds on our own. Saw a few gators too.

This is a great place to walk and admire the beauty of the gardens and visit the workers who are doing historical crafts. The house tour was okay but pales to touring the outdoors. From a beautiful lake to the gardens, and the grand entrance off the river you are struck by the gorgeous scenery.

We tried for a booking a week before we (five of us) actually made it to Middleton Place.
Beautiful location and setting.
Very nice restaurant ambience.
Menu is not extensive but very nice.
Food is excellent and very well presented.
Service is great and just at the right level.
All made for a lovely evening

We spent about 4 hours, starting with walking the first half of the property markers in about an hour. It takes you past many of the higher stops and you can do those as well such as the 900+ year old oak. Then had the buffet lunch at the restaurant on the property. We had a 1230 house tour - my one criticism is I would prefer this be guided because you get so much more and there is central space on both floors for the guide to speak while people move about the rooms. After about 30 min in the house we had some time to watch the sheep and go to Eliza’s house, the former slave quarters, before catching the 130 plantation breeds tour. We finished that at 2 and walked back to the reflecting pool and across the the far side of the property but soon decided to call it a day when the camélia garden wasn’t yet blooming. Plan this as a full half day excursion and take your time as the property is enormous and if you like animals, the sheep, goats, water buffalo and horses are all engaging.

Thoroughly enjoyed this experience and highly recommend. The acres of gorgeous garden walking paths and history are an important part of visiting the south. Everyone should listen to the ‘Beyond the Fields’ talk about slave life. It’s a revealing description and thoughtful presentation about Africans and African Americans contributions in our country. A history lesson that needs to be told and retold and maybe one day people will learn.

Done at the restaurant for a splendid southern meal. One of the best of my S Carolina visit.

We came here from Charleston with Uber and planned on staying the whole day. We left after a few hours. We went to see the gardens and were not disappointed. They are beautifully laid out and our tour guide, an older woman who was a volunteer was very knowledgeable about the plants and fun to talk to. Then we did the house tour which was a typical historic house tour naming the portraits and type of furniture.
Finally we did the Beyond the Fields Tour , a lecture on slavery on the plantation. This was so disappointing. It was 45minutes or more and we never really talked about the lives or names of the enslaved people of this plantation or the ways they contributed to the land or how they created the gardens. A long time was spent talking about the history and origins of slavery in the world. It seemed like the purpose was to convince us that slavery was just something everyone did but the truth is that by the time the Civil War happened many countries and colonies were limiting or abolishing slavery- the collective conscience was coming to the realization that slavery was inhumane -and by the way, that was not why we were at MiddletonPlace. We did not come to hear about Portugal or the West Indies or Africa. We wanted to know what was happening here- on this land beneath our feet. We never heard about the daily lives, the meals, the families, the tasks, who was punished, killed, bought, sold etc right on the plantation. The most we heard was that it was a task system which the presenter tried to convince us was better than the gang system. Every once in awhile there was a footnote that slavery was not very nice.
We chose to go to Middleton Place for 2 reasons -1) the gardens 2) we read about the family member who created the foundation and we thought he seemed like someone who was trying to do good in the world. We were so disappointed that we left the property right after this talk. We didn’t stay for lunch as we had planned.
Come for the gardens - skip everything else.

This plantation is so beautiful with the gardens and the setting. The azealas were beginning to bloom in every color. If you have the time take the garden tour. Watch out for the alligators!

This is a spectacularly beautiful place. Very atmospheric and welcoming. Easy to imagine its glory days. Be careful not to just put "Middleton Place" into your Waze or you'll end up as we did on a little dead end street named "Middleton Place" but nowhere near the plantation (or anything remotely like it!)

Beautiful grounds with plenty of majestic giant oaks, flowers, and wildlife to fill a whole morning. The restaurant also served delicious low country cuisine for lunch at affordable prices. Visit in the morning and you can easily feel like you have the whole place to yourself because there is so much ground to cover and things to see. Best gardens in Charleston.

In our first visit to Charleston, my wife and I were seeking a more complete (and complicated) picture of the history of Charleston that goes beyond the popular affluence and beauty of the area that presents itself at the surface. Understandably then, we were originally quite uninterested in visiting a plantation, given our concern about the possibility of "whitewashing" of history that may not be faithfully speaking to the cost of what it took to make a plantation what it is today: generations of enslaved Africans and African Americans who were forced into unpaid and involuntary labor. However, we learned that Middleton Place would have a presentation "Beyond the Fields" that would focus on the story of this difficult but undeniable part of its history, as well as having "Eliza's Place" a Reconstruction-era African American freedman’s dwelling with a permanent exhibit on slavery. Having visiting Middleton Place, I am glad this presentation and exhibit were there, and we got to listen and explore them. I would contend that these two alone are worth the visit to explore and reflect on. It helps provide a more complex and nuanced view of the role that plantations played in our country. Our Beyond the Fields presenter Mr. Bannon was refreshingly clear and sensitive about the difficult topic, and really helped us feel like our visit to the plantation is conducted with the level of gravity the history of the location deserved.

My only constructive piece of feedback to Middleton Place are twofold: First, make the tours/presentations starting points clearer as to where it begins and who is running a tour session. On both the tours we went on, we had trouble knowing who to go to and whether it is happening at all. Secondly, we couldn't help but feel that the above-mentioned presentation and exhibit were not as clearly promoted at the location given how important they are. Perhaps tellingly of the lack of clarity on the tours and/or the little interest of the visitors in the subject matter, my wife and I were the only visitors to the Beyond the Fields presentation, when we had nearly 2 dozen people in the garden tour we attended.

Enjoyable trip to Middleton Place. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous and the knowledgeable guides and docents made all the difference. Highly recommend.

On Jan. 13, 1974 we visited Middleton Place for the first time. The Foundation was just taking over and Middleton descendants still lived in the house. We married on Jan. 10, 1974 and considered our day at Middleton Place our Honeymoon, as I had to report to the USN on Jan. 14. On Jan. 12, 2024 we visited Middleton Place and totally enjoyed the volunteer's Garden Tour presentation and Slave presentation. The volunteers were outstanding. On Jan. 13, we took the house tour and again the volunteers were exceptional. The best part are the sheep. They wander in the vast open area fenced off from the house and garden -- though during the slave presentation one kept trying the gate -- it was a hoot. The gardens must be experienced and the Foundation's presentation features the slave tradespeople and designers of the garden. I had paid for the carriage tour, but weather cancelled it. We had a fantastic lunch at the Restaurant.

We spent a wonderful day walking the grounds of Middleton Plantation
The grounds of this beautiful , manicured plantation was very special
Magnolia trees still in bloom and the gardens were spectacular
We saw the last of the 3 original buildings still standing after the Civil War
Original furniture, pairings and personal items from the Middleton family
A very personal lecture about the plantation and it’s inhabitants was very eye opening.
A must see !

Such a beautiful place. Wish we could be here in 4 to 6 weeks when the azaleas peak but the camellias were gorgeous. The volunteers are great and so informative. Well worth it. Not advertised but military save $15.

No one should miss this plantation. The grounds are beautiful. Knowledgeable staff. High praise to Bruce Georgi on his presentation Beyond The Fields. Every white person in the world should experience the true history of slavery and learn the horrible lives they were forced to live.

A relaxing (albeit wet) walk. The gardens, the river, the exhibits and the animals all give a taste of the past (both the good and the bad). Oh, do stop in to the restaurant.

NOT ADA COMPATIBLE!!.l. Restaurant had virtually no menu and food tasted old ano not ftrshly pprepared. Service very slow and unprofessional. Prices a joke.

My husband and I toured this plantation 2 weeks ago. We spent over "3 hours" here and loved every minute of our visit. Our general admission ticket included a 1-hour tour of the grounds, and a 1-hour tour of the Plantation history. We learned a considerable amount of history about slavery, this plantation, and the Middleton family. The gardens were not in bloom but the entire place is beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed touring the stables, the coopersmith (barrel making) area, as well as the slave house.

Immaculately maintained gardens and grounds. It could easily be the set of a movie bc it was so beautiful. Great care is taken to preserve the history of the grounds and its residents. You can walk for hours exploring these beautiful grounds. Lots of animals, domestic and wild. 900 and 1000 year old oak trees. Gorgeous.

I am a certifed Charleston Tour Guide and had the pleasure of meeting 4 couples at Middleton for a walking tour of the gardens ,house tour, and lunch. It was a beautiful experience. We had planned our day with the help of Molly Sherman at Middleton - who assists groups that are coming to Middleton. She was very helpful and fleible as our plans changed several time. When oone tours Middleton , you need the assistance of one of Middleton's excelllent garden guides or a certifec charleston Tour guide as the garden is huge and you need to have a planned route so one does not walk endlessly. The garden is like a European Garden as has similarities to Versaille in France. The House tour reveals the wealth the Middleton's had and if forcertain needs to be included in one's day. Lunch is avaiable and presented in a lovely setting. The peace and quiet at Middleton is like a piece of Heaven. Do not miss it. Allow at least 4 to 5 hours.

What a pretty place, but I recommend going as early as you can. The grounds are very well maintained. It was fun seeing the alligators sun-bathing. The carpenter was very entertaining and knowledgeable about the history of the plantation. The lady giving the beyond the fields talk was also very nice and informative. The farm animals were fun to watch, especially the sheep roaming freely. We had packed a lunch and ate at the picnic tables under the trees. Such a wonderful experience

Middleton owned 19 plantations. However, this one was more for show than production. The multiple gardens on the grounds of the estate are amazing, even in winter. Multitude of camellia plants are blooming right now.

What a beautiful place to learn history and explore. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and thought the exhibits and activities were excellent. The staff were so welcoming and helpful. Would highly recommend!

Gary gave a wonderful talk about the history of American Slavery within the context of World History. Me and my friends are so glad we decided to visit Middleton Place, and we are thankful that Gary was such a knowledgable and eloquent speaker. Highly recommend Middleton for the history.

Established in the 1730s, Middleton Place National Historic Landmark is a plantation on the Ashley River Road near Charleston, South Carolina, that is home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States and once served as the primary residence of several generations of the Middleton family, many of whom played prominent roles in the colonial and antebellum history of South Carolina. Most notable were Henry Middleton, who served as President of the First Continental Congress, and Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Located on the southwest bank of the Ashley River, directly across the river from North Charleston, it is about 15 miles northwest of Charleston. At one point, Henry Middleton, who became one of South Carolina's wealthiest planters, owned 20 plantations covering 50,000 acres that were worked by 800 slaves. He began work on Middleton Place's gardens in 1741, employing an English gardener who designed six shaped turf terraces with bowed centers, a levee separating two butterfly lakes and the long and narrow Rice Mill Pond. Perhaps the most notable feature of the gardens is the Middleton Oak, or Great Oak, a massive live oak tree with a trunk more than 10 feet in diameter. In 1941, the Garden Club of America called Middleton Place's replanted and reworked and restored gardens "the most interesting and important garden in the United States." Ruins of the original main house, built in 1755 and destroyed by Union troops during the Civil War, are still visible. The current house, which dates to 1868, is a two-story, 52-foot by 20-foot structure with a gabled roof and an 18-foot by 28-foot service wing that was added in the 1930s. The interior has bee outfitted with original furniture. Middleton Place, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, also features several notable outbuildings, including the 1851 rice mill, the 18th century springhouse that has an 1850 chapel on the second floor, the 1870 freedman's house and the stableyard that was built in the 1930s. The property also includes a cafe, a good place to take a mid-day break from sight-seeing.

Absolute must see when visiting Charleston! Our docent Linda gave the most passionate, thought provoking and knowledge filled guided tour ever! Beautiful grounds and amazing volunteers all around.

Our tour group visited here in May. A lot of the flowering bushes were finished, but the grounds are just spectacular. We saw a lot of bird species. Very, very interesting walking through the grounds before having lunch at their restaurant.

Walking the grounds of MIddleton Place took you back in time to an era that holds a lot of history. The 100 acres we probably saw held a large quantity of Live Oaks and beautiful flowers and well manicured lawns. We went past the areas where rice was grown and even got to see an alligator! One of the structures on the property houses many period pieces from when the house was active. Many generations of Middletons lived here and they carry a lot of history with them from signing the Declaration of Independence to being Governor of SOuth Carolina.

This was a beautiful plantation...the grounds are just gorgeous! We just paid for the entry fee. We were a bit disappointed that it didn't include going through one of the remaining homes, but it was still very interesting and gorgeous.

You may have gotten a sweeping view of Middleton Place and its iconic gardens in the 2000 movie The Patriot starring Mel Gibson. Built in 1741, Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark and home to America's oldest and most important landscaped gardens. Today, it encompasses 110 acres, including the Gardens, House Museum, Stableyards and Eliza's House, not to mention a restaurant. Open daily from 9 to 5, the plantation is located at 4300 Ashley River Road, along the Ashley River, 16 miles northwest of downtown Charleston, South Carolina. It was home to Henry Middleton, who was president of the Continental Congress, and his son Arthur, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Today, Middleton Place houses an impressive collection of historic furniture, silver, china, documents and original portraits dating from the 1740s through the Civil War and a stable of heritage-bred animals. But the highlight of the plantation is the gardens. If there were ever a place to stop and smell the roses, this is the place. Modeled after traditional English and European gardens, the 65-acre grounds are peppered with azaleas, camellias, magnolias and myrtle throughout the year. Other tours include "Beyond the Fields: Enslavement at Middleton Place," a look at the generations of enslaved people who worked at Middleton Place, and "Meet the Heritage Breeds," a close look at the historic livestock breeds at Middleton Place.

The property seemed to be well taken care of but was suffering from drought as things could have been greener. The volunteer tour leaders were interesting. The restaurant was a disappointment. They have a buffet for lunch but it was quite pricey at over 25.00! If you do not want the buffet, there are only a couple of choices....it would have been nice to have a few more choices from the ala carte menu. We enjoyed this stop but it also did not wow us either.

This place if just breathtaking. We rode horses heat twice and each time was a wonderful treat. We saw a few alligators, lots of birds and some giant spiders. We rode with a few people each time and it was really fun getting to know everyone. Excellent wranglers and staff on the whole property.

2 of my friends and myself took the Middleton Place with lunch tour with Pineapple Tours yesterday. For what we saw the tour was good the lunch not so much. The tour guide for Pineapple Tours and the person who greeted us when we arrived advised that we were on a schedule and needed to be at the house and restaurant at least 5 minutes before the time as they were very strict about the schedule. We were a little early for both, the issue is it took us 45 minutes to get served our meal and the quiche was cold and the shrimp and grits was warm. We were fearful of sending it back as we didn’t know how long it would take to get it back. Needless to say by the time we finished our lunch we needed to head back to the bus. Our driver was very apologetic and explained that he had notified them well in advance of our arrival so there should not of been any issue. We spent $91 for this trip and didn’t see half of what was promised very disappointing,

Decided to drive over here from Charleston for the day. We did the three main tours. All were excellent. Would highly recommend HOWEVER I would pack a snack or lunch and skip the restaurant. The food was terrible. All five ordered salad with chicken. Some came with greens no veggies, others all veggies no greens. The roasted chicken was terrible. Gross. The servers were excellent but we did wait 1 hour 10 minutes starting at 1:25 pm after placing food. Total cost with tip? $76. Worst meal we have had in Charleston.

Beautiful, well preserved grounds, home, and stable
Good for bird watchers
Goats, sheep, rabbits on the plantation were mostly roaming freely

General admission only allows access to the grounds, the house tour is extra

I bought a combination ticket to Middleton Place with Drayton Hall, a good value. The grounds are nice, but the best part for me was the "Beyond the Fields" lecture about the history of the enslaved people who lived and worked at Middleton Place. Very informative, educational and well told by the historians giving the presentation. As beautiful as the gardens and grounds are, it's difficult to enjoy them knowing they were originally created through enslaved labor.
Be prepared for a lot of walking. The farm animals were nice to see, giving a better feel to what a working plantation was like. The animals also seemed well cared for for the most part.

The reason for my average rating has to do with two main reasons. First, having just come from Drayton Hall where the staff was nothing but friendly and smiling, my first encounter with the staff at Middleton Place was a rather grouchy woman at the box office who acted like I was bothering her when I asked where the "Beyond the Fields" lecture was. I later received better directions from the very nice gardener. Second, I had no choice but to have lunch at the restaurant on site due to timing. While the food was ok, I think $18 for a salad with a tiny piece of lukewarm chicken was a tad over priced. They should consider adding some sandwich options to the menu, not everyone can eat seafood.

I was disappointed wiht Middleton place. The grounds are nice, but the remaining house is small and nearly every room is roped off. There is no guided tour in the home that we saw, only a single individual on each floor to give a 45 second overview and then to monitor any visitors.

Wonderful Romantic getaway. We stayed several nights, and enjoyed to cozy room, and fantastic views. Lovely, beautiful property with gorgeous, well-maintained walking trails. About a 30 minute drive to downtown Charleston, but very quiet. Fireplace (wood) worked well. Shower could use a little updating, but all worked well.

The “beyond the field” tour was a LECTURE , not the “tour”! Don’t repeat our mistake!

You come to have a guided tour around the place, and find yourself caught on the bench for 40minutes(!!!) and lectured AT!?! It sounded as propaganda for my own money! Seriously?!

We paid $58(!) for two to hear about how bad the slavery was(don’t I know about it?!) and how “white” did it because they could… What the heck was that?!
Am I in an elementary school?!
Who gave them the right to lecture me?!
And they call it a tour?! It was a TOuRTURE, waste of my Sunday time, not a tour!

We did inform the woman in a visitor center about this huge “bait and switch”!

We didn’t ask for refund only because the place’s maintained well, and we were happy after visiting their yummy organic restaurant (I definitely recommend to go! The catfish was delicious!)
Consider it as our donation to the place.

Do not buy this “tour”. Just walk around. The scenery is beautiful!

We were looking for something low key to do near where we were staying instead going into Charleston (we had plans to go there in the evening).

It was very chilly that day (cloudy, breezy and mid fifties). We walked around the visitor’s center (lean to roof with some pictures and maps on the wall) and garden market (pavilion with stuff for sell and $2 self serve coffee).

We intended to walk the gardens but quickly decided we weren’t paying $29 to walk around the yard in the cold. Anything else you want to do besides “walk around the yard” costs extra.

My wife and I visited here for the first time on Tuesday, December 2, 2020. It is easy to find with plenty of parking. The property is absolutely beautiful with many different buildings, gardens and activities. We were here about six hours and still did not see / do everything. We had luch at the restaurant which was excellent and reasonably priced for the quality. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. There are other historic properties nearby but we did not have a chance to visit them since there was so much to do and see here, it really can be an all day outing.

We have been to plantations in LA. By comparison, this plantation is lacking. The $29 entry fee does NOT get you into the house. That is an extra $15 each. It wasn't worth the money. The tour is self guided. You don't know what you are seeing unless you ask. Once outside again, we realized we only saw 1/3 to maybe 1/2 of the house. The grounds, however, are well kept. The restaurant was VERY disappointing. The lunch buffet is $25 each. We decided to pay the money as a treat (we wouldn't normally pay that much for lunch, let alone for a buffet). Well the joke was on us. The food was dry and cold at 12:15 pm - lunch time!! The staff took our plate, stirred the food, and gave us a second plate. It did no good. We push our second plate away uneaten. We got a sliver of pecan pie for dessert. It was good. They brought us a check for $54 for 2 even though the manager knew we didn't eat more then a fee bites. After a discussion, she cut the bill in half. The day was a disappointment.

My husband and I spent a wonderful time at Middleton Place with Pineapple Tours. The gardens were lovely even in December. I can imagine they’re stunning in the summer. The house and the history of the place was really interesting. We had a 3 course lunch included in the on site restaurant and the food was amazing - fab southern fare. Definitely recommend!

We bought the combo tickets for the Middleton Place & Edmondston-Alston House. We first visited the Middleton Place on the outskirts of Charleston. Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking! The entire property is very well kept and maintained. The main house tour was short and interesting. It had about a handful of courteous and very informative ladies who were ready to assist you with all your questions. My favorite spot was the area around the carriage house and home to most of all the animals. You get to pet the sheep, Lily the cow and some of the horses used to pull the carriages for reserved rides. The horses were majestic indeed and sweet when approached. We had the pleasure in meeting this very nice gentleman who worked in the section that exhibited many of the equipment used to run the functions of the house and barn area. He was very informative and attentive to our questions. We also got to meet a nice young man who represented a blacksmith, and who showed us how he actually made and welded pieces together on sight. There was another gentleman who played the part of one who worked back then forming different kinds of wooden barrels for more than one use.
There was also still standing, a home where one of their many slaves lived and continued living, even after she was freed. Note: My review doesn't include the Middleton restaurant, that one has its own rating.

I have visited the plantation many years ago, but my husband was not along at the time. On this trip to Charleston, my husband wanted to visit a plantation. We bought the combo ticket which includes the gardens, the house tour and a tour of the Edmondston-Alston House in Charleston. We enjoyed the gardens and the outside buildings and farm animals. For the additional price of the tickets, we felt the house was not really worth it. The house is small and really did not have a lot to offer. If you have toured other historical houses of this time period you pretty much have been there, done it. We will still take the other house tour in Charleston, hopefully this will make the high admission cost worth it.

Visited in late March, perfect weather, 72 and sunny. We did the animal tour which was nice. It was cool seeing the "hinny". The garden walk around the perimeter was beautiful complete with alligator!

Exquisite grounds. Detailed history... just beautiful. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Lunch at the Middleton Place Restaurant was worth the trip alone - Delicious!

After walking all over Charleston for 2 days, we decided to drive 30-40 minutes to Middleton Place. I am so glad that we did!

The beauty is spectacular here. We toured the gardens on our own and did a 30 minute house tour. Lots of walking paths. You will see beautiful gardens, wildlife, Spanish moss, huge live oak trees and lakes.

Make sure to eat lunch at the restaurant that serves a delicious, low country buffet. Amazing fried chicken and service.

We also enjoyed touring and learning the history of the Middleton family.

If you want to go off the beaten path and enjoy nature for a day- go to Middleton Place.

This visit should not be missed. The grounds and the design of this planation, one of many owned by Middleton family, is beautiful and visually stunning.

We knew the gardens would be out of season and that ok The two lectures provided were fine But no one no where prepared us for the horrendous smoke and ash today from a nearby prescribed fire burn! At least they could have put a notice out front where you drive in To alert visitors and give us the option for refunds if tickets bought ahead) like us) we cut short our visit and ate in our air conditioned car and went on to a non smoky plantation down the road

The gardens are truly beautiful. We did the garden tour, which packed a lot of information into a half hour. We also did the house tour, which probably would have benefitted from an actual guide but was still interesting, and the docents on each floor were quite knowledgeable. The "Beyond the Fields" lecture was a highlight. Jerry did a fantastic job explaining how slavery was integral to the global economy, and how the consequences of slavery persist today. I appreciated that there was so much acknowledgement throughout of the enslaved people who built and maintained the plantation.

The information about the Middletons was presented by several employees who know the heritage of the Middleton family. The grounds and gardens are beautiful and well kept. The animals are all around the pastures. We even saw several alligators and turtles

We toured the house and gardens on a Sunday and the house in historic Charleston on a Saturday afternoon. This was a very worthwhile place to go and I can’t see anyone not enjoying it. It’s a completely different experience than magnolia plantation so if you have the time I recommend doing both. Magnolia’s gardens are more wild while these are very sculpted.
The house tour comes included with your admission price and is very interesting. Especially like the fact that you get a brief introduction and while there are tour guides on both floors, it’s basically self directed with a handout.

I booked a "staycation" at Middleton Place to relax and enjoy alone time with my significant other without having to drive or fly somewhere to do so. Although I had toured the Middleton Place grounds before, staying on the property was such a different, wonderful experience!

We checked into the Inn early enough to get into the beautiful room, unpack, change and still explore the grounds! We caught the wine and cheese hour by the fireplace and enjoyed a game of chess. On our second evening at Middleton we gave the restaurant a try and we were not disappointed! The food was incredible, the staff was so accommodating and the atmosphere was incredibly inviting.

My favorite day in Charleston was spent here. The grounds and gardens are incredible. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. The restaurant serves local specialties. We were able to stay past 5:00 pm. I would plan at least 2 hours for this attraction. A must do and see experience when in Charleston.

We visited during a very rainy day and had the front garden to ourselves. Even though December isn't a month where there are a lot of things blooming, there were some winter plants like pansies that were blooming, and the grounds were still very picturesque.

Unfortunately, due to the heavy rains, most of the garden paths were flooded, looking like moats around gardens. So you had to walk on the grassy embankments and hop over narrower rivers of water to get to areas of the plantation you want to see.

The animals (sheep, chickens and ducks) were free-roaming in the front (or is it back?) yard, which was surprising and welcome feature to see.

With general admission ticketing, visitors can visit the out buildings (kitchen replica, etc) that all have interpretive signage and exhibits. There was also a grounds tour that was at 11:00, but we decided to stroll around on our own rather than travel in a clot of tourists in the rain.

Allot 3 hours, especially if having lunch. The scene was set as we drove up the long drive to the entrance and saw sheep grazing on the large lawn. What a beautiful spot, and definitely large enough to never feel crowded. We started with an excellent docent who explained in depth the Middleton history of slave ownership. He spoke for 45 minutes as we were seated under a large shade tree and his presentation was very informative. After that, we had an elderly and not so great docent who talked about the gardens, but got flustered when people interrupted with a question. Oh, well, they're volunteers. We had to get a timed ticket to enter the house and it was interesting, but a bit crowded. We later did a self-guided tour of the stable yard and craft area, where there were a few enthusiastic docents demonstrating their tasks. In between, we had lunch at the restaurant, but had to sit at the bar, even though we were there at 1:00. Don't pay attention to the website, which says lunch reservations aren't necessary because they are! There aren't that many tables and there are far too many people who want to get in. Since we didn't have a car, we had to call an Uber and wait a while for it to arrive. Thankfully, a driver came to pick us up because it's quite a distance outside Charleston.

I took the free garden tour which while at times got a bit more into the details about the flora than I was interested in, it was a good way to get an overview of the property and learn a bit of history about the place. If I had time I would have added on the house tour. There is a lot of informative signage around and in the brochure so the self-guided tour was satisfying. There's a lot of ground to cover so allot 2-3 hours.

We LOVED this plantation! I couldn't decide because reviews of all the plantations are so good, but what tipped it for me was that some of The Patriot movie was filmed here! I am so glad we visited Middleton because it was beautiful AND they had history tours all day! We listened to an excellent history under the shade trees by the lead educator at Middleton on enslaved peoples, then we had a garden tour- fascinating features. We loved the butterfly lakes an the sheer beauty of the land - the Ashley River surrounds the plantation and the view is magnificent. I didn't realize it was Rice that they grew and indigo. We had artisans showing us how they made clothing and barrels and we even dyed our own indigo. A lot of period animals, same species as at the time the Plantation was operating. And then at the end we found some staff who were there during the filming of The Patriot. "Fireworks!" party scene when ship blew up in the harbor and also the swamp scenes. It's fun to recall the scenes and realize it was filmed at that very spot. We had a fab lunch too at the little restaurant. I cannot imagine the beauty if it was spring or fall when more color would be bursting through nature. It was just a perfect day. We ended at the market and had a snack.

We love the grounds and history.
Also the Beyond the Fields talk with Gary (?) was excellent. My husband said it gave him more insight to the history of slavery then he ever had.

Not quite what I was expecting. Thought there would be more flowers. Nice grounds. The "beyond the fields" tour also is not so much a tour, as just an education talk/lecture as you are not moving around for it. Loved the animals

We have a friend that is a tour guide at another plantation, The other plantation was good; however, Middleton was fantastic. If you only have time to go to one plantation, this is the one!

We clearly did not leave enough time, because you could easily spend an entire day seeing the gardens and visiting the stables and so on. Suffice it to say that the grounds are beautiful and well maintained. As other reviewers have noted, there are plenty of animals about, including quite a lot of alligators. In fact, we found the causeway to the mill guarded by one; that was one building we didn’t visit… The house tour, really just one flank of the original house, was informative and exhibited a number of artifacts that you certainly don’t see every day. The gardens are the real drawing card, so if I were to return, I probably wouldn’t do the house tour.

Wonderful place to visit and also stay at. The gardens and other outdoor areas are a pleasure to walk through. The Inn has spacious rooms, good breakfast and friendly stuff. It is also a good place to learn about the history of plantation life in Charleston.

The grounds are absolutely stunning and there are enough tours and exhibits to keep you busy for a good chunk of the day. However, the house tour costs extra and is NOT worth it. One guide gave a quick summary of the family outside the house, and then inside another guide talked about the family portraits in the hall. After that we were set loose to tour the house ourselves. I can see why they did that--the house is not very big and it would be impossible for a whole group to look at most of the rooms at once. However, I don't feel like I got much out of the tour, and the most interesting parts (the photograph of the ruins before the earthquake knocked them down, the photos and details about enslaved people who worked on the plantation) were available in other parts of the grounds that were open to general admission.

Also, while the tour guides made sure to always acknowledge that the wealth and grandeur of Middleton Place was only made possible because the family owned slaves, I felt like they often fell short of imparting what their lives were like. We attended the Beyond the Fields: Enslavement at Middleton Place tour and it was rambling and far-ranging. It often went on tangents that had nothing to do with the slave trade and the experiences of enslaved people.

GORGEOUS!! Perfectly maintained! Never seen such beauty--we were stunned over and over. Oak tree that is over 1000 years old. Many plants we have never seen before--one view more stunning than the last. Lunch at the restaurant was superb! Saw some gators, but stayed out of their way!

The gardens were beautifully manicured. LOTS of walking!

We did the house tour, but that was a let down. Few paintings and artifacts. Tour guides did quick overview of different owners (same family) throughput its history. Disappointed that there wasn't any real discussion on theur use of slaves.

Tour of carriage house, woodshop, blacksmith and how certain tools were made and how rice was processed was very interesting...the lady explaining this part was very knowledgeable.

The historic presentation "Beyond the Fields - Enslavement at Middleton Place" to us seems to be a "Must-listen-to" and should definitely stay as an important part of the program at Middleton Place. And this is why:

1. It made us reflect about our own both conscious and unconscious biases.
2. It made us aware of slavery as a system from which a large part of the white population benefitted in many different ways.
3. It also made us aware of the fact that the fundaments of (white people's) material wealth and most of the infrastructure, buildings, farms, and all kinds of services were built or provided by enslaved people.
4. Our guide Jerry very successfully connected us to the topic of slavery in an existential way without conveying a sense of guilt.
5. As visitors from Germany - the country whose people mass-murdered the jews and other minorities - we perceived especially the (both physical and non-physical) atrocities committed by slave-traders, masters and the like as just another example for the very dark side of mankind.

We wish you lasting success with keeping the memory of slavery alive!

Wendelin
from Kronberg / Germany

Great Plantation!! Beautiful loved the grounds, the sheep were precious encounter! Really enjoyed our walk through the grounds!

My friend and I are visiting Charleston and wanted to go to a real plantation. I notice that the add here says it is $120! Not True! We paid $44 and toured everything that we wanted to. Yes, most of the house is gone but one part of it still remains and has so many great treasures. Since we are from the Land of Lincoln, one of the best things I saw was the note that was original and handwritten by our own Abraham Lincoln for Mrs. Middleton who needed passage through the wartime lines to visit wounded relatives. What a thrill! The grounds were awesome! We saw several alligators which are normal to see and the guides that were in the cabins and workshops were some of the best I have ever listened to. They were friendly and much more knowledgeable than most. This is a wonderful place to see while in Charleston.

This is a must-see! The tours provided by volunteers, one about the gardens and one about the history of slavery, were outstanding. Loved our visit. Highly recommend.

Excellent preservation of our country's history from early settlement, through Revolutionary and Civil wars, to modern times. Always a joy to visit any time of the year for a walk through the first formal gardens in the US, still in classic beauty reminiscent of Versailles. Spring time with hundreds of spectacular blooming azaleas is particularly a special time to walk the 100+ acre grounds. We return regularly to enjoy the peace and beauty of this historic treasure.

Beautiful place 2 to 3 hours walking around and enjoying the tour guides different stories. It is worth the price. I love the way the stories were told as a way to remember and recognized the slaves in America in the south. The plantation is in a very good shape and the gardens are well kept for you to take pictures. Bring comfortable shoes and water. We arrived at 1 pm and were able to join three guided tours and look around.

Simply beautiful! We went in mid-March and the camilias were still in bloom and the azaleas had just started to come out. Gorgeous! We didn't get the 'combo' tickets for the gardens and house because the "house" was destroyed and so the building you go into is a small outer building that survived.

We spent about 2 hours at the site and we did take advantage of the garden overview tour which was free and lasted about 30 mins.

Expansive grounds to walk. When we were there in September there were only a few different flowers, so not much other than lovely views. The horse stable area was interesting. Staff was friendly and happy to chat. I found the overall cost to be very pricey with additional costs to see buildings.

Beautiful grounds and house. A must see if you want to get a glimpse of Charleston plantations history. The gardens alone are worth the visit, and with the Middleton house tour, it becomes a place to visit while in Charleston.
There are tours of the house and the gardens - we took both and it was worth it.
Take time to walk around and see other interesting locations like Eliza's house

The grounds are beautiful and extensive- great for an extended hike through nature. There are peaceful spots to sit. The house tour guides were very knowledgable and patient in explaining all the key characters. We stayed at the Inn (admission to the Plantation is included for your whole stay) and really enjoyed it.

I did not expect to love this place as much as I did. It is truly magical here. Our guide for the beyond the fields tour was a wonderful story teller and things he said will stick with me for life. Absolutely worth the time/money to experience this place.

We thoroughly enjoyed wandering the grounds! The beyond the fields tour and the house tour where very informative!! Happy we went!!

The elaborate and well preserved gardens took our breath away. The free tour guide was very helpful, and he took us on a almost one hour tour. Plan to take the better part of a day to see it all.

We went to Middleton as part of our Christmas break visiting family. Even in the winter the grounds are beautiful and will take your breath away. The staff throughout the buildings was very knowledgeable about history and more than willing to answer any questions you may have. Highly recommend the Beyond the Fields portion. This was our favorite part that we.found to be the most informative and illustrative of history.

A magnificent setting - spectacular gardens, great trees - including the Middleton Oak at 900 years old, impecable grounds, well maintained buildings, even sheep running around the place.

Excellent preservation of a working plantation. With two stories to tell - both critically important. The first - the story of the plantation. It's history, family lineage, the various crafts and trades supporting the plantation - cooper, blacksmith, carpenter, etc.

The second story - perhaps more important: The story of slavery. Told here with compassion and truthfulness. And openess, with no glossing over or trying to spin the true nature and costs of slavery in the US. No apologies either - just the harsh facts and reality. And an unpleasant yet necessary reminder.

Several guided tours are available. Tours of the grounds, a slavery history talk, as well as informal chats from the various craftspeople on site. There is also a tour of the main house for and additional fee (I did not take it). All presented by friendly and very knowledgable volunteers, providing additional insight and perspective. Without any `spin'

A great way and place to spend the day. And learn about and from the not too distant past of our history

What a beautiful place this is. So interesting to learn about the history. There are people in various spots around the property who share historical facts. Everyone we spoke with was so friendly. We also had a chance to get a small bite to eat at the restaurant on the property. Beautiful decor and setting and the food was delicious. We shared fried green tomatoes and a piece of pecan pie and iced tea. It was quite a lovely visit. Also really enjoyed the animals including recently (2-4 weeks) born lambs.

We took a tour of the gardens while we were at Middleton and our tour guide, Lou, was absolutely amazing. He really knew his stuff. He was personable and friendly. I’ve been on a lot of guided tours before, but Lou was one of the best tour guides we’ve ever had! If you go to see the gardens of Middleton, try to get a tour from Lou, you won’t be disappointed!

Absolutely stunning garden grounds, a place you could just sit all day. Only downside was the restaurant closed early and the market had little to anything to eat. Overall it was worth the trip. I would call ahead if you’re planning on having lunch there to plan your day.

Several people who worked or volunteered at Middleton asked me “Did you learn anything?”
The answer is unequivocally Yes!

You really should go. Experience the garden and grounds. Take the yours, meet the people, hear their stories . You will enjoy yourself and learn something new.

Our family of 6 really enjoyed our visit to Middleton! The trails and gardens were just awesome to visit. The "Beyond the Fields" lecture was really outstanding and while it lasted almost an hour, it seemed like 20 minutes! We all had a great lunch at the restaurant, enjoying gumbo, pulled pork and fried chicken - all very well done! Absolutely a must-do in Charleston!

Visited in mid-March with my wife and daughters. We all enjoyed the formal gardens and the tour. Did not take the house tour and were glad we didn't since it wasn't the original house. The animals were very interesting although we would have like to see the water buffalo.

My group and I learned a great deal and enjoyed the beautiful grounds at Middleton Place. Scott welcomed us into the last remaining family house on the property and gave us a brief but thorough history of the Middleton family and how the plantation came to be, along with it's destruction and restoration, including the ugly and pretty parts. Our visit (booked through Pineapple Tours) included a lunch on site that was delicious local choices. I wish we managed our time better to have seen more of the outdoor areas, but what we did see was stunning. I would definitely do a return visit in the cooler months to explore further.

Unfortunately, it rained pretty aggressively throughout our visit. The venue had free umbrella's to use so that was nice. Due to the civil war and an earthquake, the original home no longer exists but the remaining buildings are still nice to see. The grounds are beautiful but there are alligators! We saw one up close and personal and it was not in a fenced in area. Luckily it appeared to be a juvenile as it was not very big and it just stayed in the pond. We saw several others at a distance. Coming from the Midwest that was a bit unsettling. Staff were friendly and helpful.

I had no idea what to expect when we booked the tour. The tour of the house is everything that was advertised and better. The staff did a great job describing the house and grounds and took the time to answer the man questions that I had. This is one of the best house tours in Charleston. A must see of mansions in Ashley River.

We took all the tours offered! It was well done and we had a very enjoyable day at Middleton - it is worth the trip. They do acknowledge the slave past, but having visited plantations extensively in the deep south, there are other plantations that do a better job presenting the slave experience and reckoning with the past.

I am not a garden kind of guy but we spent over 4 hours wandering around the grounds and I was not bored in the least. We did the "beyond the fields" tour which is a hour long narrative by a history major on slavery on the plantation/America and thought it was very good. The rest of the grounds are self guided and there are people in character around the barns and craftsman shops. The gentleman in the cooper shop was very enthusiastic and engaging. There is also sheep, ducks, geese, guinea hens and other critters wandering around. We did not do the tour of the house which cost and additional $15. Overall great day at Middleton Place.

In our opinion the top tourist site in Charleston to see! We've been all over Charleston seeing the beauty and history but Middleton Place by far is the best place to visit! Incredible gardens, history tours, and alligators!

We were a group of six and we’re very lucky that the temperature was mild when we were there. The gardens were beautiful, we took a self modified tour. We also toured the house museum. It was a peaceful day, with a lot to look at. Would definitely recommend.

We were visiting a couple of the other Plantations & had some extra time & stopped in to Middleton. What a beautiful venue! The grounds are beautiful & we we so glad we stopped.

Incredible staff, incredible views. Would highly recommend taking the garden tour, which is included in your stay at the Inn.

Our driver was a lot of fun and informative. The gardens are amazing and there is plenty of time to walk around and enjoy the grounds. Lunch was provided and it was great low country fare.

Beautiful grounds, amazingly knowledgeable staff, views to die for! On top of that is the restaurant which was noisy and a little cold with the air con but again, fantastic waiting staff and superb food. Good value in a city where everything is overpriced.

Purchase the entire tour...it is well worth it, and the 3 presentations of about 30 minutes around the grounds were especially informative. The explanations of slavery and those atrocities were well done and so informative to what actually happened in that Civil War Era. The value of human life is so important and these things in our history need never be repeated. Our children must know these things that were in our past.

My husband and I went here during our trip to Charleston figuring we'd stay for an hour or two, but we ended up wandering around for more like four. It was gorgeous, with lots of azaleas in bloom and all kinds of beautiful little paths to wander around and get quasi-lost. With the exception of the house tour, the tours are all included in the admission price, which just makes the whole experience so much more relaxing. In addition to the gardens there are livestock and craft demonstrations (pottery, blacksmithing, etc), and I thought the place did a really good job of showing off the beauty and ingenuity of the gardens and landscape while also acknowledging and explaining the horrible history of slavery that propped it all up.

We stayed for 2 nights in the first half of May. Weather was quite warm so we were very disappointed that the pool wasn't yet open for the season, nor were kayaks available. We participated in 2 short tours but the staff at the registration desk told us the wrong starting point so we were late to both. In general, the place was okay, but we would prefer to stay at a more updated place closer to (or in) the city of Charleston.

We decided to venture out to Middleton plantation today. It was cold and windy but quiet and beautiful and perfect for a walk if you are dressed for it. The giant mossy trees, the river and ponds are lovely and peaceful. We paid for the tour of the house, which turns out is quite small and the tour guide spoke for five minutes and then let us walk through on our own.. I would have skipped it and saved the $30 we spent on that. But I’m glad we did the gardens and listened to a free presentation about slavery. It was very interesting.

Beautiful gardens and we loved the history. Lou was our tour guide and he did a great job. delicious fried chicken for lunch in the restaurant. A wonderful visit!

Fantastic place,probably the prettiest and most extensive property that we have visited.Flowers are amazing,tours are very insightful.A must visit when in the Charleston area.

Visited Middleton Place on rainy morning, but really enjoyed the stop. Lovely grounds, easy to get around. Staff providing tours were very knowledgeable and friendly. The restaurant is also very nice and has excellent food. Take time to tour the walking paths around the grounds. Also note that the Magnolia Plantation and Dayton Hall are very close by, if you wanted to combine a few stops. All three would be a very full day (recommend 2 at most).

My wife and I visited Middleton in March. It was just awe inspiring seeing the grounds and the beauty of the flowers, trees and total surrounding gardens.

The house was an awesome tour inside as well. Many treasures are inside that you will want to see for yourself. You can see many treasured artifacts showing our countries Southern history. Just fantastic!!!

We enjoyed our time there. I described the gardens as interesting because of the design and layout. Middleton Oak is very impressive at 1000 years old.

Beautiful grounds and very family-friendly. We happened to be there after Christmas 2020, and there were more people than I anticipated. Still very enjoyable.

My husband and I love history. We visited Middleton Place as part of our trip to Charleston. It was lovely. The people were Informative. To do it all you need to bock out at least 3 hours. I highly recommend this place. Lots of lovely walking areas, living history and displays.

We did general admission and it was well worth the price. No need to pay for any additional tours. We had a great tour of the gardens with Lou. He was knowledgeable and kept it interesting. The gardens are immaculate. Definitely something to see. We enjoyed the stable yards and animals. We had a light lunch in the restaurant. There wasn’t one thing that we were disappointed in. I would definitely recommend when you are in Charleston.

I toured Middleton on a clear sunny morning in early April. The grounds are peaceful and immaculately maintained. We elected to take the house tour and found all the guides to be extremely pleasant and eager to answer questions. They were well informed and it was evident that they took pride in showing and explaining the home.

Prior to the home tour, the guide informed the group of the separate Beyond the Fields tour that was included in the price of admission. I was so pleased that she did, because this part of the tour is essential to a true understanding of the plantation, and the vast wealth that was built on the backs of the slaves who worked there under deplorable conditions. The tour guide for the Beyond the Fields tour was exceptionally excellent (I wish I remembered his name). I was initially concerned that this part of the story might be glossed over or handled defensively, but it was not. The guide explained the history of slavery honestly and with compassion to those enslaved, including an overview of everyone's part (Africa, Europe, the US). He also discussed the racism that continued even after slavery was abolished, including Jim Crow and Brown v. the Board of Education. I appreciated his willingness and ability to answer questions in a frank manner. While it's lovely to look at the grounds and the beautiful home, it's essential to listen to this part of the tour as well to get the full context of what happened there. After the Beyond the Fields tour, we visited Eliza's house and the stable yards to get even more context. We found the guides at the stable yards to also be very informative in explaining the laborious process in processing the rice, and making the shipping barrels. Special mention is made of the woman who explained the pottery process--she was very engaging and informative.

A trip to Charleston would be incomplete without visiting this important historical landmark.

I'll never forget gazing at the beautiful Butterfly lakes as a six foot alligator emerged from on of them to sun itself!

Easily send 3 hours here and walk with ease through the beautiful gardens. Even in December, the flowers are extraordinary. See the 900-year-old tree and watch the swans on the lake. This location is far superior to the Magnolia Plantation next store. Spend your time here for a delightful visit.

The gardens are very pretty. Lots of paths to wander through. There is a flock of sheep that roam the lawns. We just happened to be in the stable area when the sheep were going to be fed. They all came running and crowded around the handler. It was so cute!

This was a wonderful place to visit. We just toured the grounds and there were enough signs to keep us informed although, I think the hourly tours would be great. The river and pond areas are beautiful and full of wildlife and the stable area was very interesting. We didn’t go in the house. I loved it and would highly recommend. Full of nature and interesting, too.

Middleton Place was a wonderful stop on our Charleston vacation this March. We planned ahead and scheduled a private VIP tour which included a carriage ride on the grounds, a credit towards lunch at the restaurant, and tickets to the house tour. The carriage ride was fantastic and we really learned a lot from our tour guides during the ride. The Middleton Place house tour is interesting, but not absolutely a must see, and the same for the restaurant. It was tasty, but also priced a bit steep for the quality and options that are served. Perhaps the best thing about Middleton Place are the gardens. The gardens are absolutely breathtaking and massive. If you visit Middleton Place but don't spend at least 2/3 of your time taking in the gardens, then I'm afraid you may have missed out on the best part.

I highly recommend if you love history. Just a beautiful house and grounds. Also had a great driver. The food was very good at the restaurant. They had fried chicken, pulled pork, fried catfish, collard greens and a great pecan pie. Don’t miss the wonderful gift shop!

Absolutely stunning! We visited in the middle of a very stormy, windy rainy day and yet were still not disappointed. Definitely recommend taking the tours because you’ll learn so much and further appreciate your visit. The house tour was short and very informative. If you skip this tour you’ll miss the opportunity to see/hear some amazing history. Our incredible garden tour guide was not only highly informative but he also braved the weather with us and didn’t cut his talk short one bit. Be sure to wear walking shoes that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy on rainy days. We visited Magnolia the next day and were struck by how very different the two gardens are and how glad we were that we did both. The market had hot beverages that warmed us up after and light lunch & snacks had we wanted those too.

Always a nice place to visit ( even though it is pricey) , gardens and grounds magnificent, house tour is self guided and very informative. Enjoyed the beyond slave talk.

The gardens are beautifully laid out & very well maintained. Lots of great shade & lovely views.
Staff were all helpful & knowledgeable.
The house tour was interesting.

The grounds of Middleton are meticulous. Interesting history in the house tour. The grounds also have numerous alligators. The salad at the restaurant as fresh and delicious. The plantation also has a gift shop and garden center.

My spouse, two college kids and I were so fortunate to listen to Jerry give his talk on “beyond the fields of slavery” . He mesmerized us all with such an engaging discussion and brought history into focus while refraining from any political agenda from the past or present, Jerry made you think about our responsibilities, accepting history and moving forward to make change, He brought to light how justice is served by treating everyone fairly and beyond what race has stirred in the past and present. He made an impact on our whole family and here it is a week later and we are still referring to what he said. I think he could do a TED talk on the subject and stir everyone to think deep and kindly. He is truly a GOOD person. It was obvious he put a lot of effort into his presentation and while great, he was still looking to find how he could improve it. I think he actually already found perfection. Kudos to him! He needs an audience - more should hear what he has to share,

In Charleston for a few days. Middleton did not disappoint. The grounds are beautiful and you can choose between a few free tours with your ticket or you can purchase a tour of the house for 12 dollars. The house is full of family heirlooms. Worth a look but the real treat is the gardens . Alligators are a plenty. No danger but they are present everywhere. To tour the house literally only takes 20 minutes very small space the out buildings are interesting plenty of docents around to tell stories of the plantation.

These are every formal, tended gardens laid out by the designer of Versailles. Unfortunately, we visited after the azaleas had gone by, so there wasn’t much color except for the petunias and pansies. The highlight of the visit, though, was the talk by Bob, a staff member who gave an outstanding presentation of “Beyond the Fields,” a 45-minute discussion of the history of the enslaved people who kept the rice farms along the Ashley River flourishing. His talk was fascinating and thought-provoking. I never enjoyed history classes, but if I had had Bob as a teacher I would have loved it!

This is a beautiful and a must see in Charleston. The grounds were beautiful. The grounds are well kept, staff is knowledable. The house tour is a must. The collection is incredible.

They’ve done a great job with the materials given to the public, making it easy to navigate the gardens with ample history provided. Instead of blowing all the paths, they were raked, which was refreshing to listen to. The house tour (make reservations) was especially good because most of the furniture was original to the house and to each room,

If you are concerned about the ethics of plantation visits, please do not visit Middleton.

I was disturbed by the Beyond the Fields tour, which is meant to be about the people Middleton enslaved. The lecture began with the lethality of the passage from Africa and sugarcoated everything from there. The guide made almost no mention of violence, choosing instead to emphasize the rare instances of “benevolence” that the Middletons showed the families they enslaved and profited from. The guide even made the odd comment that the enslaved people knew how to “play” or exercise power over their captors and, in doing so, imitated the enslaved people’s manner of speech.

We went straight from Middleton to McLeod Plantation Historic Site, which was remarkably different. If historical accuracy and ethical tourism are important to you—and they should be—please visit McLeod.

My wife and I spent 7 hours here taking in the stunning antibelluim landscapes of live oaks throughout the acreage and flower beds adorning the walkways. The docents were extremely educated and conveyed their knowledge of the workings of the plantation system and the dark side of slavery. The plantation system cold not have succeeded without the degradation of a group of enslave people considered property!

They have done a great job in telling the story of its history before and after the Emancipation for better or worse.

Our visit was educational and time spent well.

What to add ? It’s one of the most beautiful we visit. And we visited a lot. To visit for sure !!!
Even the farm is cute. A must see !!

Beautiful gardens, and very interesting history. I wish there would be more said about the life of the slaves at the plantation rather that about the owners who led obviously magnificient lives there.

The grounds are gorgeous, and although the main house burned decades ago, there is a period dwelling that survives.

Our tour guide, however, left us stunned and uncomfortable. His interpretation of slavery made it seem that human bondage was accepted by _everyone_ of the time as right and proper, and told stories of the Yule Log tradition that painted a picture of happy cohabitation.

The horrors of transport, family separation, punishment and lingering socioeconomic effects which caused a bloody civil war were glossed over or ignored outright.

There was no mention of lynching, Jim Crow laws or any sign that centuries of tortured history has elapsed since white antebellum slave owners defined high society.

We will not revisit Charleston ever again because of this tour.

But the grounds are spectacular.

This place is absolutely incredible. I would love to go back when everything is in bloom. So much to see. We didn't do any tours, we just walked around on our own. You cannot go into the house without a tour so if you have the time, definitely book a tour. This is a much larger place than I was expecting based on the pictures. Wear your walking shoes.

My wife and I had high expectations for the visit, given the reviews on TripAdvisor we had read before our visit, but the actual experience exceeded those high expectations. There are many reasons for our reaction: the natural beauty of the place, the clarity of the written materials and signage; and, the relative ease of walking around the plantation to view the important sites. But the best reason was the knowledge of the guides/docents. We’ve been to many historical sites, but the guides here were absolutely remarkable. In particular, Linda spoke without notes for almost an hour about the lives of the enslaved over the course of many years and generations, explaining the economic rationale for slavery and the profitability of the rice trade.

We arrived about 10:30 a.m. and had time to gain our bearings and attend the 11:00 a.m. Garden Overview tour; then we attended the 30 minute tour (Meet the Breeds) of the plantation’s animals which started at 11:30; then we raced to the start of the Beyond the Fields tour about enslavement at Middleton. We raced because the tours start on time…A little after 1 p.m. we had lunch at the excellent Middleton Place Restaurant, finishing just in time for the Rice and Riverside tour by golf cart narrated by Butch.

We hope to return and encourage all to visit.

Simply amazing. The picturesque beauty of the place is hard to describe in words. The trees alone that are found here, are beyond believe. Any pictures cannot do justice to any aspect of the size and beauty of the trees but also the entire property. Stunning and beautiful are the best words to describe it. There are so many paths that take you through beautiful gardens and vegetation. The sheep heard running around the property also added to the old-timey charm to it all. Fun can be had here for the whole family.

This place is stunning. We arrived too late to catch any of the tours, which we think we would’ve enjoyed, but it didn’t detract from our experience. We loved walking the beautiful property and gardens. What a special place.

We visited Middleton Place and thoroughly enjoyed it. We went through Pineapple Tours, which we would certainly recommend. Too many beautiful photos to post all. It was also very informative from a historical perspective. We only had time to visit one plantation and so glad we chose this. The tour included lunch at their on-site restaurant, which was great!

I'm glad we stopped here while we were visiting Charleston. This place is huge and you're able to walk around at your own place. We paid extra for the house tour which was good. We got to see some of the family's private items including silver and jewels and a card signed by Abe Lincoln. There are guides that explains a bit about the house and then your able to walk through the 1st and 2nd floors. The grounds were beautiful. We saw some horses and sheep. I saw a little baby alligator too. Definitely worth the visit.

The only plantation that I visited while in Charleston that I would recommend. Outstanding grounds. Lots to do . I wish I had more time to spend there, instead of wasting time and money going to Boon Hall or Magnolia Plantation.

plainly beautiful gardens we did not visit the house. The 1,000 year old oak that has seen so much happening is worth admiring before it dies.
What's missing is a nice cafe and / or bar.

This was an expensive one but we loved pictures online so we decided to go. We couldn't take any tours bcz of Jul heat and cranky kids.
4th of july demonstration was pretty good though. They read the declaration of independence, fired a musket etc.
Our toddler enjoyed seeing animals .
We didn't find it worth the hype..

Chef's are top notch at Middleton place restaurant. We did not tour anything as the tours appear to be closed right now. We only came for the restaurant. I had the butchers cut steak and it was awesome! I started with a bowl of she crab soup and it was over so fast! They make an incredible she crab soup - right up there with the best I have had! My wife had the fettucini and she said it was delicious. She was going to let me try it but when I was ready, she had finished it! The organic green salad she ordered was either fabulous or wonderful - she could not make up her mind which. She is big on salads and it looked good. Everything was fresh and they know how to present things to make it look special. Make sure you have reservations because this restaurant books up and then you have to wait for a table. The cost is a little pricey but it was my wife's birthday, so it was worth paying a little extra for the beautiful scenery - get there during daylight so you can enjoy the view of a picturesque plantation garden- pond and 1800 style buildings while looking out the window. We asked for indoor seating because outside is unpredictable in South Carolina - it can get pretty hot and humid in these parts. Get a bottle of wine and sip and enjoy the dinner and view!

This is a beautiful place but it would be better to visit in early spring to see the azaleas or camellias in bloom. There was really nothing in bloom this week but we saw many alligators and cute lambs.
We enjoyed the garden tour and the slavery talk. Learning about the growing of rice was interesting. We unfortunately didn’t have enough time for the house tour as we only had 3 hours there.

The best plantation grounds in the Charleston area to visit!
We visited Middleton Place with a visiting club on the recommendation of a local member.
We really enjoyed walking the grounds and touring the plantation house due to the authenticity and many personal belongings displayed.
While other plantation houses may be more impressive,
if you can choose only one to visit, Middleton Place is the one!

I love history and I was extremely excited about visiting! My husband I paid over fifty dollars for the general admission. Let me just say we were both dissatisfied and disappointed. They had tours but no personnel to direct or to help find where the tours started. I had to go out of my way multiple times trying to find someone who worked there. Once we found one of the tours, it was short and unless you wanted to know the certain name of some of the plants there wasn’t much else to the tour. Don’t get me wrong it was beautiful, but not almost 30$ a person worth. It felt like a tourist trap.

The grounds were stunning and it was a great example of southern plantation living. The Slave Experience lecture was fabulous. The speaker is so gifted - a great communicator and story teller. Middleton Place doesn't gloss over slavery - it tackles the topic head on with a realistic, accurate perspective. They acknowledge it as a dark part of our history that needs to be talked about.

We had access to Middleton Place by staying at the Inn. We walked over late, early, and took several of the tours. The grounds by the Ashley river are beautilful with lots of birds, turtles, and alligators. The view of the river looks like you have stepped back in history with no man made things in sight. I can only imagine what it is like when the azaleas are blooming.

Beautiful grounds, informative, so full of history. Our kids enjoyed seeing the animals and finding all the secret garden pathways. Great restaurant. Even the parking area was so pretty, which is saying something!

We enjoyed our time at this timeless wonderland!! Full of history and wildlife you have to spent several days here to truly enjoy its unique nature and beauty!! Many outdoor walking paths, steps, and waterways! Love it!!

This family estate has survived the highest glories and the agonizing destruction that is representative of American history. Spanning 300 plus years of ups and downs, this magical place has lovingly been brought back up to show us our heritage as a country.
Wander at will through gardens and teach the kids (of all ages) how animals are raised, crops are grown, food is produced, cloth and tools are made...and so much more.
Definitely do not miss lunch here...southern fried chicken, catfish and collards.... followed by pecan pie!

Middleton Place is a lovely estate. We spent one night there which I would highly recommend. Their accommodations are superb! The rooms even have fireplaces! The included morning breakfast was incredible. We ate enough for the whole day! We spent 4 or 5 hours touring the estate gardens, livestock facilities and our buildings. It was a great day.

The artifacts were in great condition dating by to the 1800's. The oak tree's history was fascinating and to know that it was almost 1000 years old. Pretty cool.

Wandered about the gardens for hours and were always surprised at what was around the next corner. Take you time and let it sink in, this is not a place to rush through.

Staff at the ticket counter were so rude and inhospitable that we left without touring. Magnolia Plantation was 100% delightful and highly recommended as an alternative to Middleton Place.

We stayed at the Middleton Place Inn which includes admission to the plantation. We enjoyed walking the lovely gardens. It takes a couple of hours to take a leisurely stroll through all of it. A tour of the house was also included but we skipped it as we are avoiding indoor spaces due to COVID. We preordered a picnic lunch from the restaurant and at it near the lake. I recommend this over eating in the restaurant itself as the garden picnic was just perfect. My daughter loves seeing the sheep who roam freely on the lawn near the main house. They had some historical actors in the stable areas speaking about crafts and jobs on the plantation. I enjoyed the ability to walk the gardens late in the day after most guests had left which was easy to do when staying at the Inn. We took the tour about enslaved people which was really more of a mini-lecture than a tour. It was worth the time to learn about the history of the plantation from that perspective. Overall we enjoyed the visit very much and recommend this site to others.

From a COVID perspective it was easy to stay outdoors and at least 6 feet from people. Many people were not wearing masks on the property but we were able to keep our distance from them.

It was a very tropical day and we were fortunate the storms in the area didn't shut the gardens down! We did the last Garden tour of the day and our guide was very informative! It was a very "green" tour as the main flowers on the grounds - azaleas and camellias were done blooming. However the hydrangeas were stunning! A lot of historical information on the grounds related to the enslaved population - exceptionally informative. We did not tour the house as it cost extra and we were there primarily for the gardens. Beautiful gift shop, and landscape garden store area. My only wish was that there would be more actual flowers blooming - I was underwhelmed by the lack of flowers in June.

This is a great place to tour. Especially if you have visited Drayton Hall, as they are all "related" through marriage. To really enjoy this place, you must attend the walking tours. These folks are an encyclopedia of knowledge

our group of four adults did a tour with pinapple tours to this place in april 2025. the grounds are impressive with live animals , gardens , the main house, and several other buildings. We also enjoyed the walk along the water front. here we found large magnolia trees, alligators, wild birds, and more.

The house tour was interesting , where guided tours gave you the history of the plantation and its owners. Note. they do not allow photography of any kind including cell phones. before entering , there are storage lockers you can put your things in (free) because, they also dont want you to bring in any bags, carry ons or other. the tour lasted about an hour and that was enough.

The restaurant. located next to the big house, was better than i expected. It had enough choices to satisfy everyone in our group. also came with the choice of a selection off the menu or the buffet. We all chose the buffet. Side note here. as part of the tour group, we were given a different menu than those just coming in. Bath rooms are at the entrance mens up stairs. Prices were good considering this is only place to eat here.

The other things to see. they had alot of building here with people doing period things (like a blacksmith) slave quarters, animal stalls, (horses, sheep, ect..) there are several trails to explore here more than we had time to see.

we were staying in charlston and had no car. so for us the tour was the way to go. However a note to those coming. the downside to doing a tour, is we did not have enough time to visit. I did not feel rushed but i did feel like we were on a schedule and had no time to waste. The moment we got there, we had 15 min to get to the house for the tour. right after we had to have lunch. then we only had an hour and a half to explore the grounds and it was time to meet the bus for the ride home. That left us little time to look around and had to choose what we wanted to see. If you have your own transportation, i would not do the tour.

Beautiful, spacious property! It is well maintained and the gardens are kept in their original designs. Lots of walking! Only one part of the original house remains due to the destruction of the Civil War but this property is definitely worth checking out. Great house tour. Lots of original heirlooms from the family are on display at the house. We went there for a morning tour on a weekday and we had the place pretty much to ourselves until around noon. I would recommend staying for lunch too! Surprisingly it was the best Southern food we had during our entire trip to Charleston! Awesome Shrimp and Grits and Fried Chicken!! Get the pecan pie with praline ice cream too!!

A good friend, my wife, and I visited this plantation on a Tuesday in early November. We stayed the previous night at the adjoining Inn at Middleton Place (reviewed separately here on TA). While it would have been a 15-minute walk over to the plantation, we did the 5-minute drive instead. Our admission ($29/person) was included in our night's stay at the Inn. That said, we still felt this is a pretty good value for the price and rated value as a 4.

There is a lot to see here, with an included gardens tour that was VERY well done. We attended a free presentation, Beyond the Fields: Enslavement at Middleton Place, that was less well done: The white female presenter appeared to be having difficulty remembering her memorized text, and on at least two occasions seemed to suggest that enslaved folks had lots of choices and could use their ample spare time as they saw fit. Did not feel in keeping with the topic in either presentation or tone.

We also attended a presentation at Eliza's House, a structure that was built post-Civil War for a former enslaved woman who lived out her life on the plantation. Our presenter here was outstanding! She knew her stuff backwards and forwards, was enthusiastic about her content, and --despite also being White-- presented it with a clear understanding of the role enslaved people played in the prosperity of the owner's 19 plantations, as well as the cruelty with which they were moved around those plantations with no regard for family ties.

Our last presentation was by the potter who showed us how pottery was made for the plantation. We skipped the House tour since it required an additional fee and none of us was particularly interested in seeing another Colonial house full of possessions. So overall, we rated the tours and presentations as a 4.5.

The grounds themselves are interesting to see, and it was very pleasant to walk about while there. There are some amazingly large and old trees here, as well as plenty of the regionally frequent hanging Spanish moss. The lake even had an alligator enjoying the fall sun. We spent 4 hours here and felt we could have spent another hour if we had had time.

We recommend this place, especially if combined with a night at the Inn.

The gardens were beautiful, even in November and it was pleasant to walk around. House tour is decent, although not the original plantation house. We liked the animals, especially the horses and cats. We also saw three alligators, which was the highlight for my seven year old. Seemed a little pricey, but I guess it costs a lot to maintain these places. The restaurant is very expensive. Some more affordable options would have been welcomed.

We went to Middleton about 10 years ago and it was gorgeous. We went last week and it was very disappointing!
We brought someone in a manual wheelchair. She bought a ticket and the lady at counter clearly saw her in wheelchair. They never bothered to tell us that it is NOT handicap accessible, even though their website says "The Gardens are generally accessible by wheelchair" All the paths are heavy rock and sand, so there is no way you are pushing a wheelchair through that. There are steps everywhere, steps made of rock and not wheelchair accessible at all.
There were very few flowers. I've seen better gardens and flowers in our local neighborhood.
The "workers" were not very friendly. The lady that should have explained things to us when we came into the old equipment area, sat silently playing on her phone. I thought she was just a patron, not someone that was supposed to be giving me a little history on the items that were in there.
There were dried, dead grass clippings everywhere. They couldn't even afford to use a bag when they charge so much for tickets?
We spent over $100 and were very disappointed.
I was most upset for the person we brought in the wheelchair though. I think they deliberately deceived us and should have told us at the counter that the grounds were not in anywhere accessible for that wheelchair.
Find somewhere else to go!

Of all the things we did in Charleston, this was our favorite (and the others were all good). The grounds are beautiful and peaceful; there are no bad views anywhere. We opted for the general admission which included some free tours; we did the Guided Garden Tour and the Beyond the Fields: Enslavement at Middleton Place. Both were well done and interesting. Lunch at the restaurant was very good though the menu is somewhat limited, and the buffet is a bit expensive. The views from the restaurant, however, cannot be beat. We did not visit any other plantations in Charleston, so we can't compare Middleton to the others, but we enjoyed this one very much.

Great, meaningful tour of an important part of America’s past.
Docent Jerry was perfect….informative, compassionate, understanding and honest.

The grounds are spectacular. Lots of great info. Maps are easy to read. We popped into the enslaved person tour as well as the Home Tour. Definitely both worth the time. Animals everywhere. The workers are extremely friendly. I have visited Magnolia in the recent years as well as a few others and this has been my favorite to date.

We only had the day to visit Charleston and as usual I planned in advance, squeezing in as much as I could. The reviews I read said you only need a couple of hours and that would be sufficient but that is not true if you really appreciate all the place has to offer, not to mention, to get the most out of the entrance fee ;) this place could easily take the day to visit if you want to take advantage of the multiple tours included + the tour of the house (+$). As no pictures are allowed in the house, you need time to read everything and ask questions of the helpful staff. The house itself is not what was the main house originally three-stories high but is now in ruins, so you are visiting a building beside that was part of the great residence. The grounds are vast and well kept. You can walk around the gardens and feel like you went back in time. Watch out for gators as we were surprised to find one near the water pf the large pond beside the butterfly pools. The staff is super helpful and friendly directing you from one point of interest to another. Plan your visit in advance so you make the most of it and don’t miss anything. Check out their website for the different activities.

Middleton Place provided a wonderful place to spend a day strolling the gardens, river front, and historic site. Beautiful place and a beautiful day. The camelia were just tailing off in March but the azaleas were beautiful. We saw osprey, turtles, swans, alligators, and lots more. We enjoyed the self-guided tour very much along with walking the grounds. If we had more time the tours and museums would have been on our list. Hopefully next time.

We visited another plantation and by far this was the best / better one to see. Authentic historical information and not over priced. Great to still grounds on your own and take in the demonstrations and tours.

This started as a 5 star experience. We arrived early and we got the first garden tour. The guide describes how the gardens were designed and the reason why they were so beautifully manicured. We were back in time for the next tour (Beyond the Fields: Enslavement at Middleton Place), which is more of a discussion than an actual tour. This was my daughter's favorite part of the visit. Our guide started the story with a global look at the international slave trade, narrowed the discussion to the slaves at Middleton Place and their daily lives, then reviewed what happened after slavery ended. He described how the laws were designed to keep the former slaves from voting (guess what is STILL happening in the Southern states?).

Then there was the first disappointment: the house tour. Having paid the day before the same amount of money to visit a different historic house (that pampered us with an audio tour), we felt like this experience was way overpriced. It is nice to escape the summer heat in an air-conditioned environment, but not for that price. This knocked one point out of the rating.

We still enjoyed walking around the property (we saw the little chapel, the mill, the bridge, the various shops). I wish we decided to leave at that point, but instead we decided to have lunch at the plantation restaurant. I am not sure why they call this a fine dining experience. It is probably the setting, which is admittedly very inviting. There is nothing special about the food: it is just regular and quite tasteless. Another point knocked out of the rating.

We thought that we were overpaying for some mediocre food, but that's not all. Our waiter told us that the payment went through just for part of the bill. With incorrect information about how much the first card was charged, we paid some more on a second card. We ended up overpaying on top of what we considered an overpriced lunch. Here goes another point from the rating.

A beautiful place on earth that does a good job with the history of the region. The gardens are outstanding. The best offering was the discussion of the enslaved population given by volunteer Jerry. His talk along with some thoughtful signage and educational posters throughout allowed us to learn about what was accomplished and honor those truly responsible. Our sincere thanks.

We were told this plantation was the best to see. We got there in the late afternoon and opted to visit the garden as the photo looks amazing. The garden was not worth the $27 it cost to get in. It was not in great shape and definitely not manicured and green like the photo. The only highlight were the alligators in the ponds and on the banks. Very disappointed.

Prices started at thirty four dollars for a ticket. Property was nice. They have a restaurant, restrooms and gift shop.

The gardens here are absolutely beautiful. It s well maintained and the staff is very friendly. The trees are huge and majestic. Oh and keep an eye out for alligators. I counted 6 out in the rice field.

Restaurant had a very good steak, but the locally made cinnamon ice cream, I honestly cannot stop thinking about it. The view outside this restaurant, although "wild" not tamed, alligators were ALL OVER THE PROPERTY, was Southern thick farmland and just spectacular. The property tour was very neat and the history was rich and interesting. The Inn was very different and unique, rooms had ceiling to floor windows showing the lush grounds. An interesting property worth the visit.

A slice of history that can't be overlooked. Docents are doing a better job (they used to be absolutely tone deaf when describing the "lifestyle" and times of owners), the grounds are spectacular and it really does offer the glimpse of an albeit troubling slice of history.

This was a last minute add to out trip which turned out to be a highlight. It was a short, easy drive to the plantation from Charleston. Gardens were lovely even in the winter. The slavery presentation was educational without being boring. Had a delicious lunch in the restaurant.

I would like to first comment on the grounds, which are spectacular. The grounds contain beautiful gardens that are designed with the architectural principles of Versailles. There are oaks that are more than 35 feet in diameter on the grounds and traditional breed livestock roaming the ground. Artisans plying crafts of old are also featured to give a Colonial Williamsburg type of feel, but on a much smaller scale.

The most memorable portion of the visit was actually a 35 minute talk given by one of Middleton Plantation’s volunteer, Jerry Bannon. His talk attempted to, and succeeded, in trying to reconcile the beauty of the grounds with institutionalized terrorism and inhumanity of slavery that led to its creation. His talk was stirring, in depth, led to a lot of new thought about how we perceive slavery and it’s implications today.

There were two points out of the many points that he made the audience ponder that were particularly memorable. One was how many people were complicit with the institution of slavery than the white male plantation owners. Bankers in NY that financed the slave trade, ship builder in New England that built the ships, textile manufacturers in England and the African slavers are among many that share responsibility. He also gave the group his thoughts of the differences between racism and bigotry and how it likely affects all of us today. If I were a teacher, I would bring my class.

The gardens and grounds are very beautiful. The setting is incredible and we saw a variety of wildlife. We did not tour the mansion.

What a beautiful place! We visited in Feb and the temperature was 58 degrees. But the garden was already decorated with blooming magnolia and camellia flowers. We saw at least 10 alligators lying around the banks of the river or ponds. The slavery history and stories were fascinating and heavy hearted. We took the garden tour and the history tour, both of which were free. Highly recommended!

This was our first visit to a southern city that still houses many vestiges of slavery. Our visit to Middleton place was informative, overwhelming and poignant. You are really able to see how brutal enslavement was, as well as how the economy of South Carolina was completely reliant on unpaid labor. We very much appreciated the “beyond the fields” tour, which gave us some historical context for what we were seeing.
While the grounds and buildings are tidy and well maintained and the trees are awe inspiring- this doesn’t feel like a romanticized version of the old South. Highly Recommend if you are touring a plantation and are ready to look at this part of American history.

The manicured grounds and period pieces inside the house at Middleton Place make this an excellent destination while in the Charleston area. The on-site restaurant is very good and photos give the appearance of the inn on the grounds being top notch (we did not stay there). Easily combinable with visits to Magnolia Plantation, Drayton Hall and the Charleston Tea Plantation.

This was the first place we visited during a 2-night stay in Charleston, and I have to say it was the BEST! I wish we had scheduled more time here. We explored the grounds a bit on our own, took an excellent guided garden tour (included with admission) and had lunch at the cafe. I would have enjoyed taking at least 1 or 2 more guided tours; they're short (30 minutes or so) and very informative. Note: If you want to do multiple tours, call to verify tour times, since they change periodically. PS, don't wander too close to the ponds — they really do have alligators!

Gardens are spectacular. Saw an alligator sunning in the pond on an unseasonably warm December day. Take some time to visit the Garden Marketplace. Here the living history craftspeople who work in the Stable yard sell the wares they create in the various outbuildings. 70% of the purchase price goes back to the craftperson, so you know you're helping real people when your purchase souvenirs from there.

History lovers will enjoy the house. I consider it worth the additional purchase price.

We had visited 2 years ago and didn't have enough time to see everything at this plantation. So we returned this year and spent about 5 hours exploring the gardens, walking by the water, looking at the animals and doing the house tour. We also ate lunch at the restaurant. I took so many beautiful pictures. We did the house tour which cost $15 extra, I'd say it really wasn't worth the extra cost, so if you're on the fence about doing it, don't. Our lunch was also delicious but get your name on the waiting list early since we waited almost an hour for a table. Overall it was a very enjoyable day and I'm glad that we went back just to walk the property and spend time in the gardens was worth it.

This site is pricey compared to other sites we toured, however it was the most beautiful. The artifacts displayed at the main house were really cool. Be prepared to walk, as the grounds are sprawling. The guides were very knowledgeable. I see why this is rated as such a great place to visit on any trip to Charleston for those that enjoy history.

Middleton place, once the home of Founding Fathers .125 acres , America's oldest landscaped gardens. 3 centuries of stories of enslaved and free women and men. Thousands of slaves from West Africa worked and lived there

The property is immense and beautiful. They try to balance the history and of explaining that this is to the credit of the enslaved people who lived here.

We were traveling down south on our way to Hilton head when we stopped in Charleston. As we had already explored the city proper, we wanted to explore some of the surrounding area. My TripAdvisor buddies suggested a visit to Middleton Pl.,- America’s oldest landscape gardens. The grounds are enormous, well kept with many shaded walkways to enjoy. We had a lovely chat with one of the men who look after the animals in the farm side of the property. There are 65 acres to explore. There is also a market and a lovely fully glassed café. Inside and outside dining options are available. As it was over 100° that day, we ate inside and asked to be placed at a table far from other patrons due to the pandemic. We were quickly accommodated.

Our lovely server was Jesse who did a wonderful job taking care of us. I had the Middleton Organic Farm Salad which with seared shrimp. My husband had Mushroom Toast which consisted of roasted wild mushrooms crème fraîche and Parmesan cheese on an open face toasted bun. Both entrees were out of this world! I took the time to look up my entrées because they were that good!! We were sent off on our way with an extra drink in a to go cup due to the heat. So thoughtful! Don’t miss lunch if you have the opportunity to visit the grounds. It was the highlight of our visit.

Had a lovely afternoon walking the grounds of Middleton. There is a ton of history surrounding this place as well as the family ties that go back generations. Take the tour of the home to see amazing artifacts and international ties the family has! The grounds were well kept and it was great to see animals still apart of the site.

We visited Middleton with very mixed emotions, knowing that enslaved people lived and toiled and died here. However, just as people visit Auschwitz where my grandfather was imprisoned, I don't think it is appropriate to bury the past entirely. Like I said - mixed emotions. The grounds were beautiful, though only azaleas were blooming at the time of our visit end March 2022. The huge Live Oaks are amazing. The remaining home itself is small, but it would be worth a trip just to see the beautiful furnishings, and a safe-passage note signed by Lincoln, as well as some family jewels. I appreciated that the signs on the displays in the home listed the actual names of the enslaved people - putting names to the past, in only to make it clear that the enslaved were people with names - people like us - not just an unnamed group of people to be forgotten. The lecture on enslavement at the plantation was informative. A former reviewer of Middleton mentions that the lecturer had said that the enslaved people were lazy or some such thing... I believe the reviewer may have missed the lecturer's point. The point was that the enslaved people engaged in small acts of rebellion such as slowing down their workpace - which was perceived at the time as laziness. Perhaps the lecturer could spell out that connection more clearly to avoid confusion, though it was clear enough I thought. I do think the lecture went light on the horrors of slavery - however, there were children present, so perhaps they tiptoed around for that reason? Nonetheless, I think kids need to know about the horrors at least to some extent more than what was stated in the lecture. I know not all would agree so I think the lecturer did the best they could. There was a sign by the reflection pond recognizing that enslaved people planted and landscaped the beautiful grounds as well as likely built the home, and honoring their work to a very small degree. I wish there were more of that on the grounds, though unfortunately I imagine that not everyone wants the reminders of an ugly chapter of our country's history. I was happy to see that, as of March 2022, they are hiring a manager of African American Historic Interpretation. As an aside, if you do choose to eat at the restaurant, be aware that the luncheon is a buffet, and that you really should have reservations so you can avoid a long wait. Also note that General Admission does not include a home tour - we had to reserve that upon our arrival, with limited selection of available times.

We had a wonderful day at Middleton Place. Although we really enjoyed the gardens and the magnificent views, my wife said her favorite part was seeing five alligators out sunning themselves. (We kept our distance.) One of the guides told us they are afraid of people and will slither back into the water if anyone gets too close.

The guided tours were all great, with the exception of the House Museum. We regretted paying $10 extra for that one. You're not seeing the main house (which was destroyed) but the South Flanker. And, they only allow you into about 20% of the rooms. So, skip it and save the money. There's not much to see inside anyway.

The Middleton Place Restaurant was superb. The okra was the best I've ever had.

We enjoyed seeing the cashmere goats, the water buffalo, the kunekune pigs, and all the sheep on the Meet the Breeds livestock tour.

Finally, don't forget about stopping at the museum shop before you leave.

Middleton Place was one of the highlights of our trip to Charleston! We did the Beyond the Fields tour and the Garden Tour. Both were excellent. There is so much history to absorb! I learned so much. The beauty of the grounds is stunning: the ancient trees, the formal gardens, the animal enclosures, the authentic craftsmen and more.

Make sure you take time to have lunch in the restaurant. Service was excellent, as was our dishes. Prices reasonable and the ambiance is charming. I highly recommend a visit. It's well worth the price of admission.

A very interesting place to visit. The gardens are stunning and we had a garden tour with Lou who was most informative. We must return for the azaleas and camellias in the spring! The house tour was very interesting and altogether we spent the whole day there and learnt a lot about the Middleton family and American history.

Different experience than a plantation tour in Louisiana. Very heavy on the gardens and beauty, and restaurant, not so much on the history of what happened there, and slavery--although Linda did a nice job with her presentation.

As soon as you arrive you feel like traveled in time to the past. The gardens are absolutly beautiful!
The house tour is a must, the volunteers are very friendly and have so much knoweledge about the place. Great place to learn some history.

Great place to visit. Beautiful grounds and wildlife. The guided tour was excellent and gave great information about the gardens and their history and construction.
Amazing to learn about the strong French influences.

The gardens were absolutely fabulous as were the working area (kitchen, stables, etc). They offer a mini tours throughout the day which are quite informative. Do not bother with lunch there – that was our only disappointment as others had raved about it and we found it mediocre at best. Definitely worth a visit from Charleston.

I cannot say enough about these gardens. We toured the gardens and grounds on our own, and although we spent hours there, I'm sure there was lots we didn't get to see. The place is absolutely magnificent. Just walking around makes you feel at peace and totally as one with nature. There were birds and alligators, not to mention the incredible trees and foliage. They do such an incredible job maintaining the miles of paths and walkways. We also had the opportunity to be among sheep, and actually could touch the since they walked among us in another area of the gardens. What a wonderful experience which I would recommend to anyone whether you are alone or with friends or family. A must see.

We took a Pineapple Tour to Middleton Place. It included lunch, so it was a lovely day. The grounds are spectacular. Walk to the river! The house tour was interesting, so much history. There are animals, plenty of knowledgeable docents and a lot to see. It was the only thing we did outside the city proper, and I'm glad we did.

The Middleton plantation is a great place to learn about how plantation owners lived. When visiting the plantation plan for an entire day. There is so much to see that you will lose track of time. The plantation provides several free tours and you can purchase other tours on site as well. This is a must see on your Charleston Trip.

Absolutely beautiful. We only spent a couple of hours here and probably could have downy several more. So much beauty to see. Flowers I've never seen before were blooming. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Well make another visit the next time we are in Charleston.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Middleton! Loved seeing the farm animals and was lucky to see one of the cows being milked. The gardens are beautifully maintained with so much to explore.

Place was beautiful but not at all what I expected. Wife and I went to Boone Hall a few years ago and got a good sense of not only the beauty of the grounds, but also the dark side of it as well. Middleton had a small house that “maybe” house descendants of enslaved people, but everything else was basically whitewashed away. We took our teens to see Middleton, to show them the ugly past, and the beautiful present, but what we ended up with was basically an unguided walk through a botanical garden. Was cool to see wild gators - living in Indiana/Chicago area makes that a highlight - but there was simply no educational value here. Layout was confusing as far as not knowing if there were areas we should or should not go - like the open livestock area - and just overall seemed like an unstructured visit.

Absolutely worth a visit. We went today and spent almost 5 hours there. We had lunch overlooking the gardens in a picturesque shady spot outside and then did 2 tours. First the garden overview tour led by Lou. He was fantastic, so knowledgeable and entertaining and a real bonus to help you understand the layout and history. The second tour by Cindy was more of a talk called ‘beyond the fields’ and again absolutely fascinating to get a better insight into how enslaved people were brought to Middleton Place and the work that they did. Both led by volunteers who deserve some recognition.
We were also free to wander the grounds by ourselves and saw 2 alligators sunbathing.

I visited Middleton Place in June 2021 during my visit to Charleston. I did research on both Middleton Place and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and decided on Middleton Place (I will go to Magnolia during a future trip to Charleston). I did a self-guided tour of the gardens using a brochure and map handed out when I picked up my ticket. Points of interest in the gardens included hedges, flowers, reflection pools, fountains, statues, the Middleton Oak, a bridge and the rice terraces. As I walked around the gardens closer to the river, I heard an occasional splash which I was told were alligators jumping back into the water. I visited the gift shop. It was a very hot and humid day so I welcomed the air conditioning. I decided to skip the house, stables and other areas and only focus on the gardens and the self-guided walking tour. It was a very enjoyable visit.

We came here directly from the airport on a recent visit to Charleston. They let us store our luggage in the gift shop. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous - give yourself plenty of time to meander! I recommend taking the 30 minute garden tour while there. I learned a lot about the settlement of South Carolina and rice farming. Getting an Uber there can take up to 45 minutes so plan accordingly. I would like to come back in the spring when the flowers are in full bloom.

There are extensive gardens/grounds at this former plantation, with an incredible number of azaleas among the plants. We visited during the first full week of April, and all of them were perfectly in bloom. You can tour the home as well, and the ladies stationed on both floors to answer questions about the estate were very knowledgeable and friendly. My kids were fascinated by the fish jumping out of the water and the alligators sunning themselves on the banks of the former rice beds. They also loved walking among the farm animals.

Wow, this plantation is absolutely beautiful. Well worth the trip. The gardens are so well maintained and the addition of the animals is nice for kids.
We even saw a few alligators.

We were fortunate to catch Rose (Mama Hattie) Atterberry's presentation "Lest We Forget" during Black History Month. It was a memorable and entertaining and not to be missed!

This was one of the highlights of our trip. The grounds are beautiful. Beware of the alligators! The talk on slavery was well done.

My family spent about two hours here and could easily have spent more time. Admission includes a self-guided tour of the extensive gardens (which are beautiful but need attention) as well as more in-depth tours/discussions of slavery on the plantation, the gardens, and the livestock. Those tours, however, are at specific times, so plan accordingly - we were on a schedule and weren’t able to do them all. We really enjoyed the sheep meandering throughout the property and the demonstrations by the craftspeople, too. We payed extra to tour the house, but I would advise against it if you’re pushed for time - there are too many other things to experience. Recommend.

Beautiful place to visit and hear the history. The house tour was informative and interesting. The house is also air conditioned which was a plus since it was 95 degrees and 100% humidity on the day we toured. We also went on some of the tours through the gardens. Everyone working there was friendly and knowledgeable about the property.

We went to all four plantations while in Charleston and Middleton was absolutely the one I enjoyed the most. We had three hours here at the end of our last day in the area and it was not enough if you take the three tours offered in admission. I would suggest doing all three tours.

At first, this place looks lovely, and the garden tour is very nice. But then we attended the history lecture with Donna...Let me just say that you hear that some former plantations paint a view of slavery in a way that makes it seem as though this is just the way of life of people then, and that the enslaved loved their enslavers, but it is hard to believe that some places are really like this...but let me tell you, Middleton is...if you want a whitewashed version of history, go here. Some white people in the audience just loved it. I wanted to throw up.

We visited Middleton Place after our airport arrival and before we headed off to the islands. While the admission price may seem expensive, we felt it was quite worth it! We enjoyed walking the grounds and reading the various historical placards at each site. There were sheep in the courtyard and tons of wildlife around. Easily a great place for families, couples and individuals. During our visit there was a few rainstorms so we didn’t get to do as much as we wanted (stableyard tour, garden center, gift shop) but we will return!

The House Tour wasn’t as much as a tour as it was admission to the house, but it was very cool to see. You wandered the house and could ask the docents questions. I think of all the tours, I could have skipped this one if time was an issue.

The Beyond the Fields Tour lead by a man named Mr. Georgi was excellent! He presented the background of the slave trade beginning in the late 1490s up until the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, tying it in to the Middleton Plantation. We really appreciated the magnitude he presented through numbers and Middleton anecdotes to show how exploitative and awful it was. Mr. Georg was thoughtful, accurate and well-spoken. We were thinking his talk would be a perfect educational summary that could be posted on a website. He gave plenty opportunity to ask and answer questions. Since it was heavily raining, our tour was seated under the beautiful oaks. Highly recommended.

The Garden Tour with Fran D was great! It was more of a tour of the grounds, explaining the flooded rice fields and tying in architecture of the time period. We learned some fauna and loved that there is still one camellia bush from the garden restoration! Highly recommended.

We also met Jamal, the blacksmith, as he worked on creating a link in a chain using methods from the time. He was really funny and easygoing and invited questions. His talk about the methods and the exhibition were excellent! If he could give a class I would definitely take it. Highly recommended.

We also had the sampler buffet lunch ($25) here, which was incredibly filling. The fried catfish, fried chicken and pulled pork were excellent.

The best part of our visit to Middleton Place was the Beyond Slavery presentation. Gary did a great job of presenting the plantation's role in slavery in a factual and unbiased manner. The lady introducing the house tour was extremely helpful. The docents in the house were friendly and informative.

Excellent place to visit time and time again. It's absolutely beautiful, and there is so much to do here, each visit is a joy. The restaurant is absolutely top notch.

We decided to go to Middleton Place and spend the whole day there. We loved Charleston so much that we will possibly return next year and include Magnolia Plantation and Drayton Hall.

We were at the entrance at 11AM, bought the tickets using the AAA discount, and were right in time for the Gardens overview tour (duration 30 minutes). The weather was stunning and the Gardens looked magnificent: bright colors of blooming azaleas, magnolias and camelias on the background of huge live oaks covered with Spanish moss was something that deserves the paintbrush of of Claude Monet. And the geometrical ponds of the typical French garden, little bridges, camelia alleys… heaven! Since the time the Middleton place was built and up to now it has belonged to the same family: the Middletons, who had become not very rich after the abolition of slavery and yet they managed to keep the ownership of this huge plantation.

Our next thirty minutes tour was “Meet the Plantation Animals”. There are horses (real war horses!), one mule, two young water buffalos, two Guersney cows, sheep, rabbits, chickens, goats and very friendly pig, Rocky. I loved them all! These are the same breeds of farm animals as the plantation used to own back in the 19th century. Also, we were lucky to spot many birds and animals in Middleton Place: two alligators decided to get out of the water and bask in the sun. Then three big turtles did the same and happily posed for pictures. We also noticed a flock of big cormorants.

For lunch we went to the Middleton Plsce restaurant. We shared a bowl of She-crab soup (not even close to the one we had at the Olde Pink House in Savannah) and a cheeseburger, which was excellent. Overall, very enjoyable meal.

We finished our lunch right in time for our last tour: The Slaves and The Fields. The guide told us about the slave trade the prices for each type of the slaves (skilled workers were the most expensive, and about exhausting work in the rice fields and the grim consequences of it. Very interesting forty minutes overview.

All these tours are included in the price of the ticket but for the House a separate ticket is required.

We still had an hour left to spend in this spectacular place and were almost the last to leave.

Middleton plantation is not to be missed, if you are in Charleston.

We had a fabulous day!

One of three grand plantations in the Charleston area, don’t miss Middleton. We did the VIP tour and enjoyed an informative buggy ride through the plantation, followed by a tour of one of the few remaining homes, a wonderful lunch at Middleton Place Restaurant and a leisurely walk around the grounds highlighted by a lecture on how the rice cultivation worked then and now. Don’t miss it!

Oh my goodness what a beautiful place! The majority of the azaleas are already in bloom. The volunteer docents were the best! The ladies in the house were easily able to communicate information as well as answer specific questions. Lou doing the garden tour was excellent and could easily work at Versailles in France.🤭 The lunch service was very attentive to our needs and the food was good. Great day to sit outside and eat. We would definitely recommend a visit here!!

We had an enjoyable visit to Middleton Place. Lots of history here although admittedly somewhat of a struggle embracing the “beauty” of the place knowing the success of the plantation was all based on the enslavement of hundreds of men, women and children. Attractive gardens and grounds including the 1000 year old Middleton Oak and interesting farm and stable yards. Would have like to interact with more than the carpenter/cooper but no other tradespeople were on duty when we stopped by. You are provided with a brochure that includes a self guided tour of the plantation. Going inside the remaining wing of the house(most of it was destroyed during the Civil War and by a subsequent earthquake) costs extra. It is furnished with period pieces and a number of historical items that had remained in the possession of later generations of the Middleton’s. Middleton and the other plantations along Ashley Road are about a 25 minute drive from the Historic District of Charleston. We ended up renting a car for the day to come out here. We combined a visit here along with a visit to Drayton Hall. 2 1/2 hrs was plenty of time to spend at Middleton Place if including a tour of the house.

Well worth a visit. Huge gardens that are beautiful. There are paid and unpaid tours but you could also just walk the whole place. I was there about 3.5 hours and did two tours. The house tour I would skip as quick and honestly just about the family. The rice tour I would recommend. It was well narrated by our guide and mostly on a golf cart with a few jump off points. Plenty to see. They also have a restaurant and gift shop with WiFi.

Not the most convenient to get to, but worth the voyage. Guides are very informative and pleasant. Note to anyone that struggles to walk - there's a fair amount of uneven ground so take care. Didn't do the restaurant - far too many other options in this great city. Buying tickets online in advance will save you about 10%.

We enjoyed our visit - opting for the self-guided tour, we strolled the grounds and walked through the buildings, before visiting the home. The guides in the house were informative and friendly. And the collection of items in the home, were great to see. As we took a stroll by the pond, on the path - there was a snake on the path, and many alligators in the water. Its nature, but something to be aware of. Especially, with dogs or small children. Grounds are well kept and we found it worth the time and drive out.

Relaxing stroll through the gardens. But NOT a must see if your time is limited. Most interesting for us was the tour/ information on the life of the slaves.

We wanted to learn a little about the plantations in the Charleston area. We decided to drive out on our own and do a self tour at this plantation. The property is steeped in history and tradition. It is beautiful and well maintained. A very good place to learn a little of Charlestons history.

Having a chance to wander through the large property was great. House and its history interesting but I especially enjoyed the history told in the out buildings. The black smith was especially interesting; not a stuffy presentation but casual talk about the craft. Seeing so many animals was great. I never saw a group of turtles on a bank sliding into the water, or some unusual (to me) breed of hens, plus cashmere goats and Learned how their wool was sent to France to be woven. Very interesting and casually informative. It was an expensive visit, but fees go to preserving the property and paying the excellent staff (black smith has a history degree from Temple University)

Amazing property, could have spent all day visiting. Great tour of the house, knowledgeable staff gave lots of information. Beautiful gardens, loved the meticulous upkeep. The grounds are fabulous. Had the buffet lunch, enjoyed it very much.

Amazing scenery. We stayed at the Inn and took the path over for a walk. I wish we had alotted more time—we could have stayed all day. Even with a gray day, it was stunning. We ran out of time and didn’t get to see inside the house.

We spent half a day here and greatly enjoyed our visit. The volunteer docents were very knowledgeable and honestly talked about the history of the plantation and slavery. Highly recommended.

Not only are the grounds beautiful, but also the live demonstrations and tours were enlightening. (note: we did not take the slavery tour as we had just come from McLeod where they did an excellent job). We did the house tour, the livestock tour and saw a cooking demonstration and an amazing monologue called Mama Hattie's Memories that was so real, so emotional, so beautifully delivered that it made me cry. Rose Atterberry was the actress and she was phenomenal in giving a poignant overview of what her life there would have been as a slave. I'm glad we spent the afternoon at Middleton Place.

We weren't sure whether to go to Middleton, Magnolia or Drayton with limited time. We researched and picked Middleton and very glad we did.
We had a great garden tour and talk about the history of slavery. The house tour was solid - not a must do.
We would definitely recommend

There was an attempt to give a history lesson on slavery but it was largely from the perspective of the white planter. There was little on the cruelty and inhumane circumstances African slaves had to endure.

The docent’s closing “thought exercise” was to ponder how slaves’ life experiences caused them and their future generations to be lazy, slow witted and not family oriented.

Absolutely unbelievable!

This plantation has beautiful grounds for plenty of walking.
One can ramble and read the information on placards, or get a guided tour of several key locations or themes. There are also carriage tours.
The plantation grounds and gardens are gorgeous and wonderfully maintained. And the trails along the river offer glimpses of a variety of birds.
Depending on the time of year, there are docents or reenactors, so the houses and workshops are lively and informative.
The restaurant on the grounds offers a good variety of tasty meals in a pleasant atmosphere, a great way to take a break while touring.

We chose Middleton Place based on the great reviews but were so disappointed. We mainly went to see the garden but quickly realized that. while the ancient trees and garden structure are maintained, there are few flowers to speak of, even in the "secret" and formal garden areas. I can see clover filled grass areas in my own neighborhood without paying $34. I could easily revisit most gardens I have ever seen but didn't even enjoy this one the first time.

It was a super hot day when i visited so take that into account but I did enjoy walking around and hearing about the past and how the land was used. The idea and butterfly landscape was pretty genius and beautiful! If you only have time for one plantation in the area I would pick Magnolia Gardens over this one but it was worthy of a visit for sure!!

We visited Middleton place in Nov 22 and decided to become members as we knew we'd be back in the area in 2023 and wanted to return. (best budget option) In Nov the camellias were all in bloom and it was very beautiful. This March the azaleas were in bloom and again very beautiful. We have done all of the tours, except the house tour so I can't speak to that one. The garden tour was wonderful, the livestock tour is also very nice and informative, and this time we had a special tour about the African American women who had an influence on the plantation and we learned a lot of information not available on the property signage. The beyond the fields tour was informative but I wished we could have moved around rather than sitting the whole time. Keep in mind that most of the buildings on the property were constructed after 1920. The property is large and very beautiful so take advantage of walking it all. We walked at least 4 miles that day. They have a very large old oak that is beautiful. Though the gift shops are pricey as most are, the plants for sale are nice and reasonable.

We really enjoyed touring this historic plantation and having lunch on their outdoor patio overlooking the water. The staff was. very informative when we toured the home and the outer buildings were very interesting also. Would definitely recommend Middleton Place as a must visit.

I enjoyed the garden tour w Jane. The guide for the "Beyond the Fields" tour was excited and knowledgeable but the content fell flat. Maybe that was bc of the tour relocation, away from Eliza's House. The picnic from the restaurant was my biggest disappointment in Charleston. The website makes it sound like a sampling of food will be ready for you.. But it wasn't prepared in advance at all. Buffet style, packaged when you arrive. They were out of souvenir blankets, and the food was not great. They were out of cornbread.. Only one option for pie (my partner doesn't like pecan).. One sauce for salads and bbq.. I would not recommend the picnic at all. The grounds are well maintained and I did enjoy the onsite artisans. The brochure provided at entry does include valuable information, and I saved a few bucks purchasing tickets online in advance.

This is an absolutely amazing place. We were pleasantly surprised by the amazing design of buildings and rooms. They have a nice happy hour with games you can play. We love that you could just walk to the plantation and walk through the gardens.

After looking at all the reviews online, I actually found a better deal by going to the Drayton Hall website where I was able to find a combo tour of both Middleton Place and Drayton Hall at a 25% discount.

So, after picking our day we showed up to a near empty Middleton Place. Staff were very friendly and eager to answer any questions we had. Middleton Place offers several guided tours that are free of charge. The house was not open on Monday so we just enjoyed all the gardens and history. After taking all of Middleton Place in, we headed down the road 5 miles to see what Drayton Hall had to offer. Even though Drayton is much smaller, you get to what the house looked like back in 1784. Charles Drayton did a great job of keeping notes in his diary, which allows us now to look back in history.

Just so you are aware, if you plan to visit, it will easily take you around 5 hours to see both venues (and that is without getting lunch) so plan ahead.

We truly enjoyed visiting both Middleton Place and Drayton Hall and hope to incorporate some of their beautiful garden themes at our own home. ;o)

This plantation and garden are not to be missed. The majestic oaks, beautiful gardens and fascinating fmaily history make this a memorable outing. We were greeted by welcoming volunteers and had a fantastic guide on our garden overview. Lou M. gave fascinating talk about the gardens and the history of the family/owners of the estate . Best tour I have experienced in a long time!

Our guide Lou provided learned insights into the site histories and also the significance of plants shrubs and trees. Lunch was tasty in a lovely dining room

The 3 tours were acceptable, the garden tour was the best. I'm not sure the MP was worth the price of admission but I was impressed with the 1000 year old live oak and the 230 year old camelia.

We took an afternoon to visit Middleton on our trip to Charleston. It was worth the drive and the time spent. Lou gave us an immersive and informative tour of the gardens and we also had a somber, but important discussion of slavery on the plantation. The gardens are stunning, even in the off season.

Beautiful gardens, so much history and loved seeing all the animals! Every staff member encountered was so sweet. 5 out of 5!

Exceptional! Please plan to spend at least 4 hours there. The gardens are stunning, beautiful and very quiet. I wish we would have more time there. Got to see new born piglets, our kids were ecstatic.

The grounds are very nice and we had a lovely brunch at the restaurant but I was surpised to learn there was no house as it had been destroyed. I still had a lovely time and particularly liked to learn about Eliza's place, a home offered to free slaves after the war to encourage them to stay and work on the plantation. I haven't seen the other plantations in the area so not sure which would be the best to travel to but I enjoyed walking around the lovely grounds.

The tour was interesting. We enjoyed visiting the animals and the stations explaining living back then. I loved the gardens but didn't have enough time to explore.

Jeff Neale, Thank you so much for taking the time to show us around Middleton Place. The tour was very interesting and your passion for Middleton Place was contagious! Your insight and knowledge made the history there come alive. Looking forward to another visit. Thank you again! Jo and Liz

This is a wonderful treasure! The gardens are fabulous! We were fortunate enough to visit at the height of the azalea and camellia bloom. The interpretation of the plantation is well done with something for all ages! We only planned a few hours for this stop and ended up spending the entire day! The restaurant is fabulous as well! We stayed at the Lodge at Middelton Place and are definitely coming back to take in the entire experience again!

We made a quick stop to Middleton on our way to the airport. We did not see all the grounds due to time constraints but what we did see was stunning. We picked Middleton over Magnolia because we hoped it would be less crowded and a more manageable size. The gardens did not feel crowded at all and we were often the only ones on the path. Would love to visit again when we have more time to explore.

We only toured the grounds. We did not enter the house. We did a basic overview with an older gentleman. He showed us so much and was very knowledgeable. We also listened to slave lecture by a woman who was also very well versed in the history. I wish I could remember their names. We stopped at the black Smith, and he taught us how to get the fire hot. He was very funny and engaging with my daughters. Be watchful of gators. There was one hiding under a bench. Overall, beautiful place.

Some plantations focus on the history, slavery, and the natural state, but Middleton focuses on the formal gardens. It is almost like a botanical garden as we toured the gardens with our guide.

Loved Middleton Place. First off, the grounds and gardens are beautiful. Guides were full of knowledge and we learned a lot about the history of the Middletons, enslavement, and life in that time. Spent 4ish hours I would say. Cool to see all of there "pasture pets" happily roaming around. Worth the $

Wonderful Visit to Middleton Place. Beautiful grounds and gardens, a story (good and bad) about one of the prominent families of the South, and we had a fabulous docent. Jerry spent 45 minutes filling us with tales about the family, the enslaved people and the place of beauty where it all happened. A great visit! Plus there is a good restaurant, reasonably priced. Go! You will truly enjoy your day!

We spent most of the day here and really enjoyed it. We walked the grounds, which were amazing. We took the house tour, very interesting. Although the main house and another flanking building were destroyed in the civil war, another flanking house was rebuilt. The stables and work area had folks working to talk with. The garden tour was nice, and thecslavery history talk We attended certainly didn't whitewash anything. Many exhibits highlighted the enslaved people who worked there

Walking the Middleton grounds was so much more than expected! We were able to join in with the garden tour that really brought in a context to the people and their lives here. We also had reserved the House Tour - which was so worth the time - the guides were wonderful and brought to life the stories of the people who lived there - including the servants as well! We also had lunch at the restaurant - which was surprising in the quality of the food and originality in the menu - the service was great too! Overall it was a great experience!

Oh wow … this is so worth the visit!!! What a wonderful representation of life in “the old days”. This plantation was burned and overtaken during the Civil War and what a mess . But they did some reconstruction and then made the grounds even more beautiful… and there are so many different types of buildings to wander into. And they have sheep and horses out there for you to visit with!! This is well worth the visit.