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Boone Hall Plantation
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Local Flavor Venues & Event Spaces, Local Flavor [Edit]
1235 Long Point RdMount Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 884-4371
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
18 reviews for Boone Hall Plantation
18 reviews in English
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Review from Travis W.
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm a sucker for architecture and love the old ways of construction. This place has both and not to mention some great stories to go along with it. It was cloudy and overcast day but you could easily see that during the spring this place is probably blossoming with beautiful flowers and plants left and right. Interesting stories of plantation living during the times of slavery really give you great insight into what it might have been like to live there. My only disappointment was the butterfly garden, there just wasn't many in there. Maybe 3? But I was quickly cheered up when a saw a small cocoon! So neat!
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Review from MELISSA B.
Charlotte, NC
9/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Avenue of Oaks is stunning! The house is beautiful (also a private residence so you cant see all of the rooms). The gardens are probably awesome in the Spring, this past weekend when we were there they were pretty boring. Loved learning about the owners over the years, the slave houses, the smokehouse and all of the crops. There is a free shuttle around the property that will tell you everything about the property and owners and plans they have for the future. Great experience!
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Review from Sam B.
Charlotte, NC
7/28/2011
If it wasn't for South of the Border, I would say this is the biggest tourist trap I've been to in South Carolina. The biggest difference between the two is that at least South of the Border is upfront about being a cheesy vehicle for separating tourists from their money. Boone Hall, however, is a perfect example of bait and switch. Advertisements and their website describe the plantation as a historic "treasure" and "one of our nations most recognized historic sites". It wasn't until the start of the house tour, however, that it became clear that the house was built in the 1930s and has no historical significance. I could almost feel the other people on my tour deflate when this little fact was mentioned. The home spun corniness of the tour guide (think Kenneth on 30 Rock) glossed over it well enough and stemmed a revolt. The rest of the tour only includes a few rooms on the first floor (the property owners' private rooms are upstairs) and mainly focuses on a bunch of antique furniture that has no tie to the property. The place may look nice, but it's about as interesting as visiting a rich aunt who won't let you touch anything.
The gardens were also a huge disappointment. I've never seen so many dead, crispy plants in my life. And this was in late May! You'd think that for nearly $20 in entry fees, they could at least water the flowers.
Sure, there were a few good points. The live oaks spanning the drive up to the house were as impressive as expected and the only reason I gave this place a second star. Thank you, Maj. John Boone. That second star is for your foresight, because the current owners don't deserve it.
The slave cabins were also interesting but were given short shrift. Considering that they are the only historically significant structures on the site, they could have warranted more than a few generic info plaques about topics not specific to Boone Hall. Instead of regurgitating all sorts of common knowledge about Martin Luther King Jr (no tie to Boone Hall), the plaques could have talked more about what the slaves did on the plantation, skills they possessed, the slave trade in South Carolina, etc.
In the end, I would recommend any of the other plantations I've visited in the Charleston area over Boone Hall. Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place have much nicer gardens and scenic vistas, and Drayton Hall is the best example of historic preservation done right. Boone Hall is not much more than a movie set. -
Review from Laura F.
Sacramento, CA
3/29/2011
This plantation is beautiful! The cost is $17.50 a person, which is a little pricey. But, this plantation was one that included everything. There were other plantations that had an admission cost and then add-on costs for all the extra stuff. At Boone Hall Plantation, we were able to view the first floor of the house, the grounds, a tram tour of the wildlife and farm, the slave quarters, the gardens, etc. Yes, the bottom floor turns out to really be only 4 rooms, which was a bit of a letdown. But the tour is a half hour and gives good information.
I bumped this down a star because you are not allowed to take pictures inside. As part of the tour, I would have liked to have taken some pictures inside. I also would have liked to have seen the kitchen and more of the first floor.
The grounds themselves are gorgeous. We came while it was lightly raining, but everything was just so lush. I would suggest this Plantation for anyone looking for a Plantation to visit. -
Review from Wayne l.
Wantagh, NY
11/18/2011
We were in Charleston for the day and Boone Plantation was the first quick stop we wanted to make. We just wanted to see the Oak driveway and were told that the entry fee was $20 pp!!!! How about a fee just to go down the driveway?? Disappointed..thats all we wanted to see, Rest of Charleston - awesome!
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Review from Nathan B.
Salt Lake City, UT
9/15/2010
The other reviewers here have said it all, but my two cents is that this spot is a must see for any visitor to Charleston.
The live oaks were simply amazing. Touring the house and the grounds really took me back in time. Our guide was very helpful too.
I most definitely recommend. -
Review from Holly D.
6/28/2011
In all the years I was in college here, I never went to Boone Hall, so on a trip back I was determined to go. We loved it. The slave quarter presentations were excellent, but the best, best part of this day was the presentation about culture in the low country and the Gullah language by Zenobia Washington! It was absolutely captivating and the best history lesson I could have asked for. This was worth the entire entrance fee all by itself. Don't miss it! We liked the house tour, didn't have time for the plantation tour, very satisfied with our day here and could have spent more time. The only difficult part was getting there from Charleston city center. The price of a shuttle was $75.00.....it was still worth it to us.
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Review from Eustace P.
12/29/2010
This place is over priced. It is fake and badly managed. The current owners inherited a property they don't care about. It's just an income.
The house was built in 1935. Yes it is film set quality. Fake.
A 'tour' of the house, is actually 3 rooms. No pictures allowed. No hospitality.
The cafeteria runs out of food by 14.00. Go there and get treated like a slave.
The signs are all so old they are decaying.
All this for $17.50. Rip off. Just to take a pic of the outside. Go to fort Sumter instead for $16. -
Review from Janelle W.
Detroit, MI
12/30/2007 3 photos
This old plantation is absolutely gorgeous! From the majestic oak-lined driveway to the spectacular old plantation house, this is undoubtedly a beautiful place. There are also some old slave houses still standing, as well as other original structures, including the building that houses the gift shop.
So if it's so beautiful, why only three stars? Overpricing and lack of historical significance.
Visitors can purchase tickets for a guided tour of the old plantation house (more like a mansion). While the house is exquisitely-decorated (and provides an air-conditioned respite from the Charleston summers), the tour leaves one without much more than some background on the family who started the plantation, and a close-up look at some antique furniture. This is simply a stately mansion and a peek into plantation-owner life--not a trip back into a history-changing event. Not sure if it's worth the money to take the tour. You can probably get as much out of your visit just by taking pictures of the front of the plantation house.
*** The address listed here is not the actual address of the plantation. I think this is a business office. The plantation itself is located at 1235 Long Point Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC. You can get there from Highway 17 North, about 7 miles outside of downtown Charleston. Make a left onto Long Point Road.
*** About two miles further on Highway 17 North (going away from Charleston), there's a Boone Hall Plantation grocery store that sells some produce, local goodies, and stuff grown on the plantation grounds. They have awesome ginger ale! -
Review from Adrienne T.
Naples, FL
8/18/2010 4 photos
Heaven. A Historical delight.
I'm a bigger fan of the "Notebook" & "Gone with the Wind"
Exceptional & knowledgeable tour guides.
A must see! -
Review from Billy L.
Brooklyn, NY
7/12/2010
I liked the fact that most of the tours were only a half an hour each, which was good considering the weather. We were only allowed on one floor of the main house which made for a really quick showing and the rest of the grounds were kind of open to explore at your leisure.
I did walk into the butterfly garden only to find no butterflies which was a little odd and I missed the plantation fields tour to check out the gullah presentation which was basically a guy talking like the jive guys in Airplane. If it wasn't so hot I may have enjoyed myself more but I'd like to see a few other plantations in the area to compare. Still, I think this is worth the trip if you have several days to kill in Charleston. -
Review from Joey D.
Bristow, VA
8/31/2009
One of America's oldest working plantations, this was also a stop on our self guided Notebook tour. It was $17.50 per person, and I did not find out until after that they offer a $2.50 discount for AAA. I need to start remembering to ask!
There is a ton to do here. I had read in previous reviews that individual tours cost extra, but everything we did was included. There was a tram tour that took about 30 minutes and took you over various areas of the 700 acres. We learned a bit about the history of the plantation as well as some of the current goings on. There is A LOT of u-pick vegetable and fruit gardens. Most everything was out of season at this point tho. We learned about the pecan groves, and the civil war reenactments, and the sales of over 3000 acres to new land development. The tram actually takes you literally through new housing development back yards.
There is a plantation house tour as well, that is lead by a guide in authentic garb of that era. The house is furnished with late 18 and 19th century decor, and we learned about the history of the house and plantation. This took about 30 minutes. After that we walked through the flower gardens and into the old slave housing area. There are 6-7 old slave houses with self guided tours/information about black history. There is a small pavilion where Sharon Cooper Murray gives an interesting performance about the Gullah Culture. This was about 45 minutes, and included history and information about the Gullah language and song. Very entertaining unless you get picked to perform in the Rankatanka(sp?) song at the end. :) There is boat dock on the salt water creek, and various old buildings to walk around and in. And you can't miss the entrance drive in among the 90+ Oak trees. It was gorgeous!Listed in: Travel & Vacation
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Review from Lyle J.
Madison, AL
7/6/2010
We really, really enjoyed our visit to Boone Hall Plantation. We didn't actually visit until our last full day in the area, and were surprised to discover how close it was to where we were staying in Isle of Palms.
Admission seemed a bit expensive ($17 or so per person?) but that price is all-inclusive. Our first stop was a presentation on Gullah culture, and if that's going on while you're there you must see it. It was very funny, informative and entertaining. We also took the tour of the mansion, which was interesting even though our tour guide seemed sort of nervous and distracted (maybe she was new?). There's also a sort-of bus tour of the grounds, and that was good.
The grounds really are beautiful, especially that Magnolia-lined drive, and I strongly recommend this place if you're into that sort of thing. -
Review from CHRISTINA C.
Kissimmee, FL
9/9/2010
A GREAT day! We only had time to visit one more "out of town" plantation, and picked this one (saving the three that are in a cluster in Summerville for next time). Was not dissapointing at all. We spent about 4 hours here.
Now this plantation is a "Restored" plantation, which means it is still in its original grandeur, everything is pretty and al the furnishings are beautiful, china cabinets filled etc. You only get to tour a small portion of the first floor of the house, which you do with a costumed tour guie. Sadly, there are no interior photographs permitted.
Than there is a tram tour of the grounds after, which goes all through the marshes, and vast multi crop farms, we saw some alligators and nice birds. Than there are some slave cabins to walk through, some furnished, formal gardens, a butterfl garden, a boat dock, and a Gullah show.
The only things I did not like, was that by everyone (even the African American Gullah Guide) Slavery seems very breezed over and glamorized, it is never mentioned that it was BAD, also in the gift shop, they sell assorted blaxploitative figurienes...I'm not sure there really is an appropriate place for those products, but this is definitely not it. Kind of like selling Nazi memoribilia at a Holocaust Museum. I just think the negative aspects of slavery could have been addressed, even in a light breezy way.
Regardless, I really had fun, and will return. The price $17.50 (though $1 off coupons are available all over town), and well worth it. -
Review from Ardyce S.
Sequim, WA
9/1/2011
Went to Magnolia but thought Boone was much better. Our guides were funny and shared loads of history. The slave cabins were really interesting.
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Review from Josh A.
Goose Creek, SC
1/27/2010
Boone Hall is a pretty cool place. Very nice grounds with plants and very old oak trees. Plus they have a picture of me on the events page! (Highland Games)
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Review from Deb B.
3/25/2010
What a beautiful place to visit. The grounds will take you back in time. There are several events held there throughout the year that I would strongly suggest. The place itself make any event a magical one!
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Review from sara c.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2009
This was the highlight of my vacation! The price was reasonable-$17.50 per person (we scored some $2.50 off coupons at the S. C. Visitors' Center...) and it covers ALL tours for that day-unlike some other plantation tours I had researched in the area such as Magnolia and Tea Plantations. This plantation has a TON of historical significance---the bricks that were made there were used to build Fort Sumter and it has the looonnggeest entry drive in the U.S. lined with 96 live oak trees. On the grounds you will find a tree that is well over 600 years old! The Gullah Culture presentation was informative and entertaining and the Slave Street/Mansion Tour were both led by Bob-an extremely knowledgable guide! Highly recommended!! This plantation should have a gift shop.
