Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Middleton Place, Charleston, SC

Photo: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffDate Night

Middleton Place

4300 Ashley River Road · Charleston, SC

Why you should go…

Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark on the Ashley River, about 15 miles northwest of downtown Charleston, home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the country, begun in 1741. You can walk the terraces down to the twin Butterfly Lakes, tour the 1755 south flanker that now serves as the house museum, and visit the stableyards and Eliza's House. The site also tells the story of the enslaved people who worked the plantation.

  • #plantation
  • #historic gardens
  • #house museum
  • #national historic landmark

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Middleton Place, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

    $25–$50

    Walk centuries-old gardens of azaleas, camellias and live oaks along the Ashley River, then tour the house.

    3.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Drayton Hall

    $25–$50

    Tour an 18th-century Palladian plantation house on the Ashley River, then explore its grounds, gallery and cemetery.

    4.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Free

    Angel Oak

    Free

    Stand beneath a centuries-old Southern live oak whose massive limbs dip to the ground and rise again in a small city park.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    South Carolina Aquarium

    $25–$50

    Walk from mountain streams to the open ocean through South Carolina habitats, then touch rays and watch sea turtles in recovery.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    History Buff

    International African American Museum

    Under $25

    Explore African American history on Gadsden's Wharf, where a large share of enslaved Africans arrived in North America.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

    Free

    Walk or bike Wonders' Way across a cable-stayed bridge with two 575-foot diamond towers and wide views of Charleston Harbor.

    14 mi awayMore like this