The person who led the one-hour tour was excellent. She spoke well and was clearly extremely knowledgeable about the property and its history. It was better than expected and we are very happy we took it.

If you visit Drayton Hall basically the admission includes a tour of the main house and a small number of exhibits (poster boards on easels)the extolling the importance of the Drayton family. For a well researched history of the Drayton family please see "William Henry Drayton" by Keith Krawczynski. Drayton Hall currently lacks a visitors facility. Slavery is presented through "The African Connections" located outdoors near the gift shop. For those interested in either the history of slavery in the South Carolina Low Country or the landscapes and gardens, I recommend Magnolia or Middleton Place (Both located a short distance from Drayton Hall ).

The plantation house and grounds have been meticulously preserved, but not restored. Different from most historical sites and a treat. Stroll down to the banks of the Ashley river and see where the barges took the cotton and indigo to Charleston and then to sea.

The uniqueness of Drayton Hall lies in the fact that the house itself is about 275 years old and -- in all that time -- it's never been significantly altered or modernized. As cliched as it may sound, it really is like going back into time. The house tour (about 45 minutes) is very informative and stresses the mission of preservation of the structure rather than restoration. The house is not furnished, resulting in a real "bare bones" kind of feel inside. The formal balanced Georgian architecture is really beautiful and inside there are lovely moldings, columns, capitals, etc. Without the distractions of interior furnishings, you can really appreciate the fine details.

The property is lovely with a wonderful Ashley River view, but don't come here expecting formal gardens because there are none. There is, however, a not-too-long marsh walk with a brochure that explains points-of-interest along the way. There is also an African-American cemetery on the property. I've now visited all three historic plantations on the Ashley River and they are each worth seeing for their own unique flavor. There are lots of picnic spots on the Drayton Hall grounds if you'd like to bring a lunch and stay a bit longer.