Day At Magnolia Plantation And Gardens

Nick is prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. Nick got us on the road as soon as all parties in the group arrived. This afforded us about 15 extra minutes to explore. During the drive he provided history, answered questions, and provided ideas on how we could gain the most of our time exploring the plantation.

A good peek at the history of plantation life. Beautiful gardens, and other options to spend the day there

Chicora Tours did a great job communicating, getting us to the Gardens, and coordinating tickets. Our driver Sean even took us on a brief walk around Gardens before our tours. The 3 Gardens Tours were informative and interesting, especially the Slavery to Freedom tour. It was a very hot day and there isn’t much AC except restrooms and house tour, as everything else is outside.

Nick was incredible. He has exceptional knowledge of the area

This was a nice relaxing trip out to the plantation. If you don't have your own car it is ideal but even if you do it is really nice that they plan all your timed entries so you don't have to worry about getting the timeslot you want or the correct amount of time. The gardens are lovely. The house tour was OK but the slavery tour is an absolute must. We heard a lot of people skip that part...don't! There is only one food place so your options are limited and around lunch time the line gets really long. The food is good but a little overpriced. It did appear that they allow you to bring in your own.

Tram ride was a waste of time. Taped guide. Would have preferred to have chosen activities ala carte. Food terrible

Nick and Chicora Tours did a great job in organizing an informative and beautiful day at Magnolia. Comfortable van to and from, narrated by a friendly and knowledgeable Nick, interesting varied tours included within Magnolia and beautiful gardens! We learned alot! Very highly recommended!

The grounds and gardens are well kept and enjoyable to take a walk. we did the boat tour, plantation house, and slave history tours and these activities took up most of our day.

This property is breathtaking. Had a great day, perfect weather

Great host driver to the plantation. Plantation guides were very good too and very informative about their topics

Our driver Nick was great. He even took us the scenic way home & dropped everyone off at their locations since there were only 3 couples. The plantation grounds were beautiful. The driver on the grounds tour used a recording instead of talking mostly himself which I didn’t care much for, but house tour guide was informative & also funny. The weather was perfect too.

Awesome, Darien our driver and guide was wonderful Signing up with them provided transportation, and tickets onto the plantation and tickets on the Nature train, tickets to tour the home and tickets to the Slave history tour. Great 5 hours

We enjoyed our drive with Darian very much. Such a lovely and knowledgeable young lady. Thanks to her we learned a lot before we arrived at the Magnolia Plantation. After the tours we really appreciated that she dropped us off at our hotel…..saving us a long walk or an Uber ride. We’ll certainly recommend Chicora Tours to our friends visiting Charleston.

Paid parking in front of the Civic Center. Not much to eat or drink at the plantation. Might want to bring a couple snacks with you. Only saw one set of bathrooms.. Plan accordingly. Weather was cool for our visit in March. The boat tour was especially cool. A medium jacket was much needed.

Lots of walking. Was very humid, dusty. Interesting, wonderful tour guides. They were informative and engaging especially Millie in house and John at slave houses.

Well planned day so time was well utilized. Our host/driver was very friendly and knowledgeable in Charleston/Civil War history. She even gave restaurant recommendations when asked. I highly recommend!

We booked through this company, Chicora, because they offered the most comprehensive tour of Magnolia Plantation. They exceeded our wildest expectations. I spoke to the owner severall times before booking due to issues I was having with the booking process and he was extremely helpful. Then, the company bent over backwards to make the tour work in spite of several obstacles including weather issues. Our guide, Darien was prompt, friendly and very knowledgeable. She was just a pleasure to be with on our rides there and back and she made sure we knew exactly where to be and what to do while visiting the plantation.

Nick was great and explained the history of the area really well

This was a very insightful and thought-provoking tour for me. Darian, the tour guide/driver was highly knowledgeable, professional, and charismatic. Her passion for American and Charleston history was evident in her ability to maintain our attention and interest through both historically accurate accounts, as well as her own personal stories. The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens were also impactful and transformative. I absolutely recommend this tour as a must-do activity while visiting Charleston. Thank you, Darian, for providing such a meaningful and unforgettable experience!

The tour company Chicora Tours was who transported us and arranged the tour. Nick our driver/owner is extremely knowledgeable of the history in and around Charleston. The time at the plantation was very enjoyable. We received history on the family who owned the plantation, tram tour of the property where the fields and swamp are located. Finally it included a very indepth history lecture on the slave trade and toured homes that the slaves lived in. On our way back to Charleston Nick added a tour of Rainbow Row area of Charleston, just because I asked about it with no extra charge!!! Very enjoyable day and would recommend this tour company

Darien was terrific. Plantation provides excellent tour guides. All the info imparted as dot on. Highly recommend

We had a good time our guide to the plantation was great. The guides inside the house were very informative too! Would recommend it.

Nick of chicora tours is excellent operator, respectful, efficient, and very attentive to customers’ needs. Magnolia plantation is beautiful. The guides are knowledgeable and attentive to guests needs and comfort

My daughter and I toured the property - Main home tour, tram tour, slave quarters tour. The guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the information they were relaying to us. Spent 4 hours on the property ... could have spent more. So much to enjoy

The curators were SO passionate about their roles and very knowledgable. There were a lot of steps some steep, but adequate railings. Our weather was perfect which mad it absolutely perfect!

Our driver from Chicora. Tours was extremely accommodating. She also shared history, fun facts, and humor. Unfortunately, it was raining when we were there so we skipped the walking tour from freedom to slavery, but the house itself was beautiful and the tram ride around the grounds was informative.

You need to explore the Magnolia Plantation web site before you book one of the companies offering transportation from Charleston to ensure you have the ability and time to do everything you want once you get there. Our tour included the House Tour, the Nature Train Tour, and the From Slavery to Freedom Tour. I observed that several other companies omit the From Slavery to Freedom Tour, which we considered the highlight of our trip. Our driver was very pleasant and walked us to the head of the ticket line to get our tickets and orient us to the planation’s layout. She then explained where and when we needed to be to complete each of the three elements of our tour. It was a very rushed experience due to the way the Plantation schedules its events. It made me wonder if we would have been better off taking an Uber to and from the plantation to allow more time on site. None of my comments above should reflect negatively upon the company who provided our transportation. They provided exactly what they advertised. My only disappointment is that I expected a tour guide experience. What we got on the trip out was an Uber drive because our driver allowed the conversation to be more about her guests and herself than the areas we drove through. It was only on the return trip when everyone was tired and I asked specific questions that she demonstrated a wealth of local knowledge.

Transportation, tickets all taken care of by company, once at plantation you are given your tickets with directions for each and free to go at your own between tours. The guides on all 3 tours were very engaging and fun, clearly they love their jobs!

All inclusive trip to Magnolia Plantation. Darian was amazing, she was a expert on the city, plantation and SC history. We loved every minute of the plantation. 3 separate tours: house, slavery and train tour. Highly recommend.

Wonderful, beautiful, educational and poignant - each tour was just perfect timing and all tours guides were great, engaging, and knowledgeable.

Nick with Chicora Tours went above and beyond! Despite the rainy weather, he personally picked us up and tailored the entire day to exactly what we wanted. He dropped us at Magnolia Gardens and Plantation for three engaging and informative tours, then even offered to take us to the Old Slave Mart Museum afterward to deepen our understanding of Charleston’s difficult history. Nick’s knowledge, kindness, and genuine passion for sharing his city made the experience truly unforgettable. Highly recommend!

Trip was well organized and our guides very informative Beautiful air condition transportation with city highlights along the way

Chicora Tours made our trip to Magnolia Plantation easy and stress free. Darien, our personal driver, was lovely. She was informative, funny and so engaging with the group. Magnolia Plantation is definitely a MUST see when visiting Charleston. From the nature train tour to the house tour to the Slavery to Freedom Tour, all were exceptional! John, the guide for the Slavery to Freedom tour was so knowledgeable, respectful and really helped the group understand what it was like to be a slave. He was outstanding! The pimiento cheese and crackers was a perfect snack in between the tours. Highly recommend the trip to Magnolia using Chicora Tours!

We booked this tour because we felt like we would have more time to explore on our own, but still have opportunity to do more tours than the other options. We were so glad we did. Our transportation by Darian was extremely enjoyable. She was very passionate about the area and provided us with lots of local information and history. Our tours on the nature trail, the house, and the freedom to slavery were also well done (staff at the plantation). We had plenty of time to see “Todd” the fox, as well as watch the hummingbirds and stroll to the famous bridge. Very well spent day. Nick and Darian were wonderful in keeping us up to date about the plans. Definitely recommend this opportunity.

Darian was awesome. Very knowledgeable and helpful. The grounds of Magnolia were beautiful. Highly recommend this tour

Exhilarating! Informative and educational! The tour guides were very knowledgeable especially the last tour learning about the slaves housing. Narrator was very passionate , honest and did not hold back on the enlightenment of slavery!. She was second to none. Praying God bless her to continue this needed work.

This was a great way to learn some history about the South and to see a former working plantation. The guides did an amazing job of engaging their audience and keeping the tour interesting. We visited in May and it started heating up in the afternoon. There is a lot to cover and explore at this plantation. I recommend going as early in the day as possible to beat the heat!

The gardens are strikingly beautiful! Our house tour was informative but I was a bit disappointed at the size of the home. I didn’t realize the original homestead was one of 34 burned by union soldiers. The part that has been rebuilt is lovely. . The highlight of our tour was the slave to freedom presentation. It is delivered in a manner that connects the audience with empathy to the lives of the people who endured such a harsh and inhumane existence. I would recommend this 3 part tour!

Darian was a wonderful Driver and Tour Guide. She was very informative with a great personality and very accommodating to our groups questions. I would highly recommend using this tour company.

The tour was really interesting. We did the house, gardens and slave tours. All were very informative and eye opening. The gardens on the property are beautiful. We ate lunch and Steven the peacock kept us company. Would highly recommend.

Chicora Tours of Charleston provided exceptional service. Transportation in a spotlessly clean Mercedes sprinter van by knowledgeable and friendly driver. Well organized schedule that made the most of our time. This and other Charleston tours can be booked directly with the company: chicoratours.com.

This tour of Magnolia Plantation was wonderful... everything from the small group air conditioned shuttle, to our guide, Nick, and the time we spent at Magnolia. All of the guides were very informative and interesting. Nick was very knowledgeable about the history of Charleston. He also provided suggestions for restaurants and other things to enjoy while visiting the city. This excursion was well worth the cost. We highly recommend!

This was an amazing excursion! Our guide Nick did a great job driving and was extremely knowledgeable about Charleston history. He was friendly and helpful answering our tourist questions. The visit to Magnolia was very interesting and well worth the cost to go there.

Truly an awesome experience! We got to do 3 tours at the plantation all in one day. The plantation was beautiful, and our driver was amazing, kind, and full of knowledge about Charleston. I can’t recommend this tour and this company enough!

We were so glad we chose Magnolia Plantation to spend our last day in Charleston at. So beautiful and so much important history. The tour guides are top notch!! Bree for the garden & grounds tour, Madison for the house tour and John for the Slavery to Freedom Tour (very moving) were all absolutely fantastic. This was a last minute add on to our trip and we were so glad we did.

Be certain to experience the accounts and story telling of slave plantation, Jim Crow segregation by the former school teacher! Darien, our guide and driver, is a jewel in the crown of Chicora Tours!

My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the tour! Our favorite experience was the Slavery to Freedom Tour at Magnolia Plantation. I thought the tour was well worth the price. Nick was a great driver & guide. The sprinter van was really clean and nice. Would recommend to anyone interested!

Chicora tours all inclusive tour of Magnolia Plantation was the perfect way for us to experience the history of plantation life in South Carolina. Our Chicora guide picked us up in a beautiful and very comfortable Sprinter Van at a convenient location in downtown Charleston (this was key since we visited Charleston without a car). On our ride out to Magnolia Plantation, our group had a fantastic discussion about the history of Charleston. Personal stories were shared about life in Charleston which really opened our hearts and minds to what we were about to “go back in time” to see and experience. Our Chicora guide (Hi Darian!) had the perfect day set up for us at plantation and provided fantastic information about “where to be at what time” so we got the maximum enjoyment and ease of experiences without missing a thing. We were able to visit the Gardens, the Nature Train Swamp Tour, the Plantation Manor House, and The Slavery to Freedom tour of the slave quarters. The information and guided tours (conducted by the Magnolia Plantation Staff) were exceptional. Our visit ended with us being picked up in a convenient location in the same comfortable van for our drive back to Charleston. On the ride back, our Chicora guide took “the scenic route” at our request and we had a lovely discussion about our day and Charleston history while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Honestly, the day could not have been more perfect for a history buff who wants an all inclusive experience without having to sweat the logistics. The insider tips, prearranged transportation, and all inclusive friendly service make this tour 100% worth your time and money.

Gardens/flowers/grounds were less impressive than expected. "Plantation " house is fairly recent, not at all historical. Trolley train around the grounds was filled with noisy 6-8 yo kids. The Chicora driver was superb - v good van, driver very informative, on time.