Drayton Hall is a preserved 18th-century plantation house and National Historic Landmark in Charleston, South Carolina, managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking options, accessibility, and practical visitor tips to help you plan your visit.
Updated April 2026. Note that Drayton Hall is closed every Tuesday — a change that is not reflected in several older guides, which incorrectly state the site is open daily. If you are planning a visit on a Tuesday, you will not be admitted.
Quick facts: Drayton Hall at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Wednesday–Monday, 9:00am–4:30pm (front gate closes 3:00pm). Closed Tuesday. |
| Adult ticket (online) | $29 per person |
| Adult ticket (on-site) | $32 per person |
| Youth ticket (ages 7–15, online) | $15 per person |
| Youth ticket (ages 7–15, on-site) | $18 per person |
| Children under 7 | Free |
| Address | 3380 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414 |
| Parking | Free on site |
| Public transport | No direct service; car is recommended |
| Typical visit length | 2 to 2.5 hours (house tour plus self-guided grounds) |
Drayton Hall opening hours
Drayton Hall is open Wednesday through Monday from 9:00am to 4:30pm. The front gate closes at 3:00pm, so visitors wishing to join a guided house tour must arrive before that time.
The site is closed every Tuesday and on the following public holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. These hours apply year-round; there are no seasonal variations to opening times.
Drayton Hall ticket prices
Tickets cost $29 per adult when booked online and $32 when purchased on-site. Youth tickets (ages 7–15) cost $15 online or $18 on-site. Children aged six and under enter free. Booking online saves $3 per adult and $3 per youth ticket. The gate does not accept cash — payment must be made by card, either online in advance or at the gate.
All-inclusive tickets cover the interpreter-led house tour, the Stephen & Laura Gates Gallery, the Caretaker’s House exhibit, the Lenhardt Garden, the landscape audio tour, and the African American Cemetery. A separate Grounds & Galleries ticket is available for visitors who do not wish to join the house tour. These cheaper tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for children.
Ticket prices and opening hours were checked on the official Drayton Hall website and last updated in April 2026.
City pass: Drayton Hall is included as a Featured attraction on the Charleston TourPass (tourpass.com), a multi-attraction digital pass covering more than 40 Charleston tours and sites. Other Featured attractions on the same pass include Boone Hall Plantation, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Fort Sumter Tour, and Charleston Carriage Tours.
Why book the Charleston TourPass?
- 🎟️ All-Inclusive Access to 40+ Sites: Enjoy full admission to the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Fort Sumter Tour, Boone Hall Plantation, and historic carriage rides, all with one simple pass.
- 📱 100% Digital Experience: Skip the hassle of paper tickets with a mobile-friendly pass that includes interactive maps, site information, and easy-to-use booking tools right on your smartphone.
- 💰 Significant Travel Savings: Save 40% or more compared to buying individual retail tickets, making it the most cost-effective way to experience the best of the “Holy City.”
- 🗓️ Flexible Scheduling: Take control of your itinerary with the ability to choose between 1 to 5-day passes, allowing you to explore at your own pace and make reservations for popular tours in advance.
- ⚓ Diverse “Featured” Experiences: Choose from high-value “Featured” tours like harbor cruises and guided plantation tours, plus unlimited entry to “Standard” attractions like museums and historic homes.
How to get to Drayton Hall
Drayton Hall is located 13 miles from downtown Charleston, approximately 25–30 minutes by car via Ashley River Road (SC-61). The site is best reached by private vehicle; there is no direct public transport route to the property.
Visitors without a car can book a guided excursion with Chicora Tours, which runs on Sundays and Mondays from the Charleston Visitors Center at 375 Meeting Street. Drayton Hall also offers a combination plantation ticket with Middleton Place that includes transport for groups.
Parking at Drayton Hall
Parking is free at Drayton Hall and available directly on site. The car park is large and there is no need to reserve a space in advance. The official website recommends arriving a minimum of 25 minutes before your preferred house tour start time to allow for ticketing, restrooms, and orientation.
How long to spend at Drayton Hall
Most visitors should allow between two and two and a half hours for a complete visit. The interpreter-led house tour lasts one hour. The self-guided landscape audio tour, titled Within the Garden, takes approximately 45 minutes. Allow a further 20–30 minutes to visit the galleries, the Caretaker’s House exhibit, and the museum shop. Visitors with limited time should plan for a minimum of 50 minutes to see the exhibit spaces, garden, and shop, excluding the house tour.
Accessibility at Drayton Hall
The galleries, Lenhardt Garden, museum shop, and walking trails at Drayton Hall are wheelchair accessible. However, wheelchairs, walkers, and motorised scooters may have difficulty on the unpaved paths across the 125-acre grounds. The house tour requires ascending the portico steps into the main house; personal wheelchairs and motorised scooters are not permitted on house tours. Visitors with specific access requirements are encouraged to call (843) 769-2600 before their visit.
Inside Drayton Hall: what to see
The main house is the centrepiece of any visit. Built in 1738, it is the oldest preserved plantation house in America still open to the public and the earliest example of Palladian architecture in the United States. The building has never been modernised — it has no electricity, heating, or plumbing — meaning the original architectural details, carved woodwork, and moulded plaster ceilings survive intact. Visits begin with a short orientation film, followed by an interpreter-led tour through the cellar, first floor, and second floor.
The Stephen & Laura Gates Gallery displays rotating exhibitions of Drayton family decorative arts, archaeological artefacts uncovered on the estate, archival materials, and architectural fragments. It is included with all-inclusive admission.
The African American Cemetery is one of the oldest documented African American cemeteries in the United States. In keeping with the wishes of Richmond Bowens, a descendant of those enslaved at Drayton Hall, the cemetery has been left natural and is not manicured.
The Caretaker’s House houses an exhibit focused on the post-Civil War period and the African American community that formed around the phosphate mining industry on the property during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The grounds and landscape cover 125 acres along the Ashley River. The self-guided audio tour leads visitors through the historic lawn and gardens, past 18th-century live oak trees, and to a clear view of the Ashley River. The Lenhardt Garden, centred on a 200-year-old oak tree, surrounds the visitor centre.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arrive early | The front gate closes at 3:00pm; the last guided house tour departs at 3:00pm. Arriving 25 minutes before your preferred tour time is recommended by the venue. |
| Tour times | Guided house tours run at 10:00am, 11:00am, noon, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, and 3:00pm. Tours last one hour each. |
| No cash | The gate does not accept cash. Bring a debit or credit card, or book online in advance. |
| Dress appropriately | The main house has no heating or air conditioning. Dress for outdoor temperatures. Flat-soled shoes are recommended for the grounds. |
| No food in the house | Food, drinks, and gum are prohibited inside the main house and in all exhibit spaces. Picnic tables are available on the grounds. |
| Photography | Photos are permitted inside the house without flash. Tripods are not allowed inside; drones are prohibited across the property at all times without prior written permission. |
| Pets | Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome on the grounds and self-guided nature walks. Pets are not permitted inside any building. |
Frequently asked questions about Drayton Hall
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Drayton Hall suitable for children? | Yes. Children under 7 enter free, and children aged 7–15 receive a reduced rate. Strollers must be left outside the main house during the tour. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Drayton Hall? | Advance booking is not required, but it saves $3 per person and is recommended if you have a preferred tour time in mind. |
| Is Drayton Hall open on Tuesdays? | No. Drayton Hall is closed every Tuesday. |
| Is Drayton Hall open year-round? | Yes, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. |
| Are bags allowed at Drayton Hall? | Bags must be carried with you throughout your visit. There is no luggage storage on site. |
| Can you take photographs inside Drayton Hall? | Yes, without flash. Tripods are not allowed in the house. Videos and drones are prohibited. |
| Is there food available at Drayton Hall? | The museum shop stocks a small selection of locally sourced snacks and drinks. There is no restaurant or café on site. |
| Is there parking at Drayton Hall? | Yes. Parking is free and available directly on site. |
Things to do near Drayton Hall
Middleton Place (approximately 2 miles away) is a plantation estate on the Ashley River featuring America’s oldest landscaped gardens, a house museum, and a working stableyard. Combination tickets with Drayton Hall are available.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (approximately 5 miles away) is one of the oldest public gardens in the United States, with swamp and nature-based tours alongside the formal gardens.
Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site (approximately 8 miles away) marks the location of South Carolina’s first permanent European settlement in 1670, with a replica 17th-century vessel and animal forest trail.
Aiken-Rhett House (approximately 13 miles away, in downtown Charleston) is an intact antebellum townhouse preserved by the Historic Charleston Foundation, with original outbuildings and urban slave quarters still standing.
Fort Sumter National Monument (approximately 20 miles away) is the Civil War-era fort in Charleston Harbour where the first shots of the conflict were fired. It is reached by ferry from Liberty Square.
What to visit tomorrow: historic plantation houses within two hours
McLeod Plantation Historic Site, James Island (~20 miles) is a Charleston County-managed site that centres the African American experience from enslavement through emancipation and Reconstruction.
Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant (~25 miles) is one of America’s oldest working plantations, known for its avenue of 250-year-old live oaks and nine surviving slave cabin structures.
Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, McClellanville (~50 miles) is a Georgian-style rice plantation mansion preserved as a South Carolina state historic site within the Francis Marion National Forest.
Hopsewee Plantation, Georgetown (~60 miles) is a National Historic Landmark rice plantation on the North Santee River and the birthplace of Thomas Lynch Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Mansfield Plantation, Georgetown (~75 miles) is a former rice plantation with guided tours of the grounds and one of the best-preserved slave village complexes in the American South.
