Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston

Quite expensive - The house was being worked on when we were there. The video was cheesy and the place didn't seem too well maintained. The gardens were lovely and nice for walking. The house tour was not that great.

If you only have time to go to one plantation, go here. I've been to Drayton, Middleton, Magnolia and Boone...this is by far the best place for the money. If you're on a budget, skip the house tour and take the audobon tour (def worth the time and money). The house is just ok, you're not allowed to take pictures in the house and they rush you through it.

After much hoopla from the reviews on this web site and some recommendations we found this "attraction" totally disappointing. The gardens were nothing special, they were neither maincured nor particularly colorful. They appeared as though they were planted and maintained by amateurs and have been in a relative state of neglect for a while. The Train tour was likewise disappointing. All we did was spiral around through swampland and saw a few small alligators and some un-noteworthy birds. There were really no plantings of note to be seen and/or admired. The tour of the Plantation Home was mildly interestting; been there, done that, many times before; nothing new here. The entire experience was underwhelming and not worth the prices being charged. I do NOT recommend this site - Montecello and Mount Vernon in Virginia are far and away a better experience.

Magnolia Gardens was great! The walks through the gardens were very pretty and relaxing. We also did the tour instead of going to the swamp. Saw lots of alligators and other wildlife. Very fun! The only thing I did not like was the price - it could have been a little cheaper. We paid $43 for 2 people for just the gardens and the tour.

The Plantation was beautiful. The tours were interesting, but the admission fee was pricey. I would definitely recommend going to the Magnolia Plantation when visiting the Charleston area.

Loved everything - could skip the swamp walk if take the train tour - it wa super as was the naturalist who led it. Saw much wildlife including several gators (one sunning on back about 3 feet from where train passed). Jerry Meeks

has anyone ever been to magnolia gardens in charleston, s.c.? well...i think it's a very interesting place to be at. i believe i've been there like at least 4 or 5 times! it's really a fun place to go to. it reminds me of a museum and zoo combined into one!

Gardens are beautiful especially in April when the azaleas are in full bloom. Be sure to take the nature train tour...it's very fun, you'll see many species of animals but the alligators are the best. Take a camera and plenty of film because you'll want to plenty of pics of this beautiful place.

Everyone kept expostulating on the beauty of the grounds, but apparently in July there isn't anything blooming. I would definitely suggest going in the spring or fall. The house is very pretty, but not as big as I'd expected. The tour was rushed and I didn't get to look around as much as I would've like to have. The guide was not as knowledgable as I would have liked. If I had to choose I'd say to go to Drayton Hall instead. The petting zoo was fun but the animals did not seem to be well cared for. The admission price was too high for what you get to see.

The plantation was beautiful! The gardens can be explored for hours. We saw alligators, heron, egrets, turtles and lots of barnyard animals. A great plus is that once you visit the gardens you can return as many times as you like in the same week with your tickets for FREE! The Audobon swamp is great too but is not for the faint of heart or small children! The boardwalk is a little shakey, but you WILL see gators! The self guided tours are the best value.