West Ashley, South Carolina

West Ashley, South Carolina is a bedroom suburb of Charleston. Located to the West of the Ashley River from the Charleston peninsula, the area was originally dubbed “West of the Ashley.” In recent years it was has become simply “West Ashley.”

West Ashley features a variety of wonderful restaurants, the Citadel Mall and other shopping, great weather and a relaxed lifestyle. West Ashley’s new high school’s facilities would rival a small college and West Ashley Park is fabulous. Only a few minutes from downtown Charleston and the beaches, West Ashley is a wonderful place to retire or raise a family.

In addition to its close proximity to all of the attractions that make Charleston one of America’s favorite tourist attractions – the historic district, the South Carolina Aquarium, Patriot’s Point with the USS Yorktown, Fort Sumter, great golf and never ending oceanfront beaches – West Ashley is home to some of Charleston’s best known attractions.

Middleton Place Plantation

4300 Ashley River Road
Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 556-6020
(800) 782-3608

“MIDDLETON PLACE is a National Historic Landmark and a carefully preserved 18th-century plantation that has survived revolution, Civil War, and earthquake. It was the home of four important generations of Middletons, beginning with Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress; Arthur, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Henry, Governor of South Carolina and an American Minister to Russia; and Williams, a signer of the Ordinance of Secession.

Visitors are invited to tour the Gardens, the House Museum, and the Plantation Stableyards. Middleton Place, located on Ashley River Road (Highway 61), just 14 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina, is owned and operated by the Middleton Place Foundation, a non-profit 501(C)(3) educational trust.”

The location for the movie “The Patriot”, Middleton Place is a spectacular site to visit, especially when the gardens are in bloom (which is 9-10 months out of the year). Expect to spend a full day here, maybe two, and wear comfortable walking shoes. In a town steeped in history, Middleton Place is the crown jewel. After a few hours you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to “Tara” or “Twelve Oaks” and be expecting to find Rhett Butler just around the next corner. “Oh, Scarlett….”

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

3550 Ashley River Road
Charleston, SC 29414
(800) 367-3517

“Founded in 1676 by the Drayton family, Magnolia Plantation has survived the centuries and witnessed the history of our nation unfold before it from the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond. It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry, and the oldest public gardens in America, opening its doors to visitors in 1872 to view the thousands of beautiful flowers and plants in its famous gardens. So join us here at Magnolia Plantation to experience the beauty of its gardens and its rich history today.”

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is not as large as Middleton Place but is has an interesting Swamp Garden which Middleton Place lacks. Magnolia Plantation and Drayton Hall (see next) make a nice combined daytrip and are next door to each other.

Drayton Hall

Ashley River Road
Charleston, SC 29414

“Drayton Hall was begun in 1738 and was completed after four years of construction by European and African American craftsmen. Today, its Georgian-Palladian architecture represents the oldest surviving example of its kind in the American South. Still without running water, electric lighting, or central heating, the preservation of the house extends to its guests a sense of timelessness and continuity. Its mere existence proves its strength against the tests of time and change, disuse and nature.

Drayton Hall is the only plantation house on the Ashley River to survive the Revolutionary and Civil Wars intact. After seven generations, two great wars, and numerous hurricanes and earthquakes, the main house of this National Historic Landmark remains in nearly original condition. The entire site serves as an eloquent testimony to America's heritage.”

With all of the history in Charleston, this is possibly the most interesting site you can tour. If you want to step back to a different era be sure to make time for Drayton Hall. This is our favorite attraction in all of Charleston.

Charles Towne Landing

1500 Old Towne Road
Charleston, SC 29407
843.852.4200

“Walk on the very spot where English Colonists in 1670 established the first permanent European settlement in the Carolinas.”

Only 50 years younger than Plymouth Rock, this was the original site of Charleston. This is a nice half day side trip if you have an extended stay planned for the Charleston area. Used by local schools for educational purposes, if you’re going to be here for a brief visit, there are many sites much more interesting to see.