Drayton Hall is a short, 13-mile drive from downtown Charleston. Traffic can cause travel times to vary, so be sure to leave yourself extra time to get situated once you arrive—for ticket transaction, parking, restrooms, and to check-in at The Shop at Drayton Hall.  We recommend arriving a minimum of 25 minutes prior to your preferred tour start time. Need transportation? Book an excursion.

All-inclusive admission includes an interpreter-led tour of the house, access to the Stephen and Laura Gates Gallery, the Caretaker’s House, the Lenhardt Garden, a self-guided landscape walk, entrance to the 18th-century African-American cemetery, and access to The Shop at Drayton Hall.

The amount of time spent on the property often depends on the visitor’s schedule. We recommend allowing a minimum of 50 minutes to enjoy the exhibit spaces, gardens, and The Shop at Drayton Hall. Your interpreter-led tour lasts approximately 60 minutes. The self-guided landscape audio tour takes roughly 45 minutes, but you are welcome to spend as little or as long as your time allows.

The Shop at Drayton Hall has a curated selection of locally sourced treats for sale. Food, drinks and gum are prohibited in the main house and in the exhibit spaces.

Wear comfortable clothing so that you can enjoy both the house tour and grounds; shirts and shoes must be worn at all times—we recommend wearing flat-soled shoes. Remember, Drayton Hall is unrestored and not modernized, so there is no heating or air-conditioning to regulate the indoor temperature in the main house. We encourage bringing insect repellent as well.

Our exhibits, garden, museum shop and walking trails are handicap accessible; however wheelchairs, walkers and motorized scooters may have difficulty maneuvering on the unpaved paths. The guided house tour does require walking up the portico steps into the house. Personal wheelchairs and scooters are prohibited on house tours. Please feel free to call if you have any questions or concerns before your visit!

You are welcome to take photographs of the house—both inside and outside—and of the grounds and nature walks. Videos in the house are prohibited. Please note that tripods are not allowed in the house and drones are not allowed on the property at any time without prior written permission. Contact 843-769-2600 to make special arrangements.

Because of Drayton Hall’s special unrestored state, we ask you to take special care. Please do not bring food, beverages, or gum inside the main house at any time. We do have picnic tables if you would like to eat on the grounds.

We welcome children of all ages to Drayton Hall—in fact, 7,000 students take part in our education programs each year. Please help us protect this American treasure for future generations by leaving your strollers outside of the main house and museum shop, and by keeping young visitors by your side during tours.

Well-behaved pets on leashes are welcome—in fact, pets especially like our self-guided nature walks. However, for the safety and comfort of other guests, visitors must keep their pets under control at all times and pick up after them. Please note that pets are not allowed inside the historic structures or modern buildings; this includes the main house, privy, caretaker’s house, and visitor center. The only exceptions to this rule are service dogs individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.

No, Drayton Hall and the surrounding property is a smoke free and vape free site.

The following activities are prohibited at Drayton Hall: -Bike riding -Access to water -Grilling -Smoking -Alcohol consumption -Open flames

Drayton Hall strictly enforces a “No Weapons” policy. This includes all firearms, knives, sharp objects and other weapons. This policy is created to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for all of our guests and staff. Please be advised that Drayton Hall staff will not be responsible for safeguarding any weapons for our guests. Signage has been placed on our property stating that firearms are not permitted.

Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to accommodate luggage or bags to be left while visiting the grounds.  Any luggage and/or bags must be carried with you throughout your visit.