- Charleston
- South Carolina Low Country
- Festival of Houses and Gardens
Dates
March 18 – 21, 2025
Highlights
- Visits of Middleton Place Gardens, Drayton Hall, and Mepkin Abbey / Gardens
- Tour of private Charleston homes, during the Festival of Houses and Gardens
- Robert Mills’s “Fireproof Building” (tour / visit); driving tour of Charleston
- Touring of pretty Summerville with a local guide; visit of Colonial Dorchester site
- Exploration of lovely natural areas surrounding the Ashley River; scenic drives
Trip Description
Early spring in South Carolina – not a better time of the year to be exploring the Low Country! Our annual March ramble “down state” will bring us to The Inn at Middleton Place – an award-winning design that abuts against the Ashley River. The Inn is situated on the grand complex that is Middleton Place Gardens, one of the earliest designed landscapes in America, dating back to approximately 1740. We’ll use our Ashley River “residence” to explore both upriver and down. Upriver will bring us to the elevated (relatively speaking) and salubrious site of Summerville: Today one of SC’s most charming towns, and as the name suggests, a one-time summer colony for the plantation elite. Lovely architecture abounds from the antebellum period to the mid-20th century. We’ll explore with a local guide. Down river will take us to other great estates of the colonial period – including Drayton Hall, which we’ll explore – and the city of Charleston itself. We’ve timed our 4-day adventure to fall during Charleston’s Festival of Houses and Gardens; so we’ll spend one day visiting private homes on the tour, as well as other city icons. Excellent dining and lodging; excellent “company” – including our travelers, and the hospitable folk we meet on location. This trip shapes up as a superlative!
Featured Experiences
The Inn at Middleton Place
The Inn at Middleton Place is an architectural masterpiece intentionally designed to blend seamlessly within its natural environment. For those looking for peace and discovery, an adventure, or a quiet retreat, the Inn is just a short drive from historic downtown Charleston. Guests of The Inn receive complimentary general admission to Middleton Place National Historic Landmark for the length of their stay.
What's Included
Comfortable van transportation
Accommodation for 3 nights
Breakfast, 3 lunches, and 2 dinners
All touring per the itinerary
Guide and concierge service throughout the trip
Trip Price
$2,699 / person (double occupancy; single supplement, $495)
What's Not Included
Price does not include alcohol, other meals, or optional trip insurance.
..well-planned, from interesting and fun excursions planned each day, to comfortable lodging and transportation. Our trip leaders, Chumley and Khal, were impressive with their knowledge of each area we explored and gracious in their planning of every aspect of our trips.
Trip insurance safeguards your travel investment, your belongings, and most importantly, you. Though trip insurance is optional, we strongly encourage travelers to purchase trip insurance in the event you have to cancel or leave a trip for any reason. Please note, all trip participants should wait for confirmation from Explore Up Close that the trip has the minimum sign-up required to be a “go” before purchasing travel insurance. Please confirm with Explore Up Close before making any additional travel arrangements.
Once you have received confirmation from Explore Up Close, we recommend contacting a travel insurance provider directly to request a quote and compare pricing and features. You can find other providers that may fit your needs at www.insuremytrip.com, or we can gladly connect you with our travel agent.
This trip departs from Greenville / Spartanburg, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina. If you live elsewhere, please contact us to discuss travel arrangements, and we will look forward to assisting you!
