Cruise from Charleston SCBoone Hall Plantation Tour with Transfers from Charleston
This Boone Hall Plantation tour from Gray Line Charleston bundles the $71 entry ticket with round-trip bus transport from downtown, so you do not need a car to reach Mount Pleasant. The 4.5-hour trip covers the Avenue of Oaks, a guided mansion tour and a self-guided walk through the original slave cabins with a live presentation. It is one listing among several on this guide to cruises from Charleston SC, and this page sets out exactly what the price covers, what it does not, and when a different plantation trip might suit you better.
About This Tour
Gray Line Charleston runs this 4.5-hour trip to Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, about 8 miles from downtown across the Ravenel Bridge. The ticket covers Boone Hall admission and round-trip transportation by climate-controlled bus from the Visitors Center. The tour has a live English-speaking guide, and at the plantation you take a guided mansion tour plus a self-guided walk through nine original slave cabins with a presentation by a knowledgeable guide.
The listing states a 4.6 rating from 121 GetYourGuide reviews. Tours operate rain or shine, cancellation is free up to 2 hours before departure, and your ticket is a mobile ticket with no printing required. Hotel pickup and gratuities are not included.
$71 per person. Hotel pickup and gratuities are not included in that figure.
4.5 hours in total. Starting times are not fixed in the listing, check availability to see them.
Check in at the buses directly behind the main building at the Visitors Center / Charleston Museum, Charleston, SC 29403. Arrive 15 minutes early.
Climate-controlled bus, not a boat. Group size is not stated by the operator.
Boone Hall admission and round-trip transportation are included. Hotel pickup and gratuities are not included, and the listing does not mention food or drinks.
Free cancellation up to 2 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times are not fixed in the listing, so check availability for your date to see departures. Tours run in rain or shine.
Quick answer Quick answer
This Boone Hall Plantation tour costs $71 per person, lasts 4.5 hours and includes admission plus round-trip bus transport from downtown Charleston. Cancellation is free up to 2 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- See exactly what the $71 covers in the price breakdown.
- Walk the day step by step in the itinerary.
- Compare with the Magnolia Plantation tour with coach transport or the wider set of Charleston plantation tours.
- Browse all cruises from Charleston SC on the homepage.
What the Price Actually Covers
The operator's Includes list names four things, but only two of them are actually in the $71 ticket. Here is the honest split, line by line, so you can plan what you will pay on the day.
What Is in the $71
The ticket covers Boone Hall Plantation admission and round-trip transportation by climate-controlled bus between downtown Charleston and Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant. At the plantation, admission on its own costs $30 for adults according to the plantation's own pricing, and Boone Hall says a general admission ticket includes the oak-lined entrance, a guided house tour, covered wagon tours of the grounds, live cultural presentations, exhibits in the historic cabins, the gardens, stable tours and the gin house museum. The $71 ticket bundles that admission with the bus, so you do not need a rental car for the drive of about 20 minutes across the Ravenel Bridge.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boone Hall Plantation admission | Yes | Standalone adult admission is $30, valid one day, parking at the plantation is free |
| Round-trip bus transportation | Yes | Climate-controlled bus, Visitors Center to Boone Hall and back |
| Hotel pickup | No | You make your own way to the Visitors Center |
| Gratuities | No | Tipping the driver and guides is up to you |
| Food and drinks | No | None stated as included, so plan your own meals |
| Mansion and cabin access | Yes, via admission | Guided first-floor mansion tour, self-guided cabins, Gullah presentation |
What You May Pay on the Day
The listing states no mandatory extras, and admission covers the mansion tour, the Black History in America exhibit in nine original cabins built between 1790 and 1810, and the live Gullah presentation. Gratuities are the main discretionary cost, and reviewers mention restaurant tips suggested by the driver as well. You should also budget for getting to the meeting point.
The Visitor Center garage at 63 Mary Street charges from $1 for 30 minutes up to $18 for 8 to 9 hours, with a $7 flat rate after 3 pm and $5 after 5 pm. The free DASH trolley route 210 also stops at the Visitor Center, which costs nothing.
No Car Needed, but No Hotel Pickup
The bus leaves from behind the Visitors Center at 375 Meeting Street, which the city says is open daily 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free DASH trolley route 210 stops at the Visitor Center, so the lack of hotel pickup matters less if you stay near that route. If you would rather drive yourself, admission alone at $30 keeps the cost down, and Boone Hall parking is free.
Sources: Boone Hall Plantation and Charleston visitor information
Live oaks line the entrance drive at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant. Photo: Heinz-Vale, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing does not fix a departure clock time, it says to check availability for starting times. The structure of the 4.5 hours, though, is clear from the listing and the plantation's own information.
Check-in Behind the Visitors Center
Arrive 15 minutes before the activity starts at the buses directly behind the main building at the Visitors Center / Charleston Museum. Show the mobile ticket on your phone, no printing required. The ride to Boone Hall crosses the Ravenel Bridge into Mount Pleasant, and one source puts the drive at about 20 minutes via US-17.
The Avenue of Oaks and the Mansion
You enter Boone Hall through the Avenue of Oaks, a three-quarter-mile corridor of roughly 88 live oaks. The guided tour of the historic mansion covers the first floor only. Boone Hall itself suggests 3 to 4 hours for a full visit and about 2 hours for the essentials.
The Cabins and the Gullah Presentation
The self-guided portion takes you through nine original brick slave cabins built between 1790 and 1810, which hold the Black History in America exhibit. A presentation by a knowledgeable guide covers the experience of enslaved people, and reviewers specifically mention the Gullah presentation, performed live several times a day by descendants of Gullah people. Boone Hall opens Monday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday noon to 5 pm.
The return bus drops you back in downtown Charleston.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states few hard limits, but several gaps in the information make this the wrong pick for some travellers. Here is who should look elsewhere, with the alternative to book instead.
No Starting Time, No Group Size
The listing states no departure clock time and no group size, and it does not state a minimum age, wheelchair access or difficulty level. If a fixed timetable or a small group matters to you, the Wadmalaw Tea Garden and Wine Tasting Trip caps its Mercedes Sprinter at 10 participants and the Magnolia Plantation tour caps its coach at 25. The listing does say the trip runs rain or shine, so dress for weather.
Time-crunched Visitors
Four and a half hours including transfers is most of a morning or afternoon. If you want the harbor instead of the plantations, the 90-minute harbor history cruise on the Carolina Belle or the Fort Sumter ferry and fort entry take far less of the day. And if plantations are the goal but Magnolia's gardens appeal more, the Magnolia Plantation tour with coach transport bundles its house tour and swamp tram into a similar 4.5-hour format.
The full Charleston plantation tours comparison covers every option. After either trip, the Shem Creek BYOB sunset cruise leaves from Mount Pleasant, which is the same side of the bridge as Boone Hall.
Brick cabins on Slave Street at Boone Hall Plantation, where enslaved people lived. Photo: JonathanLamb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Could You See It Without This Cruise?
Yes, and for some travellers that is the better deal. Boone Hall sells admission directly, and the facts on driving there are straightforward.
The Self-drive Math
Boone Hall adult admission is $30 on its own, with seniors, military and AAA at $27, children 6 to 12 at $12 and under 5 free. The plantation is at 1235 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, 8 miles from downtown, and parking there is free. Driving yourself adds a rental car or rideshare and about 20 minutes each way over the Ravenel Bridge, so the $71 trip is mainly buying the bus and the bundled planning.
The transfer covers that leg for you.
What Driving Cannot Give You Either
The guided mansion tour, the cabins and the Gullah presentation are all part of general admission, so a self-drive visitor gets the same core content. The listing adds a live tour guide and expert storytellers, which a self-drive visit does not include. Note that Boone Hall closes fully for special events such as the late-January Lowcountry Oyster Festival, and it is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
If you have a car and two or three days, the 2 days in Charleston and 3 days in Charleston plans pair a plantation with free things to do in Charleston such as the Battery or Waterfront Park.
Hour by Hour on the Trip
The listing gives no fixed clock times, so the steps below use phase labels. Check availability at booking for actual start times.
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Before boarding
Check in behind the Visitors Center
Arrive 15 minutes early at the buses behind the main building at the Visitors Center / Charleston Museum, 29403. Show your mobile ticket, no printing needed.
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Departure
Board the climate-controlled bus
Meet your live English-speaking guide and ride from downtown Charleston across to Mount Pleasant, a drive other sources put at about 20 minutes.
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Arrival
Enter through the Avenue of Oaks
The three-quarter-mile corridor of roughly 88 live oaks leads to the plantation grounds at 1235 Long Point Road.
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On site
Guided mansion tour
An expert storyteller leads the guided tour of the historic mansion. The house tour covers the first floor only.
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On site
Self-guided cabin walk
Walk through the nine original slave cabins built between 1790 and 1810, which hold the Black History in America exhibit.
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On site
Live presentation
A knowledgeable guide presents on the experience of enslaved people, and reviewers highlight the Gullah presentation performed by descendants of Gullah people.
-
Return
Return to downtown Charleston
The bus returns you to downtown Charleston at the end of the 4.5 hours. The listing states only round-trip transportation to and from downtown, so plan your own onward travel.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the listing against the other plantation and boat options on this site.
What we genuinely like
- Admission and round-trip bus transport in one $71 ticket, so no rental car needed
- Free cancellation up to 2 hours before departure, one of the most flexible windows in the set
- Live English-speaking guide and a Gullah presentation reviewers single out
- Mobile ticket, rain or shine operation, and a meeting point served by the free DASH trolley
The honest downsides
- Hotel pickup and gratuities are not included, despite sitting in the Includes list on the platform
- No stated departure time, group size, minimum age, wheelchair access or difficulty level
- The mansion tour covers the first floor only
- 4.5 hours is a large block of a day for a plantation that Boone Hall itself says takes about 2 hours for the essentials
Who it's NOT for: Travellers who want a fixed departure time, a small group, hotel pickup or wheelchair access should look at the Wadmalaw small group trip or another Charleston plantation tour.
Questions About This Tour
How much does the Boone Hall Plantation tour cost?
It is $71 per person and includes Boone Hall admission plus round-trip bus transport from downtown Charleston. Standalone adult admission at the gate is $30, so see the price breakdown for the full split.
How long is the trip to Boone Hall?
The listing states 4.5 hours total including transfers, with about 20 minutes of driving each way according to visitor sources. Starting times are not stated in the listing, so check availability for your date.
Is hotel pickup included?
No, hotel pickup is on the not-included list. You check in at the buses behind the Visitors Center, which the free DASH trolley route 210 serves, and the Visitor Center opens daily 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What is included in the ticket?
Boone Hall Plantation admission and round-trip transportation are included, per the operator. That admission covers the mansion tour, the cabins and the Gullah presentation, as the plantation's own page confirms.
Can I cancel this tour?
Yes, free cancellation up to 2 hours before departure for a full refund. Several of the cruises from Charleston use a 24-hour window instead, and the water taxi has all sales final.
How does this compare with the Magnolia Plantation tour?
The Magnolia Plantation tour with coach transport costs $96.30, also runs 4.5 hours, and adds a swamp tram ride, while this Boone Hall trip is $71 and includes the cabins and the Gullah presentation. The Charleston plantation tours page compares all of them side by side.
What can I do after the tour in Mount Pleasant?
Since Boone Hall is in Mount Pleasant, you could stay on that side of the bridge and end the day on the water with the Shem Creek BYOB sunset cruise, which leaves from the Water's Edge dock in the same town.
What Travelers Said
Interesting tour, our guide helped us manage our time at the plantation perfectly so we could fit all the talks into our time there. Highly recommend!
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Boone Hall Plantation, especially the Gullah presentation. It’s amazing that so much culture was passed down through generations and that it’s been preserved.
Our guide Watson was excellent and very friendly. He was on time and gave us a great rundown of the history of Charleston and gave us some great food recommendations as well. The experience at Boone Hall was great as well and all of our speakers were very engaging and informative.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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