Plantations and Kids

My husband and I are planning a trip to Kiawah/Charleston with our three kids (aged 8, 6, and 3) during July. My eight year old son is a history buff who wants to learn about slavery and really see how slaves lived. Does anyone have recommendations for a plantation visit that would be appropriate and interesting for the kids? He really wants to learn about slavery, but I fear something too geared to adults would bore him and his siblings. Thanks for your help.

Plantations and Kids

We visited Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston South Carolina when our sons were around the same age, my oldest son loves history also. We found it very informative and it is a beautiful mansion (I think they filmed some of the epic drama North and South here) the only thing I found disapointing, you could not go visit the second floor of the mansion, our tour guide was informative and they had some slave quarters on site. It is a very educational experience for your children and also very moving, the slave home is probably as large as our bathrooms/laundry rooms today.

Plantations and Kids

Boone Hall is a very nice and historic site so I agree there. Yes, much of North and South was filmed there, as well as dozens of other movies about the war of northern agression.

I%26#39;m impressed that an 8 year old is that interested in slavery! Well, you%26#39;ve picked a great place. Downtown, at the end of Broad St, there is a fantastic museum - it%26#39;s actually pre-civil war but is quite interesting.

At the head of Market St (where it meets King St.) is the old Slave mart, where they used to sell potential slaves to the plantation owners.

On James Island, just outside of the downtown peninsula, is McLeod Plantation, which features a row of about 6-8 old slave quarters that will give you an idea of how they lived.

Of course, there is Middleton Plantation, which is quite famous for it%26#39;s beauty and that it still operates as a working plantation. It%26#39;s a bit pricey (I think it%26#39;s like $35 per adult) but is a very nice place to visit. It has a restaurant on the grounds which is suposed to be very nice.

Throughout the downtown area are great little places that y%26#39;all can visit that will help your son learn. If nothing else, Charleston is full of history, from the Revolutionary War, to the pirate infestation around our sea islands, to the Civil War (sorry about that first little crack I made ;-)), all the way up to WWII with the carrier USS Yorktown.

Speaking of pirates - if you think your son would like a very cool place to eat that is full of pirate memorobilia, try lunch or dinner at Queen Anne%26#39;s Revenge on Daniel Island. Your kids (and y%26#39;all too) will love it!

Dave

Boone Hall (in Mount Pleasant) is a couple of miles from where I live. I went there the first week I moved in. There were kids on the tour, and they really geared it so kids would find it interesting too.

If your son is into history, he might like a guided tour of downtown. I have done lots of the tours (mainly ghost ones) offered in downtown when I had visitors, and I know I have been on a historical one, one detailing the ';seedier'; side of Charleston from eras past, ghost ones, etc. When I went on the historical one, it was seemed geared towards an adult, but I was on the tour by myself..just luck. Thus, if you talk to the groups that offer tours, they may have ideas for you.

FLoski

I just read your post and everything you listed sounds very interesting. OUr children are very interested in history also. We will be traveling with a handicapped individual do you think this would be alot of walking (I guess what I am trying to say is when you visit the slave market can you walk to the museum? The restaurant sounds like it will be a great hit with the kids, do they have a website?

Hi mom!

No, it%26#39;s not that far to walk from the slave mart to the market - it is a nice and beautiful walk that takes you past (but not on) old cobblestone streets and you are very close to the very scenic river area, with a nice view of the Yorktown and you can also see Ft. Sumter. Most everything in the downtown historic area is an easy stroll. The churches in Charleston are so beautiful! I%26#39;m sure y%26#39;all%26#39;s kids would love to take a horse-drawn carriage ride - it%26#39;s really nice.

I wish I could be a tour guide because I really love this city!

As for Queen Anne%26#39;s Revenge, the website is

www.qarevenge.com Not sure why the link isn%26#39;t working.

There is a Hampton Inn next door and it is a really nice area to stay - on Daniel Island. The owner of QAR is also the owner of our Charleston Battery (USL) soccer team and one of the nicest soccer-only fields in America.

I hope all of you who come to Charelston (especially with kids) have a great visit.

Floski

Thank you for the information. We visisted Charleston (the year of hurricane Bonnie, and there was alot going on in the city. The weather channel people were there, etc. We shopped at the Market place, and I enjoyed that so much, the homes are just beautiful we did not spend too much time there because of the weather we drove back to Myrtle Beach (which we had to flee I believe the next day, but came back when all was clear) Anyway, this year we are bringing my parents and my aunt (who is handicapped and I am afraid she will have trouble walking the streets. I would love to take the boys on the carriage ride and visit Fort Sumter. My mother is going to be in awe of the city and my son wants to study at the Culinary School there so seeing the city will be insightful for him also, and my other son wants to study law and I believe there is a Law school there, (it would be great to have both boys in the same area so I could visit them both at the same time as they are only 15 months apart.) I showed my son the clip on the Queen%26#39;s Anne%26#39;s Revenge and we are going to have dinner there, do I need reservations? Thanks again for all your help.

Good morning, Mom

I%26#39;m only too glad to help!

1) I don%26#39;t think you need reservations for QAR. And yes,

they will enjoy it; the food%26#39;s great too! Try the shrimp and

grits - wonderful!

2) Unfortunately, the great culinary school, Johnson and

Wales, has decided to move to Charlotte and (I believe)

next year will be their last graduation year. But, Charlotte

is only just over 2 hours away! There is talk about Trident

Technical College starting up one, though.

Yes, the law school just finished it%26#39;s first year and I read that they were very happy about the inaugural year!

I%26#39;d be happy to answer any more specific questions that I can. Sometimes, it%26#39;s not as easy for a resident to answer questions for guests as we get complacent about our city. I wish my wife enjoyed visiting downtown as much as I do.

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it and I am sure as vacation gets closer I will be chatting with you then if not sooner..

Thanks for all the great advice everybody. You%26#39;ve given me a lot of things to think about. Of course, any additional kid friendly advice is welcome.