While Kiawah Island has plenty of attractions to keep your entire family entertained during your vacation, you may want to add the Charleston Tea Plantation to your “must see” list. Located on historic Wadmalaw Island, this experience is a quick and beautiful drive from Kiawah and certainly won’t disappoint. Who wouldn’t want to visit the only tea plantation in the entire country?!
In the late 1700’s, tea bushes arrived for the first time on American soil. For the next 150 years, there were several attempts to successfully grow and produce tea, but none were successful. In 1888, Dr. Charles Shepard founded the Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville, South Carolina, and American-grown tea became a reality. It wasn’t until 1963 that the tea plants were transplanted from Summerville to Wadmalaw Island. Research was conducted for years on this experimental farm to insure success for the tea plantation. In 1987, when William Barclay Hall purchased the land, the Charleston Tea Plantation was born. The plantation produces both black and green teas on the 127 acre grounds.
During your visit, you can take a tour of America’s only tea factory! You’ll learn how it is made as well as some history about the plantation itself. Best of all, there is no charge for this tour. Want more information? Take a trolley tour. Experience the beauty of the plantation on this 40 minute ride through the grounds, and take a peek at their state of the art greenhouse.
Any gift related to tea can be found in their beautiful, spacious gift shop. Over 65,000 visitors a year come to browse and enjoy the unique items that are offered. Choose from several hundred tea related items, whether it be a unique tea infuser, a tea mug, a tea set, tea towels, or tea serve ware. They also offer a selection of the delicious specialty teas that are produced on site, each made with 100% tea grown on the plantation. You can also sample many of these at the Tea Bar, served daily either hot or iced.
Don’t head back to Kiawah just yet - visit Deep Water Vineyard, also on Wadmalaw, to explore 48 acres of wine-making fun! With daily self-guided tours and tastings as well as private tour options, this is a great way to waste an afternoon! They produce five different wine varieties, all from the muscadine grape, a fruit native to the Southeastern United States.
On your way back to Kiawah, you will pass by one of the oldest and most majestic live oak trees in the entire United States. Can’t say no to that, right? Johns Island is home to the Angel Oak. Drop in on this beautiful tree for a peaceful and humbling experience. Make absolutely sure you have your camera for this stop!
So, while planning your upcoming vacation, make sure to account for a day of exploring what the Lowcountry has to offer just minutes off Kiawah Island. Enjoy your stay!