old plantation tours

Notable Southern Plantation Tours in the United States

History buffs with an interest in the southern part of the United States will enjoy these plantation tours. They offer insight into the history of slave labor, plantation living and how the south evolved into what it is today.

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Oak alley plantation.

Located in Louisiana, Oak Alley Plantation was first a sugar cane plantation started by Valcour Aime, who purchased the property in 1830. He established an enslaved community who worked the plantation. Then in 1836, Jacques Roman acquired the Oak Alley property and began to build his own home on the plantation. Accomplished entirely by slave labor, his home was built in Greek Revival style using bricks made on site and marble shipped in by steamboat to construct the dining-room floor. The self-guided exhibit at Oak Alley focuses on the lives and living conditions of those who were owned and kept on the plantation. Visitors learn about life after emancipation and can stop by the Blacksmith Shop, which acts as a tribute to Louisiana craftsmen and the history of forging metalwork.

Oak Alley Plantation has been the filming site of popular media works, including the 1993 film, Interview With a Vampire, and Beyoncé’s 2006 music video for the song Deja Vu.

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Belle Meade Plantation

What started as a single log cabin is now a plantation located outside of Nashville, Tennessee that serves as an educational resource. Founded by John Harding in 1807, “Belle Meade” translates to mean beautiful meadow in old English and French . It began as a 250-acre property that eventually became a 5,400 thoroughbred horse farm. It had a Greek Revival Mansion, a train station and a rock quarry that supported five generations of owners and their enslaved workers. Today the site retains 34 acres of the original property, including the mansion and original homestead. It is dedicated to the preservation of Tennessee’s Victorian architecture and equestrian history.

Visitors to Belle Meade Plantation enjoy a tour of the property led by trained and costumed guides, who share the history of the mansion, as well as many other historic buildings like a horse stable, carriage house and log cabin. Free wine tasting is offered at the site’s winery after tours, and there is a gift shop and restaurant for visitors as well.

Nottoway Plantation

The south’s largest antebellum mansion is Nottoway Plantation. Located in Louisiana northwest of New Orleans and southwest of Baton Rouge, Nottoway is a Greek and Italianate style mansion full of extravagant features and details. It was completed in 1859 and the construction was commissioned by prestigious sugar planter John Hampton Randolph. The mansion became home to John, his wife Emily Jane, and their 11 children. As a wealthy businessman, John wanted no expense spared when it came to the home’s design. The 53,000 square foot mansion has 64 rooms with features like 22 massive exterior columns, 12 hand carved Italian marble fireplaces, 15 1/2 foot ceilings and a lavish pure white oval ballroom. Modern bathrooms with running water and a gas plant that provided gas lighting throughout the home were also installed per John’s vision.

John’s wish was for the mansion to be a place where he could entertain visitors in extravagant and elegant style. He wanted a home that would be admired by all, seen by river boaters on the Mississippi River or riders on a horse drawn carriage traveling on Great River Road. When you visit Nottoway Plantation today, costumed plantation tour guides take you through the mansion, sharing details of the property’s construction and history. Over the years, Nottoway Plantation went through several different owners and years of decline, but managed to survive the Civil War. This is a testament to the loving care that the mansion has received by those who are determined to keep its history alive.

Pebble Hill Plantation

The original owner of Pebble Hill Plantation in Georgia was Melville Hanna, who acquired the property in 1896. In 1901, he gave the property to his daughter, Kate. She immediately began construction on Pebble Hill, hiring architect Abram Garfield, and was actively involved in the design process. The first building was a log cabin that served as both a school and a playroom for her children. Several of the buildings were neo-classical brick structures that include the Plantation Store, the Pump House, the Waldorf and the Stables Complex.

Kate was a humanitarian who provided many benefits to the employees who worked on the plantation. Over 40 families of employees lived in furnished cottages, the Visiting Nurse Association provided medical services for employees and their families, and two schools were built and maintained for employees’ children in grades 1-7.

After Kate’s death in 1936, her daughter Elisabeth “Pansy” inherited the plantation. She wanted it to become a museum, and in 1956 formed the Pebble Hill Foundation to make the property open to the public. After her death in 1978, the plantation became property of the Pebble Hill Foundation, which maintains and manages the estate today.

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage

Located about 10 miles east of downtown Nashville, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage offers self-guided audio tours and interpreter led tours of the former president’s estate. General admission plantation tours cover over 1,000 acres of farmland that used to be The Hermitage Plantation. The Hermitage was a self-sustaining property that relied on slave labor to produce cotton. President Andrew Jackson and his wife Rachel lived there for several years in the late 1700s. The Jackson family survived on profits made from the crops that the slaves worked every day. When he first bought The Hermitage in 1804, he owned nine African American slaves. At the time of his death in 1845, he owned about 150 slaves who lived and worked on the property.

Although slaves could not legally marry, Jackson encouraged his to form family units. This was a way to discourage slaves from trying to escape, since it would be more difficult for an entire family to safely flee.

Take a plantation tour of the Hermitage to walk through the mansion, the exhibit gallery and the grounds, where both President Jackson and his wife are laid to rest. Costumed tour guides will share the detailed history of the Jackson family, the plantation and the buildings and original belongings that remain on the property.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Back in 1676, Thomas Drayton and his wife Ann established the Magnolia Plantation along the Ashley River in South Carolina . The couple were the first in a line of Magnolia family ownership that has lasted for more than 300 years. During the Colonial era, the plantation saw immense growth due to the cultivation of rice. Once the American Revolution began, troops occupied the land and Drayton, along with his sons, became soldiers fighting the British. In 1825, Thomas Drayton’s great grandson willed the estate to his daughter’s sons, since he had no male heirs to leave the property to. One of the sons died of a gunshot wound, leaving the second brother a wealthy plantation owner at the age of 22. The American Civil War threatened the welfare of the Drayton family, the house and the gardens on the plantation. But the plantation recovered and saw additional growth of the gardens, which became the focus. The property was saved from ruin when it opened to the public in 1870. The plantation offers half-hour long guided tours taking visitors through the Drayton family home – the third in more than three centuries – and gives a glimpse of what plantation life was like in the 19th century onward. There are 10 rooms open to the public, furnished with antiques, quilts and Drayton family heirlooms. More than five years ago, Magnolia’s Cabin Project started as an effort to preserve five structures on the property that date back to 1850. The structures are former slave dwellings that are now the focal point for a 45-minute program in African American history .

Destrehan Plantation

The Destrehan Plantation in Louisiana was established in 1787. It is located 25 miles from downtown New Orleans. It was the home of successful sugar producers Marie Celeste Robin de Logny and her husband, Jean Noel Destrehan. By 1804, 59 enslaved workers inhabited the property, producing over 203,ooo pounds of sugar. The Destrehan Plantation was the site where one of the three trials following the 1811 Slave Revolt took place. It was led by Charles Deslondes, and was one of the largest slave revolts in U.S. history.

Visitors can tour the restored plantation, which is surrounded by lush greenery and looks over the Mississippi River. Stories of the Destrehan family and those who were enslaved are shared through guided tours, which also feature historic exhibits and the opportunity to participate in period demonstrations. Plantation tours also include access to the Jefferson Room, which displays an authentic document signed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

San Francisco Plantation House

Considered the most opulent plantation house in North America, the San Francisco Plantation House is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River, about 40 minutes outside of New Orleans. In the early 1800s, Elisee Rillieux sold the land that later became the San Francisco Plantation House to Edmond Bozonier Marmillion and Eugene Lartigue, profiting $50,000. Edmond was in debt, despite being a successful crops planter. His financial problems stayed with him for the 26 years he owned the property. He continued to acquire slaves and purchase land, but didn’t make investments in sugar machinery.

The plantation was prosperous for a while in the mid-1800s, but in 1853, Edmond hired expert builders and skilled slaves to convert the plantation into a prestigious residence for his sons. Valsin and Charles were the only two of Edmond’s and his wife Antoinette’s eight children who didn’t die from tuberculosis, the same disease that killed Antoinette in 1834. The main construction on the house was completed two years later and Edmond then hired artists to create hand painted ceilings, painted door panels, faux marbling and faux wood graining throughout the home.

When Edmond passed away in 1856, his son Valsin took over the plantation. In 1859, he tried to sell the estate, but wasn’t able to due to a legal conflict involving his sister-in-law, Zoe Luminais. When the conflict was resolved in 1861, war and reconstruction prevented the possibility of sale for 15 years. Valsin died in 1871, and in 1879, Achille D. Bougere purchased the property for $50,000.

Guided plantation tours are conducted by professional costumed guides who take visitors through the colorful plantation, exploring a slave cabin, a one room school house, and the property, which was restored in both 1970 and 2014. Blacksmithing and demonstrations also take place on the property, where you’ll find a gift store as well.

James Madison’s Montpelier

Ambrose Madison, a planter and slaveholder in Virginia, along with his wife Frances and their three children, arrived in 1732 to a plantation they called Mount Pleasant. One of Ambrose’s grandchildren, James, spent his early childhood at Mount Pleasant while construction began on a brick Georgian house that would later become the center of James Madison’s Montpelier .

It was on this very land that James Madison contemplated ideas and shaped the United States as the country’s fourth president. With 2,650 acres of horse pastures, rolling hills and scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, James Madison’s Montpelier offers insight into the Madison family history, and provides a deeper look into James Madison’s presidency . Just behind Mount Pleasant is the Madison Family Cemetery, where both James and Dolley Madison are buried.

Exhibits on the property include the 1910 Train Depot, which explores the African American struggle for civil rights . It opened in 2010 and is a permanent exhibit on the plantation. There’s also The Mere Distinction of Colour, which allows visitors to hear the stories of those who were enslaved at Montpelier, as told by their descendants. It recounts the events that took place at the Madison’s home, as well as the South Yard of the property, where the slaves lived and worked. The exhibition also explores how the legacy of slavery impacts race relations and human rights in modern America.

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An Ethical Guide to Plantation Tours

By Sarah Enelow-Snyder

Wormsloe is often cited as one of Savannah’s top attractions. A quick internet search describes it as a state park, famous for its avenue of oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, under which visitors line up to take pictures and even get married. Tripadvisor reviews call it “breathtaking,” “magical,” and “like a fairy tale.” You'd never know Wormsloe was actually a plantation that ran on the labor of enslaved people.

Many travelers approach plantations, a cornerstone of tourism in the South, as they would parks, museums, or historical sites: a beautiful place to learn something about local history before having a cocktail or going out to dinner. But plantations need to be experienced differently. Black people were enslaved, raped, tortured, and killed for hundreds of years on these lands. They are America’s concentration camps.

Rather than shy away from the painful truth, plantations must expose it. They are a vital educational resource with which to combat modern-day racism.

The institution of slavery “translates into virtually every kind of social and economic racial disparity that you might think of today in terms of education, net worth, health, and mortality,” says Bernard Powers, director of the Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston and consultant with Middleton Place plantation. “It’s one thing to hear that. It’s another thing to go to a plantation site where you can see where the deed was done, see the implements of oppression, see the chains.”

Plantations are uniquely equipped to offer such an impactful, immersive experience. If such tours no longer existed, Powers says, “we would be far closer to developing an amnesia about what happened in the past, and the way in which the past continues to dog us in the present.” 

Visitors are surprised to hear from Toby Smith, the lead interpretive aide at Charleston ’s McLeod Plantation , that the descendants of people enslaved at McLeod continued to live there, occupying huts without running water, until 1990. “It begins to sink in how very recent this is,” she says. McLeod’s Black visitorship rose after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, though Black and white visitors alike are “looking for answers.”

Some people don't want to hear about slavery when they're “on vacation,” says Brigette Janea Jones, former director of African American studies at Nashville’s Belle Meade plantation. But the experience can be life-changing. 

“For many people, they leave feeling much better than they came, that they faced their fears,” Smith says. However, plantation tours vary tremendously, which poses a problem for travelers as they try to choose which one to visit. Some plantations celebrate the white slave-owning family and the upper-class furnishings of the big house with no mention of the atrocities that occurred there. Others are dedicated to honoring the lives of enslaved people, or are imperfectly working toward that goal.

This quandary also applies to historic houses, colonial attractions, and other slavery-era sites that functioned like plantations, but perhaps don’t look like them at first glance. Savannah’s Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters is one of the oldest examples of urban enslaved people’s housing in the South—but it was only in 2018 that “slave quarters” was added to its official name. Because of that, and its city setting, most visitors don’t view it as a plantation, says Bri Salley, marketing and communications manager for Telfair Museums, whose properties include Owens-Thomas. Visitors come primarily to learn about architecture and decorative arts, but receive an education on slavery too, hearing letters from enslaved people about their experience as cooks and groundskeepers.

With so many different types of plantations out there, with ranging emphasis on the history of enslaved people, we’ve created this guide to help travelers navigate their decision-making process. Here are some considerations for your next trip.

Take plantation tours that center Black voices

An exhibit inside the church at Whitney Plantation, in Louisiana

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Look for plantations that focus heavily on the lives of enslaved people and tell their first-person stories, but more than that, look for plantations that employ Black historians, tours guides, and administrators. Avoid whitewashed storytelling that aims to make the experience more palatable, like tours that revolve around the slave-owning family and the luxurious furnishings of the big house.

Brigette Janea Jones is a fifth-generation Tennessean whose family was enslaved in Tennessee, and she led a Journey to Jubilee tour during her time at Belle Meade plantation, a tour that focused on the lives of enslaved people. She recited narratives recorded from enslaved people, whom she viewed as her own family, and the experience was very emotional for her. Journey to Jubilee began as an exhibit in 2007, but “grew like wildfire” once the tour launched in 2018, and there was a subsequent push not to have such segregated tours as they had been operating before she launched this program.

Jones says part of the solution was to put more Black artifacts, like portraits of enslaved people, inside the big house to acknowledge their role there, instead of regarding it as a purely white space. “White people can do this work,” says Jones about curating an experience that amplifies Black voices. “But Black people should be doing it.”

Avoid plantations that host weddings

When Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds had their 2012 wedding at Boone Hall Plantation, in South Carolina, activists sounded the alarm on the decision. Since weddings are a reliable source of revenue, many plantations are reluctant to give it up, but the practice is both inappropriate and disrespectful, drawing parallels to throwing a birthday party at Auschwitz. Similarly, avoid plantations that promote honeymoon packages, girls getaways, or other recreational products that detract from a serious discussion of slavery.

For Pia Spinner, a descendant of people enslaved in Virginia and the education research assistant at Virginia’s Menokin plantation, this practice must stop industrywide. “No more plantation weddings,” she says, adding that while weddings did happen on plantations, those of enslaved people were often done in secret and went unrecognized. Menokin does not host weddings.

While the revenue may be tempting, a different business model is possible, says Joy Banner, director of communications at Whitney Plantation outside New Orleans . Whitney is famous for focusing exclusively on Black lives, and it does not host weddings or other events that detract from this mission. “There is opportunity to be honest and still have a sustainable business,” she says.

Look for the living descendants of enslaved people

Plantations should collaborate with the living descendants of people who were enslaved on the property. Descendants should have a say in how their family stories are told, how the property is managed, and how the organization interacts with the surrounding community.

Joy Banner is not just an employee at Whitney Plantation—she’s also a descendant of people enslaved on that very property, and she says that descendants are a crucial part of fulfilling Whitney’s mission. Besides herself, descendants occupy various other positions within the organization, including as interpreters and front desk staff.

“You’re gonna need to contact the descendant community,” says Janea Jones, advising other curators to collect the oral histories of descendants when developing their historic interpretations. In addition to working with Belle Meade in Nashville , Jones also worked with nearby Rippavilla plantation.

At Middleton Place, living descendants have joined the board of trustees and contributed valuably to the plantation’s storytelling, says Jeff Neale, director of preservation and interpretation. For years Middleton hosted separate reunions for Black and white descendants, until the first integrated one in 2006, a turning point says Neale, who joined Middleton in 2009. “From what I was told, people were a little worried, but it turned out to be an incredible experience.”

Large iron bowls used by enslaved people for boiling and refining sugar cane at Whitney Plantation 

Ask about reparations

It’s ideal, though rare, for a plantation to give reparations to its living descendants, or allow descendants to have a say in how reparations are administered. Some plantations are working toward this, either in the form of direct monetary compensation or bolstering economic activity in the descendant community.

There’s an ongoing discussion at Menokin about compensating descendants, Spinner says. “I truly believe that all sites that want to work with the descendants of the people that they owned and benefitted from should compensate them.” McLeod is also considering compensating descendants, some of whom have visited and given feedback on the experience, says Smith.

“The descendants that contribute to the narrative of a plantation should be compensated,” says Banner of Whitney. “What that compensation looks like should be directed by the descendants.” She says plantations should make some kind of direct payout to descendants, though this has not been instituted at Whitney, and the pandemic put big collaborative projects like this on the back burner.

Direct payouts aside, Whitney has fostered some economic activity for the descendant community. Years ago Banner's sister opened a bakery near Whitney, and after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the business closed. When Whitney opened to the public in 2014 and attracted visitors to the area, the business reopened as Fee-Fo-Lay Café , and it became a place where Whitney visitors could continue their conversations about slavery’s legacy. Descendants starting their own businesses is “the most powerful access that a plantation can give to a descendant community,” Banner says.

Broaden your view of when slavery happened

A view of the big house at McLeod Plantation, in Charleston

The story of slavery is not confined to a 250-year period. Plantation tours should discuss the lives of African people before the transatlantic slave trade, the fact that plantations were built on land taken from Indigenous peoples , and the links between slavery, Jim Crow, mass incarceration, police brutality, and other current events.

For Spinner at Menokin, it’s important to acknowledge the murder and displacement of Native peoples to make way for plantations in the first place. “We do bring up the fact that this is Rappahannock land,” she says, adding that there are ongoing discussions about how to better include the tribe, honor its legacy, and have members use the land—to hold ceremonies, for example.

“Our Native American brothers and sisters were here first,” says Smith of McLeod. On her tours, she also traces enslaved people back to their lives on the African continent. She takes visitors down to Wappoo Creek and goes backward in time, by river to the Port of Charleston, by ocean back to Africa, and that opens up a discussion about the diversity of languages and cultures there. This topic is particularly personal for Smith. When her great-great grandmother was a young girl, she was taken away from her family in what is now Ghana, and brought to the United States. Smith says she mourned this familial loss. “Tell the story of who they were before they were captured,” she says. “America only knows Black people as captured.”

Last but not least, it’s crucial to connect the past to the present. Plantations should explain how slavery gave way to rampant lynchings during the Jim Crow era, alongside which police brutality flourished, long before the Black Lives Matter movement of today. During this time, countless George Floyds were killed, many of whose deaths did not spark nationwide protests.

Honest storytelling is fundamental to this entire effort, says Banner of Whitney. “If we are true to what the plantation was about, the difficulty of the labor that was involved, the system of slavery that kept people in prison on this land, rather than treating it like it’s this beautiful southern resort that was just magical for everybody, then we will be able to contribute a huge amount of progress toward racial healing.”

For more information

Whitney Plantation: 5099 Louisiana Highway 18, Edgard, LA 70049; whitneyplantation.org McLeod Plantation: 325 Country Club Drive, Charleston, SC 29412; https://ccprc.com/1447/McLeod-Plantation-Historic-Site Menokin Plantation: 4037 Menokin Road, Warsaw, Virginia 22572; menokin.org

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Plantation homes of the Deep South

• The Deep South

By USA Specialist Carla

Almost everywhere you go in the Deep South, history calls. You hear it in the jazz, blues and soul music that drifts from bars — genres that began in the fields of the sugar plantations. You smell and taste it in the Creole food, which blends the many cultures that settled here. And you see it in the architecture, from antebellum mansions to New Orleans’s French Quarter.

I find it’s impossible to appreciate the modern day here without looking back to the region’s roots. One of the surest ways of doing this is by visiting a plantation. While many that are open to the public brush over their role in the slave trade, others face the past head on. Visiting gives you a rounded view of the region and a renewed understanding of its character today.

How to fit plantation visits into a wider trip

It’s easy to plan a plantation visit (or several) as part of a wider self-drive trip through the Deep South . I recommend driving north to south so you can visit Memphis ’s National Civil Rights Museum first, which helps to set the scene. Most plantations are clustered along a stretch of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. You could stop at one or two of them en route to New Orleans , or visit on a day trip from the city. Another option is to stay overnight at one, which gives you a chance to explore Plantation Country in more depth.

Alternatively, you could visit plantations on a self-drive trip through South Carolina that focuses on the state’s history.

Which plantations to visit in the Deep South: our recommendations

Whitney plantation, visit for: an in-depth look at slavery.

Established in 1752, Whitney Plantation is by far the best plantation in the region for confronting its history of slavery. Its museum focuses solely on the lives of the 350 enslaved people who were forced to live and work on its land for more than a century.

I find the level of research and curation the current owners have undertaken staggering: you’ll find exhibits detailing first-hand accounts from enslaved people, photographs and original items from the time, and poignant memorials.

You can visit the property’s two self-guided exhibits, one of which changes regularly while the other focuses on slavery across Louisiana. I also recommend joining an hour-and-a-half tour led by one of the plantation’s guides, who each have in-depth knowledge of its history.

As well as showing you the main house (which is traditionally known as the ‘Big House’), built in 1790, your guide will lead you to the original enslaved peoples' cabins and historic outbuildings, including a freedmen’s church where you can learn about enslaved peoples’ spirituality. You’ll also find out more about the slave revolt that occurred in the region in 1811, marked by a memorial featuring sculpted heads impaled on pikes.

While things like this were disturbing to see, I also found it refreshing that the plantation had gone to great lengths to show the reality that enslaved people faced — something many others try to hide.

Laura Plantation

Visit for: an insight into the lives of plantation owners.

Originally owned by a French-Creole family, the Duparcs, Laura Plantation was established in 1804 and is still set among sugar-cane fields today. Its Big House has a distinctive Creole style, painted in shades of red, green, ocher and gray, with a balcony running along its entire width.

I found the tour guides here exceptional, bringing the stories of the people who lived here to life in their Southern drawl. While there’s a detailed exhibit about slavery on the plantation, complete with photographs, personal biographies and documents related to those enslaved here, the tour mainly focuses on the Duparc family.

The diary of Laura Duparc-Locoul, who was born in 1861 and raised on the plantation, was discovered some years after her death. It paints a vivid picture of plantation life, and it’s around this that the tour is based. Her memoirs detail everything from everyday occurrences to family feuds and affairs with enslaved people.

Taking the 80-minute tour is almost like seeing the plantation through Laura’s eyes. You’ll explore the restored rooms of the Big House, walk through three of its gardens and see some of the historic outhouses within the grounds. Your guide will also show you inside one of the slave cabins, built in the 1840s, where the contrast between rich and poor is most striking.

Oak Alley Plantation

Visit for: beautiful grounds and a one-off stay.

Used as a filming location for several movies and TV shows, Oak Alley is the most familiar of the South’s plantations. Its grand antebellum mansion is framed by an avenue of oak trees, which curve inwards to form a tunnel leading to the house’s dazzling white columns and shuttered windows.

While admittedly the tour here isn’t the best, with guides sometimes downplaying the role of slavery, it does give you the opportunity to look around one of the area’s most attractive mansions for an insight into the lives of the wealthy.

For me, the highlight of visiting Oak Alley is exploring its extensive grounds. You can stroll through its 1920s formal garden and find a peaceful spot to yourself among its wide green pastures dotted with oaks.

Make the most of the grounds by staying overnight in one of the plantation’s cottages. Some have stood for more than a century, others are more modern, but all provide a comfortable and unusual base for the night. And, you’ll have access to the property’s grounds after other visitors have left.

While Oak Alley’s restaurant is open for breakfast, come evening there’ll be no staff, though you can arrange for a light dinner to be left in your cottage ready for your arrival (or stop by one of the restaurants en route to the plantation).

Start planning your trip to the Deep South

Discovering the Deep South

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Luxury Georgia & the Carolinas self-drive tour

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Start thinking about your experience. These itineraries are simply suggestions for how you could enjoy some of the same experiences as our specialists. They’re just for inspiration, because your trip will be created around your particular tastes.

Further reading

• Exploring Georgia and the Carolinas
• Music culture of the Deep South
• Luxury vacations in the Deep South
• Exploring the Deep South: Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee
• A New Orleans food guide

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11 Remarkable Southern Plantation Tours in the US

With their architecture and remarkable gardens, historic Southern plantation homes are full of old-world charm and beauty. But more importantly, they have rich stories to tell because they played significant roles in our nation’s history. Today, it’s hard to believe, but more than 50,000 plantations operated during the antebellum period.

The economy of the 17th- and 18th-century American South was due to an insatiable demand for cotton, indigo, rice, and tobacco. Though most of them folded after the abolition of slavery, many of these magnificent properties on which this economy was built still exist and are rich in history.

Most of the plantations you can visit today are located in the Deep South, including South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. The ones open to visitors tend to be more impressive and often managed by state historical societies or parks programs. If experiencing the storied history and architectural beauty of a southern plantation home is in your future, then these 11 Significant Southern Plantation Tours in America should not be missed!

Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, LA

This plantation was first a sugar cane plantation started by Valcour Aime, who purchased the property in 1830. He established an enslaved community that worked the plantation. But in 1836, Jacques Roman bought the Oak Alley property and began to build his own home on the lot.

Accomplished entirely by slave labor, his house was built in Greek Revival style using bricks made on-site and marble shipped in by steamboat. The self-guided tour at Oak Alley centers on the lives and living conditions of those who were owned and kept on this plantation.

While visiting, learn about life after emancipation and stop by the Blacksmith Shop, which pays tribute to Louisiana artisans and the history of forging metalwork. This plantation can be found in the 1993 film, Interview With a Vampire and Beyoncé’s 2006 music video for Deja Vu.

Belle Meade Plantation, Belle Meade, TN

What started as a simple log cabin is now a plantation outside of Nashville that serves as an educational source. Established by John Harding in 1807, “Belle Meade” translates to mean beautiful meadow in old English and French. What started as a 250-acre property would become a 5,300-acre farm that raised thoroughbred horses.

Besides a Greek Revival Mansion, it had a train station and a rock quarry and raised five generations of owners with their enslaved workers. Today the site maintains 34 acres of the original property, including the mansion and original home. It is dedicated to the conservation of Tennessee’s Victorian architecture and equestrian history.

Visitors can enjoy a tour of the property led by trained and costumed guides, who share the mansion’s history and other historic buildings like a carriage house, horse stable, and log cabin. Free wine tasting is offered at the location’s winery after tours, and there is a gift shop and restaurant for visitors.

Shirley Plantation, Charles City, VA

This location remains a working plantation and privately-owned home to this day. This is the country’s first plantation built in 1613, only six years after English settlers founded Jamestown. The “Great House” was styled initially in Anglo-Dutch architecture through continuous efforts and additions with mixed styles, creating a charismatic aesthetic.

The Hill family has been living on the property for 11 generations, keeping the estate in beautiful, restored condition. You can learn about the amazing women who kept the farm operating during the Civil War and saved it from falling by caring for wounded Union soldiers.

Tours highlight the history of the plantation, including the role of religion in colonial America, colonial education, the history of the Hill family, and the effects of the Civil War and Civil Rights against the plantation. A new slavery exhibit has also been built in the original 18th-century outbuilding.

Nottoway Plantation, White Castle, LA

This is the south’s biggest antebellum mansion. Located northwest of New Orleans and southwest of Baton Rouge, Nottoway is a Greek and Italian-style mansion full of luxurious features and details. Over the years, Nottoway Plantation went through several different owners and years of decline but managed to survive the Civil War.

It was completed in 1859 by prestigious sugar planter John Hampton Randolph. As a wealthy businessman, he wanted no expense spared when it came to the home’s design. The 53,000sqft mansion has 64 rooms with 22 massive exterior columns, 12 hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces, 15ft ceilings, and a lavish pure white oval ballroom. He also installed modern bathrooms with running water and gas lighting throughout the home.

He wanted a home that would be seen by river boaters on the Mississippi River or riders on a horse-drawn carriage traveling on Great River Road. When you visit today, costumed tour guides take you through the mansion, sharing details of the property’s history.

Sherwood Forest, Charles City, VA

This location is unique because it’s the only private home to be owned by two presidents. William Henry Harrison purchased the house under the name “Walnut Grove.” After his death, his successor John Tyler purchased the plantation in 1842, renaming it Sherwood Forest to show his outlaw position in the Whig party. He lived in the house from the time he left the office until he died in 1862.

The Tyler family has continued living here since then, keeping the house in excellent condition. The property is open for tours daily between 9 am and 5 pm. Only 30 minutes from Williamsburg, Sherwood Forest is a Greek Revivalist wonder with 25 acres of gardens, woodlands, and outbuildings both original and reconstructed.

Visit the gardens once used by Civil War troops and even learn about the ghost, the “Gray Lady,” who has allegedly haunted the Gray Room for the past 200 years, rocking back and forth in her rocking chair.

Pebble Hill Plantation, Thomasville, GA

Melville Hanna, who obtained the property in 1896, gave the estate to his daughter, Kate, in 1901, and she immediately began construction on Pebble Hill, being actively involved in its design process. She first built a log cabin that served as a school and a playroom for her children.

She then continued with neo-classical brick structures like the Plantation Store, the Waldorf, the Pump House, and the Stables Complex. Kate being a humanitarian, provided many benefits to the 40 employees who worked on the plantation. The Visiting Nurse Association offered medical services for employees and their families, and two schools were built and maintained for employees’ children.

After Kate died in 1936, her daughter Elisabeth inherited the plantation and turned it into a museum. Finally, in 1956 the Pebble Hill Foundation made the property open to the public, and they maintain and manage the estate today.

Whitney Plantation, Edgard, LA

This historical complex, which includes 12 structures, was initially called the Habitation Haydel. The Spanish Creole-style main dwelling and its surrounding buildings were built by slaves under the owner, German immigrant Ambrose Heidel, in 1752.

This plantation stands as a memorial to the slaves sacrificed on the property and others like it. The Field of Angels especially is a section of the slave memorial site, dedicated to 2,200 Louisiana slave children who died before they were three. Ultimately, thirty-nine children died at Whitney between 1823-1863, only six of which made it to five years old.

Also dedicated to the slaves of Whitney, you’ll find the Slave Quarters site. You won’t find the original buildings here because the previous owners advocated for their removal in an attempt to raise property values. The ones that stand were moved from other plantations, supporting the authenticity and educational value of the site.

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, Hermitage, TN

The President and his wife lived here for years, living off profits made from the crops that slaves worked daily. When he initially bought The Hermitage in 1804, Jackson owned nine African American slaves, and by the time he passed away in 1845, he owned 150 slaves who lived and worked on the property.

Tours here cover over 1,000 acres of farmland that used to be The Hermitage Plantation. It was a self-sustaining property, relying on slave labor to produce cotton. Although slaves could not legally wed, Jackson encouraged them to form family units to discourage slaves from escaping since it would be more difficult for an entire family to flee safely.

Take a tour of the Hermitage and walk through the mansion and its grounds, where President Jackson and his wife are buried. Costumed tour guides share a detailed history of the Jackson family, the plantation, its buildings, and original belongings that have survived on the property.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC

In 1676, Thomas Drayton, with his wife Ann, the first in the Magnolia family line that lasted for more than 300 years, established the Magnolia Plantation along the Ashley River. During the Colonial era, the plantation saw immense growth due to the cultivation of rice.

But once the American Revolution began, troops occupied the land, and Drayton and his sons became soldiers fighting the British. The American Civil War threatened the welfare of the Drayton family, the house, and the gardens, but the plantation recovered and saw additional growth of the gardens, which became the focus.

The property was saved from ruin by opening to the public and now offers guided tours taking visitors through the Drayton family home and gives a glimpse of what plantation life was like in the 19th century. This includes ten rooms that are open to the public, furnished with antiques, quilts, and Drayton family heirlooms.

Destrehan Plantation, Destrehan, LA

This Plantation in Louisiana was built in 1787 and is located 25 miles away from downtown New Orleans. It was home to successful sugar producers Marie Celeste Robin de Logny and Jean Noel Destrehan. By 1804, fifty-nine enslaved workers lived on the property, producing over 203,000 pounds of sugar.

This plantation is where one of the three trials after the 1811 Slave Revolt took place. Led by Charles Deslondes, it was one of the most significant slave revolts in US history. Visitors can tour the restored plantation, encircled by lush greenery, that looks over the Mississippi River.

Stories of the Destrehan family and those enslaved are shared through guided tours, which also feature historical exhibits and opportunities to participate in period demonstrations. Tours also include access to the Jefferson Room, displaying an authentic document signed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

James Madison’s Montpelier, Montpelier Station, VA

Ambrose Madison, a slaveholder in Virginia, and his wife Frances and children arrived in 1732 at a plantation they named Mount Pleasant. James, the grandson of Ambrose, spent his early childhood here while construction on a brick Georgian house began that would later become the center of James Madison’s Montpelier.

This is the land where James Madison thought up ideas and shaped the US as the country’s 4th president. With 2,650 acres of rolling hills, horse pastures, and scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Montpelier offers insight into the Madison family history and provides a deeper look into Madison’s presidency. Exhibits on the grounds include the 1910 Train Depot, exploring the African American struggle for civil rights.

There’s also The Mere Distinction of Colour, allowing visitors to hear the stories of enslaved people at Montpelier, as told by their descendants. It recounts the events at Madison’s home and the South Yard of the land, where slaves lived and worked. The exhibition even explores how the legacy of slavery impacts race and human rights in modern America.

Speaking of tours in the US… There are plenty of them and we have some awesome estate tours to show!

Ricarda is our very definition of a wanderer. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, she’s on a race to see and experience as much of the world as possible. She packed up her life one day and has been traveling by RV ever since, scouring the states to discover the many stunning views the US has to offer! Lucky for us, she’s also one of our senior writers so we get access to a lot of worth-telling insights about her amazing adventures.

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Oak Alley Plantation

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A powerful testimony to the rich history of the antebellum south, Oak Alley invites visitors to explore all facets of her plantation past.  The Slavery at Oak Alley exhibit, Civil War exhibit, Sugarcane Theater and Big House offer an experience as compelling as the plantation’s 25 historic acres and 300 year old allee of oaks. 

Other plantations in our area:

Laura Plantation A sugarcane plantation built in 1805, 12 standing buildings on the National Register.

Houmas House Plantation An 1840 Greek Revival mansion, surrounded by colorful and romantic gardens.

San Francisco Plantation A galleried house in the Creole open suite-style, old Live Oaks and fine antiques.

St. Joseph Plantation A Louisiana Sugar Cane Plantation. Take a walk through time as you enjoy a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the many interesting people who have called this plantation "Home."

Nottoway Plantation Greek Revival architecture, completed in 1859, stands overlooking the Mississippi River.

Evergreen Plantation Evergreen is the most intact plantation complex in the South with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including 22 slave cabins.

Destrehan Plantation The oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley.

Bocage Plantation Steeped in history with ties to Christopher Columbus, early colonization, and the Louisiana Purchase.

• Whitney Plantation   Through museum exhibits, memorial artwork, restored buildings and hundreds of first-person slave narratives, visitors to will gain a unique perspective on the lives of Louisiana's enslaved people.    

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Beautiful mansions along the banks of the mississippi river take visitors back in time.

The Antebellum south comes to life at the many plantations that line the Mississippi River, a throwback to the city’s agrarian past. Located as close as an hour outside of New Orleans, you can tour these stately mansions and hear stories from all perspectives, from the famous local families that built and owned them to the views of the slaves who worked there. Learn why the kitchens are not part of the main house and find out how residents lived in comfort before air-conditioning. Many of the plantations serve lunch so you can make a day of it or just visit one or two. Some offer overnight accommodations with dinner and breakfast. For a list of tour companies that offer plantation tours see below. For a list of plantations, see here .

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14 Historic Plantations Everyone In Louisiana Must Visit

Kezia Kamenetz

Kezia Kamenetz is a native to southern Louisiana and lives in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans currently. When not writing about all the amazing things to be found in her state, her central passion is dreams and the wisdom they can offer, which you can learn more about by visiting KeziaVida.com

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Are you ready to dive deep into Louisiana history? Think about taking a look at the plantations in Louisiana. There are a huge number of beautiful buildings, luscious gardens, and historic artifacts that also represent some of the darker chapters of Louisiana’s history—such as chattel slavery. Today, these homes are available for tours, exploration and special events This mix of history, remembrance and celebrations make visits to Louisiana’s unique plantation homes a very fascinating way to spend an afternoon.

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Have you ever been to one of these homes? Which one is your favorite? We love to hear your memories of these Only in Louisiana trips!

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Natural Center Tours

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Natural Center Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• (0.01 mi) Hotel Casa del Mar Samara
• (0.10 mi) Villas Kalimba
• (0.05 mi) Samara Tree House Inn
• (0.09 mi) Hostel Matilori
• (0.11 mi) La Mansion Bed & Breakfast
• (0.00 mi) Sub Express & Deli
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Two Weeks in Costa Rica

Travel and Moving Blog

Samara Trails: Exploring the Tropical Dry Forest

• Jenn and Matt
• Activities , Family Travel , Hiking , National Parks & Reserves

16 Comments

The town of Samara in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste region is probably best known for being a chilled-out beach destination. But in the hills above the sand-sprinkled streets is an amazing nature experience waiting to be had. If you are up for some moderately difficult hiking, a visit to Samara Trails’ Werner-Sauter Biological Reserve is an activity you won’t want to miss. In this post, we’ll tell you why this protected swath of tropical dry forest is so important and let you know how to plan your visit.

About the Werner-Sauter Biological Reserve

The Werner-Sauter Biological Reserve is a 140 hectare (346 acre) private reserve that was once a family farm. As was typical for the region, they grew sugarcane and mangoes and also had cattle and horses. During Costa Rica’s environmental movement in the 1970s and 80s, large sections of the country’s rainforest and cloud forest were being protected. Nothing was being done for the tropical dry forest, however. Concerned about the future of this rich and important ecosystem, the family began to turn their working farm back into the natural forest that existed centuries earlier. Some 30 years later, the land is making great progress regenerating and is attracting a plethora of wildlife in the process.   

Today, the family’s next generation has opened up the reserve to visitors. About five years ago, Alvaro Teran, a grandson of the original owners, cut some trails on the property and started Samara Trails . He began offering guided tours about the natural history of the area and the local flora and fauna. Now other guides have joined in to help him. Alvaro also started the Not Gone Yet Project . This is an effort to replace mango trees and other remnants of the old farm with endangered hardwoods native to Costa Rica (more on this at the end of the post).

Our adventure at the Werner-Sauter Reserve began with our guide, Hanzel, enthusiastically jumping out of the van and gathering our small group in a circle. He was working quickly to get us started, trying to beat the heat, which would creep into the mid-90s F (mid-30s C) later in the day. Looking around, there wasn’t anything overly impressive about the surrounding forest. In fact, it looked rather dry and desolate. Leaves littered the ground, and because it was the very end of the dry season (April), many of the trees were naked from the lack of rain.

Within minutes, however, Hanzel was changing everyone’s perspective. Without walking more than a few steps, he pointed out a group of sac-winged bats perched under a thatched roof. These bats, he explained, fed mostly on insects. Minutes later, Hanzel was showing us a family of Pacific-screech Owls, including a baby, hiding in some bamboo.

The tour continued into the woods, eventually up some steep paths to a series of lookouts. Along the way, Hanzel taught us about some of the special trees growing beside the trail. We saw a balsa, used in shipbuilding, and then a rosewood, which is ideal for furniture and instrument making. Hanzel explained that these and other trees are somewhat rare in the area because they had been heavily logged for their lumber over the years.

We also saw a lot of wildlife thanks to our guide’s sharp eyes. Howler monkeys, birds like the Turquioise-browed Motmot and Long-tailed Manakin, and even some sleeping tropical porcupines, were a few of the highlights.

The best part of the fairly difficult hike, in our opinion, was the two viewpoints. The first one appeared to show nothing more than a nice view of the forest below, but we learned something really important. In the distance just beyond the border of the reserve was a gigantic teak tree plantation of almost 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres). These trees, native to India, were set in neat rows with nothing growing in between them. Apparently the leaves of teak are filled with tannins that local fungi and bacteria can’t break down. This essentially creates a stifling blanket of leaves on the ground that prevents any other plant species from growing. Even from far away we could see right through the rows of trees to the ground beneath.

In stark contrast, Hanzel pointed out that the land within the reserve was thick with different layers of vegetation. Many of the taller trees had lost their leaves because of the dry season, but a whole different layer of plants was growing underneath. And it was that shrubby layer that was preventing erosion and providing food and habitat for all the animals we saw. Hanzel then asked us how many porcupines and monkeys we thought lived in the neighboring teak forest, leaving us to ponder the importance of the reserve as we continued up hill.

A few minutes later, we reached the second and final viewpoint. This was the scenic viewpoint that we had been picturing. From 205 meters (672 feet) above sea level, we had a bird’s eye view of the sweeping Pacific Ocean. We could even see the beaches of Samara and Carrillo far below, separated by a wide point. With resting benches and a nice breeze off the ocean, the whole group really enjoyed spending some time at this lookout.

Trail Conditions

The 5.5 km (3.4 mile) hike getting to this point was fairly strenuous. The trails were in good condition during our visit, but there were some rocks, roots, and rustic steps to navigate. We would categorize the hike as moderately difficult, mostly because of the intense heat, but also because there are some steep stretches leading to the viewpoints. In our group, there was a couple in their early 60s, another in their 50s, and Jenn and me with our five-month old in the baby carrier. We all did fine overall, but one of the couples needed to take frequent breaks during the climb up because of the heat. We would recommend this hike only to those who are conditioned for moderate hiking as even an easy hike is fairly difficult in hot weather. Even though it was a tough hike, everyone agreed by the time we made it to the viewpoint that it was well worth the effort.

What to Bring

• Sun protection: A hat and sunscreen. This is especially important during the dry season (December-April) when there isn’t much shade.
• Insect repellant: Even though it was dry during our visit, we did encounter some mosquitoes on the trail. We like natural options like these , but Deet products  and those containing  Picaridin  are also very effective.
• Hiking boots, good gripping sneakers, or hiking sandals like Keens .
• A large bottle of water (1 liter per person recommended) or Camelbak . Samara Trails provides a small bottle of water and drinks for afterwards, but you will need more during the hike.
• The oldest couple was prepared with a pouch of ice and some facecloths to share, which turned out to be a great way to keep baby Sam and everyone else cool. For the rest of our trip, we used our dry bag  as an ice bag, which worked out great because it kept things cooler and didn’t leak.
• Camera and/or Binoculars

Tour Information

Tours are 2-3 hours and can be booked through Samara Trails . They offer a morning (7:00 a.m.) and afternoon (3:00 p.m.) tour, which includes a guide, hotel pickup, and drinks and snacks (we had cookies and fresh fruit).

Price: $40 Adults, $30 Children 12 and under. Minimum of 2 people.

Those wishing to further contribute to the Not Gone Yet reforestation project can do so by buying a Samara Trails T-shirt. The designs are pretty cool and doing so sponsors the planting of a native and endangered tree in your name. T-shirts are available at the Samara Adventure Company tour office in downtown Samara for $30. Alvaro will email you the details about your tree after you make the purchase. Here is a picture of the Ron Ron tree that we sponsored for Sam!

If you are looking for a challenging hike and some nature exploration during your stay in Samara, we highly recommend the Werner-Sauter Biological Reserve through Samara Trails. We learned so much about the tropical dry forest and it really made us appreciate this particular area of Costa Rica even more.

Special thanks to Samara Trails for hosting us on the tour. As always, all opinions are our own.

Have you ever hiked through the tropical dry forest? Let us know what you saw in the comments below.

Looking for more information to help plan your trip read these posts:.

• Packing for Costa Rica – We covered some helpful items you might want for this hike but this post gives you all the essentials for your visit to Costa Rica.
• Costa Rica Wildlife Guides: Our Picks – Are you the type who wants to know specifically what type of monkey or bird you are seeing out on the trail? Check out these carry-along field guides that can slip right into your day pack. 
• A Taste of Costa Rica: 7 Traditional Foods to Try – Costa Rican cuisine can be as diverse as the forest. Check out these seven traditional dishes that you should try on your vacation here.

Related Posts

Going to that part of the world later this year! Still thinking about Costa Rica.. But this sounds great!

You would love Costa Rica, Jacomijn. Definitely a good place to visit for healthy travel with all the fresh fruits and veggies and fun ways to stay active. Samara Trails is definitely a great hike.

We (my husband, me and kids aged 4, 7 and 10) did the hike last year at the end of August, with Alvaro as our guide. Part of the Werner-Sauter Reserve actually runs right behind our house in Samara (not the part on the Samara Trails hike). It was a great way to learn about the local flora and fauna, especially for the kids as we plan (hope) to be making Samara our permanent home in a few years. I’d highly recommend the hike, but agree it’s best for those used to hiking and the extreme heat. My 4 year old managed but did need to ride on her Dad’s shoulders for a bit near the end.

Hi Melanie, Glad your family enjoyed the reserve. That’s impressive that your 4-year old did it; it was kind of a long hike! We loved our time in Samara and can definitely see why you would like to make it your permanent home. Best of luck with your plans!

Do you need to wear pants, or are shorts and short-sleeved shirts appropriate?

Shorts and short-sleeved shirts are fine, especially since it is a hot hike. Just be sure to bring some repellent for your legs. The bugs weren’t bad when we were there but could be depending on the season.

Now that I have read this I am looking forward to hiking this trail. I’ll be in Samara in February 2020. I’ll have all my afternoons and weekends free so, that is going to be something to do during my stay. Do you have other activities that you enjoyed to do there?

Hi Yvette, Sounds great! We would be happy to help arrange this hike for you if you’d like. We are a travel agency. We can also send you some other ideas for tours to do in Samara during your afternoons and weekends. Just reply to this thread if you’d like more information by email and we’ll send it over.

Happy New Year 2020!!!

Please, send me other ideas for tours.

Hi Yvette, We’ll send you an email with ideas soon. Thanks!

We’ll be in Samara for 3 nts next weekend! This hike sounds v interesting. We havent firmed up our schedule there yet but would love your ideas on tours/activities to do in Samara. We will have a car. Gracias!

Hi Robin, Sure! We’ll send you some ideas by email soon. Thanks!

Good morning. My family and I will be visiting this year Christmas through New Years week. Ages ranging from 3 year old to 66! Can you please send me information on the Reserve Hike…..and whatever other tours you would recommend. Thank you. Linda

Hi Linda, Sure, we will email you the info now.

Hi guys, the Samara Trails link shows up as a 404 bad link.

Hi Alfred, They must have been doing site maintenance because it’s working now, but thanks for letting us know!

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Winged Seed

One of the most complete Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the United States, Samara offers national and international visitors rare immersive insight into Wright’s Usonian design philosophy.

Years in the Making

The story of Samara is one of a young couple aspiring to a dream home designed by one of America’s most famous architects. Today, tucked into a quiet neighborhood in West Lafayette, that home is an exceptional example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian houses, which the architect defined as a sensible, modest, uniquely American dwellings.

In 1950, Dr. John and Catherine Christian reached out to Frank Lloyd Wright, who took their commission on the condition that the couple would fully implement his design, inside and out, even if it took years. During a visit to Taliesin, Catherine gave the famous architect a 28-page booklet, “What We Need for How We Live,” detailing the couple’s space needs and how they would use each room—from family gatherings to hosting faculty and students from nearby Purdue University, where Dr. Christian was a Bionucleonics professor.

The Christians worked with Wright over a period of five years (1951-1956) to develop detailed design and construction plans—from landscape and exterior details to specific interior furnishings including china, bed linens, and even the toilet paper holder.

Named for the winged seeds produced by the site’s evergreens, Samara features an abstract version of the winged seed design motif throughout the interior and exterior of the house. Today, Samara is notable as one of the most complete, fully implemented Wright-designed projects.

Indiana Landmarks led a years-long effort to get Samara designated a National Historic Landmark, a distinction it finally earned in 2015.

Today, Indiana Landmarks co-stewards Samara with the John E. Christian Family Memorial Trust. In 2022, Indiana Landmarks launched a comprehensive restoration project to address structural issues and update aging environmental systems to protect the home’s extensive collection of Wright-designed furnishings. The $1.6 million project is funded by a $500,000 Save America’s Treasures grant from the National Park Service, the John E. Christian Family Memorial Trust, Inc., and private donations.

Tours of Samara are offered on a regular basis, Wednesdays through Sundays. Make your reservation below. For additional details, visit samara-house.org .

Samara Tours 2023

Click on available dates (shaded on the calendar) to see tour times.

Frequently asked questions

What time zone is Samara located within? Eastern Time Zone

Does Samara have a visitors’ center? No. We will meet outside the house. Feel free to enjoy the gardens before the tour.

Do I need to buy tickets in advance? Yes. We do not have the ability to welcome walk-in guests. You can make your reservations at samara-house.org/events . Private groups may call 765-409-5522.

How many people can be on a tour? Our maximum number of guests may not exceed 15 people.

When and where do I check-in? Check-in starts 20 minutes before your scheduled time. At the top of the brick driveway, look for a “Welcome” sign under the carport area. We will take your name through an open window.

What should I do if I’m late? Please call our office at 765-409-5522 before your scheduled tour time. Tours will start promptly at the time indicated (Eastern Standard Time) on your ticket. Do not attempt to open any of our historic doors or windows!

What if it is raining? We adapt tours to indoor areas only when raining.  If you would like to tour the grounds on your own, please bring an umbrella.

Does Samara have a gift shop? No. If you would like to further support Samara, we would appreciate donations to enhance our education and preservation programs.

Does Samara have on-site parking? No. However, public parking is available nearby along both sides of Woodland Avenue.

Can I drive on the driveway? No. All vehicles are restricted. Please walk up the brick driveway to access the house. If you have mobility issues, please call our office to arrange driveway access.

Where is Samara? Look for a brick driveway at the dead-end of Woodland Avenue in West Lafayette, Indiana. Our indigo-colored mailbox and gate are labeled 1301.

Can I see Samara from the road? No. The house is hidden from street-view by lush greenery. (Our neighbor’s house is completely visible to the road and has architectural elements reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright, but it is not Samara)

Are restrooms available in Samara? No. We ask that you use a restroom before your visit to the property.

Is photography allowed? Yes. Photography outside and inside the house is encouraged for personal, non-commercial use only. Tripods and drones are prohibited. Photographers may schedule an appointment.

Are food and drinks allowed inside the house? No. Please leave food and drinks outside or in your vehicle. Only water bottles may be permitted inside.

Are backpacks, purses, or bags allowed inside the house? No. Please leave your personal belongings in your vehicle. The house has narrow hallways and small rooms that may be easily scratched by bags.

Is smoking or vaping allowed? No. Smoking or vaping on the property is strictly prohibited.

Are pets allowed on the tour? Certified service pets are always welcome. Please notify us ahead of your visit by calling 765-409-5522. Other pets are not permitted on tours. Also, please note that there is limited shade on our property, and pets should not be left in vehicles while guests are attending tours.

Is Samara wheelchair accessible? No. We are working to make the house accessible, but currently, there are 3 steps required to enter the house. If you have questions about accommodation and access, contact us at [email protected] or 765-409-5522.

Are there many stairs during the tour? No. The tour may include 3 shallow steps in 3 areas of the house. If you need accommodation for a more accessible route, please alert your guide prior to the tour.

Are tickets refundable? Yes. Refund requests must be received at least 7 days in advance of the tour date. If tickets are purchased through Eventbrite, you will receive a partial refund as Eventbrite no longer refunds their fees.

Are tickets transferable? Yes. Transfer requests must be received at least 3 days before the scheduled tour. Tickets may be transferred to a new date and time, depending on availability. There is no fee for ticket transfers.

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20 Plantations You Should Visit in the United States

The complexities of plantation tourism cannot be denied; however, they attract thousands of visitors every year. From history lovers, engaged individuals looking for ideal wedding locations, or anyone who wants to enjoy the seemingly endless nature. Plantations are characterized by beautiful neoclassical mansions, eye-watering alleys, and they stand on acres of lush farmland.

Some famous Southern plantation houses have been featured in movies, and you cannot deny how incredible they look. The plantation system began in the early 17th century after the British were offered large tracts of land for making it to the US after a grueling journey. Most of the settlers inhabited the South, where they combined their vast properties with settlements which eventually became plantations.

The landowners turned to slavery as a source of manpower to maintain their plantations and therefore captured people from Africa and brought them in forced labor . Some plantations— especially the smaller ones have remained private residences while most of the others have become historical sites that tourists can visit.

For a long time, the plantation tour narratives have been all about the furnishings and historical architecture. However, plantations are putting that aside and confronting their dark history in an educational and respectful way. Most people are learning the essence of visiting these plantations to understand and reconcile with the dark side of American History. Whether you are planning a self-drive or a group tour, we have compiled a list of the best plantation tours in the United States. Read on to get an idea of what to expect from 20 of the best plantations in the US.

20. James Madison’s Montpelier - Orange County, Virginia

This historic home covers 2700 acres and is located in Orange County, Virginia . The plantation house was inhabited by James Montpelier, who was the fourth president of the United States, and his wife, Dolley. On this land, James Madison came up with his enduring legacy of a government by the people. The plantation features terrific views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and some vast horse pastures. The property also contains exhibits such as the 1910 Train Depot that looks at the African American struggle for civil rights. The plantation also gives its visitors a detailed account of the stories of enslaved people as told by their descendants.

19. Nottoway Plantation - Iberville Parish, Louisiana

Nottoway Plantation is the largest existing Antebellum Plantation in the South. The Nottoway Plantation covers approximately 31 acres. It features 40 rooms, including two fantastic honeymoon suites, a restaurant that serves Louisiana cuisine, and other fantastic amenities such as tennis courts, gyms, and a hair salon. In 2019, the Plantation was sold to Joseph Jaeger , who owns several New Orleans hotels . During a routine visit to the plantation, you will enjoy costumed tour guides around the mansion as you get a detailed history of the plantation and how it was constructed.

18. Houmas House Plantations - Burnside, Louisiana

One of my friends visited this plantation, and after seeing her photos and those posted on the Houmas House website, I felt obliged to go there myself. Houmas House has appeared in several movies, such as Hush Sweet Charlotte and several TV shows. The residence began as a modest two-story structure in 1774 before undergoing various renovations to its present state. The plantation contains some beautiful gardens that include a magnificent pond with a rare kind of Japanese lily. If you are a foodie, you are certainly not left out. The Houmas House contains three restaurants and is one of the best places to have dinner. If you are seeking an overnight stay, you have the option of booking one of their luxurious cottages as you reminisce on the whole plantation experience.

17. Pebble Hill Plantation - Thomasville, Georgia

If you fancy a trip to Thomasville in South West Georgia, you must visit Pebble Hill Plantation. The 3000-acre plantation has a beautiful house that boasts crystal porcelain furnishings and magnolia-filled grounds with the long leaf pines which are prominent in southwest Georgia. If you get a chance, you should definitely visit this beautiful place. The plantation also has a dog kennel, a historic cemetery, and brick horse stables which take you back to the sporting days of the early 1800s.

16. Destrehan Plantation - Destrehan, Louisiana

Destrehan was established in 1787 and is the oldest antebellum plantation home in the Lower Mississippi Valley. The mansion is built in typical French Colonial style with some elements of Greek Revival architecture. Destrehan Plantation is open seven days a week but remains closed during major holidays from 9 am to 4 pm. The plantation offers guided tours that explain how things were, including the culture, music, and the food.

15. Rose Hill Plantation - Bluffton, South Carolina

Rose Hill was an antebellum plantation home for Dr. John William and his wife. Although it is not clear who the plantation is named after, recent information has suggested that it was named after John Rose, the plantation owner, in the early 1800s. The main house has a Gothic Revival Design, although much of it was damaged by a fire in 1987. The plantation boasts of some majestic oak magnolia trees, exotic wildlife, and extremely lush natural beauty. Social amenities in the plantation include a swimming pool, a large playground, a tennis court, and a golf course.

14. Jarrell Hill Plantation - East Juliette, Georgia

If you want to see what a typical middle-class southern farm looks like, you need to visit this plantation. Jarrell Hill dates back to 1847 and was owned by one family for 147 years. The 600-acre plantation had a total of 42 slaves that worked in the vast cotton fields. The plantation allows you to visit various buildings, including a steam-driven sawmill, slave quarters, and cotton gin that will get you to imagine what life was like on the plantation. The plantation is open from Thursday to Saturday.

***Permanently Closed

13. Linden Plantation - Natchez, Mississippi

Few plantations offer unadulterated beauty, quite like Linden Plantation. The plantation was built in the early 1800s, and it sits on ten acres of beautiful gardens that native animals and plants and beautiful rows of magnolia and Eastern red cedar trees. A tour through the whole plantation takes about one and a half hours, where you will see antique valuables belonging to the original Brabstorm family.

12. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage - Nashville, Tennessee

The Hermitage is the former house of Andrew Jackson, who was the seventh president of the USA. A typical visit to the Hermitage will take you two and a half or three hours, depending on the highlights that suit your needs. A tour around the Hermitage entails a visit to Alfred’s cabin and a visit to the garden where you can see Rachael and Andrew Jackson’s final resting place. You can also visit the mansion, where you will be able to take in the view of the plantation from the stunning Hermitage balcony.

11. Evergreen Plantation - Wallace, Louisiana

The balance between Evergreen Plantation history and slavery is quite impressive. A guided tour will take you through the history of the daily which owned the plantation, which is the most intact plantation in the South. More than 400 individuals occupied the plantation throughout its history, and you can learn about the lives of the slaves who lived in the original 22 slave cabins.

10. Belle Meade Plantation - Belle Meade, Tennessee

A trip to the Belle Meade Plantation usually involves two tours where you hear the history of the plantation, based on real-life experiences from the Harding and Jackson families and the women and children who worked in the plantation. You can also explore the place through a unique guided segway tour through the arboretum and the fields. You can also enjoy a flurry of activities offered to immerse you in the history of Tennessee .

9. Sion Hill Plantation - Havre de Grace, Maryland

Sion Hill Plantation comprises apartments that are built on an old sugarcane plantation. The apartments experience the breeze of the Atlantic Ocean throughout the year, and the old mahogany trees in the expansive agricultural piece of land are breathtaking. Sion Hill’s construction began in 1785, although the progress was a bit slow. The unfinished house was later sold in 1799 to Minerva, who was supposed to marry Commodore John Rodgers. The history of the place is fascinating, and the views are worth the trip.

8. Laura Plantation - Vacherie, Louisiana

The construction of l'Habitation Duparc, which was later renamed Laura Plantation, began in 1804 and was completed in eleven months through the help of highly skilled slaves. The plantation is located some 600 feet north of the River Mississippi and was opened to the public in 1994. It was the first plantation in Louisiana to include the history of the slaves as part of its tour. Here, you will find compelling personal stories about the place passed through the generations. You will also get to see photographs with the faces of the real people who lived there.

7. Glenfield Plantation - Natchez, Mississippi

On 2nd January 1865, Glenfield Plantation was attacked by looters and union soldiers who were determined to take the home. However, the Cannon family fought back and saved their home from invasion. Quite fascinating, right? If you want to experience and discover more about the history of the place, you should definitely visit. The plantation offers Candlelight Ghost Tours at a discounted rate, and it also contains a restaurant with a 24-hour common area.

6. Boone Hall Plantation - Charleston County, South Carolina

This beautiful historic gem is located in Charleston County, South Carolina . It was built in 1681 and is one of the oldest and most photographed plantations in America. From the buildings to the colorful gardens, everything about Boone Hall is a reflection of the colonial style. The plantation offers daily historical talks as well as agricultural and horticultural demonstrations. The plantation has been used to film some Hollywood productions such as North and South, American Idol, and The Notebook.

5. Monmouth Plantation - Natchez, Mississippi

If you are seeking an authentic trip to the south, Monmouth Plantation is a perfect choice. The historic inn gardens in Monmouth were built in 1818 and have been marked as a National Historic Landmark. The plantation features the award-winning restaurant, “Restaurant 1818,” where you can enjoy some fine dining. The 26 gardens in the plantation are beautifully landscaped, and you should expect some gracious hospitality from their amazing staff.

4. Oakland Plantation - Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

Oakland Plantation is one of the most aesthetically pleasing plantations that you will come across. The plantation began as a farming area back in 1785 and has housed eight generations of the French Creole family. The plantation contains sixty historic buildings set within a picturesque landscape. You can visit the Oakland Plantation, which is usually open for self-guided tours every from Wednesday to Sunday. Self-guided tours on the The Oakland main house happen on Saturdays and Sundays.

3. Magnolia Plantation - Charleston County, South Carolina

Magnolia Plantation’s history can be traced to the mid 18th century, although the plantation operations began in 1830. The plantation contains some surviving farming technology that includes cotton picker tractors, cotton gins that are steam and animal-powered, and 21 buildings that demonstrate more history about the site. The 21 buildings, which is unusually high for a plantation, consist of slave quarters, which had 70 cabins for a large number of slaves. There is a cellphone app that can assist you on a self-guided tour of the place. However, the main house is privately owned and therefore not open to the public.

2. Whitney Plantation - Wallace, Louisiana

From my several plantation visits, many plantations water down the history of enslaved people and what actually happened on their property. However, Whitney Plantation focuses on just that. You can take a self-guided tour using an app that will take you through the plantation, where you will get to see the museum, slave quarters, and several memorials. The plantation initially had 20 slaves, and Indigo was the main crop before they switched to sugarcane. The place is very well kept, and the staff are amazing.

1. Oak Alley Plantation - St. James Parish, Louisiana

This plantation derives its name from the great oak trees that line up the driveway as you approach it. Oak Plantation offers unforgettable memories for anyone who makes the trip to this magnificent piece of land. It is one of the most famous and recognizable plantations in the US. A typical tour will take you through the interior rooms of the plantation and an outdoor tour where you can soak in the clean air from century-old oak trees, which are so breathtaking to see. The plantation also has a restaurant, a gift shop, and ready-made sandwiches and snacks. Oak Alley Plantation is a must-visit for anyone looking to explore historic sites in Louisiana.

You can also read

• The 20 Most Peaceful Places to Live in the U.S.
• 20 Apple Orchards You Have to Visit in the U.S.
• The 20 Best Creepy Ghost Towns to Visit in the U.S.
• The Top 10 Farmers Markets in the U.S. To Visit This Summer
• The 20 Most Visited National Parks in The U.S.

Written by  Liz Flynn

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Old River Road   Plantation Adventure

504-671-8687

Plantation tours destrehan - laura - oak alley or whitney , visit a beautiful plantation near new orleans, louisiana. old river road plantation adventure will provide shuttle from downtown new orleans hotels. hotel pickup at 11:30 a.m and is a 6 hr round trip tour. call today or book online and we will see you in new orleans., laura plantation tour.

Includes Transportation from New Orleans French Quarter & Downtown Hotels

Plantation Tour

Available daily at 11:30 a.m.

6 hour tour

In depth guided tour

Oak Alley Plantation Tour

Available MON-SAT at 11:30 a.m.

Whitney Plantation Tour

Includes Transportation from New Orleans French Quarter & Downtown Hotels: closed for tours on Tuesdays

FedExCup Fall update: Sam Ryder solidifies positioning in The Next 10, eyes first TOUR win

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Recent form versus course history.

Those are the two sides of an ongoing debate about which matters more for a PGA TOUR player on any given week.

Sam Ryder has historically struggled at The RSM Classic. He’s missed the cut in five of six starts, and the lone exception was a T61. Ryder is closing out the best season of his PGA TOUR career, however, and his improved play has carried over into this week’s season finale.

Ryder is in second place after The RSM Classic's first two rounds, shooting 67-65 to sit one back of leader Ludvig Åberg. Ryder’s strong play this week could have big ramifications.

The six-year veteran is seeking his first PGA TOUR victory after several close calls; his seven top-three finishes on TOUR include two runners-up. This also will be the first season he finishes in the top 100 of the FedExCup standings. He entered this week ranked 60th on the FedExCup Fall.

He holds the final spot in The Next 10 for two of 2024’s early Signature Events. To reward strong performers from the FedExCup Fall, Nos. 51-60 after this week will earn spots in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational. A win this week would qualify Ryder for the season’s first Signature Event, The Sentry, as well.

Ryder was 3 under for his first 14 holes Friday before finishing birdie-birdie-eagle on Sea Island’s Plantation Course to shoot a 65 that matched the low round of the day on that course. He hit a 255-yard 3-iron onto the green before jarring a 50-foot eagle putt on the Plantation Course’s par-5 finisher.

Ryder said The Next 10 has been his biggest motivation in his five starts in the FedExCup Fall.

“That's really what's propelled me through the Fall,” Ryder said. “That's been my goal since I finished, because I made the Playoffs, made it to Memphis (for the FedEx St. Jude Classic) and fell a little short and didn't make it to … the BMW.

“I feel like it's just going to be a really good way to start the year if you can get into a couple of those big events early.”

Ryder was 61st in the FedExCup standings at the conclusion of the Playoffs. The top 50 qualified for the BMW Championship and clinched their spots in all eight of next season’s Signature Events, the limited-field tournaments that will feature the top players on TOUR.

Ryder is currently projected to move to 53rd in the FedExCup Fall. More importantly, his first PGA TOUR win is within reach. Ryder, 33, is making his 172nd TOUR start this week.

He arrived at Sea Island having made eight consecutive cuts, including three top-15 finishes. He finished T7 at the 3M Open in July and is coming off a T10 in his most recent start, at the World Wide Technology Championship two weeks ago.

“I've been swinging well for the past month-plus now, have the confidence coming in,” he said. He’s playing well enough to overcome his history at The RSM Classic, and to earn his way into the TOUR’s elite events.

Top 125 watch

Maverick McNealy played the last six holes of Friday’s round at Sea Island’s Plantation Course in 4 under, including a birdie and eagle on the final two holes to put the cut line in his rearview mirror. McNealy entered the week at No. 127 in the FedExCup Fall standings. By making the cut, he has the chance to play his way into the top 125 He was projected to move to No. 121 in the standings after Friday’s round.

“The one hole that is a difference maker for me was making birdie on 13,” McNealy said after his round. “I was really looking forward to just competing this week and I sharpened up some things in my game. My body feels better. I was excited to just figure it out and that's exactly what the last two days made me do.”

McNealy would be a prime candidate to earn a medical extension after missing several months with a shoulder injury. He returned to the TOUR at the World Wide Technology Championship two weeks ago, missing the cut. Though the extension gives him something to fall back on going into 2024, the chance to finish in the top 125 after the season’s conclusion and secure his PGA TOUR card was extra motivation for the 28-year-old. His final stretch on Friday gave him the chance to do so, putting him in contention for the weekend and allowing him the chance to fight for full status on the PGA TOUR as he continues his post-injury return to form.

Patton Kizzire also saw a glimmer of hope illuminated by his final stretch of the day. He was one shot outside the cut line when he arrived at his second-to-last hole of the day. Having struggled with his putter and coming into this week outside the coveted top 125 in the FedExCup Fall, Kizzire put the pieces together just in time, birdieing his final two holes to make the cut and keep his hopes of a PGA TOUR card for next season alive. No stranger to the bubble, Kizzire has adopted a new mentality, one that helped him keep his composure coming down the stretch as the potential for full-status in 2024 dangled in front of him.

“I certainly have put a lot of emphasis on golf my entire life,” Patton said after his round. “It's pretty much consumed me, but I'm learning. I realize it's not life or death, and I have to remind myself of that occasionally. … Life's funny. Some people learn at different times and golf is really important, but it's not the most important thing. So that's kind of come to me in the last several years.”

Signature Event watch

Ludvig Åberg capitalized on a banner year including a Ryder Cup appearance and a DP World Tour victory (Omega European Masters), but some more potential accolades surfaced when he finished Friday with a 5-under 65 and the 36-hole lead at The RSM Classic. Åberg is in sight of his first PGA TOUR victory a mere five months after gaining his TOUR card via PGA TOUR University in June, but his positioning after Friday also jumped him 41 spots in the FedExCup Fall (96 to 55) and into The Next 10. The players who finish Nos. 51-60 in the FedExCup Fall standings at the end of the week will earn exemptions into two Signature Events – the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.

Despite opening with three straight birdies Friday on Plantation, J.J. Spaun closed his back nine with a double bogey and went 1 over on the back to make the cut on the number and bump out of The Next 10. Entering the final event of the season barely inside The Next 10, Spaun now sits at No. 62 heading into the weekend.

Other Movers

Two-time PGA TOUR winner Troy Merritt entered this week at No. 123 in the FedExCup Fall. He shot 77 in the first round, however, and even a valiant second-round 64, was not enough for him to make the weekend. The 38-year-old is now projected to move from No. 123 to No. 126 in the standings, his future no longer in his hands. Needing a birdie on his last hole to make the cut, University of Texas alumni Doug Ghim made par to shoot 67. He is projected to move from No. 121 to No. 125. The bubble boy will not be around to play for his PGA TOUR card this weekend, though, and awaits his fate. Carl Yuan needed a big week at Sea Island. Entering the tournament squarely on the 125th spot, a bogey-free, second-round 70 put the 26-year-old safely inside the cut line and within range of locking up a 2024 PGA TOUR card. Sitting in 32nd place through two rounds, he is now projected to move to 120th in the FedExCup Fall standings. An opening-round 67 on the Seaside Course boded well for the Swede Henrik Norlander’s chances, but a double bogey on his first hole Friday, followed by five bogeys, pushed him just outside of the cut line. The Swede entered the week at No. 126 in the standings and will not be able to crack the top 125 by week’s end.

PGA TOUR staffers Amanda Cashman and Stephanie Royer also contributed to this story.

The Boston Globe

Ludvig Aberg moves into position entering weekend at PGA Tour season finale

Posted: November 17, 2023 | Last updated: November 17, 2023

Ludvig Aberg had a pair of two-putt birdies, one of them on a par 4, and kept bogeys off his card for the second straight day for a 6-under 64 on Friday to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga.

In the final tournament of the longest PGA Tour season, Aberg will try to end his short year with victories on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. He already won the European Masters in Switzerland, a performance that secured his spot on Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team.

Not bad for a 24-year-old Swede who only turned pro in June. Not surprising, either.

“I know my capabilities and I know my strengths,” said Aberg, who finished at Texas Tech this spring and earned a PGA Tour card as the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking. “But also, to be able to do it this quickly, probably not. It’s been so much fun.

“I still pinch myself in the morning whenever I wake up that I actually get to do this for a living, but it’s really cool and I’m looking forward to a bunch of years ahead of me.”

For now, he has 36 holes on the wind-blown Seaside course at Sea Island Golf Club, and a host of players right behind him, each facing various levels of pressure.

Aberg played the host Seaside course Friday and was at 11-under 131, one shot ahead of Eric Cole (66 at Seaside), Denny McCarthy (65 at Seaside), and Sam Ryder (67 at Plantation).

Matt Kuchar, who had a 4-under 68 on the Plantation course, was among those two behind.

A victory would move Aberg into the top 60 in the FedEx Cup, send him to Maui to start the new season at Kapalua, and get him into the first two $20 million signature events at Pebble Beach and Riviera. He also would get into the Masters.

He still has to figure out a schedule as a joint member of the PGA Tour and European tour, although his intention is to spend most of his time in America.

This PGA Tour season began in September 2022, making it 15 months long because the tour is switching back to a calendar year schedule. The stakes are high for various players, as the top 125 in the FedEx Cup secure full cards for next year.

Andrew Novak is at No. 124 and was outside the cut line until he ran off three birdies on the back nine at Plantation. He finished with a bogey and made the cut on the number, at least getting a chance to secure his job over the next 36 holes.

Ryan Moore is at No. 128. He also was outside the cut line until four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine at Seaside. His bogey on the 18th gave him a 67 to make the cut with one shot to spare, and now it’s in his hands.

Not so fortunate were Henrik Norlander and Ryan Palmer, both outside the top 125 and both missing the cut. Palmer at least has limited status on tour as a past champion.

McIlroy gives up ground at star-studded European finale

Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, and Tommy Fleetwood were in a group of marquee players moving into contention at the European season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai. Rory McIlroy wasn’t among them.

While the No. 2-ranked McIlroy was, in his words, “stuck in neutral” on his way to shooting an even-par 72 in the second round, Rahm, Hovland, and Fleetwood all had 66s on the Earth Course to be in a good position heading into the weekend.

Nicolai Hojgaard, a 22-year-old Dane boosted by his recent Ryder Cup experience, had a back nine of 30 containing four birdies and an eagle to shoot 66 and lead on 11-under par, two shots clear of a five-man group including Hovland and Fleetwood.

Rahm, ranked No. 3, was five shots back and happy with his game, though frustrated by three-putting from 20 feet for bogey on his last hole.

McIlroy was languishing on 1 under for the tournament, 10 back and tied for 34th place in a curtailed field of 50 for the last event of the European tour’s 2023 season.

“There is a low one out there,” said McIlroy, who has already clinched the Race to Dubai title and was crowned Europe’s No. 1 player for a fifth time. “And I’m going to need one to get myself back in the tournament.”

Alison Lee stays hot, shares 36-hole lead on LPGA

Alison Lee birdied four of her last five holes to extend a hot streak that stretches from Saudi Arabia to South Korea to Naples, Fla. Her 8-under 64 gave her a share of the lead with Nasa Hataoka in the LPGA season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

Hataoka atoned for missing a short par putt by closing with a pair of birdies, finishing with a 25-footer on the last hole for a 67 in a wide-open chase for the $2 million prize.

Lee had five birdies in seven holes at the start, and then had a strong finishing kick that included a wedge to a foot on the 15th and a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

The 28-year-old Californian has never won in her nine years on the LPGA Tour, but in her last three tournaments worldwide, she has runner-up finishes in the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea and The Annika last week in Florida. She also won an Aramco Team Series event on the Ladies European Tour.

Lee now is 46-under par in her last 10 rounds.

“I feel like the last month, everything is falling into place,” Lee said.

Lee and Hataoka were at 14-under 128, remarkably low scoring for Tiburon Golf Club but to be expected given the 4 inches of rain that drenched the course on the eve of the tournament.

Women’s PGA champion Ruoning Yin of China had a 66 and was part of the group one shot behind that included Minjee Lee (67) and Amy Yang (63). Xiyu Lin, who like Lee is trying to win for the first time on the LPGA Tour, had a 66 and was another shot behind.

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