There’s only one commercial tea farm in America, and it’s found on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, at the Charleston Tea Plantation.
Business Manager Jane Knight says one of the attraction’s staff members greets groups on arrival.
“The group will take a 35- to 40-minute educational and entertaining narrated trolley tour around the tea farm, and will be educated on how the tea plant, the Camellia Sinensis, is grown, harvested and propagated, with a stop at our state of the art greenhouse, which houses young tea plants,” Knight says. “They will also take our factory tour overlooking our production facility, where they will learn how the newly harvested leaves are processed into black or green tea.”
The plantation’s backdrop is South Carolina’s Lowcountry, where tea plants dating back to the 1800s are spread across 127 picturesque acres. Just a few miles south of Charleston, Wadmalaw Island is considered one of the city’s most unspoiled islands, as it cannot be commercially developed.
The plantation produces nine special flavors of tea, including its original American Classic Tea. Its tea bar is open daily and stocked with the complimentary hot or iced beverage.
“Since we are the only commercial large-scale tea plantation in America, it is a must-see for both tea lovers and non-tea lovers. The gift shop offers a variety of tea, gifts, snacks and local items,” Knight says.
She says the Charleston Tea Plantation also offers boxed lunches for groups of 20 or more. Plus, motorcoach parking is complimentary.
For more information, contact Jane Knight at or go to charlestonteaplantation.com.
Top photo by Charleston Tea Plantation
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