Charleston Tea Garden

ctechbob

Well-known member
Website: https://charlestonteagarden.com/
Admission: $0 (Although there is a paid trolly tour available)
Dog Friendly?: Sadly, no, you'll have to leave them behind
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CWWW9o7AUdwoZy3E6

From the Wikipedia Article: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_Tea_Garden)

"The Charleston Tea Garden is located on Wadmalaw Island, outside of Charleston, South Carolina, and is open to visitors every day of the week. Admission is free and they offer tours, tea tastings, and other amenities.[6] The factory tour takes visitors inside the factory and covers history, harvesting, and production. The Trolley Tour covers the grounds and the growing of the Camellia sinensis plant to produce the tea."

Our Review:

The wife and I found this a pretty pleasant little stop when we were staying at the James Island Campground (Review Here). It is just down the road, maybe a 20 min drive, and if you drink tea in any way, it is worth a visit. The grounds are very pretty during the time of year we were there (Late March) and the staff was very friendly. There wasn't any harvesting or packaging going on when we were there, but you can still go through the walking/video tour (Free) and see the machines and packing area. Oddly, I don't have any pictures from inside the building, I'm not sure how I missed that.

Well worth the trip and a few hours of your time. There are hot and cold samples available and they have most all of the Bigelow and American Classic Tea's for sale on site (At what looked to be cheaper than store prices).

I believe this is still the only commercia place in the US that grows and harvests tea. Everything else comes from offshore.

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The grounds. Very pretty in the spring. There's something about the invasive Spanish moss that just makes things look cool.

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The tea harvester, with rows of tea bushes in the background.

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I believe this is still the only commercial place in the US that grows and harvests tea.
I had no idea any tea was grown here. Thanks for posting, I learned something!

The harvester doesn't look like any machine made here.
 
I had no idea any tea was grown here. Thanks for posting, I learned something!

The harvester doesn't look like any machine made here.
I think the harvester is a 1 off. Built by the folks at the plantation. At least that's what my memory is telling me.
 
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