The Ashley River Road passes by three national historic landmarks -- Saint Andrew s Episcopal Church, Drayton Hall and Middleton Place -- as it traverses a National Register Historic District that traces the history of European and African settlement, commerce and industry from their colonial origins to the present.

Federal Highway Administration, America’s Byways
Length
11 mi / 17.7 km
Time to allow
25 minutes to drive the byway or two days to visit places along the way.
Fees
There are no fees to drive the byway.

Who looks after this road

  • Charleston Visitor Reception Center · 843-853-8000 · their site

We publish 17 places that sit on this road, listed in the order you meet them. This is not a route and not a drive time — it is the names, so you can put them into whatever navigation you already use.

Of those, 1 is a roadside oddity — the sort of thing you would drive past without knowing it was there.

“Off” is a straight line from the place to the road, rounded. It is not a driving distance, and the road itself is a simplified centre line, so treat a mile or two as noise.

  1. CharlestonSC7 miles off

    In our guide: 18 historic sites · 2 lakes · 2 animal attractions · 1 park

  2. Coburg CowSC4 miles offRoadside oddity

    Fiberglass cow on a platform since 1959; storm barometer

  3. Magnolia CemeterySC5 miles offHistoric site

    A cemetery opened in 1850 on the land of a former rice plantation. Its more than 130 acres have paved and dirt roads that can be covered by car, bike or on foot, and the office hands out a walk map on weekdays.

    Hours
    HOURS OF OPERATION: Gates are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During daylight savings time, the hours extend from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    Season
    During daylight savings time, the hours extend from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    Run by
    Magnolia Cemetery Trust

  4. Old City Jail, now the Twenty-One Magazine event venueSC7 miles offHistoric site

    An 1802 building that served as Charleston's city jail, now restored as a private venue for weddings and parties. It can be seen from outside on Magazine Street.

    Run by
    Twenty-One Magazine (private event venue; owner per press reports is Landmark Enterprises, not confirmed on a primary page)

  5. The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina (public dress parades)SC5 miles offHistoric site

    A military college in Charleston where the cadets parade on Summerall Field most Fridays of the academic year; the parades are free and open to the public. The campus has 27 buildings set around a 10-acre parade ground.

    Hours
    Citadel parades are held on Summerall Field most Fridays during the academic year and are open to the public. Please refer to the schedule above for exact dates and times.
    Admission
    Citadel parades are free to attend and open to the public.
    Season
    Citadel parades are held on Summerall Field most Fridays during the academic year
    Run by
    The Citadel

  6. Children's Museum of the LowcountrySC6 miles offHistoric site

    A self-guided children's museum in downtown Charleston with seven indoor exhibit galleries, a backyard of hands-on exhibits and an art room with smocks and washable paint. Adults can enter only with children, and children only with adults.

    Hours
    Monday - Saturday 9 am - 10 am open for museum members 10 am - 5 pm Sunday 12 noon - 5 pm
    Admission
    Admission is free for members and children before their first birthday, $13 for Advance Admission purchases (downtown location only), and $15 at the door.
    Run by
    Children's Museum of the Lowcountry (501(c)(3) nonprofit)

  7. Heyward-Washington House (The Charleston Museum)SC7 miles offHistoric site

    A 1772 house that was the town home of Thomas Heyward Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and where George Washington stayed during his week in Charleston in 1791. The grounds include a colonial-era kitchen building and gardens of plants used in the 1700s Lowcountry.

    Hours
    Monday-Saturday: 10 am -5:00 pm (last audio tour at 4:15 pm) Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 pm (last audio tour at 4:15 pm)
    Admission
    Single Site Ticket Quantity Includes admission for one adult to one location of your choice: The Charleston Museum, the Heyward-Washington House or the Joseph Manigault House.
    Season
    The Museum and Historic Houses are closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. We close early at 1:00 pm on Christmas Eve.
    Run by
    The Charleston Museum

  8. Joseph Manigault House (The Charleston Museum)SC6 miles offHistoric site

    A Federal-style townhouse that tells the story of a wealthy rice-planting family and the enslaved people who lived there. Inside, a spiral staircase rises from the central hall; outside, a Gate Temple overlooks a period garden and signs mark where the kitchen, slave quarters and stable once stood.

    Hours
    Monday-Saturday: 10 am -5:00 pm (last guided tour at 4:30 pm) Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 pm (last guided tour at 4:30 pm)
    Admission
    Single Site Ticket Quantity Includes admission for one adult to one location of your choice: The Charleston Museum, the Heyward-Washington House or the Joseph Manigault House.
    Season
    The Museum and Historic Houses are closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. We close early at 1:00 pm on Christmas Eve.
    Run by
    The Charleston Museum

  9. The Charleston MuseumSC6 miles offHistoric site

    A history museum on Meeting Street with Kidstory, a hands-on exhibit for children, and a natural history gallery of fossils, specimens and animal mounts. Another gallery covers Charleston in the Revolution, including three British attempts to take the city.

    Hours
    Monday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
    Admission
    Single Site Ticket Quantity Includes admission for one adult to one location of your choice: The Charleston Museum, the Heyward-Washington House or the Joseph Manigault House.
    Season
    The Museum and Historic Houses are closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. We close early at 1:00 pm on Christmas Eve.
    Run by
    The Charleston Museum (501(c)(3) non-profit)

  10. The Old Exchange & Provost DungeonSC7 miles offHistoric site

    A 1771 exchange and custom house on East Bay Street, now a non-profit site about the American Revolution and colonial Charleston. A ticket covers an upstairs exhibition and a 25-minute guided tour of the cellar known as the Provost Dungeon; the site says most visits take 45 minutes to an hour.

    Hours
    The Old Exchange is open Monday - Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM Sunday 11 AM - 5 PM
    Admission
    Prices: Adults: $16 Children (6-12): $12 Children (0-6): Free Admission may be purchased on site.
    Season
    The Old Exchange is closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day
    Run by
    The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon (non-profit historic site)

  11. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime MuseumSC8 miles offHistoric site

    A naval museum on Charleston Harbor built around the World War II aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, with the destroyer USS Laffey, a Vietnam Experience exhibit and a Medal of Honor Museum. A scavenger hunt is sold at the Yorktown's information desk for $3, and the museum suggests first-time visitors allow at least two to three hours.

    Hours
    Hours of Operation Museum Open Daily 10 am - 5 pm
    Run by
    Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

  12. Hampton ParkSC5 miles offHistoric site

    One of Charleston's largest city parks, with the city's biggest flower displays, including an old rose collection, and an audio walking tour of its history called Layers of the Landscape. It is one of the few city parks with restrooms and on-site parking.

    Run by
    City of Charleston

  13. White Point GardenSC7 miles offHistoric site

    A City of Charleston park on Murray Boulevard with an off-leash area for dogs in the early morning and evening.

    Run by
    City of Charleston

  14. Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site (Animal Forest)SC3 miles offAnimals

    State historic site with native-animal Animal Forest.; From Oct 20, roughly half the Animal Forest, from the puma and bear exhibits onward, is shut Mon-Fri for construction. The Animal Forest bars pets and service animals.

    Hours
    Animal Forest daily 10-4; park grounds daily 9-5; closed Dec 25
    Adult
    12
    Child
    7

  15. South Carolina AquariumSC7 miles offAnimals

    Prices not shown on tickets page text.

    Hours
    9am-5pm daily
    Season
    year-round

  16. Splash Zone WaterparkSC7 miles offFun park

    Charleston County water park at James Island County Park; 2026 season

    Season
    Seasonal

  17. Whirlin' Waters Adventure WaterparkSC7 miles offFun park

    Charleston County water park; 2026 season

    Season
    Seasonal