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Creole past, its slave quarters and the slaves’ affiliation with the West African folktale of Br’er Rabbit (the American version of which was said to have originated here among slaves). The backbone of the tour is based on 5000 pages of documents related to the plantation found archived in Paris, plus the memoirs of Laura Locoul Gore, for whom the house is named. These written accounts from generations of the Creoles who lived here (the women who ran the plantation and the slaves who lived here) will inspire laughter one minute, tears the next, but it’s never boring.

The easiest plantation on the eyes is Oak Alley Plantation, with its 28 perfectly symmetrical live oak trees naturally framing the 28-column entrance corridor to this majestic Greek Revival beauty from 1837. Arrive early or stay late for that postcard-perfect shot without a bunch of gawking tourists mucking up your photos. Like elsewhere on Great River Rd, countless movies have been filmed here, most notably Primary Colors and Interview with the Vampire. It runs a B&B, so you can sleep here, too, dreaming of a simpler time, wondering if the South were to rise again, what would become of its most treasured possessions?

Kevin Raub

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TRIP INFORMATION

GETTING THERE

From Atlanta, take I-20 (east bound) to I-26 (east bound) into Charleston.

DO

Aiken-Rhett House

Charleston’s most intact antebellum mansion. Many pieces are still sitting in the same rooms for which they were purchased. 843-723-1159; www.historiccharleston.org; 48 Elizabeth St, Charleston, SC; adult/child $10/5; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun;

Bragg-Mitchell Mansion

This Greek-Italianate mansion (1855) is the grandest of the surviving Gulf Coast antebellum homes. It does close sporadically though. 251-471-6364; www.braggmitchellmansion.com; 1906 Springhill Ave, Mobile, AL; adult/child $5/3; 10am-4pm Tue-Fri;

Davenport House Museum

This 200-year-old Federal-style mansion kicked off Savannah’s preservation movement. 912-236-8097; www.davenporthousemuseum.org; 324 E State St, Savannah, GA; adult/child $8/5; 10am-4pm Mon-Sat, 1-4pm Sun;

Drayton Hall

The oldest surviving Georgian Palladian structure in the US and the only originally intact plantation along the Ashley River. 843-769-2600; www.draytonhall.org; 3380 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC; adult/child $14/8; 8:30am-5pm Mar-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Feb;

Houmas House Plantation

Exquisite 1828 Greek Revival mansion originally owned by Houmas Indians. There’s a fantastic restaurant here too. 225-473-9380; www.houmashouse.com; 40136 Hwy 942, Darrow, LA; adult/child $20/10; 9am-5pm Mon & Tue, to 7pm Wed-Sun;

Laura Plantation

This 1805 Creole plantation runs exceptional tours of the colorful manor house, formal French gardens and historic outbuildings. 225-265-7690; www.lauraplantation.com; 2247 Hwy 18, Vacherie, LA; adult/child $15/5; 10am-4pm;

Longwood Plantation

The Civil War interrupted the construction of Longwood (1861), the grandest octagonal house in the US. 601-442-5193; www.natchezpilgrimage.com; 140 Lower Woodville Rd, Natchez, MS; adult/child $10/8; 9am-4pm;

Magnolia Plantation

Exquisite gardens (some parts as old as 325 years) and main home dating back to 1676. 843-571-1266; www.magnoliaplantation.com; 3550 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC; adult/child incl house tour $22/17; 8am-5:30pm;

Middleton Place Plantation

Sprawling 18th-century Lowcountry plantation and America’s oldest landscaped gardens. 843-556-6020; www.middletonplace.org; 4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC; adult/child $25/5; 9am-5pm;

Oakleigh Historic Complex

A three-home museum highlighted by the main Greek Revival house (1833) and its 1840 rosewood piano with mother-of-pearl keys. 251-432-6161; www.historicmobile.org; 300 Oakleigh Pl, Mobile, AL; adult/child $10/5; 10am-4pm;

Owens-Thomas House

Ornate English Regency mansion that’s part of Savannah’s Telfair Museum of Art. 912-233-9743; www.telfair.org; 124 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA; adult/child $10/4; noon-5pm Mon, 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun

Telfair