The site offers several ways to experience the history, architecture, and natural beauty of the plantation. The highlight for most visitors is a stroll through the beautiful and extensive gardens—open since 1870, they're the oldest public gardens in America, and some sections have been around for over 325 years.

You won't want to miss the Audubon Swamp Garden, a mysterious world of black water, secretive creatures, trees growing from marshy waters, and nesting birds. Feet getting tired? There's a lot of ground to cover—some 600 acres of gardens and other landscapes—so climb aboard the Nature Train, where you'll see the plantation's wetlands, forests, marshes, and lakes from the tram and with the help of naturalist guides, perhaps spot alligators, egrets, heron, and turtles.

You can also take a tour of the Drayton family home, complete with family heirlooms, early American furniture and antiques, as guides paint a picture of life in the 19th century and tell you about the history of the Drayton family.