Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Brand New, Golf Cart Included - 546 Remo...

Appreciate an spectacular island hideaway in this enormous 3,000 sq ft Lowcountry home.  A brand new build just finished last year, the owners have been meticulous with all details to provide a magnificent vacation experience!  Located on the 12th...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Resort Access Included! Spectacular view...

Serene Waterfront Retreat with Stunning Vistas and Modern ConveniencesThis chic 4-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home is a calming getaway located on a peaceful street, a mere three mins. from the beach via golf cart and within walking distance of the Ocean...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Canal-Front with Dock, Amenity Cards Ava...

Get ready for island living!  Feel the ideal family hideaway in this sizable 5-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home located on a beautiful canal on Fripp Island. Ideally positioned just a short golf cart ride from the island’s central hub and a fast walk...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 15
Cozy And Centrally•Pet Friendly

Close to shopping and eateries. Savor the convenience of being just mins. away from fashionable attractions and local amenities. Unwind in the comfort of a cavernous and well-appointed home, complete with a entirely equipped kitchen, comfortable...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
559 Remora Drive

Summary:Welcome to 559 Remora Drive — A brand-new, completely refreshed, 3,300+ sq ft coastal getaway overlooking the Ocean Point Golf Course on Fripp IslandThe Space:Welcome to 559 Remora Drive — A brand-new, entirely remodeled, 3,300+ sq ft...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 16
Tabby on the Tee - Four Bedroom House, S...

Tabby on the Tee is a 3200 square foot home located on Ocean Point Golf Course.  This part of the island is less busy and congested accepting you to feel more casual.  We currently have no direct neighbors on each side.  The home features an...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 15

Beaufort Tours & Activities

History, Marshlands & Live Oak Expedition

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$499.00 - $999.00

description: TURN BACK THE CLOCK AND EXPERIENCE THE PAST! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge) - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About MUCH OF THE SOUTH WAS DESTROYED, BUT IF YOU KNOW...

Cornhole Tournament at Adult Pool

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$12.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Adult Pool min_age: 21 description: Ready, set, toss! Grab a partner and test your tossing skills in a fun and friendly game of cornhole! Whether you are a seasoned pro or a first-timer, this classic game is prefect...

Shark Dissection

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$75.00

meeting_point: Creek House description: Sharks help maintain the delicately balanced ecosystems that keep our oceans healthy. However, the challenges facing this critical apex predator are many, and seemingly overwhelming. More than 100 million are...

Summer Camps

Camelot Farms Equestrian Center

Book online
$650.00

duration: 6 Hour Camp Days meeting_point: 101 Tom and Mike Road Saint Helena Island, SC 29920 min_age: 5 group_size: 8 participants description: Have your young rider join us at Camelot Farms for a 4-day camp experience! Our camps are available to...

Public Field Pass

Red Oak Airsoft & Paintball

Book online
$25.00 - $45.00

description: Book your battleground today! Duration 10 - 5 About All day field pass to our field. This does not include any rental equipment. Players must have an airsoft gun that is approved by Red Oak Airsoft and Paintball along with all...

Guided Kayak Sunrise Tour

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$50.00 - $100.00

description: Sunrise Tour to Scott Creek - One and half-hour guided tour leaving early morning and paddling to Scott Creek to enjoy an early morning sunrise on the water - Beginners welcome on this trip - $50 per adult/$25 age 10 and under

Ghost Tour

Tales of the Lowcountry

Book online
$10.00 - $22.00

description: Rates **Adult (Ages 13+):** $22 **Child (Ages 5-12):** $10 ____ Duration 2 Hours ___ About We visit all the local "haunts" intertwining ghost tales with the history of Beaufort. Come hear tales of folks buried alive, ghost trains...

5 Hour Private Charter

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$850.00

description: Hop aboard Tallboy Fishing Charters with a local Expert! ___________________________________ Rates **Private Charter:** $850 *Up to 6 Passengers* ___________________________________ About the Captain Make memories fishing with...

Expressionism - The Neutrals

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$85.00

duration: 3 hours description: Expressionism - Using Neutrals for Powerful Creations Many great expressionists used limited palettes in neutral colors often shades of black and white. It helped putting the focus on composition and values to...

Essential Oyster Tour

Lowcountry Oyster Co.

Book online
$150.00

duration: 90 Minutes description: Let's Adventure! Boat, Science, and Culinary Tour packed into one! Learn about the lifecycle of an oyster from start to finish. See one million oysters growing in our nursery followed by a boat ride through the...

Art Club - Monthly Second Monday

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$29.50 - $60.00

Join this artist gathering and enjoy the fun Monday made better. Each session, we explore different aspects of abstract painting and techniques to take our creations to the next level. This "club" has no joining fee and no restrictions except...

Screen 1

Highway 21 Drive-In Theater

Book online
$6.00 - $11.00

description: More Info - Ticket Window and Concessions Open at 6:00PM - The first show will start when the sun goes down - Please arrive early on Friday and Saturday nights - Double Features on Friday and Saturday nights only PLEASE OBSERVE...

Beaufort, SC

Beaufort is a historic waterfront town in South Carolina's Lowcountry, known for its antebellum architecture, moss-draped oaks, and scenic coastal views.

Founded in 1711, Beaufort is the second-oldest city in South Carolina and offers a rich blend of Southern charm and history. Visitors can stroll the walkable downtown, explore art galleries and boutiques, or take a horse-drawn carriage tour through the historic district. The nearby Sea Islands - including Hunting Island, Fripp Island, and Harbor Island - offer beautiful beaches, nature trails, and wildlife viewing, while the town itself is a favorite for boating, kayaking, and enjoying fresh local seafood.

Beaufort features a variety of lodging options, including historic inns, charming bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals with waterfront views. The area is ideal for those looking to relax and take in the culture, history, and natural beauty of the South Carolina coast. Whether you're exploring Gullah heritage, visiting the lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park, or simply enjoying a quiet evening along the river, Beaufort offers a peaceful and unforgettable Lowcountry getaway.

Beaufort is, at its heart, a small southern town with a big population, that's chock-full of historical sites, a thriving arts scene, and plentiful attractions, which are readily available for curious newcomers to explore. Smaller than its' northern South Carolina neighbor Charleston, Beaufort nonetheless has a far-reaching reputation as one of the most historically relevant and undeniably charming towns along the eastern coastline.

Beaufort SC Waterfront Park

Named by Southern Living Magazine as the "Best Small Southern Town," and featured by both American Style Magazine and the New York Times in recent praising articles, the secret about Beaufort's appeal is clearly out, but visitors can still enjoy miles of quiet waterfront, cool art scenes, or happening downtown streets at their leisure, during any time of the year. An easy day trip that combines the best of the legendary Coastal Carolinas and the modern southern scene, Beaufort, SC clearly deserves its glowing designation as one of the best big little towns in the Lowcountry.

Beaufort SC

The town of Beaufort was originally founded in 1711, as an integral part of the southernmost colony that originated with early English explorations and settlements. The initial growth of the town, (or rather the colony), was quite slow at first as the region was subject to a number of Native American attacks and threats by competing European settlers, (namely, the Spanish explorers.) After these initial growing pains, however, the city of Beaufort flourished as a shipbuilding center, die in no small part to its easy proximity to the Beaufort River, and later as an elite locale for local Lowcountry planters, who thrived in the booming Indigo and rice industries.

Beaufort SC

This affluent lifestyle would change significantly during the Civil War, when Beaufort was quickly seized and occupied after the Battle of Port Royal, one of the earliest battles of the war, which took place on November 7th, 1861. As a result of this early occupation, Beaufort attracted a large number of escaped slaves during the war, and a local Freedmen's Bureau worked with these new residents well into the Reconstruction period to provide an education and an overall preparation for full independence in the years to come.

Beaufort SC

After the war, the rich plantation era ended, but Beaufort slowly regained notoriety as a phosphate mining center. With the new mining industry, the town was slowly coming back to life until an 1893 hurricane brought the region to its knees, causing massive devastation that took Beaufort a full half-century to recover from. It wasn't until the second half of the 20th century, in fact, that visitors began to trickle into the area, and locals realized their town's inherent potential as a viable tourism destination. Today, the city is thriving with an eclectic mix of modern restaurants and galleries coupled with historic graveyards and historic sites, and visitors have ample room and centuries to explore. From the initial colonization to recent revitalization projects along key portions of the historic downtown, Beaufort, after a long recovery, is clearly a city on the rise.

Beaufort SC

The bulk of the city itself is situated on Port Royal Island, an interior island that features several local towns, (including the town of Port Royal), and which is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by St. Helena Island, Parris Island, and Hunting Island and the Hunting Island State Park. Despite these island borders, the city is essentially surrounded by water, primarily via the wide Beaufort River, which cuts through this mainland region and connects with the neighboring Atlantic Ocean. At a whopping 33.6 square miles in area, (including 6 square miles of water), the population of 12,300 residents or so in Beaufort almost seems somewhat small. In fact, the outlaying portions of the city are relatively quiet, while the downtown area has most of the action with plenty of sites and attractions for locals and visitors alike to enjoy.

Local outdoor attractions like the Beaufort National Cemetery, the Spanish Moss Trail and the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park will keep visitors smiling at the prospect of staying outdoors and enjoying the scene, while local historical attractions like the John Mark Verdier House Museum, the James Robert Verdier House, the Thomas Hepworth House, and the St. Helena's Episcopal Church add a touch of Beaufort's legacy and long history to the surroundings.

Beaufort SC

Cultural outposts, including a world of art galleries, local theater groups and the USCB Center for the Arts, keep visitors and locals alike thoroughly entertained with one of the most acclaimed arts scenes in the region, while shoppers will find plenty of classic boutiques and treasured antique stores to go around.

Beaufort SC

The dining scene in Beaufort is equally exquisite, with more than 130 restaurants to explore within this Lowcountry area. Local waterfront cafes, barbecue joints, and even southern-style gastro pubs can be found side-by-side on some of the more populated city blocks, and visitors are encouraged to sample the local seafood, (especially the shrimp and blue crabs), for an authentic taste of this coastal town.

For accommodations, the lodgings of choice for most visitors are local hotels, motels, and B&Bs, and there are approximately 20 of these accommodation options within the city limits. With chic loft hotels and antebellum mansions converted into beautiful inns, potential visitors will find a wide variety of lush accommodations that are close to the local attractions, and fit in effortlessly with the laid-back southern atmosphere. There are also a handful of vacation rentals available as well, namely small cottages and townhomes, and travelers heading to the area by sea will find an ample number of marinas to dock for a night or two and enjoy a little inland exploring.

Easily one of the most peaceful and surprisingly varied southern destinations, Beaufort is rising to fame as one of the most accommodating and interesting communities along the East Coast. A small southern city with a big personality, Beaufort is sure to keep visitors entertained and smiling with its coastal atmosphere, gorgeous landscapes, local sights, and general warm southern nature that makes out-of-town guests feel welcome and essentially right at home.

Beaufort Vacation Guides