Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Ocean Front, Pet Friendly, Neighborhood ...

This 2-bedroom, 1.5-bath condo has one of the best ocean vistas on Fripp Island. Located on the second floor of the building, accessible from the elevator, you and your guests can savor exceptional vistas from your private patio. The primary bedroom...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
415 Wahoo -  Resort Access Included! Gol...

415 Wahoo Drive is just a short walk to the Atlantic Ocean, Cabana Club, pools, and Ocean Marina. This four-bedroom, four-bath home is ideal for those who want the luxuries of home in a resort environment. The home has a roomy kitchen and is...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
145 Ocean Point Dr - New to VRBO! Resort...

Located on the north end of Fripp Island in the Sandown Community, this two-bedroom, two-bathroom getaway offers a spectacular blend of natural beauty and leisure. Capture the essence of coastal living as you gaze upon the 9th & 18th holes of the...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
New listing! Beautiful Habersham Home

Welcome to your ideal hideaway in the heart of Habersham, one of Beaufort's most sought-after neighborhoods! This inviting first-floor apartment features an open-concept design, seamlessly blending the cavernous eat-in kitchen, dining area, and...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Fairway to Heaven | Luxurious 6-BR Fripp...

Professionally managed by iTrip, Fairway to Heaven is located on striking Fripp Island and is the ideal family beach home. This handsome 6 bedroom home will become your new favorite vacation spot. With refreshed furnishings and charming artwork...

  • Fripp Island
  • 6 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 13
Beautiful marsh water view - 27 Quarterd...

27 Quarterdeck is a handsome two story home located in the Marina Village.  You are steps away from the pool across the street, and will be able to watch your little ones swimmimg while sitting on one of the porches This home has three bedrooms...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Abstract Expressionism  - The TOOLS
Book online
$85.00

duration: 3 hours meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal group_size: 6 description: Explore techniques and tools of abstract expressionism The famous American Expressionists of 1950s style, like Pollock, Frankenthaler, Mitchel, and Krasner used...

Drawing 101-Texture and Contour

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$75.00

duration: 3 hours cancellation_summary: Full refunds available up to 24 hours before the class. Within 24 hours, a gift cert. will be issued. No refunds for no-shows. min_age: 13 group_size: 9 description: Learn to create convincing 3-D...

Deck the Porch

Brice Herndon Draft Horse and Carriage Company

Book online
$15.00

Group Carriage Rides Climb aboard and stroll through our beautiful town as we harness in some of our Christmas magic. Travel along historic Hampton Street in Walterboro, known as the Front Porch of the Lowcountry and enjoy the twinkle of Christmas...

SC Pimento Cheese Sponsor

Red Maple Event

Book online
$500.00 - $3,000.00

duration: 5 hours meeting_point: 6071 St Andrews Rd, Columbia, SC 29212 description: Promote your business in front of the crowds at the SC Pimento Cheese Festival This free, family friendly event will draw crowds from all over the state. There...

History and Movie Tour by Golf Cart
Book online
$15.00 - $38.00

duration: 1 Hour meeting_point: Downtown Marina at 1006 Bay Street, Beaufort, SC (29902) description: *See stunning live oaks draped with Spanish Moss, and pre-Civil War houses.* This one hour tour by golf cart covers Beaufort’s historic...

Shibumi© Shade Rental

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

Book online
$25.00 - $125.00

The newest must have for the beach!! Super light weight and easy to set up! All you need is a calm ocean breeze to create 100sq ft of perfect shade!! Super light weight and easy to set up! All you need is a calm ocean breeze to create 100sq ft...

Otter Island Sailing Adventure

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$700.00

An all day private sailing adventure! Duration 8 hours About An all day private sailing adventure with an incredible destination, the remote and uninhabited Otter Island with miles of beach that you often have all to yourself. The...

Beidler Forest Nature Walk

Carolina Safari Co.

Book online
$50.00

duration: 4 Hours meeting_point: Bear Island Game Management Area Main Gate - 12294 Bennetts Point Rd, Green Pond SC 29446 group_size: Maximum 8 people description: Are you ready to visit one of the best birdwatching spots in South Carolina? Bear...

Screen 1

Highway 21 Drive-In Theater

Book online
$6.00 - $11.00

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 SOCIAL DISTANCING...

Guide's Choice Half Day Outing

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$249.00 - $499.00

YOU PICK THE DAY, WE'LL PICK THE LOCATIONS! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge) - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About READY FOR AN ADVENUTRE? THROW DOWN THE WILD CARD! If you’re...

Pat Conroy's Beaufort by Golf Cart
Book online
$20.00 - $45.00

*“I’ve come home to the place I was always writing about…. I’ve tried to make Beaufort, South Carolina, my own.”—Pat Conroy, The Death of Santini* ____ Duration and Availability - 1Hr15Mn - Monday through Sunday (7 days a week) at...

All Day Float Pass

Edisto River Adventures

Book online
$55.00

Are you here to Float - this is the option for YOU! Duration Float all day! Weekends only, starting at 9 am and the last float goes out at 230 pm. Arrival to last check in at our checkin kiosk/Givhans Ferry State Park must be by 220 pm. ...

Find your perfect Beaufort

Fishing Charter

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