Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

New Rental, Lake Home, Newly Renovated, ...

New to Fripp Island rental market. Appreciate an island hideaway in this newly remodeled home.  Located on a peaceful and calming cul-de-sac on Blue Heron Lake, you will have fantastic vistas of the lake and wildlife from the deck and screened...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
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Savor coastal Lowcountry living in this handsome Fripp Island home overlooking the serene marsh. The open-concept layout is bright and inviting, with a charmingly decorated living room featuring a full wall of windows that frame calming nature...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Charming Beach House, Pets considered, B...

Welcome to Beyers Bungalow, located at 343 Deer Lake Drive in the striking Deer Lake neighborhood.Our 3-bedroom getaway comfortably accommodates 6 guests in comfortable beds, offering a roomy and inviting home with unique features. We have added...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Beautiful and renovated townhouse

Spectacular home with access to the entire home. Close to Parris island for graduations. Close to stores and eateries. Calm and nice enviroment to stay with family. Have coffee, tea, and kitchen needs. Own entrace with unique code. Backyard not...

  • Port Royal
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Landing | Chic 2BD, Gym

Welcome to Zephyr in Port Royal, SC! Ideal for monthly or extended stays, our entirely-furnished apartments feature full kitchens, in-unit laundry, fast WiFi, classy furnishings, and a dedicated workspace. Please note: The community pool is...

  • Port Royal
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Historic Home in the Heart of Downtown B...

Historic 4-Bedroom Home in Downtown Beaufort’s Old PointLocated in the heart of Beaufort’s esteemed Old Point neighborhood, this elegantly restored historic home offers a rare opportunity to experience the appeal and elegance of the Lowcountry...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Big Fripper Dolphin Cruise

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$30.00 - $40.00

duration: 2 Hours meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: Cruise on our 42 foot Pontoon Boat. This cruise will take you into the backwaters of Fripp Island looking for dolphins. The Mate will talk about the area's history...

Big Fripper Morgan Island Cruise

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$20.00 - $75.00

duration: 3 Hours meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: Approximately 3-Hour Tour to see Monkey Island. Morgan Island, better known locally as "Monkey Island" is home to approximately 3,500 free ranging monkeys. Morgan...

Family Feud at the Beach Club Greene (by the food trucks)

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Beach Club min_age: 6 description: Get ready for a fun-filled game of Family Feud! Gather your team and go head-to-head in this exciting, fast-paced trivia challenge based on the classic game show. Answer survey-style...

Custom Charter and Private Celebrations

duration: 3 hours + meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum for the cruise or 12 while docked at the marina or your private residence description: Life’s milestones deserve more than a table at...

SC Pimento Cheese Festival Merch
Book online
$2.00 - $18.00

Fripp Fest 2025

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$45.00

duration: 4 Hours meeting_point: Beach Club Complex min_age: 21 description: Join us for our annual Fripp Fest! Enjoy live music from 77th Street Revue! Food, drinks, and fun! Reconnect with old Fripp friends or meet new ones while mixing and...

Saint Helena Sunset Sail

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$375.00

description: There's nothing like experiencing the magic of a sunset under sail in the beauty of the St Helena sound Duration 2 hours About Private Sailing Charter - Price Per Group (up to 6) There's nothing like experiencing the...

Rocky Land RC

Red Maple Event

Book online
$5.00

duration: 5 minutes meeting_point: Saluda Shoals Park min_age: 6 description: Customer will be able to drive a RC Crawler for 5 minutes on the Mobile Crawler Course what_is_included: Course Rules: -Stay in the course boundaries -No wreck less...

SC Pimento Cheese Festival - Tasting Ticket

meeting_point: Saluda Shoals- 6071 St Andrews Road, Columbia, SC 29212 description: A festival to showcase South Carolina's Favorite snack, Pimento Cheese Rates General Admission is Free and $5 Parking Fee per car at Gate Tasting Tickets are...

Deck the Porch

Brice Herndon Draft Horse and Carriage Company

Book online
$100.00

description: Ride in our Vis-a-vis Carriage A more intimate and private setting with your own personal horse and driver. Enjoy private time with your family or make it a couple's adventure strolling through the Front Porch of the Lowcountry! ...

Hunting Island and the Holidays

Hilton Head Island Recreation Association

Book online
$25.00

duration: 2hrs meeting_point: Hunting Island State Park group_size: Up to 20ppl description: A wonderful Moore to Life Holiday tradition filled with nature, food, shopping and fun with friends! We'll begin our day at the Hunting Island Nature...

Oyster Hatchery Kayak Paddle, Tour and Tasting
Book online
$75.00 - $90.00

description: Duration 4 Hours About Join Beaufort Kayak Tours as they paddle from Single Lady Oyster Hatchery on McCalley's Creek, return to the oyster hatchery for a tour and end with an Oyster tasting. One of the things that Jim and Teri...

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