Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

779 Marlin.  New Construction with Golf ...

779 Marlin Drive – Oceanfront Luxury on Fripp IslandWelcome to this striking freshly constructed 5-bedroom, 5.5-bath oceanfront getaway, designed with an inverted floor plan to maximize sweeping Atlantic vistas.On the top level, you’ll find the...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
YOUR SOCIAL DISTANCING SANCTUARY IN HIST...

Deep-cleaned and private. We use an electrostatic disinfecting sprayer in our bungalow and clean each touch point and surface with disinfecting products. All laundry is washed in hot water using sensitive skin products. 2 bedrooms and sizable...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
893 Salt Cedar - Community Pool

**This property offers club cards for access to Fripp Island Resort amenities. A Resort fee (12.8% of the base rental rate) will be charged in addition to the cost of the individual club cards if you decide you would like to use the Resort...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 14
Downtown Beaufort! - Walk to shops and d...

New listing! Only steps from Beaufort's Bay Street stores, eateries and handsome waterfront Park. The Price Cottage is the ideal base from which to begin your low country adventure. Welcome to Down by the Bay, a beautiful Lowcountry getaway...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 5
Resort Access Included! Pet Friendly wit...

507 Sunsuite sits in the heart of Fripp Island Resort. Located on the first floor, this unit is steps out upon the Olympic Pool. Island Bites, The Beach Club, and Racquet Club are a short walk away and so is the beach. This unit offers a comfortable...

  • Fripp Island
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Golf course retreat and Lowcountry livin...

SPACIOUS, WARM, INVITING AND CLEANSensational three bedroom/two bath home quietly located in one of Beaufort's best communities. Appreciate the gorgeous scenery that the area offers as you take a nice walk through the private roads or play golf...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Low Country Passport

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$200.00

description: About Do you want to see the entire Lowcountry from above? This is the tour for you. You will get to see many sites including. Morgan Island, Harbor Island, Hunting Island State Park & Lighthouse, Fripp Island, Pritchard’s Island...

OPEN STUDIO

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$39.00

duration: 4 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. meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal 1404 Paris Ave, Port Royal min_age: 15 group_size...

Day Camps

Camelot Farms Equestrian Center

Book online
$100.00

description: Join us! Duration 4 Hours About Our day camps at Camelot farms give children the opportunity to learn about horses, ride, and meet new friends. Each camp can vary slightly, but they all offer riding and learning opportunities as...

Shibumi© Shade Rental

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

Book online
$25.00 - $125.00

description: 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...

Kayak Tour

Port Royal Sound Foundation

Book online
$40.00 - $55.00

duration: 2 Hours description: Join a PRSF Naturalist for a 2-hour guided kayak tour of the Chechessee River departing from the Maritime Center. Children ages 5-12 must be on a tandem kayak with an adult (18+). Designed for all experience...

Eggstra Dive in Egg Hunts at Cabana Club// Resort Guests/Members ONLY

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Cabana Club max_age: 15 description: Make a splash this Easter with our Eggstra Dive Easter Egg Hunt! Dive in and search for colorful floating eggs filled with surprises. Enjoy looking for eggs in the pool! There will...

Saint Helena Day Sail

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$300.00

description: Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Low Country waterways and the Saint Helena Sound Duration 2.5 hours About Private Sailing Charter - Price Per Group (up to 6) Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Low Country waterways...

Sweet Surprise Treat Tour- Feb 18 - March 4

Ticket is valid: Saturday, February 18 - March 4 Receive 7 treats within 14 days Exchange your coupons (PDF will be sent via email and will need to be printed out) for a treat at each sweet shop. The Midlands has some delicious dessert shops...

Oyster Hatchery Tour and Tasting

Beaufort Kayak Tours

Book online
$35.00

Duration 1 Hour About

Abstract Expressionism  - Landscapes

duration: 3 hours meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal group_size: 4 description: Explore creating landscapes in abstract expressionism style Expressionists paint not just what they see but what they feel. they described the style as emotional...

Giant Beer Pong Tournament at Adult Pool

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$4.00 - $6.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Adult Pool min_age: 21 description: Think you got what it takes to dominate in this oversized twist on a classic favorite? Join us for a giant beer pong tournament, where buckets and soccer balls replace cups and ping...

Nature Hike

Port Royal Sound Foundation

Book online
$10.00

description: Join us for a 1.5 mile exploration hike! Duration 1.5 Hours About Meet at the Maritime Center and enjoy a nice morning hike! This Naturalist-led hike is roughly 1.5 miles through maritime forest and salt marsh. Ages 3 & up ...

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