Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Waterfront Cottage with Private Veranda

First floor Caribbean-Style, one bedroom apartment. Unit has front porch with Adirondack chairs and rear veranda facing the elegant Chowan Creek. Full kitchen with: induction stove-top, Sub-zero refrigerator, microwave oven, and dishwasher.Roku...

  • Beaufort
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2
Couples Retreat with Breathtaking Oceanf...

Ideal Couples Retreat with Oceanfront Vistas!  Wake up to striking, 180-degree ocean vistas in this impressive 1-bedroom, 1.5-bath villa at North Hampton on Fripp Island. Perched on the third floor with elevator access, this villa offers a really...

  • Fripp Island
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Exclusive Access to Circa 1785 Hotel w W...

Summary:Welcome to Circa 1785, a handsomely restored historic home in downtown Beaufort. This boutique property features 5 private guest suites, each with a king canopy bed, granite bath with rain shower, sitting area, and decorative fireplace...

  • Beaufort
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Family Retreat in Beaufort: 3 Mi to Hist...

Marsh Vistas | 11 Mi to Parris Island | 3 Mi to Downtown | Pet FriendlyGather the family for a Lowcountry stay near Beaufort’s top attractions. This roomy home sleeps 10 and features marsh vistas, a screened porch, enormous yard, refreshed...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Flamingo Cove - Beautiful deep water vie...

Welcome to Flamingo Cove! We are located on handsome Ladys Island, right on the Spring Knob Creek. Bringing your boat? Boat Landing is close by. There are sand bars at low tide and great fishing at every bend in the river, this is the place to play...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Stunning Oceanfront Home with Private Be...

Get away to an extraordinary oceanfront vacation.  This island home is right on the Atlantic and offers huge living spaces with impressive beach vistas.  It is designed and refreshed with comfortable coastal vibes for a calming stay.The enormous...

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

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Bentley Switch

Santee Boat Rentals

Book online
$350.00 - $500.00

meeting_point: 401 Bass Dr. Santee, SC, 29142 description: Enjoy a day on the water on the Bentley Switchback! Duration Full Day - 8 Hours Half Day - 4 Hours About It’s a 22 foot Tritoon with a 140Hp Suzuki outboard on the back. This...

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...

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...

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...

Surf Rod

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$35.00 - $100.00

Sharks Teeth Hunting & Eco Tour (2 Hrs)

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

Book online
$372.64

duration: 2 Hours cancellation_summary: Customers will receive a full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances...

Oak Avenues & Island Marsh Sunset

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$249.00 - $499.00

description: THE LOCATIONS YOU'VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About THERE'S NOTHING MORE SOUTHERN THAN LIVE OAKS AND...

Flood Tide Fishing

Green Heron Adventures

Book online
$550.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Do to high demand, my flood tide trip openings aren't always shown online. Contact me for details/available dates. Duration 4, 6, and 8 hour trips are available. The flood tide window itself can be...

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...

Yupo Paper Workshop in OILS!!!

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$125.00

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. meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal 1404 Paris Ave, Port Royal min_age...

Big Fripper Shelling Cruise

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$45.00 - $65.00

duration: 3 Hours meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: Cruise on the Big Fripper that will take you and your group to Bull Point (a beach right across from St. Phillips Island). It takes about 1 hour to get there, 30-40...

Beautiful Beaufort Tours

Emma's Earth Shop Golf Cart Tours

Book online
$15.00 - $36.00

description: Duration One Hour About A fun and eco friendly golf cart tour full of information of the historical homes, movies, and folklore of Beaufort South Carolina. Each ticket includes coupons from restaurants and stores around downtown...

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