Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Steps from the Beach - Resort Access Inc...

Welcome to Your Cozy Island Getaway: A Captivating Condo on Fripp IslandStep into a world of comfort and relaxation at this captivating three-bedroom, three-bathroom condo located in the heart of Fripp Island. Resort access is supplied! Adorned with...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Resort access & golf cart. On canal. Sho...

Welcome to Searenity - 165 Beach Club Villa, Fripp Island, SC!Centrally located, with extraordinary canal and marsh vistas, and an painless 3-4-min. walk to Fripp's magnificent 3+ miles of beach. On the second floor with 3 sets of about 8 steps each...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
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
389 Wahoo Drive

Summary:389 Wahoo is a pretty two-story home located in the heart of Fripp Island. Just a short walk to the Marina and Bonito Boathouse, this six-bedroom, five-bath home is ideal for visitors who are interested in family get-togethers, weddings, or...

  • Fripp Island
  • 6 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 20
Saltwater Zen -- Charming 3-Bedroom Home...

Saltwater Zen is exactly the place your family is looking for. NO SURPRISE CHARGES -- what you see is what you pay including Amenity Cards and Resort Fees. And, we offer the option to spread your payment over three installments.This marvelous home...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 9
Oyster Rake Cottage. Peaceful, brand new...

Escape to this cool bungalow in gorgeous Beaufort. This appealing getaway features 2 king bedrooms, each equipped with a hair dryer for your convenience. With amenities like AC and heating, guests can relax in comfort. The 2 bathrooms, both ensuite...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4

Beaufort Tours & Activities

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...

Historic Carriage Tour

Sea Island Carriage Company

Book online
$14.00 - $36.00

Rates - Adults: $36 - Military: $34 - Child (Ages 4-12): $15 - Lap Child (Ages 0-3): $Free - Must sit on lap Duration 50-55 minutes About Experience Beaufort's rich history & unique charm on a 50-55 minute, fully-narrated, horse drawn...

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...

Columbia's Shrimp & Grits Fest

Columbia's Shrimp and Grits Fest

Book online
$25.00 - $75.00

meeting_point: Seawell's, 1125 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29201 description: Columbia's Shrimp & Grits Fest >On Saturday, June 20th, 2026 area restaurants will compete in Columbia's 11th Shrimp & Grits Fest. One restaurant will be named...

Seas The Day Cruise

Beaufort Boat Charters LLC

Book online
$480.00

description: Join us for a Lowcountry Adventure! Duration 3 Hours About Our 3 hour cruise allows time to get in even more during your time on the water! Some options may include visiting a local sandbar (tide dependent), a trip to...

OUTPOST PHOTO ACADEMY

Guy Harvey Outpost

Book online
$75.00 - $350.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Join us for a special Outpost Photo Academy hosted by professional photographers Mark Krancer. Capture the beauty of historic Beaufort, SC and all its southern charm all while becoming a better...

CFT Merchandise

Columbia Food Tours

Book online
$2.00 - $30.00

We have products we'd love to share with you to help you remember the great time you had on our Columbia Food Tour.

Shallow Water Fishing Charter

Seas So Shallow Fishing Guide Service

Book online
$500.00 - $700.00

duration: 4 Hours meeting_point: 17 Meridian Road Beaufort, SC 29907 group_size: Maximum 4 people description: Enjoy a day at sea with Captain Steve, whose been guiding charters since 2007. Shallow waters species specialty. Let's explore...

Mississippi Kite Flight

Carolina Safari Co.

Book online
$40.00

duration: 2 Hours meeting_point: West Columbia Riverwalk & Amphitheatre group_size: Maximum 8 people description: It’s Spring Time and you know what that means… Migration is upon us! This time of year hundreds of species of birds are migrating...

Tie Dye at Creekhouse

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

duration: 1 hours meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 description: Get ready to mix, swirl, and create in our tie dye activity! This hands-on experience is perfect for anyone! Choose from a variety of colors and patterns to create a one-of-a-kind...

Fripp Island Sunrise

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$75.00

description: About Join us for a sunrise photography session. We'll provide some tips and tricks and give constructive input to improve your shot. Duration 1.5 Hours

Abstract Expressionism  -  In the RAW

duration: 3 hours meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal group_size: 6 description: Explore techniques and tools of abstract expressionism This Expressionism class will work with raw canvas and fluid acrylics. Helen Frankenthaler was one of the...

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