Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Your Home Base Downtown- New & Fully Ren...

Summary:Treat your adored ones to an memorable hideaway here at this entirely refreshed 2nd floor apartment in Downtown Beaufort! This trendy space features 2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a fresh interior that's a ideal home base after a busy...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
The Hidden Palm: Luxurious 5-Bed Home, S...

Welcome to "The Hidden Palm" on Fripp Island! This opulent 5 bedroom home is every visitors dream. Relish in beautiful serene sunset vistas of the marsh from the huge screened in porch and multiple back decks. The third floor offers a game room for...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 13
Fripp Island Heaven Ideally Located to E...

This rental home is really 'heaven on earth!' A secluded and private setting charmingly located on Fripp Island. Not only is this home located on a marvelous lot, the inside is unbelievable! This is not your typical beach home. 374 Yellow Tang...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Lowcountry Home - Near Downtown and Easy...

Welcome to your Lowcountry home away from home. This bright, inviting 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath Beaufort getaway offers the ideal blend of comfort, convenience, and Southern appeal. Located just over a mile from historic downtown, the home is an...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
FRIPP ISLAND/Hot tub overlooking lake/ C...

This peaceful, 3 bedroom/2.5 bath lake view home is the ideal hideaway ideal for a single family or various smaller groups. It is walking distance from the Deer Lake Community Pool and just a golf cart ride away from the most calming beach around...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
OCEAN FRONT GOLF COURSE CONDO

This 1400 sq. ft. condo is located at the very tip of the island with the ocean and Fripp inlet on one side and the 10th tee and 18th hole of the Ocean Point golf course on the other. The sun and moon rises are to die for. The area is very private...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Pritchards Island Excursion

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$15.00 - $80.00

duration: 2-4 hours cancellation_summary: No refunds if cancelled within 24 hours of excursion meeting_point: Nature Center group_size: Maximum 8 people description: Pritchard's Island is a pristine undeveloped natural barrier island just south of...

Gift Cards

Carolina Hydrofly

description: Purchase the perfect gift: a gift card with a value of your choosing!

Screen 3

Highway 21 Drive-In Theater

Book online
$6.00 - $11.00

description: 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...

3 Hour Hilton Head Island Lunch Trip

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$600.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Travel by boat to beautiful Hilton Head Island for lunch at one of three excellent restaurants. See the Town of Port Royal, Paris Island, and Port Royal Sound along the way as well as Dolphins, Sea Turtles...

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...

Variety Craft Hour at Creekhouse *Walk-Up ONLY

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$35.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 description: Unleash your creativity at Variety Craft Hour! Each session features a fun, hands-on project, from painting, seasonal decorations, to DIY keepsakes. Whether you're a beginner or a...

Carolina HydroFly Parties

Carolina Hydrofly

Book online
$800.00 - $1,600.00

description: Private Party About Enjoy a 4 or 8 Hour Group Lesson. Can have up to 8 people (Half day) & 16 people (Full day) in your party. - Includes 10 minutes of instruction time, fuel, life jacket, and helmet **What's Included** ...

Stuff-A-Plush Holiday Craft at Beach Club complex

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 description: Create your own cuddly companion at our stuff-a-plush event! Choose from a variety of animals, then bring them to life by stuffing them with fluff and adding a special heart for...

Surf Lessons

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$95.00

duration: 9am-12pm Monday - Friday meeting_point: Club 15.5 min_age: 10 max_age: 100 group_size: 8 description: Fripp Island Surf Lessons offers a fun, safe, and supportive introduction to surfing for ages 10 and up! Kids, teens, adults, and...

Group Tour

Lowcountry Oyster Co.

Book online
$100.00 - $125.00

meeting_point: 15823 Bennetts Point Rd, Green Pond, SC, United States description: Have a larger group that is interested in enjoying a tour of our operation? We can accommodate! Bring up to 20 guests out to the farm for the full experience...

Happy Hour

Lowco Tiki

Book online
$40.00 - $380.00

duration: 2 hours meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum description: Why sit at a landside bar when you can sip your own favorite beverages and socialize on the water? Our Happy Hour Cruise...

Sacred Sundays...EVERY WEEK; 11AM-12:30...no registration required.

meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal description: FIRST SUNDAY Meditation. A different teacher/modality every month! SECOND SUNDAY The Path of the Mystic with Bob Guinn THIRD SUNDAY TRANQUILITY ZONE-Sound Bath with Eric & Kitty Kat FOURTH...

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