Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

DeepWater Peaceful Reflections

Appreciate this alluring studio style entirely open concept condo with full vistas of Battery Creek in a safe gated community. Across from Parris Island, 10 mins. to Downtown Waterfront Beaufort, 30 mins. to Hunting Island State Park, 45 mins. to...

  • Port Royal
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2
Bluegrass Beach House

Major Renovations Completed 2023!4 Seater Golf Cart Supplied!4 Bedroom Home with 3 Full Baths. Sleeps 8-10.  We allow 10 guests max. Sizable open family area on the main floor. Appreciate family meals and play games and build puzzles together...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Quality Stay and Location. Pets are allo...

Located in the heart of Beaufort. Appreciate the Downtown Historic District (3 min), Sands Beach (6 min), & Hunting Island (23 min) & all there is in between! Beaufort Memorial Hospital (5 min), Naval Heritage Park (2 min) features a playground...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Saltwater Retreat! Close to Parris Islan...

Stunning coastal bungalow in the heart of Old Port Royal Village on 9th Street! We know you will find all the amenities of home here and savor time with your family in our friendly, laid back, striking community! Whether you want to watch the boats...

  • Port Royal
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Renovated, Golf cart included, pet frien...

Appreciate striking vistas from this 2-story island home.  Located at the north end of Fripp Island, you are a short walk to the Ocean Point Golf Club and Grille.  Take a calming walk over to the close by beach or spend an afternoon soaking up the...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
OCEANFRONT Villa perfectly located in th...

This Fripp Villa is located in the heart of Fripp Island just a few steps away to the Beach. If you adore the morning serenity of watching the sun rise over the ocean, while sitting on the deck and sipping on your favorite coffee, then this is where...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Beaufort Walking History/Movie Tour
Book online
$15.00 - $36.00

description: *Over 300 years of history plus stories about Hollywood movies and actors.* _________ Duration 2 Hours ________ About Walking tour of Beaufort’s historic district gives you a chance to learn more about our beautiful town and ask...

Surf Rod

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$35.00 - $100.00

Learn to Sail Adventure

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$600.00

duration: 3.5 hours or more group_size: maximum of 6 description: Duration 3.5 hours About Experience the thrill of learning to sail on our Catalina 275 Sport, the perfect boat for learning keel boat sailing for the first time or honing your...

Custom Adventure

Beaufort Boat Charters LLC

Book online
$160.00 - $960.00

description: Join us for a Lowcountry Adventure! Duration 1-6 Hours About Contact us about customizing your boating adventure to design a trip just for you! 828-279-3707 or [email protected] Options include, but are not...

Guided Kayak Sunrise Tour

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$50.00 - $100.00

description: Sunrise Tour to Scott Creek - One and half-hour guided tour leaving early morning and paddling to Scott Creek to enjoy an early morning sunrise on the water - Beginners welcome on this trip - $50 per adult/$25 age 10 and under

CFT Merchandise

Columbia Food Tours

Book online
$2.00 - $30.00

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

Sweet Surprise Treat Tour- Feb 18 - March 4

meeting_point: Columbia, SC description: 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...

Barrier Island Tour

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$120.00

description: About With this beautiful tour you get an overhead view of Morgan Island, Harbor Island, Hunting Island State Park & Lighthouse, Fripp Island, Pritchard’s Island, Bull Point Beach, St. Phillip’s Island, Parris Island, and Fort...

Paddle Board Lesson

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$75.00

min_age: 12 description: Learn to paddle board out on our salt marsh, this fun sport lets you explore the marsh from a new vantage point, and get a bit of exercise while you are at it. Your guide will help you learn balance confidence, reading water...

Beaufort Lands End Paddling

Book online
$40.00 - $60.00

duration: 1.5-2 hours meeting_point: Port Royal Boat Landing, Sands Beach Rd description: Paddle from Sands Beach in Port Royal over to Parris Island and back. Crossing Battery Creek, we will keep a keen eye out for dolphin friends! Along the way...

Family Archery Outing with Range Time

duration: 1 Hour Range Time group_size: Up to 2 Adults & 3 Children (under 16 Years old) description: Bring the whole family together for a fun and memorable activity everyone can enjoy. Our family package includes equipment rental and range time...

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...

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