Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Beaufort SC Newly Renovated 2 Bedroom 2 ...

This 2 Bedroom/ 2 Bathroom mobile home with pullout couch has been completely refreshed with new floor, tile and paint throughout. It is centrally located and is just a short 5 mins. drive to Beaufort s Historic Waterfront Downtown and Marina as...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Port Royal Dream Home Perfect for Marine...

Ideal location: 2mi to Parris Island Gateway, 3 Mi to Bay Street Beaufort with shopping and historic district featuring huge antebellum homes, great eateries and stores . 1 Mi to historic Port Royal and Sands Beach. 2 blocks to enter the new 14 mi...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
The Canopy House - A Fripp Island Getawa...

Summary:Welcome to The Canopy House on Fripp Island! Bright, roomy, and designed for gathering this home features vaulted ceilings and broad windows that fill the interior with natural light. The open floor plan offers plenty of room for huge...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Serene 3-bedroom house with fenced yard ...

This memorable home is the ideal home base for your trip to Beaufort. Guests will find three comfortable bedrooms, including a king bed, a queen bed, and a couch bed, offering plenty of space to relax. Two bathrooms with invigorating showers or tub...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 5
46 Davis Love Drive

Summary:Firefly Shack - Charming 2-Bedroom Cottage - Sleeps 8 - Golf Cart and Resort Access Included!The Space:Appreciate Firefly Shack! This appealing, vibrant bungalow is really the ultimate beach/golf hideaway, located next to a fairway of the...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Pecan Point - Sleeps 10 - Stunning Lowco...

Sleeps 10 | 4 Bedrooms | 2 BathroomsA true Southern gem, Pecan Point is a historic masterpiece tucked away on 12 acres in the heart of Beaufort. This elegant home blends timeless elegance with modern luxury, offering a lavish escape just 12 mins...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10

Beaufort Tours & Activities

5 Hour Rental

Pedego Electric Bikes Greenville

Book online
$25.00 - $94.00

description: Ride out our front door onto the Swamp Rabbit Trail! ???? Experience the Thrill of Greenville's Iconic Swamp Rabbit Trail with Pedego Electric Bikes! ????‍♂️ Ready for an adventure like no other? ???? Step right up and...

Archery Party

Jeffery Archery

Book online
$229.00

duration: 2 Hours description: Make your next birthday, corporate event, or private gathering unforgettable with an interactive archery party experience. We provide equipment, instructor supervision, range time, tables, and chairs—you simply bring...

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...

Wait List for Shibumi©

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

description: Wait list for 3 Day or Week Long Electric Cart Rentals

Sunset Cruise

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$30.00 - $50.00

description: Join us for a Leisurely Sunset Boat Ride! ________________________________ ⚠️**Cancellation Policy** Customer cancellations made more than 7 days in advance will receive a full refund/waiver of fees. Customer cancellations made...

Cornhole Tournament at Adult Pool

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$12.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Adult Pool min_age: 21 description: Ready, set, toss! Grab a partner and test your tossing skills in a fun and friendly game of cornhole! Whether you are a seasoned pro or a first-timer, this classic game is prefect...

Beaufort Lands End Paddling

Book online
$20.00 - $60.00

duration: 1.5-2 hours meeting_point: Safe Harbor Beaufort, 1006 Bay St, Beaufort, SC 29902 description: Discover downtown Beaufort like never before—from the water at high tide, where history and Southern charm come together for an unforgettable...

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...

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...

History and Movie Tour by Golf Cart
Book online
$15.00 - $38.00

duration: 1 Hour meeting_point: Downtown Marina at 1006 Bay Street, Beaufort, SC (29902) description: *See stunning live oaks draped with Spanish Moss, and pre-Civil War houses.* This one hour tour by golf cart covers Beaufort’s historic...

Fripper II Pirate Cruise

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$30.00 - $45.00

duration: 1.5 Hours meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: Drift back in time to the carefree days of pirates. Sit back and relax as your children laugh and play under the watchful eyes of Capt. John Fripp and his friendly...

Turtle Week: Beach Clean-Up

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

duration: 9am-7pm meeting_point: Nature Center max_age: 99 description: Join us for a Turtle Week Beach Cleanup on June 14th, 9am–5pm! Free for everyone—donations welcome. Meet at the Fripp Nature Center to pick up materials and return collected...

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