Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

476 Tarpon - Ocean Front - Full Time Bea...

**This property offers club cards for access to Fripp Island Resort amenities. A Resort fee (12.8% of the base rental rate) will be charged in addition to the cost of the individual club cards if you decide you would like to use the Resort...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
 Cottage in the Heart of Downtown Beaufo...

Welcome to our handsomely remodeled 3 bedroom Craftsman-style bungalow. Located in Historic Downtown Beaufort. 5-min. walk to Bay st. (our main st), the Waterfront Park/playground, and downtown Marina. Walk to the river to sit on swings or do a...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 5
175 Beach Club Villa

Summary:summaryThe Space:175 Beach Club Villa – Fripp IslandWelcome to 175 Beach Club Villa, a beautiful 2-bedroom, 2-bath villa ideally located in the heart of Fripp Island. This delightfully refreshed condo offers relaxing canal and marsh vistas...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
New Listing-Elegant Historic Beaufort Re...

Elegant Historic Beaufort Retreat – 4 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath | 2,894 sq ft | Constructed 1850Step into timeless Lowcountry appeal blended seamlessly with modern luxury in this gorgeously restored 1850 historic home. With 2,894 sq ft of thoughtfully...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
New to VRBO. Renovated Home on Fripp wit...

Oceanfront Cottage on Fripp Island – Recently Renovated with Private Balconies with each bedroom. (This is a single family home-not a condo or villa.)Welcome to your ideal coastal escape on Fripp Island, where the Atlantic Ocean is your backyard...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Beaufort Family Home

Totally furnished 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1900sq ft. home. Includes 1 king bed, 1 queen bed, 1 full bed, and 2 couches. Entirely equipped kitchen makes dining out an option rather than a necessity.Master bedroom: features 1 king bed, linens, nightstands...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

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...

Tandem Kayak Rental

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$45.00 - $360.00

duration: 1–8 Hour Rentals meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: - Sit-on-top style - 12 feet long - 35 inches wide - 80lbs - Usable weight capacity 400 lbs. what_is_included:

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** ...

Beaufort Land and Sea Combo

Beaufort Gray Line

Book online
$32.00 - $69.00

meeting_point: Beaufort Marina description: Combine our 90-minute Beaufort City Tour with Coastal Expedition's 90-minute Dolphin and History Boat Cruise Departing from the downtown Beaufort marina at the Waterfront Park, this land and sea...

Single Kayak Rental

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$30.00 - $240.00

duration: 1–8 Hour Rentals meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: - Sit-on-top style - Length: 8 feet 10 inches - Width: 32.75 inches - Height: 14.25 inches - Dry weight: 44 pounds - Weight capacity: 300 pounds - Seating...

Special Tours

Tales of the Lowcountry

Book online
$7.00 - $20.00

description: Rates **Adult (Ages 13+):** $20 **Child (Ages 5-12):** $7 ___ About Our specialized tours focus more on specific areas of history. **Gullah Tour** Our Gullah tour goes into great detail of the contributions of African Americans to...

Junior Pluff Mudder Summer Camp

Port Royal Sound Foundation

Book online
$345.00

duration: Monday-Friday cancellation_summary: Due to limited space and high demand for our Junior Pluff Mudder Summer Camps, all payments are non-refundable. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have to cancel your reservation so we can...

SINGO!

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$5.00

duration: 1 hour cancellation_summary: 6- hour in advanced meeting_point: CreekHouse min_age: 5 description: Join Us for Singo! ($5 per card) at the Cabana Club Enjoy singing along to your favorite hits, all while competing for a chance to win...

Private Ashes Ceremony

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$150.00

description: Rates **Private Group:** $150 *Up to 12 people* Duration 1 Hour About We offer a private one-hour boat cruise in the St. Helena Sound for families to spread the ashes of their loved ones. This trip can accommodate up to 12...

Guide's Choice Half Day Outing

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$249.00 - $499.00

description: YOU PICK THE DAY, WE'LL PICK THE LOCATIONS! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge) - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About READY FOR AN ADVENUTRE? THROW DOWN THE WILD CARD! If...

Gift Cards

Emma's Earth Shop Golf Cart Tours

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

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...

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