Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Golf and Ocean Views, 6 seat golf cart i...

Upon entering this home, your eyes are automatically drawn to the wall of windows and view beyond. You will see the 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th fairways at Ocean Point, water all around and then a slice of ocean view to boot! This home offers 4 bedrooms...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
188 Beach Club Villa - Resort Access Inc...

Located in the heart of Fripp Island, 188 Beach Club Villa awaits on the second floor, offering unparalleled convenience. Just a brief walk away lies the Beach Club, Sandbar, Tennis Courts, Exercise Center, and Guest Services, making this 1-bedroom...

  • Fripp Island
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Gordon’s - Private Coosaw Island Marsh...

New listing! Just added to Vacation Rental By Owner in January 2026!Welcome to Gordon’s on Coosaw Island, a private Lowcountry hideaway just 15 mins. from historic downtown Beaufort and close by beaches. This home is located off of a private road...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Splash of Chic - Three Bedroom House, Sl...

Escape to Heaven: Your Marsh-Front Retreat on Fripp Island Welcome to Splash of Chic, your ideal hideaway for a serene, nature-filled escape with family and friends! Located on a half-acre marsh-front property in the heart of Fripp Island's...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
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
NEW - King Suite - Golf Cart - Park Pass...

 King suite | 2 Queen bedrooms | flex room w/ twin trundle & dedicated workspace Pool OPEN through October Entirely equipped kitchen and open-concept living 2 cavernous screened porches w/ marsh breezes Free golf cart for fast beach...

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

Beaufort Tours & Activities

OUTPOST PHOTO ACADEMY

Guy Harvey Outpost

Book online
$75.00 - $350.00

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 photographer. Photographers bring any camera you...

SC Pimento Cheese Sponsor

Red Maple Event

Book online
$500.00 - $3,000.00

duration: 5 hours meeting_point: 6071 St Andrews Rd, Columbia, SC 29212 description: Promote your business in front of the crowds at the SC Pimento Cheese Festival This free, family friendly event will draw crowds from all over the state. There...

Birds of the Low Country-Watercolor Class

duration: 3 hours cancellation_summary: Full refund for cancellations 24 hours or more before class. Day of class, a gift certificate refund, and no shows, no refund. min_age: 14 group_size: 9 accessibility: Second Floor description: Low Country...

Private Party

Oh Snap

Book online
$65.00

Let's Adventure! Duration 1 Hour About Perfect birthday party activity for friends and family to get together and celebrate! Take a private tour of our museum and enjoy taking fun photos with friends and family!

Gift Cards

Emma's Earth Shop Golf Cart Tours

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

Gift Certificate

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Purchase the perfect gift: a gift certificate with a value of your choosing. Valid for 1 year from time of purchase!

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...

Stunning Best of Beaufort Experience

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$499.00 - $999.00

LOOKING FOR A FULL LOWCOUNTRY PHOTO EXPERIENCE? Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About IF YOU LOVE BEAUFORT AS MUCH AS WE DO, THIS IS THE TRIP FOR...

Creative Mindfulness

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$75.00

duration: 2.5 description: Art is Medicine for the Soul Remember our joy filled young selves playing with crayons and finger paint?  We would lose ourselves in creativity.   Art can light us up, fill us with joy when we remember that it is all...

Sunset Tour

Plot Twist Charters LLC

Book online
$250.00 - $350.00

The best way to see sunset! Duration 1.5 hours About The absolute BEST way to soak in an Edisto Sunset is on the water. Imagine the sounds of seagulls, maybe even some blows and splashing from dolphins and the pink/orange cotton candy sky...

Oak Avenues & Island Marsh Sunset

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$249.00 - $499.00

THE LOCATIONS YOU'VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About THERE'S NOTHING MORE SOUTHERN THAN LIVE OAKS AND SPANISH MOSS; Come...

Afternoon Delight & Scenic Excursion

duration: 1.5 hours meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum description: Soak up the sunshine and experience the Beaufort and Port Royal on the water! Glide along the river as dolphins play in 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