Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

Oceanfront w/ sandy beach all day! 4100s...

Welcome to your ultimate beachfront getaway! This striking 5-bedroom oceanfront home offers a roomy and extravagant hideaway right on the Atlantic Ocean. With a private boardwalk and expansive vistas, you'll experience the best of coastal living...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Charming 2-bedroom house in enjoyable Be...

Unwind in Beaufort at this marvelous home. With 2 comfortable bedrooms featuring a queen bed and a full bed, along with 2 bathrooms, this place is ideal for a calming hideaway. Appreciate the amenities of heating and AC during your stay. It's...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Discounted Rates! 2 miles to Parris Isla...

Come appreciate this comfortable low country hideaway, attending a Marine graduation or simply appreciating a southern hideaway. The Nest is located in the trees above The Proud Mary vrbo #875038. The Nest is just mins. from Historic downtown...

  • Port Royal
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 3
The Hidden Palm: Luxurious 5-Bed Home, S...

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

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 13
Charming 2-bedroom villa in peaceful Fri...

328 John Fripp Villa - Resort Conveniences/Club Cards AvailableFeel Fripp Island like a local in this 2-bedroom/2-bath villa. The handsome space features a king bed, queen bed, and a comfortable bunk bed, ideal for families or friends.Rental comes...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
25 Davis Love Drive - New to VRBO! Resor...

25 Davis Adore is a splendid two-story home located in the heart of Fripp Island. Just a short golf cart ride to the Ocean Marina, Bonito Boathouse, Atlantic Ocean and Fripp's Handsome Beach, Ocean Creek Golf Course, Cabana Club and so much more...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Gullah Heritage Tour

Beaufort Gray Line

Book online
$20.00 - $49.00

Duration 3 hours About Travel back in time to explore the Gullah and Geechee heritage of South Carolina's Sea Islands in our comfortable, climate-controlled vehicle. On this tour we'll visit several areas of Beaufort County and discover it's...

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...

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...

ACE Basin/Dolphin Boat Tour

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$30.00 - $50.00

*Online booking encouraged!* ___________________________________ Rates **Adult (Ages 11+):** $50 **Child (Ages 10 & under):** $30 ___________________________________ Duration 1.5 Hours ___________________________________ About Enjoy a 1.5...

Gift Cards

Carolina Hydrofly

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

Beachcombing & Eco Tour (3 Hrs)

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

Book online
$481.13

duration: 3 Hours cancellation_summary: Customers will receive a full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances...

Custom Charter and Private Celebrations

duration: 3 hours + meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum for the cruise or 12 while docked at the marina or your private residence description: Life’s milestones deserve more than a table at...

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...

Historic Carriage Tour

Sea Island Carriages

Book online
$15.00 - $36.00

duration: 50 - 55 Minutes description: Experience Beaufort‘s rich history and unique charm on a 50-55 minute, fully narrated, horse drawn carriage tour. You’ll slip back into Beaufort’s elegant past as your carriage meanders under the moss...

Hilton Head Tour

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$140.00

About Want to see more than the local area? This tour is for you! Get an overhead view of Bull Point Beach, Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, Harbor Town Lighthouse, Parris Island, Fort Frederick! Duration 40 Minutes What to Expect: ...

Start Your Day Right
Book online
$40.00 - $325.00

duration: 1.5 hours meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum description: There’s no better way to greet the day as the sun warms the water and sparkles in the morning light. This relaxing cruise...

Valentine's Day Carriage Rides

Brice Herndon Draft Horse and Carriage Company

Book online
$100.00

A Fairytale Valentine's Day: Take Your Sweetheart on a Magical Carriage Ride. We will start from the north side of Union Point Park . Each ride is approximately 18 to 20 minutes long. The carriage will comfortably hold 4 adults and 2 small...

Find your perfect Beaufort

Fishing Charter

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