Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

Cozy Home in prestigious downtown Beaufo...

Recently Purchased from John and Erica Dickerson! Purchased by their manager Melissa and her mother Beverly! We promise to provide the same level of service and cleanliness as the previous owners. This is a precious little home constructed in the...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
3 Mi to Dtwn Beaufort: Quiet Family Home...

6 Mi to Parris Island | Screened-In PatioImmerse yourself in the appeal of Beaufort at this 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath vacation rental! This home is located near countless outdoor recreation and includes a full kitchen, an outdoor dining area for...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
141 Capt John Fripp Villa - Resort Acces...

141 Capt. John Fripp Villa is a first-floor unit located in the heart of Fripp Island. Just a short walk to the Beach Club, Sandbar, Tennis Courts, Exercise Center, and Guest Services. This freshly remodeled, 3-bedroom, 2-bath home is pretty and...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Great Mid Island Location, Long Term Ren...
5.0
(43)

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

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
715 Winter Trout - Oceanfront with Resor...

715 Winter Trout – Oceanfront Bliss on Fripp Island 4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Sleeps 10 | Oceanfront | Multiple Living Areas | Garage ParkingWelcome to 715 Winter Trout, a gorgeous oceanfront getaway on the serene shores of Fripp Island. With 4...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
The Tara House - Pet Friendly, Golf Cart...

Referred to by the locals as "The Tara House," this 7 bedroom, 5 ½ bathroom Lowcountry home is located on one of the biggest tons on Fripp Island with over 1 acre.  It features broad vistas of the Ocean Point golf course and the distant Atlantic...

  • Fripp Island
  • 7 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 21

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Flyboard 20 Minute

Carolina Hydrofly

Book online
$99.00

20 Minute Flyboard Pro Series Experience What's Included? 15 Min Flight Time. Includes 10 minutes of instruction time, fuel, life jacket, wetsuit, and helmet We advise everyone to arrive at least 30 minutes before your start time. If...

Kayak Rental

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$40.00 - $80.00

*Book Online Now!* ___________________________________ Rates **Single Kayak:** $40 **Tandem Kayak (Seats 2):** $80 **Tandem Kayak + Child(under 10):** $60 *Must be 18+ to Rent* *Ages 4 & over welcome to...

2021 Bentley Fish

Santee Boat Rentals

Book online
$475.00 - $600.00

Book our Southbay Pontoon today! Duration: - Full Day (8 Hours) - Half Day (4 Hours) About: This is a 2022 Bentley Fish. It is a 24ft vessel with a 140hp Suzuki outboard motor on the back. This boat is built for comfort and fishing. It...

Group Tour

Lowcountry Oyster Co.

Book online
$100.00 - $125.00

Have a larger group that is interested in enjoying a tour of our operation? We can accommodate! Bring up to 20 guests out to the farm for the full experience, complete with a fun and informative tour of the farm facilities, a boat ride out into...

Gift Cards

Emma's Earth Shop Golf Cart Tours

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

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...

Flyboard 30 Minute

Carolina Hydrofly

Book online
$129.00

30 Minute Flyboard Pro Series Experience About Each guest will have 20 minutes of flight time and 10 minutes of instruction time. If you would like to book for more than one person, then please process one booking per person by selecting the...

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...

Drawing 101-Draw what you REALLY see!

duration: 3 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: 13 group_size: 9 accessibility: Second Floor description: We all assume we know...

Custom Trips

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

duration: Event Dependent cancellation_summary: Customers will receive a full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation or if we have to cancel due to weather meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: Up to 14...

3 Hour Private Charter

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$550.00

Hop aboard Tallboy Fishing Charters with a local Expert! ___________________________________ Rates **Private Charter:** $550 *Up to 6 People* ___________________________________ Our 3 hour charters are offered between April and November and are...

Fripp Island Milky Way Photography

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$100.00

About Join us for an opportunity to photograph the Milky Way. We'll meet for a brief classroom session to discus settings and composition and then head to the beach for photography. This tour is highly weather dependent. We may suggest moving the...

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