Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

New construction, Walk to Beach, 631 Dol...

631 Dolphin Road is brand new and elegant! Step into this sizable family home and savor an gorgeous island vacation.  Located beside the Ocean Point golf course and located just 200 steps from the nearest beach access, you will fall in adore with...

  • Fripp Island
  • 6 Bedrooms
  • 6 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 14
Harrington House- Short Walk to Downtown

Unwind and relax 803 Harrington, a striking historic low country bungalow located in the heart of downtown Beaufort, SC. Constructed in 1890, this bungalow combines classic Southern touches with modern amenities, featuring 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. The...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
This villa is located on the back waters...

Located 20 miles from Beaufort, South Carolina, Fripp Island is a gated, private island, comprised of about six and a half square miles of serene Carolina low country. The vistas from Fripp Island are unlike others in the Sea Islands, as Fripp is...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Palmetto Cottage - Downtown Beaufort - M...

Our Palmetto Cottage is available to you and yours for a phenomenal Vacation, or for your Parris Island Marine Corps Graduation Celebration. Located just 10 mins to the entrance of the Marine Corp Recruit Depot at Parris Island, 10 mins from The...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 9
Parris Island 5.75 miles - 1 mile to His...

Fresh and Clean, new paint and floors, Fall 2019! Ideal location just 1 mile to Downtown Historic Beaufort, 5 miles to Parris Island, and 1/4 mile to to waterfront park with pier, boat landing, waterfront Dockside Seafood Restaurant, and The Filling...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Fishcamp on 14th - Renovated & Walkable ...

Welcome to Fishcamp on 14th - Walkable, Pool, RenovatedThis home has it all, entirely remodeled with a pretty NEW pool + featuring an outdoor bar area. Delightfully furnished and decorated with a cool coastal feel.Sleeps 8 (2 kings + 1 queen +2...

  • Port Royal
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Plant Native!

Port Royal Sound Foundation

Book online
$15.00

duration: 1 hour min_age: 5 description: This interactive one-hour workshop introduces participants to native plants, their ecological benefits, and practical seed-planting techniques. Guests will learn how to select and plant seeds, care for young...

Flyboard 20 Minute

Carolina Hydrofly

Book online
$129.00

description: 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...

SC Pimento Cheese Festival - Tasting Ticket

meeting_point: Saluda Shoals- 6071 St Andrews Road, Columbia, SC 29212 description: A festival to showcase South Carolina's Favorite snack, Pimento Cheese Rates General Admission is Free and $5 Parking Fee per car at Gate Tasting Tickets are...

Stuff-A-Plush Holiday Craft at Beach Club complex

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 description: Create your own cuddly companion at our stuff-a-plush event! Choose from a variety of animals, then bring them to life by stuffing them with fluff and adding a special heart for...

Tuesday Camp Fripp-Game On

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$57.00 - $65.00

duration: 3 hours meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 max_age: 12 description: Join us for an exciting Sports Camp filled with fast-paced games, friendly competition, and plenty of outdoor fun! Campers will try a variety of sports, learn new...

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...

Dive In Movie at Cabana

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

duration: 2 hours meeting_point: Cabana Club min_age: 5 description: Experience movie magic like never before with our swim-in movie night! This unique event transforms your typical movie night into an unforgettable aquatic adventure! Grab your...

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...

Summer Art Camp for Kids-MORNINGS

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$250.00

duration: 2 hours min_age: 8 max_age: 11 group_size: 8 accessibility: second floor description: Miss Cheryl has all kinds of arts and crafts in store for the kids this summer! We will have collage, painting, pottery, sculpture, and various...

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...

Canvas & Cabernet Wine Glass Edition

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$35.00 - $40.00

duration: 2 meeting_point: Oceanview Lounge (above Beach Club) min_age: 21 description: Wine Glass edition. Includes one free glass of wine or beer with class! what_is_included: None

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...

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