Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

170 Beach Club Villa - Resort Access Alw...

Welcome to this striking 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom Beach Club condo located in the heart of Fripp Island, offering a ideal hideaway for families or modest groups. Located on the 1st floor, this condo provides impressive vistas of the canal and marsh...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 5
Carriage House under Live Oaks In Histor...

This striking South Carolina unit called Sweetgrass, in downtown Beaufort, is on the street level of the carriage home one block from the Beaufort River. It has two bedrooms, one queen bed and one modest full bed and one bath (connected to each...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 3
Beautiful Lake-Front Home on Fripp Islan...

Escape to a serene lakeside getaway on the north end of Fripp Island, where this cavernous 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home offers both seclusion and convenience. Located amidst the beauty of Blue Heron Lake, yet within simple reach of Fripp Island Resort...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 13
3 Mi to Historic Dtwn: Family Retreat in...

Roomy Home | BBQ Ready | Updated Kitchen & Bathrooms | Pet Friendly w/ Fee | Marsh VistasWhether you're here to celebrate a Marine grad, soak up some sun, or tee off near the tides, you'll appreciate that this 4-bed, 2.5-bath Beaufort vacation...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
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1 Bedroom, 1 Bath with a view! This bespoke constructed Carriage House boast some of the most glorious sunsets in Beaufort. Located along Battery Creek and mins. away from Historic Downtown Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island...

  • Beaufort
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2
Cara May Cottage

Located in downtown Beaufort’s Historic District our Cara May bungalow is striking and calming. Modest home living in the northwest quadrant. Featuring one bedroom just big enough for the queen bed. On suite full bathroom. Kitchen with full...

  • Beaufort
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Beaufort Land and Sea Combo

Beaufort Gray Line

Book online
$32.00 - $69.00

Combine our 75-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 combo is a fun and family-friendly escape...

Labor Day Sale

The Pixel Experience

Book online
$20.00

Greenville's First Premier Selfie Museum Duration 1 Hour Session About The Pixel Experience is a selfie museum with fun and interactive installation pieces. Through this space, guests can tour over 20 instagrammable backdrops where you can...

Reptile Meet & Greet

Port Royal Sound Foundation

Book online
$10.00

Meet and greet the reptiles in the Maritime Center. Duration 1 Hour About Join our Naturalists for an educational program about the reptiles of the Lowcountry. This program will teach you what makes a reptile a reptile along with learning...

Carolina HydroFly Parties

Carolina Hydrofly

Book online
$800.00 - $1,600.00

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** - Helmet - Life...

SC Pimento Cheese Festival - Tasting Ticket

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 **$5 per person** Each Tasting Ticket holder will receive 6 tasting tickets to sample...

Creative Conversations: Paths to Publishing

We’re thrilled to invite you to our next workshop that promises to unlock the secrets of successfully becoming a published author. Join Meg Reid, the Publisher of Hub City Press, as she demystifies all aspects of publishing and the business of...

Stuff-A-Plush at Creekhouse

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

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...

Fit on Fripp Goat Yoga

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$35.00 - $40.00

duration: 1 hour cancellation_summary: 48- hour in advanced meeting_point: Beach Club min_age: 15 group_size: 30 description: Experience the unique blend of fitness and fun with Goat Yoga. Kickstart the season by joining us for an interactive yoga...

Oyster Hatchery Kayak Paddle, Tour and Tasting
Book online
$75.00 - $90.00

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 love most about...

Private: Oldfield Season Tune Up Clinic

Sporting Clay Xperiences

Book online
$225.00

Need a Sporting Clays tune up! Duration 3 Hours About Prepare for the upcoming Sporting Clays season. Shake off cob webs or address nagging habits that are holding you back. Learn how to consistently break quartering and crossing targets as...

Oyster Hatchery Tour and Tasting

Beaufort Kayak Tours

Book online
$35.00

Duration 1 Hour About

Canvas & Cabernet Dough Bowl Edition

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$45.00 - $50.00

duration: 2 meeting_point: Oceanview Lounge (above Beach Club) min_age: 21 description: Dough bowl edition. Include one free glass of wine with class! what_is_included: None

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