Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

Beaufort-SC.com logo

Find your perfect Beaufort

Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

Oceanfront Fripp Villa – Walk to Beach...

Why Guests Adore This Villa:• True oceanfront with view from living area• Steps to beach and Beach Club, pools, food & exercise• Quiet gated island with wildlife everywhere• Ideal for families & casual beach vacationsCaptain John Fripp...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
An Ocean View from Every Room and Golf A...

This astounding oceanfront two-story townhouse offers spectacular vistas from every room and is only steps to handsome beaches, pool and golf.The villa is freshly painted and kitchen just refreshed and professionally decorated to invoke a coastal...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 7
On the golf course, sleeps 16, golf cart...

Escape to your own Fripp Island getaway, where coastal appeal and relaxation come together to create the ideal hideaway. Tucked away in this elegant island heaven, this inviting home offers the ideal setting for memorable family vacations, calming...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 16
723 Seahorse Road

Summary:NEWLY RENOVATED, 360 Degree Vistas from your PRIVATE ROOFTOP BALCONY!!! Stunning Oceanside Home on Fripp Island! Resort Access Included!The Space:723 Seahorse Road is a freshly modernized, 5-bedroom OCEANSIDE home just a short walk away from...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Gorgeous Sunsets and Marsh Views, Pet Fr...

Spectacular marsh vistas greet you from the moment you step inside this family-friendly home at the heart of Fripp Island near the Beach Club. The living room, dining room, and sitting area have walls of windows looking out to the marsh.  Very...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
380 Tarpon Blvd

Summary:380 Tarpon Blvd - Resort Access and Golf Cart Supplied!The Space:This gorgeous five-bedroom, three-bath home is located in the heart of Fripp Island. It is a third-row location to the beach, but only steps away from the beach access. This...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 16

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Turtle Week: Beach Clean-Up

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

duration: 9am-7pm meeting_point: Nature Center max_age: 99 description: Join us for a Turtle Week Beach Cleanup on June 14th, 9am–5pm! Free for everyone—donations welcome. Meet at the Fripp Nature Center to pick up materials and return collected...

Sky & Water Study in Acrylic

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$85.00

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: 14 group_size: 8 accessibility: Second Floor description: Learn what you can...

Shibumi© Shade Rental

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

Book online
$25.00 - $125.00

description: The newest must have for the beach!! Super light weight and easy to set up! All you need is a calm ocean breeze to create 100sq ft of perfect shade!! Super light weight and easy to set up! All you need is a calm ocean breeze to...

Wait List for Shibumi©

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

description: Wait list for 3 Day or Week Long Electric Cart Rentals

Lowcountry Christmas

Tales of the Lowcountry

Book online
$18.00

duration: 1.5 cancellation_summary: 1 hour prior meeting_point: 1002 Baystreet Beaufort, South Carolina group_size: 20 accessibility: yes pricing: Prices 18 for adults 10 for children 5 and under are free description: Celebrate the season with a...

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...

SC Pimento Cheese Festival- Vendor
Book online
$30.00 - $125.00

duration: 8 hours meeting_point: 6071 St Andrews Rd, Columbia, SC 29212 description: With over 2,500 in attendance in our 1st SC Pimento Cheese Fest last year, we believe this year will be bigger and better! Promote your business in front of the...

Fripp Island Sunset

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$75.00

description: About Join us for a sunrise photography session. We'll provide some tips and tricks and give constructive input to improve your shot. Duration 1.5 Hours

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 River Tour from Downtown (90 Min)

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

Book online
$325.47 - $533.02

duration: 90 Minute Private Boat Tour 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...

Dancing Trees in the Wind-Acrylic

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$65.00

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: 14 group_size: 8 accessibility: Second Floor description: This colorful dance...

Hilton Head Tour

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$140.00

description: 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...

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