Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

Beaufort-SC.com logo

Find your perfect Beaufort

Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

Spectacular Sunset Views, Quiet Location...

Find your sanctuary and feel the anxiety of daily life melt away with the calming amenities of this comfortable, elegantly refreshed bungalow overlooking a marsh panorama on the leeward, most sought after side of the island.  Savor the ambiance...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
87 Ocean Creek - Canal w/Shared Dock

**This property offers club cards for access to Fripp Island Resort amenities. A Resort fee (12.8% of the base rental rate) will be charged in addition to the cost of the individual club cards if you decide you would like to use the Resort...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Sweeping Marsh Views, Golf Cart Included...

Feel refined coastal living in this freshly modernized, luxury 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom single-story residence, where every suite offers its own ensuite and a level of privacy typically reserved for boutique retreats. Framed by sweeping broad marsh...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
The Idle Oak - Sleeps 4 - Central Locati...

Located beneath moss-draped oaks in a peaceful, relaxing neighborhood, this impressive 2-bedroom, 1-bath home is the ideal base for your Beaufort hideaway. Just 8 mins. from both Parris Island and downtown Beaufort, The Idle Oak Cottage offers...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
411 Capt John Fripp Villa

Summary:411 Capt John Fripp Villa - Resort Access Supplied!The Space:411 Capt. John Fripp Villa is a elegantly refreshed three-bedroom, three-bath villa located in the heart of Fripp Island. Just a short walk to the Beach Club, Sandbar, Tennis...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Quality comfort in a convenient location...

Quiet street and close to eateries, grocery, pharmacy, etc. Convenient location for MCRD Parris Island (families of graduates).This home has a decent-sized lot and parking spaces available.There are 3 bedrooms in total. The master bedroom (with a...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Gift Cards

Carolina Hydrofly

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

Lil Fripper

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$300.00 - $400.00

duration: 1.5 meeting_point: Fripp Island Paddle Shack group_size: 6 description: Let's cruise the island's waterways and watch the sunset on our new Lil' Fripper. This captained social boat comfortably accommodates six guests, ensuring lots of fun...

Barrier Island Tour

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$120.00

description: About With this beautiful tour you get an overhead view of Morgan Island, Harbor Island, Hunting Island State Park & Lighthouse, Fripp Island, Pritchard’s Island, Bull Point Beach, St. Phillip’s Island, Parris Island, and Fort...

Gift Cards

Lady's Island Oyster Inc.

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

Wait List for Golf Carts

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

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

Annual Membership

Red Oak Airsoft & Paintball

Book online
$250.00

description: Field Pass for 1 year 10% off all purchases About Join our annual membership pass and save! Players must have an airsoft gun that is approved by Red Oak Airsoft and Paintball along with all of the required safety equipment. No...

Boneyard Beach Sunrise Adventure

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$249.00 - $499.00

description: A SPECIAL ADVENTURE TO AN OTHERWORLDLY LOCATION! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About COME EXPLORE SOME OF THE MOST MYSTERIOUS AND...

Happy Hour

Lowco Tiki

Book online
$40.00 - $380.00

duration: 2 hours meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum description: Why sit at a landside bar when you can sip your own favorite beverages and socialize on the water? Our Happy Hour Cruise...

Family Master LEGO Building Competition at Beach Club Greene

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Beach Club min_age: 3 description: Get ready to unleash your creativity at our LEGO Building Competition! Whether you're a master builder or just love to build, this fun-filled challenge is perfect for anyone! Put...

Wednesday Camp Fripp-Wild Water Wednesday

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: Cool off and make a splash during Water Works Day! Enjoy a variety of fun water games and activities, including exciting relay races, splash challenges, and pool fun...

Single Kayak Rental

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$30.00 - $240.00

duration: 1–8 Hour Rentals meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: - Sit-on-top style - Length: 8 feet 10 inches - Width: 32.75 inches - Height: 14.25 inches - Dry weight: 44 pounds - Weight capacity: 300 pounds - Seating...

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...

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