Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Charming 3-bedroom house with AC, WiFi i...

Located in Beaufort, savor what this 3-bedroom home has to offer. With 3 queen beds, 2 bathrooms equipped with a bathtub and shower, and amenities like AC, WiFi, and a washing machine, guests will have everything they need for a comfortable stay...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
4 Davis Love Drive

Summary:4 Davis Appreciate - Resort Access and Golf Cart Included!The Space:Welcome home to 4 Davis Adore! This striking home offers a comfortable and inviting living space. Located in a beautiful location near Ocean Creek Golf Course, this property...

  • Fripp Island
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
823 Bonito Road

Summary:823 Bonito Road - 5 Bed 4.5 Bath Sleeps 11 - Google Intelligent Home Capabilities with a Marshland View! Resort Access and Golf Cart Supplied!The Space:823 Bonito is a impressive 3 story home located centrally on Fripp Island with a pretty...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 11
Sea Sounds -  steps to beach access, sle...

Sea Sounds located on esteemed Marlin Drive, Fripp Island S.C. is your ideal vacation destination. Perfectly located steps from the ocean (really the best beach location), whether high tide or low, appreciate the convenience of walking to and from...

  • Fripp Island
  • 6 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 22
415 Wahoo Drive

Summary:415 Wahoo Drive - 4 Bedroom 4 Bath with a Separate Bonus Room - Ideal for Families! South End of Fripp on Ocean Creek Golf Course! - Resort Access and Golf Cart Supplied!The Space:415 Wahoo Drive is just a short walk to the Atlantic Ocean...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Ideal Location for marine graduation or ...

Welcome to your home away from home in historic Port Royal! Appreciate this handsome, cavernous, lowcountry style 1BR 1BA home in the heart of Old Port Royal. This single family home has an "open- floor" plan combining living room, dining room and...

  • Port Royal
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Kayak Tour

Port Royal Sound Foundation

Book online
$40.00 - $55.00

duration: 2 Hours description: Join a PRSF Naturalist for a 2-hour guided kayak tour of the Chechessee River departing from the Maritime Center. Children ages 5-12 must be on a tandem kayak with an adult (18+). Designed for all experience...

Stuff-A-Plush at Creekhouse

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$25.00

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...

OPEN STUDIO

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$39.00

duration: 4 cancellation_summary: Full refunds available up to 24 hours before the class. Within 24 hours, a gift cert. will be issued. No refunds for no-shows. meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal 1404 Paris Ave, Port Royal min_age: 15 group_size...

Flood Tide Fishing

Green Heron Adventures

Book online
$550.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Do to high demand, my flood tide trip openings aren't always shown online. Contact me for details/available dates. Duration 4, 6, and 8 hour trips are available. The flood tide window itself can be...

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...

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...

Historic Carriage Tour

Sea Island Carriage Company

Book online
$14.00 - $36.00

Rates - Adults: $36 - Military: $34 - Child (Ages 4-12): $15 - Lap Child (Ages 0-3): $Free - Must sit on lap Duration 50-55 minutes About Experience Beaufort's rich history & unique charm on a 50-55 minute, fully-narrated, horse drawn...

Saint Helena Day Sail

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$300.00

description: Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Low Country waterways and the Saint Helena Sound Duration 2.5 hours About Private Sailing Charter - Price Per Group (up to 6) Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Low Country waterways...

Columbia's Shrimp & Grits Fest

Columbia's Shrimp and Grits Fest

Book online
$25.00 - $75.00

meeting_point: Seawell's, 1125 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29201 description: Columbia's Shrimp & Grits Fest >On Saturday, June 20th, 2026 area restaurants will compete in Columbia's 11th Shrimp & Grits Fest. One restaurant will be named...

Gift Cards

Emma's Earth Shop Golf Cart Tours

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

Abstract Expressionism  - Landscapes

duration: 3 hours meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal group_size: 4 description: Explore creating landscapes in abstract expressionism style Expressionists paint not just what they see but what they feel. they described the style as emotional...

Crabbing

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$13.00

description: No one ever feels crabby during our Crabbing and Seining Program! Duration 1 Hour About Curious about how to set a crab pot? Ever wanted an up close look at a blue crab or the small fish in the waves at the beach? Our Crabbing...

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