Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

418 Skimmer Cove

Summary:Alluring Lake-Front Fripp Island Home! Resort Access Supplied! Golf Cart Included!The Space: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...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 13
70 Davis Love Drive

Summary:Breathtaking Marsh View! Modern 4 Bed 3 Bath Home with Resort Access and Golf Cart Supplied!The Space:70 Davis Appreciate is a 3-story, 4-bedroom, 3-bath home with an gorgeous marsh view. Located on the South end of Fripp Island on Davis...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
359 Tarpon Blvd

Summary:359 Tarpon Blvd - New to Airbnb! Resort Access and Golf Cart Supplied!The Space:359 Tarpon Boulevard is located on the southern side of Fripp Island on the canal. This 1-story, 3-bedroom, 2-bath home has been freshly refreshed, including...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 9
Bright Dreamy Cottage-Walkable to Water ...

Feel the best of Beaufort in this striking, freshly constructed 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. This is the ideal space to call home during your Beaufort vacation. You will adore both the front and back porches and chic indoor spaces, soaked in natural...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Luxury Living on Fripp Island - 155 Davi...

155 Davis Appreciate Drive | Fripp Island, SC4 Bedrooms | 4.5 Bathrooms | Golf Course VistasFeel modern coastal living at its best in this handsomely designed 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom home located along the fairways of Fripp Island’s premier golf...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Charming Port Royal Townhouse - 2 Miles ...

We have wifi!  Tired of being stuck at home?  Come see us in gorgeous Port Royal!  Equipped with complimentary wifi, this shining clean 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath townhouse with sleeper couch is a ideal place to get away for a weekend, numerous days...

  • Port Royal
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6

Beaufort Tours & Activities

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...

Do It All

The Mad Smash Rage Room

Book online
$80.00

description: Duration Approx. 1 hour About Want to do it all? This package is the ultimate option mixing fun, thrill, and creativity! With this package you will get to do some splatter painting, glass smashing, and have 5 minutes to go full...

Craft Hour Easter Wooden Egg Painting at The Creekhouse

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$24.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 description: Unleash your creativity at Craft Hour! Whether you're a beginner or a crafting pro, this is the perfect activity to relax, create, and have fun! Walk-up or reservation

SC Pimento Cheese Festival- Pimento Cheese Competition

meeting_point: 2nd Annual Amateur Pimento Cheese Competition description: Does your pimento cheese have what it takes to win "South Carolina's Best Pimento Cheese" title? Registration **$25 per entry** - This fee includes entry into the...

SINGO!

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$5.00

duration: 1 hour cancellation_summary: 6- hour in advanced meeting_point: CreekHouse min_age: 5 description: Join Us for Singo! ($5 per card) at the Cabana Club Enjoy singing along to your favorite hits, all while competing for a chance to win...

Variety Craft Hour at Creekhouse *Walk-Up ONLY

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$35.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Creekhouse min_age: 3 description: Unleash your creativity at Variety Craft Hour! Each session features a fun, hands-on project, from painting, seasonal decorations, to DIY keepsakes. Whether you're a beginner or a...

Wait List for Golf Carts

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

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

Beaufort River Tour (2 Hrs)

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

Book online
$325.47 - $533.02

duration: 2 Hours 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 to 14...

20' Skiff

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$400.00 - $700.00

duration: Half Day (4 Hours) & Full Day (8.5 Hours) meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: Our 20' Skiffs hold up to eight people. They are equipped with 115HP Yamaha four stroke motors and all have bimini tops. Life...

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...

Low Country Expressions

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$85.00

duration: 3 hours meeting_point: The Arts Port Royal group_size: 4 description: From marshes to beaches to magnificent sunsets in expressionism style Expressionists paint not just what they see but also what they feel. It is often described as...

Merchandise

Carolina Hydrofly

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