Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Vacation Rental

Featured Vacation Rentals

New Rental!  Comes with amenity cards an...

Welcome to 15 Fairway Club – A Serene Golf Course RetreatLocated along a spectacular wildlife pond with broad vistas of the golf course, this charmingly maintained 3-bedroom, 3-bath home offers comfort, privacy, and nature right at your...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
142 Capt John Fripp Villa -  Resort Acce...

This home was freshly featured on HGTV and was newly refreshed from top to bottom! Ideal for those who like the convenience of walking out the back door to head to the beach! Unit 142, "Sunshine Sanctuary," is a second-floor four bedroom, three bath...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
A Little Frippsea - 603 Newhaven
4.2
(6)

603 Newhaven is a two story 3 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath villa with direct ocen vistas and includes a 6-seat golf cart with private golf cart parking. The Newhaven complex has one of the best vistas on Fripp Island as it sits right at the northern point of...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
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Unwind and relax at one of Mermaid Cottage's favorite spots - Anchor House . This 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Cottage sleeps 4. Rental includes amenities such as Bicycles (2) and use of Hunting Island State Park & Beach Pass. Located mins. away from the...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
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
Home Under The Oaks - 3 bedroom - 2 bath...

Are you celebrating your Marine’s Graduation from Parris Island? This 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom This home is the one for you! This elegantly decorated home features a completely equipped kitchen, a furnished screened porch, and a huge fenced backyard...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6

Beaufort Tours & Activities

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...

A.C.E. Basin & Monkey Island Tour

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

Book online
$372.64

duration: 2 Hours cancellation_summary: Customers will receive a full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances...

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...

Summer Camps

Camelot Farms Equestrian Center

Book online
$650.00

duration: 6 Hour Camp Days meeting_point: 101 Tom and Mike Road Saint Helena Island, SC 29920 min_age: 5 group_size: 8 participants description: Have your young rider join us at Camelot Farms for a 4-day camp experience! Our camps are available to...

Custom Charter and Private Celebrations

duration: 3 hours + meeting_point: 1 Port Royal Landing Dr, Port Royal, SC 29935 group_size: 6 Passenger maximum for the cruise or 12 while docked at the marina or your private residence description: Life’s milestones deserve more than a table at...

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...

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. Includes one free glass of wine or beer with class! what_is_included: None

Screen 1

Highway 21 Drive-In Theater

Book online
$6.00 - $11.00

More Info - Ticket Window and Concessions Open at 6:00PM - The first show will start when the sun goes down - Please arrive early on Friday and Saturday nights - Double Features on Friday and Saturday nights only PLEASE OBSERVE SOCIAL DISTANCING...

Crabbing

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$13.00

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 and seining...

Six Hour Inshore Fishing

Happy Dog Charters

Book online
$700.00

Come aboard and let's go fishing! Duration 6 Hours About This is a trip where we will cover it all, from catching bait to several different spots. We will be moving and finding fish several times unless the bite is absolute...

One Hour Axe Throwing

Wolverine Axe Throwing

Book online
$20.00

Enjoy your time at Wolverine Axe Throwing throwing axes! Duration 1 hour About Welcome to Wolverine Axe Throwing in Woodruff, SC. If you have never thrown an axe before, there is nothing to fear. When you arrive our axperts will show you...

All Day Float Pass

Edisto River Adventures

Book online
$55.00

Are you here to Float - this is the option for YOU! Duration Float all day! Weekends only, starting at 9 am and the last float goes out at 230 pm. Arrival to last check in at our checkin kiosk/Givhans Ferry State Park must be by 220 pm. ...

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