Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Lloyd's Lodge: Spacious Fripp Island Ret...

This cavernous "Lloyd's Lodge" offers it all; close proximity to Fripp Island beaches, award winning Ocean Creek golf course, eateries, tennis courts, marvelous vistas and a calming and serene resort with manicured grounds and community pools. It is...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Parris Island Marine Corps Graduation PC...

This handsome two bedroom townhome is ideal for anyone coming to their Marine graduation, business, traveling nurses, PCS orders or if you're just visiting Beaufort. This home is located 4.3 miles from Parris Island and 4 miles from Downtown Bay...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
FrippLife, Walk to Beach, Golf Cart Incl...

Head to the coast with family and friends and savor a calming hideaway in this huge Fripp Island home. This property offers 5 bedrooms all with new cooling memory foam beds (purchased in the summer of 2025) and 3 bathrooms with more than enough room...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 13
407 Ocean Point Lane

Summary:407 Ocean Point Lane - Resort Access and Golf Cart Supplied! Stunning Vistas! Ideal Fripp Island Location!The Space:Million Dollar Oceanfront Home on Cul-de-Sac. This 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath home has striking ocean vistas. With a wall of...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 15
\nExperience USMC History: 10 min to Par...

Escape to Twin Oak, your home away from home in Beaufort County. Just 10 mins. from Parris Island for Marine boot camp graduations and 10 mins. to the Historic Waterfront with delicious eateries. Book for 30+ days at $2500/month.Appreciate the...

  • Port Royal
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Ocean Views!  5 star reviews, easy beach...

Our 5-star reviews say it all......Footprints is the ideal getaway and heaven for your vacation! From the moment you arrive, the home is designed for your fun and enjoyment especially since a high quality electric golf cart, 4 adult bicycles and 2...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 5 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 14

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Guided Kayak Outgoing Tidal Tour

Edisto Watersports and Tackle

Book online
$50.00 - $100.00

duration: 2 hours meeting_point: Edisto Watersports & Tackle description: Enjoy a lovely Kayak tour guided by one of our experts! Rates **Single Kayak:** $50 **Tandem Kayak (Seats 2):** $100 *Ages 4+ Welcome!...

Beaufort Tipsy Tour

Beaufort Gray Line

Book online
$55.00

description: Duration 2.5 hours Beaufort’s tour scene is about to get a whole lot better with Kelly Tours new Tipsy Tour! Beaufort’s “Tipsy Tour” is a brand-new tour specifically designed for adults! Enter this exciting experience...

Shark Dissection

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$75.00

meeting_point: Creek House description: Sharks help maintain the delicately balanced ecosystems that keep our oceans healthy. However, the challenges facing this critical apex predator are many, and seemingly overwhelming. More than 100 million are...

Low Country Passport

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$200.00

description: About Do you want to see the entire Lowcountry from above? This is the tour for you. You will get to see many sites including. Morgan Island, Harbor Island, Hunting Island State Park & Lighthouse, Fripp Island, Pritchard’s Island...

Mississippi Kite Flight

Carolina Safari Co.

Book online
$40.00

duration: 2 Hours meeting_point: West Columbia Riverwalk & Amphitheatre group_size: Maximum 8 people description: It’s Spring Time and you know what that means… Migration is upon us! This time of year hundreds of species of birds are migrating...

Wait List for Golf Carts

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

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

Day Camps

Camelot Farms Equestrian Center

Book online
$100.00

description: Join us! Duration 4 Hours About Our day camps at Camelot farms give children the opportunity to learn about horses, ride, and meet new friends. Each camp can vary slightly, but they all offer riding and learning opportunities as...

Screen 3

Highway 21 Drive-In Theater

Book online
$6.00 - $11.00

description: 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...

Tandem Kayak Rental

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$45.00 - $360.00

duration: 1–8 Hour Rentals meeting_point: 875 Bonito Dr, Fripp Island, SC 29920 description: - Sit-on-top style - 12 feet long - 35 inches wide - 80lbs - Usable weight capacity 400 lbs. what_is_included:

Group Tour

Lowcountry Oyster Co.

Book online
$100.00 - $125.00

Have a larger group that is interested in enjoying a tour of our operation? We can accommodate! Bring up to 20 guests out to the farm for the full experience, complete with a fun and informative tour of the farm facilities, a boat ride out into...

Fit on Fripp Goat Yoga

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$35.00

duration: 1 hour cancellation_summary: 48- hour in advanced meeting_point: Beach Club min_age: 14 group_size: 30 description: Experience the unique blend of fitness and fun with Goat Yoga. Kickstart the season by joining us for an interactive yoga...

6 Hour Private Charter

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$1,000.00

description: Hop aboard Tallboard Fishing Charters with a local Expert! ___________________________________ Rates **Private Charter:** $1000 *Up to 6 Passengers* ___________________________________ About the Captain Make memories fishing...

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