Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

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"Sunrise Oasis" -  Amazing Ocean Vistas with Golf Cart Brand NEW kitchen remodel just finished and beginning August 2024 will be available to rent as a 3 bedroom!Wake up to mornings filled with enchanting ocean vistas, so close to the ocean in...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8
Peaceful Marsh-Side Escape, Golf Cart In...

Welcome to your peaceful marsh-side escape on Fripp Island, where peaceful mornings, coastal breezes, and natural beauty set the tone for a really calming hideaway. Tucked into the island’s wooded marsh side, this serene getaway feels worlds away...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Golf cart, bikes, PING PONG, corn hole @...

Our "Big Kahuna" Beach home is ready for some fun! Fill our home with your family, friends and let’s build some marvelous beach memories.We include a golf cart, bicycles, fire pit, ping pong table, corn hole, beach chairs and even an additional...

  • Fripp Island
  • 5 Bedrooms
  • 4 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12
Beautiful home in a great central locati...

Consider this home your home away from home while you visit Beaufort. With 3 comfortable bedrooms including a king, queen, and twin bed, guests will have a cozy stay. Savor the convenience of a bathroom with a bathtub and hair dryer. This nice...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Hyp-Nautic Views, Cozy 1 BR/1.5 BA Condo...

Start your mornings with awe-inspiring sunrises and the reputed best view on the island. The balcony provides a front-row seat to see dolphins playing and pelicans diving for fish. The living room offers ocean vistas from every window and door. Keep...

  • Fripp Island
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Beaufort -Close to Parris Island and His...

This freshly remodeled mobile home is centrally located in Beaufort, close to beaches and is less than 5 mins. drive to Parris Island, MCAS Air Station and handsome Historic Downtown Beaufort. The home has all new floor, trim, paint, tile, bathrooms...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 8

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Community Workshop- Bird Silhouettes

meeting_point: Mayfair Art Studios

All Day Float Pass

Edisto River Adventures

Book online
$55.00

description: 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...

Oyster Hatchery Kayak Paddle, Tour and Tasting
Book online
$75.00 - $90.00

description: Duration 4 Hours About Join Beaufort Kayak Tours as they paddle from Single Lady Oyster Hatchery on McCalley's Creek, return to the oyster hatchery for a tour and end with an Oyster tasting. One of the things that Jim and Teri...

Spring Florals - Acrylic Workshop

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$75.00

description: Bring in spring with an afternoon of painting florals in a fun representational style. We will have lots of inspirational photos to spark ideas or you can bring one of your own garden to use. Instructor Anne McCall Wilson...

8 Hour Private Charter

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$1,500.00

description: Hop aboard Tallboy Fishing Charters with a local Expert! ___________________________________ Rates **Private Charter:** $1,500 *Up to 4 Passengers* __________________________________ Full day fishing charters offer the chance to...

Flyboard 30 Minute

Carolina Hydrofly

Book online
$149.00

description: 30 Minute Flyboard Pro Series Experience About Each guest will have 20 minutes of flight time and 10 minutes of instruction time. If you would like to book for more than one person, then please process one booking per person by...

Taste of the Lowcountry Cruise

Beaufort Boat Charters LLC

Book online
$160.00

description: Join us for a Lowcountry Adventure! Duration 1 Hour About This is a great option if you have a busy day planned, but want to get out on the water for a relaxing ride. Options include a slow cruise in the Beaufort River, finding...

Wait List for Shibumi©

Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rental

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

Screen 2

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...

Giant Beer Pong Tournament at Adult Pool

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Book online
$4.00 - $6.00

duration: 1 hour meeting_point: Adult Pool min_age: 21 description: Think you got what it takes to dominate in this oversized twist on a classic favorite? Join us for a giant beer pong tournament, where buckets and soccer balls replace cups and ping...

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...

Cast Net Fishing Class

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$75.00

duration: 1 Hour min_age: 10 description: Learn how to catch bait like the locals! This class will include demonstration and you will get to practice what you learn! what_is_included: Class and your very own cast net to take home.

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