Your Guide to Beaufort, SC

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Featured Vacation Rentals

Landing | Stylish 1BD in Shell Point

Welcome to Zephyr in Port Royal, SC! Ideal for monthly or extended stays, our entirely-furnished apartments feature full kitchens, in-unit laundry, fast WiFi, beautiful furnishings, and a dedicated workspace. Please note: The community pool is...

  • Port Royal
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2
Higher Porpoise - 507 Porpoise Drive

Look 4 BR 3 BA Sleeps 10 OCEAN IN FRONT GOLF COURSE in BACK---Private“Hooked on Higher Porpoise”Absolutely Stunning Home with Unbelievable Vistas that change throughout the day!!!Four Bedroom House sits elevated above the Atlantic Ocean.Fishing...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
25 Davis Love Drive

Summary:PET FRIENDLY 3 Bed 3 Bath Home Next to Ocean Creek Golf Course! Resort Access & Golf Cart Supplied! Golf Groups Encouraged!The Space:25 Davis Adore is a pretty 2-story home located in the heart of Fripp Island. Just a short golf cart ride to...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 10
Canal Front, Private Dock, Steps to BEAC...

Look no further!! We offer it all- beach and canal!! This home is really the best location on the island and accepts painless access to all the island's activities! We are a canal-front home with a private dock, across the street from the beach...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 11
Saltwater Zen -- Charming 3-Bedroom Home...

Saltwater Zen is exactly the place your family is looking for. NO SURPRISE CHARGES -- what you see is what you pay including Amenity Cards and Resort Fees. And, we offer the option to spread your payment over three installments.This marvelous home...

  • Fripp Island
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 9
Historic Home in the Heart of Downtown B...

Historic 4-Bedroom Home in Downtown Beaufort’s Old PointLocated in the heart of Beaufort’s esteemed Old Point neighborhood, this attractively restored historic home offers a rare opportunity to experience the appeal and elegance of the...

  • Beaufort
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Surf Rod

Fripp Island Paddle Shack

Book online
$35.00 - $100.00

Shallow Water Fishing Charter

Seas So Shallow Fishing Guide Service

Book online
$500.00 - $700.00

duration: 4 Hours meeting_point: 17 Meridian Road Beaufort, SC 29907 group_size: Maximum 4 people description: Enjoy a day at sea with Captain Steve, whose been guiding charters since 2007. Shallow waters species specialty. Let's explore...

Saint Helena Day Sail

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$350.00

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...

¾ Day Excursion (5-6 Hours)

Beyond Beaufort Excursions

Book online
$45.00 - $85.00

duration: 5-6 Hours cancellation_summary: Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance. meeting_point: 29 Robert Smalls Parkway Beaufort, SC 29906 min_age: 4 group_size: Maximum 13 people description: At Beyond Beaufort Excursions you will...

Summer Solstice

The Arts Port Royal

duration: 1 hour group_size: 20 accessibility: Second Floor description: Susan shares her shamanic practice of manifesting through the Medicine Wheel Ceremony. Please bring a list of 3 things you would like to ADD to your life and 3 things you would...

History, Marshlands & Live Oak Expedition

Beaufort Photography Tours

Book online
$499.00 - $999.00

description: TURN BACK THE CLOCK AND EXPERIENCE THE PAST! Options - **Semi-Private Tour**: Includes one non-shooting guest at no additional charge) - **Private Tour**: (1 -4 Guests) About MUCH OF THE SOUTH WAS DESTROYED, BUT IF YOU KNOW...

Community Workshop- Bird Silhouettes

meeting_point: Mayfair Art Studios

Abstraction Unbound - Painting in the language of today

description: Painting in the Language of Today Abstract Expressionism didn't end with the New York School - like Jackson Pollock. It has mutated, absorbed new influences and kept going. In this class we turn our attention to the painters...

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...

Birds of the Low Country-Watercolor Class

duration: 3 hours cancellation_summary: Full refund for cancellations 24 hours or more before class. Day of class, a gift certificate refund, and no shows, no refund. min_age: 14 group_size: 9 accessibility: Second Floor description: Low Country...

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...

OUTPOST PHOTO ACADEMY

Guy Harvey Outpost

Book online
$75.00 - $350.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Join us for a special Outpost Photo Academy hosted by professional photographers Mark Krancer. Capture the beauty of historic Beaufort, SC and all its southern charm all while becoming a better...

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