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Featured Vacation Rentals

Turtle Bay - Your Parris Island Destinat...

The Turtle Bay Cottage is Beaufort's newest Vacation Rental! LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Minutes away from the Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, The Spanish Moss Trail, Historic Downtown Beaufort and The Waterfront Park. Pack your bags and...

  • Beaufort
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 6
Charming Port Royal Duplex – Walk to S...

Charming Port Royal Duplex – Walk to Stores, Dining & Sands Beach​​​​​​​Welcome to this comfortable two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath duplex located in the heart of the historic town of Port Royal, South Carolina. Perfectly located...

  • Port Royal
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Oyster Rake Cottage. Peaceful, brand new...

Escape to this cool bungalow in beautiful Beaufort. This striking getaway features 2 king bedrooms, each equipped with a hair dryer for your convenience. With amenities like AC and heating, guests can relax in comfort. The 2 bathrooms, both ensuite...

  • Beaufort
  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 2 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 4
Beautiful waterfront views, super clean,...
4.9
(182)

*Recently update interior! This one bedroom, one bath condominium has a spectacular water view of Battery Creek and is in close proximity to downtown Beaufort, Parris Island, beaches and water access. After spending the day exploring Beaufort and...

  • Beaufort
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2
Lux Studio W Kitchenette Pets are allowe...

Located in the heart of Beaufort. Appreciate the Downtown Historic District (3 min), Sands Beach (6 min), & Hunting Island (23 min) & all there is in between! Beaufort Memorial Hospital (5 min), Naval Heritage Park (2 min) features a playground...

  • Beaufort
  • 1 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 2
Cast your Cares Aside for a Bye Week!

Cast all your cares aside for a Bye Week at our gorgeous Fripp Island getaway!! A decades long career in football has led to many "Bye Weeks" being spent at Fripp, and many others wishing we could be there. So we decided to secure all the rest of...

  • Fripp Island
  • 4 Bedrooms
  • 3 Bathrooms
  • Sleeps 12

Beaufort Tours & Activities

Flood Tide Fishing

Green Heron Adventures

Book online
$550.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Do to high demand, my flood tide trip openings aren't always shown online. Contact me for details/available dates. Duration 4, 6, and 8 hour trips are available. The flood tide window itself can be...

Beachcombing & Eco Tour (3 Hrs)

Beaufort Dolphin Adventures

Book online
$481.13

duration: 3 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...

3 Hour Hilton Head Island Lunch Trip

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$600.00

meeting_point: Beaufort, SC description: Travel by boat to beautiful Hilton Head Island for lunch at one of three excellent restaurants. See the Town of Port Royal, Paris Island, and Port Royal Sound along the way as well as Dolphins, Sea Turtles...

Beautiful Beaufort Tours

Emma's Earth Shop Golf Cart Tours

Book online
$15.00 - $36.00

Duration One Hour About A fun and eco friendly golf cart tour full of information of the historical homes, movies, and folklore of Beaufort South Carolina. Each ticket includes coupons from restaurants and stores around downtown Beaufort and a...

Drawing 101-Perspective

The Arts Port Royal

Book online
$75.00

If your drawings look wonky, it's probably a problem with your perspective. In this class you will learn to scale your drawings and create perspective. Creating the illusion of distance is the fundamental reason to create convincing...

Saint Helena Day Sail

Otter Sailing Adventures LLC

Book online
$300.00

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...

Barrier Island Tour

High Tide Aviation - Beaufort

Book online
$120.00

description: About With this beautiful tour you get an overhead view of Morgan Island, Harbor Island, Hunting Island State Park & Lighthouse, Fripp Island, Pritchard’s Island, Bull Point Beach, St. Phillip’s Island, Parris Island, and Fort...

SC Pimento Cheese Festival- Pimento Cheese Competition

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 competition and parking pass into the SC Pimento Cheese Festival on March 14...

Historic Carriage Tour

Sea Island Carriages

Book online
$15.00 - $36.00

duration: 50 - 55 Minutes description: Experience Beaufort‘s rich history and unique charm on a 50-55 minute, fully narrated, horse drawn carriage tour. You’ll slip back into Beaufort’s elegant past as your carriage meanders under the moss...

4 Hour Private Charter

Tallboy Fishing Charters

Book online
$700.00

description: Hop aboard Tallboy Fishing Charters with a local Expert! ___________________________________ Rates **Private Charter:** $700 *Up to 6 Passengers* ___________________________________ About the Captain Make memories fishing with...

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...

Beidler Forest Nature Walk

Carolina Safari Co.

Book online
$50.00

duration: 4 Hours meeting_point: Bear Island Game Management Area Main Gate - 12294 Bennetts Point Rd, Green Pond SC 29446 group_size: Maximum 8 people description: Are you ready to visit one of the best birdwatching spots in South Carolina? Bear...

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