Beaufort, South Carolina
Some 30 miles north of Hilton Head Island, Beaufort (Low Country pronunciation byoo-fort) is an old seaport with narrow streets shaded by huge moss-draped live oaks and lined with pre-Revolutionary and antebellum homes. It is located on Port Royal Island, one of the large Sea Islands along the southeast Atlantic coast.
A center of luxury homes prior to the Civil War, Beaufort was one of a few southern cities spared from fire in the war's aftermath, making it an architectural treasure. The oldest house (at Port Republic and New Streets) was built in 1717, before the birth of George Washington. Beaufort is one of the few towns in the United States whose entire downtown has been designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as an historic district . Nearly 200 restored buildings can be seen in the city's historic district.
More than 50 historic buildings have been identified and include lovely private homes beautifully restored. Start your visit to Beaufort with a walk along the peaceful harbor at Waterfront Park. The park is a pleasant place to linger for a while, and several restaurants are nearby. Boat and horse-drawn carriage tours also start from the park.
The Low country's salt-marsh ecosystem, one of the world's most productive and unspoiled, is remarkably easy to explore from a Beaufort base. The A.C.E. Basin is the vast wilderness created at the juncture of the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers. Guided boat and kayak tours allow visitors to photograph hundreds of species of birds while exploring the coast, and boat rentals enable adventurers to explore on their own. Given the abundance of water, it's no wonder that fishing, sailing, shrimping and crabbing are popular activities for visitors. Port Royal's boardwalk and Hunting Island State Park's pier are among the ideal fishing venues as well as being popular for sightseeing and leisurely strolls. A five-mile leisure trail winds through Port Royal for jogging and bicycling and includes an observation deck.
Beaufort and Port Royal are proud to host three military bases. The military is an integral part of Beaufort, with the Marine Corps Air Station to the north, Parris Island Recruit Depot on Port Royal Sound, and the Naval Hospital at the heart of the community. The Marines take an active role in community life. They assist in emergencies, entertain at air shows and volunteer at community events.
Art galleries, antique shops and modern boutiques are within the downtown walking area, not to mention fine dining and quick eateries. Museums are a beginning for an educational and interesting look at the history of the area.
The Beaufort Museum includes artifacts from throughout the city's history, including Native American relics and Revolutionary and Civil War items. The Federal-style John Mark Verdier House was built in 1790, and St. Helena's Episcopal Church dates to 1724. Of special interest-although it's not open to the public-is the Milton Maxey House, traditionally claimed as the site where South Carolina's secession documents were drafted.
Filmmakers have discovered that Beaufort locations make convincing movie settings, whether they're looking to portray the Old South or the jungles and beaches of Vietnam. Some 20 movies have had scenes shot in the area, but Beaufort's fondest memories are of Tom Hanks and the film Forrest Gump . For the most part, local residents take film making in stride. They've seen a lot of excitement as films such as The Big Chill, The Prince of Tides, Forces of Nature, Rules of Engagement, Jungle Book, White Squall, Something to Talk About, The Legend of Bagger Vance, GI Jane, The Last Dance and the TV series Gullah. Gullah Island was filmed on location in Beaufort. It seems as if almost everyone has at least one, really good, first-hand filmmaking story to share.
In the Low country, a festival or celebration is almost always underway. Locals and visitors regularly take to the streets, parks and waterways to enjoy life with the special varieties of cuisine, entertainment, crafts and activities, which define the friendly communities and their customs. Among Beaufort's notable annual events are the yearly Plantation Tour and Tour of Historic Homes in March and the Beaufort Water Festival in late July.
Things To Do
The Spirit of Old Beaufort
West Street extension
Tours depart from just behind the John Market Verdier House Museum.
843/525-0459
Tuesday to Saturday at 10am, 11:30am, 1:15, and 3:30pm.
Admission Charged
This tour takes you on a 2 hour journey through the old town, exploring local history, architecture, horticulture, and Low Country life.
St. Helen's Episcopal Church
501 Church St.
843/522-1722
Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm
Admission Free
This church traces its origin back to 1712, and visitors can see its classic interior and visit the graveyard, where tombstones served as operating tables during the Civil War.
North Street Aquarium
608 North Street
843-524-1550
Thursday-Saturday, 10am-6pm
The first public aquarium in South Carolina. Features local marine life.
John Mark Verdier House Museum
(843) 379-6335
801 Bay St.
Mon -Sat, 11am-4pm
Admission Charged
The museum is a restored 1802 house built for a wealthy merchant-planter, partially furnished to depict the life of a merchant planter during the period 1800-25. It is one of the best examples of the Federal period and was once known as the Lafayette Building, because the Marquis de Lafayette is said to have spoken here in 1825.
The Beaufort Museum
713 Craven St.
843-379-3331
Mon-Sat, 10:30 am-4 pm.
Admission Charged
The museum is housed in the 1795 Beaufort Arsenal. Exhibits tell the story of the individual crops that created plantation life and the wars which changed the character of the area along with that of the country.
Parris Island Museum
Marine Corps Recruit Depot
843-228-2951
Call for hours of operation.
Admission Free
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter.
The Parris Island Museum in the War Memorial Building depicts the history of Parris Island since the French Huguenots landed in 1562. The museum is full of exhibits about historic Beaufort, including 127 different types of weapons, depicting all the wars the Marine Corps has been involved in. Civil War buffs and kids will enjoy the big Civil War display with its miniature battle scenes. Visitors also may thrill to the color and precision of graduation ceremonies, which are conducted almost every Friday year-round.
Penn Center
York W. Bailey Museum
St. Helena Island
843-838-2432
Monday-Saturday, 11m-4pm
Admission Charged
The site of the country's first school for freed slaves and one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today.
Old Sheldon Church Ruins
U.S. 21, Beaufort
Admission Free
Remains of Prince William's Parish Church, 1745-55. It was burned by the British during the Revolutionary War, reconstructed in 1825 and burned by Sherman's troops in 1865.
Cole-Heyward House
Bluffton
843-757-6293
Tuesday-Friday, 10am-3pm; Saturday,11am-2pm
Admission Charged
Museum typical of the West Indies style home, partially restored and managed by the Bluffton Historical Preservation Society. Seven additional homes are in Bluffton's national historic district.
Low country Estuarium - A Coastal Learning Center
Corner of 14th St. and Paris Ave., Port Royal
843-524-6600
Friday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, other days by appointment
Admission Charged
The Lowcountry Estuarium is a learning center designed to provide hands-on learning about the coastal environments of our beautiful area, such as salt marshes, beaches, coastal waters, and estuaries with creature feeding twice daily.
Prehistoric Gift Shop and Shark Museum
1628 Paris Ave.
Port Royal, SC 29935
843-525-1961
Call for hours.
Admission Charged.
Prehistoric museum displaying the largest collection of giant sharks teeth in the world.
Hunting Island State Park
Highway 21
843-838-2011
Admission Charged
16 miles east of Beaufort, is South Carolina's most visited state park. It has three miles of clean, safe beach along the Atlantic Ocean, picnic tables and camp sites with an ocean view, plus an 1873 lighthouse that offers a bird's eye view of the pristine island and coastal waters that embrace it.
Hiking trails pierce the subtropical forest of palmettos, pine and moss-draped oak and offer glimpses of the abundant bird and wildlife residents.
A pier offers a venue for fishing and crabbing and a spot to watch dolphins do their own fishing. An ambling marsh walk reveals secrets of the tidal marsh and presents an opportunity to watch millions of scurrying crabs. A large lagoon is a perfect staging area for launching kayaks. A Visitors Center and a Nature Center provide a wealth of information about the coastal ecology.
An annual South Carolina Park Passport lets you access this state park -- and dozens of other parks throughout the state -- for a modest annual fee.
