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South Carolina, United States

Beaufort

A slower half-day to overnight stop: walk the waterfront and historic district, then drive out to Hunting Island. This guide pulls together 3 sights, 2 outdoor spots and 2 places to eat from our curated routes.

Plan Beaufort with friendsBrowse 8 places
Beaufort, South Carolina, United States
Places
8

3 See · 2 Outdoors · 2 Eat · 1 Drink

Curated routes
1

Charleston & Savannah

Best season
Mar – May

from our route notes

Warmest month
July

31°C / 88°F avg high

Coolest month
January

14°C / 57°F avg high

Wettest month
August

about 154 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Beaufort

8 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

The landmarks we would not skip in Beaufort across Downtown, St. Helena Island and Sheldon.

  • John Mark Verdier House in BeaufortPhoto: Elisa.rolle · CC BY-SA 4.0
    See

    John Mark Verdier House

    1804 Federal-style house museum on Bay Street run by Historic Beaufort Foundation.

    Tip Guided tours run on the hour; check days open.

    • Downtown
    • $
    • 45 min
    • Morning
  • Penn Center in BeaufortPhoto: Gilford Photography · Public domain
    See

    Penn Center

    Former school for freed people on St. Helena Island, core of Gullah history.

    Tip Visit the York W. Bailey Museum; closed Sundays.

    • St. Helena Island
    • $
    • 75 min
    • Midday
  • Old Sheldon Church Ruins in BeaufortPhoto: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
    See

    Old Sheldon Church Ruins

    Brick ruins of an 18th-century church under huge live oaks.

    Tip Short detour on the way north; free.

    • Sheldon
    • Free
    • 30 min
    • Late afternoon

Outdoors

Trails, views and open space in and around Beaufort.

  • Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in BeaufortPhoto: Viktor Vitiuk · Google
    Outdoors

    Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

    Riverfront lawns and swings facing the Beaufort River and Woods Memorial Bridge.

    Tip Grab a porch swing at sunset.

    • Downtown
    • Free
    • 45 min
    • Sunset
  • Hunting Island State Park in BeaufortPhoto: The original uploader was Cdamgen at English Wikipedia. · Public domain
    Outdoors

    Hunting Island State Park

    Wild beach, maritime forest and a climbable 1875 lighthouse.

    Tip Climb the lighthouse early; bring bug spray for forest trails.

    • Hunting Island
    • $
    • 4 hr
    • Morning

Eat

2 places to eat in Downtown, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • Lowcountry Produce Market & Café in BeaufortPhoto: Jen M · Google
    Eat

    Lowcountry Produce Market & Café

    Local market and café for shrimp and grits, pimento cheese and pies.

    Tip Come for breakfast or lunch; pick up jams to go.

    • Downtown
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Breakfast
  • Saltus River Grill in BeaufortPhoto: Chris Smith · Google
    Eat

    Saltus River Grill

    Waterfront seafood grill with sushi and a patio over the park.

    Tip Dinner only; reserve and request outdoor seating.

    • Downtown
    • $$$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Dinner

Drink

1 bar or café in Port Royal for coffee, a round or a nightcap.

  • Fishcamp on 11th Street in BeaufortPhoto: Fishcamp on 11th Street · Google
    Drink

    Fishcamp on 11th Street

    Dockside bar and seafood spot on Battery Creek in Port Royal.

    Tip Sit on the deck for sunset drinks and fried shrimp.

    • Port Royal
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Sunset

How to fit Beaufort into a trip

Beaufort is stop 2 of 3 on our Charleston & Savannah route. Follow it as-is or lift Beaufort into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Beaufort month by month

Average daily highs run from 14°C / 57°F in January to 31°C / 88°F in July. August is the wettest month, with about 154 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Beaufort weather and the best time to visit →

Near Beaufort

8 other destinations from our guides within about 350 km (217 mi), measured in a straight line.

Beaufort questions, answered

How many days do you need in Beaufort?

On our Charleston & Savannah route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 5-day trip. Split evenly, that is about 2 days here, an estimate rather than a rule. The listed visit times for our 8 places add up to roughly 11 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Beaufort best known for?

A slower half-day to overnight stop: walk the waterfront and historic district, then drive out to Hunting Island. Standouts on our list: John Mark Verdier House (1804 Federal-style house museum on Bay Street run by Historic Beaufort Foundation); Penn Center (Former school for freed people on St. Helena Island, core of Gullah history); Old Sheldon Church Ruins (Brick ruins of an 18th-century church under huge live oaks).

When is the best time to visit Beaufort?

Our Charleston & Savannah route is best Mar – May. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (31°C / 88°F), the coolest in January (14°C / 57°F) and the most rain in August (about 154 mm).

What are the best things to do in Beaufort?

Start with Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, John Mark Verdier House, Penn Center, Hunting Island State Park and Old Sheldon Church Ruins. Our guide lists 8 places in all, from 3 sights, 2 outdoor spots, 2 places to eat and 1 bar or café.

Where should a group eat in Beaufort?

Our picks: Lowcountry Produce Market & Café (Downtown); Saltus River Grill (Downtown). Come for breakfast or lunch; pick up jams to go (Lowcountry Produce Market & Café).

What is near Beaufort?

The closest destinations in our guides are Savannah (about 56 km / 35 mi), Charleston (about 79 km / 49 mi) and Amelia Island (about 210 km / 130 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Beaufort with your crew

Open the Charleston & Savannah route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 8 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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