Best Things to Do on a 3 Day Trip to Beaufort, South Carolina

A guide to Beaufort & Port Royal, South Carolina

I was always curious about the pronunciation of “Bue-fort” vs “Boh-fort” in casual conversation, pop culture and movies and decided to do a little research — which inevitably led to a trip. It turns out that Beaufort, South Carolina is the one with the long “u” sound and the one highlighted in the movie Forrest Gump. The long “o” Beaufort is in North Carolina. And was not in Forrest Gump. Both are known for being cute little charming towns and both joined my east coast bucket list. Last May, I was able to check long “u” Beaufort off my list with a three-night solo trip to the South Carolina Lowcountry.

After having lived in California for a couple of decades and spending every vacation trip in the Caribbean, I was probably the last person to discover giant live oak trees, Spanish moss and the tidal marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry. And wow! Talk about culture. And a sense of place. It is a different world in every way. There are even alligators! And giant water birds. If you haven’t gone, it really is a must do. A place that will stay with you long after you’ve returned home. Note to the ambitious gardeners out there…Spanish moss dies a quick death north of this region. Truly sad!

But I digress! My quick trip to Beaufort was relaxed with no plan (except to find an alligator). A friend from Georgia met me there for a couple of nights, so I had a plus one for dinners. Otherwise, I was on my own to explore this sweet little town. Below are places I enjoyed that you might add to your itinerary when heading off to Beaufort.

General Lay of the Land

The Beaufort area, like other coastal towns in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia is really a group of little islands and connected land masses that are surrounded by marsh, inlets and rivers. Because Beaufort is the access point for several islands like Parris Island (Marine base), Lady’s Island, Dataw Island, St Helena Island, Hunting Island, Fripp Island and others, there is a good bit of traffic in the town. The downtown is situated between two bridges that go to these islands, so you should plan for some traffic on your drive to downtown during commute times or on busy beach days. However, it isn’t that big of a place, so manageable.

Port Royal was one of my favorite finds and is across one of the bridges from Beaufort. My search for alligators brought me here (see Cypress Wetlands below). Once you get there and make it to the little town area, it is pretty chill. It had the vibe of a small beach town in summer. It is the access point to Parris Island Marine Base, so there is traffic on the main highway.

Where to Eat & Drink

Lowcountry Cider Co. & Superior Coffee

Downtown Beaufort (West St, near the water) · Drink (coffee) · lowcountryciderco.com

Right next to the Beaufort River Park so this place can get busy. The dog-friendly patio is a lovely spot to sip with a water view. Inside you’ll find their ciders, fresh pastries and pies, and local jams and home goods. And coffee! There is also a very busy Starbucks on the way into town if that is your preference.

FishCamp on 11th Street

Port Royal · Eat · fishcampwaterfront.com

I was looking for a place with a water view and decided a trip down a narrow dead-end street would be a fun adventure. This place is touristy. But not in a bad way. There’s lots of parking and a very large dining room with water views. I chose to sit outside at the porch bar and would recommend that if you are solo or have a small group — it feels less busy and touristy outside. The menu is what you’d expect: seafood and salads for lunch.

Lowcountry Produce Market & Cafe

Downtown Beaufort · Eat + Shop · lowcountryproduce.com

This place was cool! Part market, part cafe, and all charm. I had a quiet lunch — a BLT and an iced tea — but they have breakfast as well. The entire place screams charming and would be a great place to buy locally made gifts or wine and cheese for happy hour. It was so cute, I had to take a picture!

Saltus River Grill

Downtown Beaufort · Eat (dinner) · saltusrivergrill.com

We picked this place because it had a lovely outdoor space for dinner with a view over the park to the river. There are lots of restaurants along this row of buildings, so you could pick any of them. Saltus was a bit upscale, but not fancy. It serves elevated Lowcountry cooking — she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, fresh seafood, sushi — alongside a good wine list and handcrafted cocktails. We peeked inside at the bar and it was HAPPENING! I would probably try to snag a seat there on a second visit if the patio was full or it was raining. We had she-crab soup (yum!) and some tuna tartare. All very good. Service was great. View and vibe were awesome.

The Beaufort Candy Shoppe

Downtown Beaufort (West St Ext, by Waterfront Park) · Treats · mainstreetbeaufort.org

Right at the entrance to Waterfront Park, The Beaufort Candy Shoppe is sugar central for anyone with a sweet tooth. This old-fashioned, family candy store stocks more than 700 kinds of old-time and modern treats, a big wall of saltwater taffy, and handmade sweets — plus a Sweet Tea Bar where you can order their famous float. It reminded me of all of the flavored swirled candy sticks and taffy that we got as kids. A fun stop.

Maynard’s Ice Cream & Cafe

Port Royal (Paris Ave) · Treats · facebook.com/maynardsicecream

No wander through Port Royal is complete without a stop at Maynard’s Ice Cream & Cafe on Paris Avenue. This cheerful little downtown shop scoops Hershey’s ice cream flavors and also turns out handmade donuts, cookies, shakes, and shaved ice, with cozy indoor and outdoor seating. There isn’t much in Port Royal to see or do, but what is there is darn CUTE!

What to See & Do

Historic Downtown Beaufort

Downtown Beaufort · See

Beaufort’s historic district is made for wandering — antebellum homes under sprawling live oaks, independent boutiques, and Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park stretching along the river. The park has a row of large hanging swings along the waterfront, so you will find people lounging and enjoying the view. There were kids playing pickup soccer in the grass in front of the restaurants and shops that line the park. Views of the river and bridge and breezes off the water make for a relaxing place to take a moment to enjoy your vacation.

The Point (Old Point) Historic Homes

Downtown Beaufort · See · free to drive or stroll

One of my favorite moments of the whole trip was riding through The Point at night in a convertible. It was late and humid — but cooler than the daytime heat — and the sprawling live oaks dripping with Spanish moss gave everything an old-world, Lowcountry Southern glow. This is Beaufort’s most storied neighborhood: a small grid of streets tucked between Carteret Street and the Beaufort River, lined with grand antebellum mansions shaded by centuries-old oaks. Film buffs will spot Tidalholm at 1 Laurens Street — the 1853 waterfront mansion that starred in The Big Chill and The Great Santini (it’s a private home, so admire it from the street). Other beauties to look for include the Thomas Hepworth House (c. 1717) and the William Johnson House (c. 1776). By day it’s best taken slowly — on foot, by bike, or by horse-drawn carriage.

Historic Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour

Downtown Beaufort · Do · ~50 min · Book on Viator

The easiest way to soak up all that history is to let someone else watch the road. Beaufort’s narrated horse-drawn carriage tours clip-clop right through The Point and past the antebellum mansions, historic churches, and Hollywood movie sites, with a guide sharing the stories behind them. Rides run about 50 minutes and leave throughout the day from the Waterfront Park / marina area. The two local operators are Southurn Rose Carriage Tours and Sea Island Carriage Company.

Pigeon Point Neighborhood & Park

West of downtown Beaufort · See · free

If you read about my little marsh-side rental cottage, this is the neighborhood it calls home. Pigeon Point is a quiet, residential pocket on the western edge of historic Beaufort — smaller early-1900s homes, tree-lined streets, and marsh views that make for a peaceful morning or evening walk. At its edge sits Pigeon Point Park, with a playground, picnic tables, and a public boat landing and dock where a small boardwalk looks out over the Beaufort River toward Lady’s Island. The paved Spanish Moss Trail — a rail-trail made for walking or biking past the marsh — runs nearby too.

Downtown Port Royal

Port Royal · See

Just minutes from Beaufort, Port Royal turned out to be a surprisingly cute town — the kind of easygoing, off-the-radar place that quietly wins you over. It reminded me of a little summer beach town where everyone has on flip flops and walks from their rental cottage to the ice cream shop. There isn’t much there, but everything is charming. Note that the rental cottages are on a marsh inlet — not the ocean — so calling it a “beach” is being ambitious. But I thought it was a darling little place.

Cypress Wetlands

Port Royal · See · free

My entire reason for driving to Port Royal was to SEE ALLIGATORS! I thought I’d spend 30 minutes taking some photos and move on to lunch. Instead, I was completely lured into the most magical place. Boardwalks and trails winding through cypress trees draped in bright green moss, with alligators sunning themselves and a rookery of herons and Lowcountry birds nesting overhead. Quiet, serene, and unexpectedly magical. I’d allocate some time for this place before you head off to lunch in Port Royal. Note that the wetlands back up to the sweet little downtown of Port Royal (which is how I discovered the town). No cost to get into this spot and there is free parking in the neighborhood.

Where to Stay in Beaufort

I am an Airbnb and VRBO fan, so I rented a little cottage on the marsh in the Pigeon Point neighborhood (awesome place!) — and there are lots of other vacation rentals in the area too. If you are more of a hotel person, Beaufort has several lovely historic places I’d recommend. Here are a few of both.

Prefer the full service of a hotel? Beaufort’s charming inns & boutique hotels

If you’d rather have breakfast made for you and a concierge on call, Beaufort has a handful of beautiful places to stay right in the walkable downtown historic district — from grand historic inns to a sleek modern boutique hotel.

Prefer a rental? Browse the map

The map below surfaces vacation rentals across Beaufort from VRBO & Booking.com — find your own perch above the marsh.

At a Glance

Before you go

Wherever you land in the Lowcountry — a marsh-side cottage or a historic inn — any rental kitchen feels more like home when you can actually cook in it. Travel Sauce kits are travel-sized cooking basics that pack right into your bag, so morning coffee or a simple dinner is ready without a grocery run. A little touch that makes wherever you land feel like your own.