Beautiful pre-Revolutionary and antebellum homes stand gracefully among moss-draped oaks in this pretty old port town. In fact, you can see nearly 200 restored buildings in the city's historic district. Start your stay with a walk along the peaceful harbor at Waterfront Park—it's a good place to linger for a while. There are several restaurants nearby, as well as boat and carriage tours, should you need a break.
The Beaufort Museum includes artifacts from throughout the city's history, including Indian 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.
From Beaufort and elsewhere, tours are available that travel through the marshes and sea islands of the ACE Basin (named for three rivers, the Ashepoo, the Combahee and the Edisto), which is the largest estuarine preserve on the East Coast. Beaufort is also very close to the Parris Island U.S. Marine Corps Base, where a lot of raw recruits have been transformed into leathernecks. At the Marine Corps Depot, a museum covers the history of the island and the Marine base. A little farther out are Hunting Island State Park and beach and Fripp Island, a controlled-access resort island with few cars and great beaches. Among Beaufort's notable events are the yearly Plantation Tour (historic home tour—March) and the Beaufort Water Festival (late July). 70 mi/113 km southwest of Charleston.
