Halfway between Charleston and Savannah, lies sleepy little Beaufort, South Carolina. It’s a picturesque seaside town with a pretty harbor where the sailboats silently bob up and down in the water awaiting the next adventure. It’s a town where one genuinely feels as if you’re walking back through time. Yes, I know I say that a lot, but it’s true. There are so many quiet little blink-of-the-eye places in the US that often go unnoticed.
Where the sailboats await the next adventure.
Beaufort, South Carolina
I don’t know that there is much I can write about Beaufort, although I’m sure the historical significance of the area could fill the pages of a US History text book. Several well known movies have been filmed on location in Beaufort such as, The Great Santini: A Novel
A picturesque seaside town.
Don’t Miss Beaufort, or St. Augustine
We first heard about Beaufort from our guests when we still owned our Bed & Breakfast Inn in Oregon. The 4 of us were discussing our upcoming cross country road trip, in 2014, and they told strongly encouraged us to not only visit Beaufort, but to also visit St. Augustine, FL. We made it to St. Augustine, on that road trip, but we didn’t make it to Beaufort until this past January. I’ll pay it forward by also strongly encouraging you to visit both places should you find yourself in the deep south.
The Homes of Beaufort
Following a self-guided walking tour map, of the historic points of interest in Beaufort, we whiled away at least three to four hours just strolling up and down the streets. We searched for and found each point on the map and we were in awe of the beauty of the homes, the historic churches and the cemeteries where Civil War Confederate Soldiers lie in rest. Unlike the historic homes of Charleston, open for tours, the majority of homes in Beaufort are privately owned – and lived in. A few have been converted to B&B’s, but primarily they are private residences.
One of the largest privately owned homes in Beaufort.
Spanish Moss
The other icons of Beaufort that completely captured my fascination – and imagination – were the majestic oak trees with their limbs heavily laden with rich green ferns and Spanish Moss that swayed in the gentle breezes floating inland from the bay. As we rambled along I would call out to Abi, “Look at this one!” I seriously could not get enough of them, they were somehow mystical, as if their branches could tell a thousand tales.
If these limbs could talk!
The Gardens of Beaufort
Oh my, the gardens. The gardens – even in January – were right out of the pages of Sunset Magazine. The homes situated in the historic core are the very kind that steal your imagination. Wouldn’t it be fun to live in one of these grand old homes with the majestic trees and the gardens to die for and the gas lamps at the front door awaiting your return. Alas, the reality kicks in as to the very real cost of maintaining such a grand home and you find yourself quite content to just stroll and admire.
A private home garden – see the bay in the background?
Urban Sprawl
Just like so many other quaint and peaceful sleepy little villages, of the deep south, urban sprawl has staked its claim with the likes of Target, Starbucks and chain food restaurants. It’s difficult to stop modernization but a round of applause to those who work diligently to preserve the historical significance and utter charm of towns such as Beaufort.
I have no idea what she represents, but ya gotta love her!
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Looks beautiful! This really reminds me of some of the places we visited in New England, I really felt like I was stepping back in time when we went there. There’s so much I need to explore in the USA, I can’t wait to come back.
Amy recently posted…What’s Teaching English in South Korea like?
Visiting the deep south, Amy, is like no where else in the country. America is so huge with so many unique regions with local cultures, it often feels as if we’re visiting other countries.
Very pretty. Those trees make me think of certain Southern movies (the one that immediately comes to mind is “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”). Would be a great setting for a horror movie too…they’re kind of creepy but also really beautiful.
And those mansions. Wow.
Frank (bbqboy)
Frank recently posted…Why Vienna and Beyonce are kind of similar
I know, right?! Each and every tree has a story and I swear the whole time we were in the south I kept thinking, is it creepy or is it beautiful. Creepy beautiful. And, they would work really well in a horror movie, no way in hell would I spend the night out in a grove of those trees!
I have never heard of Beaufort and your description of it does make me want to visit. I loved Forrest Gump and that alone would be a good reason to check it out. These small, charming places do need to be preserved and I just hope that people continue to work hard towards trying to save these places from becaming homogenised and soulless. That last picture of the mermaid made me chuckle.
Gilda Baxter recently posted…Pen-Y-Fan The Highest Peak in South Wales
It’s not surprising that you haven’t heard of Beaufort, it’s a little blink of a town, but it is really special.
I remember childhood dreams of a Huge house, Victorian was my preference. Thank goodness I learned to look and appreciate but not buy. All that green on the trees looks foreign to me from the SW. Nice to get solid advice from fellow travelers.
Gaelyn recently posted…Movin’ on to Mojave National Preserve Kelso Depot
I still have those dreams, Gaelyn, walking through Beaufort you can’t help yourself. But, we had our big American classic turn-of-the-century while living in Ashland in our B&B. There take a tremendous amount of work, and ours was 1/2 the size of the Beaufort homes.