Set on Port Royal Island along South Carolina’s Atlantic coast, the harbor town of Beaufort is surrounded by dense maritime forests and marshy inlets, making it one of the more stunning coastal areas in the state. Widgeon Point Preserve and Hunting Island State Park attract outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers throughout the year for fishing, swimming, kayaking, and hiking.

But it’s not just a wildlife-spotter’s idyll. Beaufort itself is known for beautifully preserved historic buildings spanning several centuries of architectural styles including Federal, Neoclassical, Greek Revival, and Victorian. It is home to one of the oldest churches in the country, the 300-year-old Parish Church of St. Helena, founded in 1712. Today, Beaufort is equally known for its cultural activities: When you’re not out on the trails and waters, spend your days exploring the palm-lined downtown streets, rife with artisanal boutiques, craft beer bars, and seafood restaurants specializing in soft-shell crab and prawn dishes.

Weather formations blowing in from the deep Atlantic waters exert a powerful influence on Beaufort's variable climate patterns. Hot, sometimes sweltering, temperatures characterize the summer months, often coupled with high humidity and precipitation, but that doesn’t put a damper on the revelry at the Beaufort Shrimp Festival in July. A relatively dramatic drop in temperature characterizes the winter months, making the prospect of spending hours attending the international film festival in February even more appealing. Due to the extremes between the two times of the year, the shoulder seasons make for an excellent time to look for vacation rentals in Beaufort. The moderate temperatures and minimal rainfall you’ll encounter during spring and fall make the prospect of exploring the town and surrounding nature especially inviting.

Spanish Moss Trail

This coastal trail system, which spans more than 10 miles, runs through historic neighborhoods draped in moss as well as lowland marshes alive with wildlife. You can ditch your car at one of several parking lots, strolling or biking on the 12-foot-wide, paved paths and breathing in the fresh sea air. You’ll also find several designated fishing areas along the trail that offer the possibility of catching redfish, trout, and Spanish mackerel.

St. Helena's Episcopal Church

This brick and stucco structure, whose steeple towers over downtown Beaufort, was founded in 1712, making it one of the oldest active churches in the United States. It continues to hold weekly sermons, but people who aren’t members of the congregation can walk the grounds and look over the remainder of the original foundations and ancient gravestones.

Hunting Island State Park

Hunting Island, just 15 miles east of Beaufort, sprawls across thousands of acres of marshland, maritime forest, pristine white-sand beaches, and a saltwater lagoon. Hiking trails will lead you to a lighthouse, which is open to the public, and snake through the area's diverse terrain. You might catch a glimpse of loggerhead turtles, pelicans, deer, and seabirds, perhaps even an alligator.