Things To Do In Beaufort With Your Family
Beaufort, South Carolina is both rich in history and natural beauty. While doing a boat tour and experiencing Beaufort from the water will always be our top recommendation, there are a number of other exciting things to do in town while you are visiting. Here are the top recommendations from our crew!
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park (Downtown Beaufort)
Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and Rookery
Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center (Bad Weather Idea)
Hunting Island State Park has very little development and offers a beautiful natural ocean beach scene. While there are beaches on Fripp Island, Harbor Island, Hilton Head Island and other islands accessible by boat, Hunting Island has our only close public access beach. The main beach on Hunting Island is easy to access and sure to keep your family entertained! Our favorite beach area on Hunting Island is the boneyard beach on the south end. Here you will find the “bones” of trees overtaken by the ocean laying on the beach. You can get to the boneyard beach by parking at the park’s south entrance and walking or biking a little less than a half mile of trail to the beach. If you take any of the hiking trails in the warmer months, be sure to bring bug spray for the mosquitoes.
The Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort is always a fun place to explore! This area has many boutique shops, mom and pop restaurants, and hosts a number of events and festivals. The waterfront walkway, green space, and playground are sure to keep the kids entertained. We highly recommend grabbing ice cream from Kilwins and enjoying it on one of the bench swings that overlook the Beaufort River. Hearth Wood Fired Pizza is one of our personal favorites for dinner with kids.
The Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and Rookery is an easily accessible boardwalk and trail in the heart of Port Royal. The marsh here is often alive with birds, turtles, and alligators. Bird activity is especially high from April through July while the marsh islands are used as nesting grounds for herons, egrets, ibises, wood storks and anhingas. There’s plenty of wildlife to see the rest of the year as well. Don’t forget to stop and grab a coffee at Corner Perk before you hit the boardwalk.
Fort Fremont is a unique coastal defense fortification built in 1899 on St. Helena Island. The large concrete turrets and tunnels were originally built to protect the Port Royal Sound but they are now open to the public and make a unique adventure. There is also a small beach area here below the fort along the banks of the Beaufort River that can add to the fun as long as the tide is not high.
The Spanish Moss Trail is a 10 mile long, 12ft wide paved path perfect for walking, running, or biking. The original Magnolia Line Railroad closed in 2003 and was eventually converted into what is now the trail. There are several access points, we recommend the Old Train Depot parking area at the end of Depot Road. Beaufort and Port Royal are in the process of extending the trail to downtown Beaufort and the Sands Boardwalk.
The Sands Beach Boardwalk is one of our favorite places to visit for both sunrises and sunsets. The observation tower on the boardwalk offers a stunning view of the Beaufort River, Battery Creek and the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot Parris Island. Dolphins can often be seen from the boardwalk and the beach areas here. The beach area is also popular spot to look for shark teeth but be cautious of sharp oysters on the beach and in the water as well as high tides that occasionally flood the sand area.
The Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center is a wonderful place to visit anytime and especially when the weather isn’t great. They have displays about local history, dolphins, sea turtles, marsh ecology, the megalodon sharks that used to swim here as well some aquariums and reptile exhibits. Check their calendar for their special events. The foundation is a local treasure that works to educate people about and protect the Port Royal Sound.
When we get great weather an Old Fashioned Picnic is favorite activities. Our go-to is Publix fried chicken, some sides, a jug of Publix sweet tea and a blanket. Beaufort County has a number of open space areas/parks that are great for picnics, but our favorite spot is along Bay Street just outside of downtown Beaufort. Here you will find a high bluff with large live oak trees overlooking the Beaufort River, a perfect picnic setting.
Thank you for reading our recommendations. We want you to have the best experience possible here in Beaufort so feel free to contact us with any questions or to get out on the water with us on one of our boat tours.