by Jim Morekis
Beaufort County comprises over 60 islands, so it’s no surprise that nearly all recreation in the area revolves around the water, which dominates so many aspects of life in the Lowcountry. The closer to the ocean you get, the more it’s a salt marsh environment. But as you explore more inland, including the sprawling ACE Basin, you’ll encounter primarily blackwater.
Kayaking
The Lowcountry is tailor-made for kayaking. Most kayakers put in at the public landings in nearby Port Royal (1 Port Royal Landing Dr., 843/525-6664) or Lady’s Island (73 Sea Island Pkwy., 843/522-0430), across the river from downtown Beaufort. If you don’t feel comfortable with your navigation skills, it’s a good idea to contact Kim and David at Beaufort Kayak Tours (843/525-0810, www.beaufortkayaktours.com), who rent kayaks and can guide you on a number of excellent tours of all three key areas. They charge about $40 for adults and $30 for children for a two-hour trip. A tour with Beaufort Kayak Tours is also the best (and nearly the only) way to access the historically significant ruins of the early British tabby Fort Frederick, now located on the grounds of the Beaufort Naval Hospital and inaccessible by car.
Fishing and Boating
Key marinas in the area are the Downtown Marina (1006 Bay St., 843/524-4422) in Beaufort, the Lady’s Island Marina (73 Sea Island Pkwy., 843/522-0430), and the Port Royal Landing Marina (1 Port Royal Landing Dr., 843/525-6664). Hunting Island has a popular 1,000-foot fishing pier at the south end. A good local fishing charter service is Captain Josh Utsey’s Lowcountry Guide Service (843/812-4919, www.beaufortscfishing.com). Captain Ed Hardee (843/441-6880) offers good inshore charters.
The ACE Basin is a very popular fishing, crabbing, and shrimping area. It has about two dozen public boat ramps, with colorful names like Cuckold’s Creek and Steamboat Landing. There’s a useful map of them all at www.acebasin.net, or look for the brown signs along the highway.
Hiking and Biking
Despite the Lowcountry’s, well, lowness, biking opportunities abound. It might not get your heart rate up like a ride in the Rockies, but the area lends itself to laid-back two-wheeled enjoyment. Many local B&Bs provide bikes free for guests, and you can rent your own just across the river from Beaufort in Lady’s Island at Lowcountry Bikes (102 Sea Island Pkwy., 843/524-9585, Mon.-Tues. and Thurs.-Fri. 10am-6pm, Wed. 10am-1pm, Sat. 10am-3pm, about $5/hour). They can also hook you up with some good routes around the area.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Beaufort’s historic district is blessed with an abundance of high-quality accommodations that blend well with their surroundings. There are plenty of budget-minded chain places, some of them acceptable, in the sprawl of Boundary Street outside of downtown, but here are some suggestions within bicycling distance of the historic district. (That’s not a hypothetical, as most inns offer free bicycles to use as you please during your stay.)
Under $150
The Best Western Sea Island Inn (1015 Bay St., 843/522-2090, www.bestwestern.com, $135-170) is a good value for those for whom the B&B experience is not paramount. Anchoring the southern end of the historic district in a tasteful low brick building, the Best Western offers decent service, basic amenities, and surprisingly attractive rates for the location on Beaufort’s busiest street.
$150-300
Any list of upscale Beaufort lodging must highlight the S Beaufort Inn (809 Port Republic St., 843/379-4667, www.beaufortinn.com, $152-425), consistently voted one of the best B&Bs in the nation. It’s sort of a hybrid in that it comprises not only the 1897 historic central home but also a cluster of freestanding historic cottages, each with a charming little porch and rocking chairs. Within or outside the main building, each suite has a character all its own, whether it’s the 1,500-square-foot Loft Apartment or one of the cozier Choice Rooms with a queen-sized bed.
The 18-room, circa-1820 Rhett House Inn (1009 Craven St., 843/524-9030, www.rhetthouseinn.com, $175-320) is the local vacation getaway for the stars. Such arts and entertainment luminaries as Robert Redford, Julia Roberts, Ben Affleck, Barbra Streisand, Dennis Quaid, and Demi Moore have all stayed here at one time or another.
There’s nothing like enjoying the view of the Beaufort River from the expansive porches of the S Cuthbert House Inn (1203 Bay St., 843/521-1315, www.cuthberthouseinn.com, $205-250). This grand old circa-1790 Federal mansion was once the home of the wealthy Cuthbert family of rice and indigo planters. General Sherman spent a night here in 1865. Some of the king rooms have fireplaces and claw-foot tubs. Of course you get a full Southern breakfast, in addition to sunset hors d’oeuvres on the veranda.
While a stay at a B&B is the classic way to enjoy Beaufort, many travelers swear by the new City Loft Hotel (301 Carteret St., 843/379-5638, www.citylofthotel.com, $200). Housed in a former motel, City Loft represents a total modernist makeover, gleaming from stem to stern with chrome and various art deco touches.
FOOD
Because of Beaufort’s small size and insular nature, many of its restaurants double as nightlife hotspots, with hopping bar scenes—or as hopping as it gets here, anyway—at dinner hours and beyond, often with a crowd of regulars. That said, those looking for a late-night rowdy time will be happier seeking it in the notorious party towns of Charleston or Savannah. Sadly, the very well regarded restaurant within the Beaufort Inn on Port Republic Street closed for good in 2007, but there are still plenty of high-quality dining spots in town.
Lowcountry Boil or Frogmore Stew?
Near Beaufort it’s called Frogmore stew after the township (now named St. Helena) just over the river. Closer to Savannah it’s simply called Lowcountry boil. Supposedly the first pot of this delectable, hearty concoction was made by Richard Gay of the Gay Fish Company. As with any vernacular dish, dozens of local and family variants abound. The key ingredient that makes Lowcountry boil/Frogmore stew what it is—a well-blended mélange with a character all its own rather than just a bunch of stuff thrown together in a pot of boiling water—is some type of crab-boil seasoning. You’ll find Zatarain’s seasoning suggested on a lot of websites, but Old Bay is far more common in the eponymous Lowcountry where the dish originated.
In any case, here’s a simple six-serving recipe to get you started. The only downside is that it’s pretty much impossible to make it for just a few people. The dish is intended for large gatherings, whether a football tailgate party on a Saturday or a family afternoon after church on Sunday. Note the typical ratio of one ear of corn and 0.5 pound each of meat and shrimp per person.
• 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, cut into 3-inch sections
• 3 pounds smoked pork sausage, cut into 3-inch sections
• 3 pounds fresh shrimp, shells on
• 5 pounds new potatoes, halved or quartered
• 6 ounces Old Bay Seasoning
Put the sausage and potato pieces, along with half of the Old Bay, in two gallons of boiling water. When the potatoes are about halfway done, about 15 minutes in, add the corn and boil for about half that time, seven minutes. Add the shrimp and boil for another three minutes, until they just turn pink. Do not overcook the shrimp. Take the pot off the heat and drain; serve immediately. If you cook the shrimp just right, the oil from the sausage will cause those shells to slip right off.
This is but one of dozens of recipes. Some cooks add some lemon juice and beer in the water as it’s coming to a boil; others add onion, garlic, or green peppers.
Breakfast and Brunch
One of the best breakfasts I’ve had anywhere was a humble two-egg plate for five bucks at Beaufort’s most popular morning hangout, S Blackstone’s Café (205 Scott St., 843/524-4330, Mon.-Sat. 7:30am-2:30pm, Sun. 7:30am-2pm, under $10), complete with tasty hash browns, a comparative rarity in this part of the country, where grits rule as the breakfast starch of choice.
Burgers and Sandwiches
Another lunch favorite is Magnolia Bakery Café (703 Congress St., 843/524-1961, www.magnoliacafebeaufort.com, Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm, under $10). Lump crab cakes are a specialty item, but you
can’t go wrong with any of the lunch sandwiches. Vegetarian diners are particularly well taken care of with a large selection of black-bean burger plates. As the name indicates, the range of desserts here is tantalizing, with the added bonus of a serious espresso bar.
It’s a 20-minute drive out of downtown, but Maggie’s Pub (17 Market St., 843/379-1719, www.maggiespub.net, Tues.-Sat. 5pm-9pm, $12)—within a small shopping center in the new residential development of Habersham—is not only a happening neighborhood tavern, but also has the best grass-fed burgers in town and some excellent fish ’n’ chips. While a very friendly place, be aware it’s a heavily local crowd. Get here by taking Boundary Street/Highway 21 west out of downtown; take a left on Parris Island Gateway/Highway 280, a right on Broad River Boulevard, and then a right on Joe Frazier Road. Veer onto Cherokee Farms Road and then left into the Habersham Marketplace area.
Coffee, Tea, and Sweets
The closest thing to a hipster coffeehouse in Beaufort is City Java and News (301 Carteret St., 843/379-5282, Mon.-Sat. 6am-6:30pm, Sun. 7am-6:30pm), a sunny and well-kept little modernist space next to the similarly modernist City Loft Hotel. Their espresso is big-city quality, their periodicals are timely, and their pastries and sandwiches are good for tiding you over when you need some quick energy for more walking around town.
New Southern
The stylishly appointed Wren Bistro, Bar and Market (210 Carteret St., 843/524-9463, Mon.-Sat. 11am-11pm, $15-25) is known for any of its chicken dishes. While the food is great, the interior is particularly well done, simultaneously warm and classy. As seems to be typical of Beaufort, the lunches are as good as the dinners, and the bar scene is quite active.
Seafood
The hottest dinner table in town is at the S Saltus River Grill (802 Bay St., 843/379-3474, www.saltusrivergrill.com, Sun.-Thurs. 5pm-9pm, Fri.-Sat. 5pm-10pm, $10-39), famous throughout the state for its raw bar menu. Other specialties include she-crab bisque, lump crab cakes, and the ubiquitous shrimp and grits. The Saltus River Grill is more upscale in feel and in price than most Lowcountry places, with a very see-and-be-seen attitude and a hopping bar. Reservations are recommended.
The short and focused menu at Plum’s (904½ Bay St., 843/525-1946, lunch daily 11am-4pm, dinner daily 5pm-10pm, $15-25) keys in on entrées highlighting local ingredients, such as the shrimp penne al’amatriciana and fresh black mussel pasta. Because of the outstanding microbrew selection, Plum’s is a big nightlife hangout as well; be aware that after 10pm, when food service ends but the bar remains open until 2am, it’s no longer smoke-free.
An up-and-comer downtown is Breakwater Restaurant & Bar (203 Carteret St., 843/379-0052, www.breakwatersc.com, dinner Thurs.-Sat. 6pm-9:30pm, bar until 2am, $10-20). The concise menu makes up in good taste what it lacks in comprehensiveness, with an emphasis on seafood, of course.
Steaks
S Luther’s Rare & Well Done (910 Bay St., 843/521-1888, daily 10am-midnight, from $8) on the waterfront is the kind of meat-lover’s place where even the French onion soup has a morsel of rib eye in it. While the patented succulent rubbed steaks are a no-brainer here, the handcrafted specialty pizzas are also quite popular. Housed in a historic pharmacy building, Luther’s is also a great place for late eats after many other places in this quiet town have rolled up the sidewalk. A limited menu of appetizers and bar food to nosh on at the inviting and popular bar is available after 10pm.
Tapas
Right around the corner from Breakwater is Emily’s (906 Port Republic St., 843/522-1866, dinner Mon.-Sat. 4pm-10pm, bar until 2am, $10-20), a very popular fine-dining spot that specializes in a more traditional brand of rich, tasty tapas and is known for its active bar scene and great oysters.
INFORMATION AND SERVICES
The Beaufort Visitors Information Center (713 Craven St., 843/986-5400, www.beaufortsc.org, daily 9am-5:30pm), the headquarters of the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, has relocated from its old Carteret Street location and can now be found within the Beaufort Arsenal, once home to the now-closed Beaufort Museum.
TRANSPORTATION
While the Marines can fly their F-18s directly into Beaufort Naval Air Station, you won’t have that luxury. The closest major airport to Beaufort is the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV, 400 Airways Ave., 912/964-0514, www.savannahairport.com) off I-95 outside Savannah. From there it’s about an hour to Beaufort. If you’re not going into Savannah for any reason, the easiest route to the Beaufort area from the airport is to take I-95’s exit 8, and from there take U.S. 278 east to Highway 170.
Alternately, you could fly into Charleston International Airport (CHS, 5500 International Blvd., www.chs-airport.com), but because that facility is on the far north side of Charleston, it will take a bit longer (about an hour and 20 minutes) to get to Beaufort. From the Charleston Airport the best route south to Beaufort is U.S. 17 South, exiting onto U.S. 21 at Gardens Corner and then into Beaufort.
If you’re coming into the region by car, I-95 will be your likely primary route, with your main point of entry being exit 8 off I-95 connecting to U.S. 278 east to Highway 170. Beaufort is a little over an hour from Charleston.
Don’t be discouraged by the big-box sprawl that assaults you on the approaches to Beaufort on Boundary Street, lined with the usual discount megastores, fast-food outlets, and budget motels. After you make the big 90-degree bend where Boundary turns into Carteret Street—known locally as the “Bellamy Curve”—it’s like entering a whole new world of slow-paced, Spanish moss-lined avenues, friendly people, gentle breezes, and inviting storefronts.
While you can make your way to downtown by taking Carteret Street all the way to Bay Street—don’t continue over the big bridge unless you want to go straight to Lady’s Island and St. Helena Island—I suggest availing yourself of one of the “Downtown Access” signs before you get that far. Because Carteret Street is the only way to that bridge, it can get backed up at rush hour. By taking a quick right and then a left all the way to Bay Street, you can come into town from the other, quieter end, with your first glimpse of downtown proper being its timelessly beguiling views of the Beaufort River.
Any visitor in reasonably good shape can walk the entire length and breadth of Beaufort’s 300-acre downtown with little trouble. In fact, that’s by far the best way to experience it.
There’s no public transportation to speak of in Beaufort, but that’s OK—the historic section is quite small and can be traversed in an afternoon. A favorite mode of transport is by bicycle, often complimentary to bed-and-breakfast guests. You can also rent one at Lowcountry Bikes (102 Sea Island Pkwy., 843/524-9585, Mon.-Tues. and Thurs.-Fri. 10am-6pm, Wed. 10am-1pm, Sat. 10am-3pm, about $5/hour) in Lady’s Island just over the bridge.
Outside Beaufort
The areas outside tourist-traveled Beaufort can take you even further back into sepia-toned Americana, into a time of sharecropper homesteads, sturdy oystermen, and an altogether variable and subjective sense of time.
About 15 minutes east of Beaufort is the center of Gullah culture, St. Helena Island, and the scenic gem of Hunting Island. Just a few minutes south of Beaufort is the East Coast Marine Corps Recruit Depot of Parris Island. About 10 minutes away is the little community of Port Royal.
SIGHTS
S Penn Center
By going across the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge over the Beaufort River on the Sea Island Parkway (which turns into U.S. 21), you’ll pass through Lady’s Island and reach St. Helena Island. Known to old-timers as Frogmore, the area took back its old Spanish-derived place name in the 1980s.
the Penn Center on St. Helena’s Island
Today St. Helena Island is most famous for the Penn Center (16 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., 843/838-2474, www.penncenter.com, Mon.-Sat. 11am-4pm, $4 adults, $2 seniors and children), the spiritual home of Gullah culture and history. When you visit here among the live oaks and humble but well-preserved buildings, you’ll instantly see why Martin
Luther King Jr. chose this as one of his major retreat and planning sites during the civil rights era.
The dream began as early as 1862, when a group of abolitionist Quakers from Philadelphia came during the Union occupation with the goal of teaching recently freed slave children. They were soon joined by African American educator Charlotte Forten. After Reconstruction, the Penn School continued its mission by offering teaching as well as agricultural and industrial trade curricula. In the late 1960s, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference used the school as a retreat and planning site, with both the Peace Corps and the Conscientious Objector Programs training here.
The Penn Center continues to serve an important civil rights role by providing legal counsel to African American homeowners in St. Helena. Because clear title is difficult to acquire in the area due to the fact that so much of the land has stayed in the families of former slaves, developers are constantly making shady offers so that ancestral land can be opened up to upscale development.
The 50-acre campus is part of the Penn School Historic District, a National Historic Landmark comprising 19 buildings, most of key historical significance. The Retreat House was intended for Dr. King to continue his strategy meetings, but he was assassinated before being able to stay there. The museum and bookshop are housed in the Cope Building, now called the York W. Bailey Museum, situated right along MLK Jr. Drive.