Hallelujah for three day weekends! Because of Good Friday, I had the day off work and have been planning to take a day trip down to Beaufort, SC for a couple weeks now. Living in Greenville, it’s sometimes easy to forget the Lowcountry charm is only a 3 1/2 hour car ride away – but whenever I do remember (and have the time) I love to go exploring the quaint and historic towns that dot the southern coast of SC. Beaufort, SC is one of those towns. I’ve been to Beaufort on several occasions and always enjoy my time in the ‘mini Charleston’.
So as not to bore you with tons of details, I’ve broken this post down by travel-relevant topics in case you’re in the mood for an adventure and a lovely coastal town in South Carolina is calling your name.
- Historic Sights
- Restaurants
- Beaches
This Post:
Old Sheldon Church Ruins
While Charleston is still the champion of historic sights and attractions, the Lowcountry is filled with fascinating, historical locations. The first stop on our trip was the ruins of Old Sheldon Church. The original church building has a sad history of being burned down by both the British army during the Revolutionary War and the Federal army during the Civil War. The shell of the building is still standing and is the very picture of Southern resilience and grit.
The location itself is incredibly picturesque with Spanish moss draping from the old oak trees that survived the burnings. To anyone looking for an ideal place for engagement photos, senior photos, or anniversary photos, Old Sheldon Church is an ideal backdrop. Located about 20 minutes outside of northwest of Beaufort, the ruins are a great stop before arriving into town.
Restaurants
From Sheldon Church, we hopped in our car and drove about 20 more minutes into the heart of Beaufort in search of lunch. On my previous trips to the town, I had been to a delicious local sandwich/ bagel shop called Palm and Moon Bagel and we decided to give it a try again. Best decision ever! Parking can be a little bit of a beast in Beaufort. I’ve found great parking at the library on Scott St. It’s just a short walk to Palm and Moon and another short walk to the main thoroughfare and Waterfront Park.
For dinner we really wanted fresh seafood. I had gotten a recommendation from a local to go to Dockside on Lady’s Island (but just across the bridge from downtown Beaufort.) A casual, waterfront dining establishment, Dockside provides gorgeous views of the intercostal waterways, Beaufort, and the drawbridge. Also, their food is pretty amazing. If you’re a seafood person, I highly recommend the Sunset Shrimp!
Beaches
Although there are several good beaches in the area (Fripp Island, Hilton Head, Folly Beach) my favorite local beach near Beaufort is Hunting Island State Park. It’s just a little less crowded, a little less commercialized, and a little bigger than the other more popular beaches in the area. And although you do have to pay a state park fee to get into the park, SC residents have the option to buy an annual state park pass which gives you free admission to Hunting Island park and the rest of the state parks in South Carolina.
Another cool feature of the park is the Hunting Island Light, the only lighthouse in SC open to the public. Originally constructed in 1839, lighthouse guests can climb the 167 steps to the top of the light and get a birds eye view of the park, surrounding marshes, and the Atlantic at 132 feet off the ground. Just note though, the lighthouse is only open specific times during the day. We missed the one operating hours on this trip to Beaufort, so we’re putting it on our list of things to do next time we’re at the park.
