While we were staying on Hilton Head Island, we made a day trip to Beaufort, SC.

Summary

  • Drive Time- approximately one hour (one way) from our lodging in Hilton Head to Beaufort.
  • Kids Ages- 2 1/2 years and 10 months
  • Child Transport- double stroller
  • Time Spent in Town- about 2 1/2 hours
  • Itinerary– Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Bay Street, and “The Point.”

Directions and Parking

It was about a one-hour drive from our lodging in Hilton Head to Beaufort, SC. Thanks to a tip from 101 Things to Do Magazine (for Hilton Head Island, the Low Country, and Savannah, GA), we turned right onto Newcastle Street when entering Beaufort on Hwy 21 (Boundary Street). We continued to Bay Street to a public (pay) parking lot which also included public restrooms. I think we were able to avoid some traffic if we would have entered the area continuing on Boundary Street.

This parking lot was in close proximity to the downtown historic district and we were able to easily walk to all of our intended destinations. There are other lots and on-street parking available.

Sites

First, we began with a stroll through parts of Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. This is a great area to walk around, relax on a swing, and take in views of the Beaufort River.

Then, we attempted the visitor center and headquarters of the multi-site Reconstruction Era National Historical Park in the Old Beaufort Firehouse a few blocks away. Unfortunately, it was closed at the time of our visit.

Next, we crossed the street and stopped at the Beaufort Visitor’s Center in a more than 200-year-old Arsenal, a great place to ask questions and gather information.

We were tempted to visit the attached Beaufort Historic Museum. But, my toddler was getting antsy, so headed back to the Waterfront Park and visited the lovely playground. There were restrooms near the playground.

On our way, wespotted a guided tour on a carriage ride. I think this would have been a lot of fun if my kids were at an age they could attend.

After some play at the playground, we built up an appetite and walked back toward Bay Street to grab a bite for lunch. Bay Street and surrounding blocks feature local shops, restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops, art galleries, and more.

We visited on a cool and windy day. At this point, we were chilled and the kids were getting fussy so we decided to call it quits after lunch. If the weather and the kids had cooperated, we would have continued walking to “The Point,” a nearby historic neighborhood full of antebellum homes. Instead, we enjoyed driving through “The Point” on our way out. Had we been on foot, I’m sure we would have waltzed right into The Chocolate Tree for a sweet treat.

Although it may seem we didn’t accomplish much, we really enjoyed our daytrip to Beaufort.

I really appreciated the fact that we were able to park, use the restroom, and walk to our intended destinations. For our family, a nearby playground is always a huge win. It was the perfect little day trip from Hilton Head.

Additional Sites

I know there’s a ton of things to do in the area that we missed. Consider stopping at the Visitor’s Center (713 Craven St) where someone can guide your visit based on your interests. If we had more time, we would have considered checking out the following in Beaufort:

Other areas that caught our eye passing through:

Other sites near Beaufort:

As always, I’m sharing what we did to serve as a starting point to help you make your plans for your trip. Leave a comment that may help others or tag me on Instagram @adventureswkelly so I can see or hear about your trip to Beaufort, SC.