Beaufort, South Carolina

“My favorite thing about touring is the new towns and new faces every day.”

Dustin Lynch

Today’s exploring took us to the beautiful, historic Sheldon Church Ruins and then onto the interior sea island town of Beaufort, South Carolina. This is a lovely picturesque and historic town that is the second oldest town in South Carolina just after Charleston. Beaufort was chartered in 1711 and at one time flourished as a shipbuilding center and later was established as a slave society.

Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island in the sea islands of South Carolina and there are loads of gorgeous historic antebellum architecture to gaze upon while strolling down the streets and paths. This is the land of the military with so many military bases near here including Parris Island, the Marine Corps Air Station, and the US Naval Hospital.

We first walked along the Beaufort River in the lovely Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. The park has brick paths to walk around with a beautiful green space between the paths. Along the river is a beautifully ornate brick walkway with swings and benches to sit on and enjoy the glorious view of the river and marsh. You may even catch a glimpse of the drawbridge opening and see the yachts coming by right in front of you. What a great way to relax and enjoy the day.

We walked through the park and enjoyed watching children play and just seeing people walking around, relaxing, and enjoying the beautiful day and the park. Along one side of the park are many restaurants with wonderful views and outside seating areas. Today was just a little too cold to sit outside but we were still tempted. We decided on going to Luther’s Restaurant which ended up being a nice choice. They had a nice menu and the food was great. It felt wonderful resting before more walking and exploring the town.

After lunch we went back to back to the park and strolled around some more. There are beautiful features of this park like the Veterans Memorial Section and a section in the park that has plaques with have the history of Beaufort printed on them that I called the circle of history section.  Palmetto trees grace this park also giving it a tropical feel.

After our stroll near the water, we headed away from the riverfront to see the Arsenal. The downtown historic area is lovely to walk with many interesting shops and restaurants to visit. Walking down the narrow streets and under the moss covered trees, it was a joy seeing all the beautiful homes with fabulous architecture.

The Arsenal is a very fascinating looking building that does stand out in the historic neighborhood. This was once the home of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery which was organized back in 1775 and was the fifth oldest military unit in the United States. The Volunteer Artillery Company served valiantly during the Revolutionary War and then again in the Civil War when they served in the Battle of Port Royal. It was constructed in 1799 and was built of brick and tabby and later rebuilt in 1852.

The Arsenal now has a visitors center and museum inside. The museum doesn't have that much in it except plaques that explain the history and some small relics.   I still found it interesting.  The best part of the Arsenal is the court yard and design of the building. It was an interesting place to visit.

Beaufort is a wonderful town to visit with much to see. We will be back to see more another time. Till next time.