A Personal Overview of Beaufort, SC & the Surrounding Lowcountry

We here at Lowcountry Properties get many requests for "overviews" of Beaufort and the surrounding Lowcountry.

When I think of like in Beaufort, the word, "character" comes to mind.  You won't find many towns with the character of Beaufort. With all due respect to our friends South of the Broad River, Bluffton and Hilton Head don't have 1/10 the charm or character of Beaufort. Then again, most towns don't. Beaufort was founded in 1712, and is one of the most historically significant towns in the Southeast. In downtown Beaufort, and the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, we have two of South Carolina's three National Historic Districts. The other is in Charleston.

If you are seeking a "special" place, a place that feels like you're on the water every day, Beaufort is just the ticket. I have been telling people since I started selling real estate in 1998 that living on the water is great, but in Beaufort, you don't have to live on the water to access it. I don't think it is possible to drive five minutes in any direction in Beaufort and not pass either a body of water or marsh, which is the heartbeat of the Lowcountry. Good grief, you can't go to Wal Mart without passing water.

On my way home tonight, I passed the tributaries of Battery Creek, one of best waterways, and I was never be more than a mile or so from the water. If I chose to, I could walk out the back door of my office in downtown Beaufort and be at the water in Beaufort's Historic Old Point in about three or four minutes......on foot. I could walk the other direction, through the Historic District, and be at the Waterfront Park, in about five to 10 minutes.

If I had decided to run by the grocery store on the way home, I would have passed over the Intracoastal Waterway, and then driven along picturesque Factory Creek for a mile or so. If I kept driving in any direction, I would likely pass more water within three or four minutes.. I could be on the Atlantic Ocean in 25 minutes, which I think, by the way, is one of the most tranquil drives in the Southeast.

I moved here from Atlanta in 1996. At this point  in my life, there is no place I would rather live than Beaufort. There is no place I would rather raise my children, and, barring something earth-shattering, there is no place I would rather retire, than Beaufort, SC.

Beaufort is just so unique. Our main beach area, Hunting Island, is one of the most unique beaches you'll find anywhere. It has a maritime forest which extends to the sand line, and miles of walking trails. Many Beaufort residents vacation at Hunting Island, either at the ocean front campground, or the cabins which are available for rent. Many residents will spend a week at the park. In fact, Hunting Island is so unique, it was the filming site for many of the Vietnam scenes in Forest Gump, with the Hunting Island forest serving as a double for the jungles of Vietnam.

You may already know that The Big Chill, The Great Santini, and Forest Gump were filmed in Beaufort, along with myriad other movies. Although we haven't had a big blockbuster filmed here in quite some time, these filmmakers sought Beaufort out because it is so unique.  If you would like more information on the Beaufort real estate market, or life in Beaufort in general, don't hesitate to let us know.