Best Moving Company in Beaufort

There's a moment at Hunting Island State Park as you're biking along the Lagoon Trail—ocean breezes and intoxicating beach vistas playing peekaboo to your left—when the sandy path turns inland and a sign points to Diamondback Rattlesnake Trail. A good idea? Yes.

"Yes," it turns out, sums up the best way to experience Beaufort, South Carolina, and its environs, including Hunting Island. Yes, the path less taken is an excellent idea, as is the Sweet Tea Float at Scout Southern Market. Spending hours strolling through The Old Point and gazing at historic homes and even older live oaks offers endless enchantment. But with my eyes peeled for rattlers, I was (yes) relieved that the only serpentine thing I discovered was more of the winding trail along old dune ridge lines through a primordial wonderland.

The trail affirms why Hunting Island, a breathtaking 25-minute drive from Beaufort, is South Carolina's most popular state park. With a dozen similar paths and 5 miles of pristine beach, this place leads you back eons in time through an untouched maritime forest with towering pines and ospreys soaring overhead as well as magnolias and saw palmettos tangled with yaupon hollies and wax myrtles in the dense understory. Here you breathe deeper and look more closely. Life slows down, and a sense of awe percolates up.

Take In The Scenery At Waterfront Park

Take a seat on one of the bench swings at Beaufort's Waterfront Park. Wide and welcoming, they move back and forth in a rhythmic lullaby. You can't help relaxing, especially if you happen to catch a sunset or tune into the soft lapping of the Beaufort River against the floating dock, hearing the jingling clink of pulleys against sailboat masts—a mariner's wind chime.

Saltus River Grill, where the scenic setting rivals the exceptional food and drink. PHOTO: Peter Frank Edwards A slice of the sweet life from Beaufort’s upscale Saltus River Grill. PHOTO: Peter Frank Edwards

Waterfront Park showcases the smart civic planning that makes Beaufort such a delight: The town's best vistas are protected and preserved. There are thoughtful amenities (parking, public bathrooms, an amphitheater, picnic tables, and plenty of green lawn for kids and dogs to play on). Plus it's all conveniently adjacent to an enticing array of restaurants, coffee shops, and stores along Bay Street. What better nightcap than to sit and swing a spell after enjoying grilled scallops or top-notch sushi at Saltus River Grill?

Historic Craven Street. PHOTO: Peter Frank Edwards A rooftop sunset at Anchorage 1770. PHOTO: Peter Frank Edwards

Appreciate Beaufort's Subdued Beauty

Beaufort is subdued in the best possible way. She has the same deep history and stunning architecture that her nearby sisters, Charleston and Savannah, are celebrated for, but she's fine staying slightly out of the limelight. Wise and mature, Beaufort wears her age like the badge of honor it is. Her Lowcountry aura feels elemental, with more patina and less pomp. Along Short Street at the edge of The Old Point, moss-heaped limbs cradle historic mansions. Beaufort's treescape shouts of grandeur in whatever language oaks speak. Gardens and yards aren't so much manicured as they are magical. It's easy to see why Hollywood frequently comes calling (a stairwell at The Beaufort Inn features posters from major motion pictures filmed here). Longtime resident Pat Conroy was so smitten that he wrote, "When I came to Beaufort I had struck upon a land so beautiful I had to hunt for other words."

Learn About Beaufort's History

Not far from Short Street, the First African Baptist Church, a Gothic Revival gem built by freedmen in 1865, bears witness to Beaufort's African American, Gullah, and Reconstruction-era history. "Robert Smalls was a member here. This document notes his Sunday school attendance and that he put a few cents in the offering plate," says the Rev. Alexander McBride, a jovial former marine and the church's pastor of almost 20 years, pointing to framed, yellowing pages hanging behind the sanctuary. A statue of Smalls, an enslaved crewman who heroically commandeered a Confederate ship and later served as a U.S. Congressman, is less than a mile away at Tabernacle Baptist Church, where a monument to Harriet Tubman is also planned.

Both churches are worthy stops, along with the Penn Center, the first Southern school for formerly enslaved people, across the bridge on St. Helena Island. Each place gives a deeper insight into the region's vibrant and enduring African American and Gullah Geechee culture.

Providing an overview of Beaufort's past, Capt. Henry Brandt of Coastal Expeditions offers a boat tour that cruises through the area's Native American, Spanish, and French history; Union occupation; and a view of Camp Saxton's tabby ruins, where the Emancipation Proclamation was first read in South Carolina—all interspersed with musings on estuary ecosystems and the fecund marvels of pluff mud.

"You don't fully experience Beaufort until you see it from the water," Brandt claims. After watching dolphins curl and glide from the boat's bow and admiring the town's steeples rising in the background, I absolutely believe him.

Where To Stay

Anchorage 1770Boutique hotel in an 18th-century mansion with fine dining at the Ribaut Social Club; anchorage1770.com

The Beaufort InnHistoric main inn plus several cottages clustered around a courtyard; beaufortinn.com

Rhett House InnHistoric Greek revival mansion that's been a favorite of movie stars; rhetthouseinn.com

What To Eat And Drink

Blackstone's CaféClassic diner-like options; blackstonescafe.com

Red Rooster CafeExtensive breakfast menu, whether you like it country, continental, Lowcountry, or Tex Mex; facebook.com

Lowcountry Produce KitchenLocally sourced salads and sandwiches and a legendary tomato pie; lowcountryproduce.com

Chapman's GrocerGrab-and-go items plus beer, wine, and snacks; facebook.com

PlumsWaterfront dining featuring soups, salads, and sandwiches; plumsrestaurant.com

Saltus River GrillFine dining with fresh local seafood, Southern fare, steaks, sushi, and a well-curated wine list; saltusrivergrill.com

Old Bull TavernGastropub featuring a lively bar scene anda lamb shank that does not disappoint; oldbulltavern.com

Breakwater Restaurant and BarSeafood, steaks, and seasonal dishes with Southern flair; www.breakwatersc.com

Paninis on the WaterfrontStone-baked pizzas, paninis, seafood, and pastas; www.paninisonthewaterfront.com

Where To Shop

Scout Southern MarketUnique gifts and home goods as well as delicious treats like the famous float at the Sweet Tea Bar; scoutsouthernmarket.com

Bachelor Hill AntiquesOffering treasures galore; facebook.com

Cabana22Coastal-chic boutique; cabana22.com

The Chocolate TreeConfections such as fudge, truffles, and peanut brittle; facebook.com

The Beaufort Candy ShopClassic candies and sweet treats of every kind; facebook.com

Lisa Rivers Fine ArtGullah-inspired art, prints, and gifts; www.lisariversart.com

Cassandra Gillens Art / Gullah Art in De WoodsPaintings, posters, and gifts; www.cassandragillensarts.com

Good AuraSustainable clothing and jewelry boutique; shopgoodaura.com

Monkey's UncleToys, fun, and games for children of all ages; www.monkeysuncletoys.com

What To Do

Hunting Island; southcarolinaparks.comSt. Phillips IslandPat Conroy Literary Center; patconroyliterarycenter.orgCoastal Expeditions; coastalexpeditions.comReconstruction Era National Historic Park; nps.gov/reerSpanish Moss Trail; spanishmosstrail.comCraven Street en route to The Old Point to explore historic neighborhoods

These Covid tracking pages are no longer being updated. Get the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control, or find archived data from The Times’s three year reporting effort here.

An updated vaccine is recommended for adults and most children. Statewide, 7% of vaccinations did not specify a home county.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes: The hospitals map shows the average I.C.U. occupancy at nearby hospitals in the most recent week with data reported. The data is self-reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by individual hospitals. It excludes counts from hospitals operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service. Numbers for hospitalized patients are based on inpatient beds and include I.C.U. beds. Hospitalized Covid-19 patients include both confirmed and suspected Covid-19 patients. The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on cases in May 2023.

How trends have changed in Beaufort County

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes: Weekly county death data prior to Jan. 2021 was not reported by the C.D.C. and is sourced from reporting by The New York Times. Hospitalization data is a weekly average of Covid-19 patients in hospital service areas that intersect with Beaufort County. Hospitalization numbers early in the pandemic are undercounts due to incomplete reporting by hospitals to the federal government.

Historical trends in Beaufort County

The data in these charts has been archived and they are no longer being updated.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data in these charts has been archived and they are no longer being updated. Weekly county case data prior to Jan. 2021 was not reported by the C.D.C. and is sourced from reporting by The New York Times. The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on cases in May 2023. Test positivity data is based only on test results reported to the federal government and is a seven-day average.

Most of the whole country is talking about the total solar eclipse that is coming on Monday, April 8th. But, what will we see in Beaufort?

Well, here in South Carolina, the astronomical event will be far less dramatic compared to the total solar eclipse we experienced, in totality, in 2017. This year, the path of totality is Texas and points Northeast through parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.

In the Upstate, folks will be a bit luckier then they will be here in Beaufort. The eclipse in the Upstate will block out 85% of the sun at its maximum at about 3:05pm on Monday.

In South Carolina, the moon will block anywhere from 74.6% of the sun to 85.3% at its peak, according to data from Eclipse2024.org.

The mountain areas of the Palmetto State will see the greatest eclipse while coastal areas, including Beaufort, will see the least in South Carolina.

Beaufort County will enjoy a fairly advanced partial eclipse, with about 75% of the sun being blocked by the moon at approximately 3:08pm on Monday.

The partial eclipse is expected to begin around 1:52 PM and conclude around 4:25 PM. This time frame coincides with school dismissal for students. Parents and guardians are urged to remind their children that looking directly at the sun is always hazardous and can cause permanent damage to their eyesight.

Viewing the eclipse without proper eye safety can cause loss of vision, especially in children whose still-developing eyes may be particularly at risk. Symptoms of eye damage can include blurry vision, distorted vision or ‘blind spots.’ The resulting damage could be temporary or permanent.

Experts warn to not make the mistake of thinking a partial eclipse is less dangerous – if anything, it’s more dangerous because the sun is never fully blocked. That goes for the solar eclipse in Beaufort. Take steps now to ensure you can have a fun but also safe viewing experience.

Here are a few tips to keep you and your children’s eyes protected while enjoying the eclipse:

• Use eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, not regular sunglasses

• Indirect viewing methods

• Don’t recycle solar safety glasses

The U.S. won’t see another coast-to-coast solar eclipse until 2045 so, by all means, get out with your older children to enjoy this rare event, just prepare ahead of time to ensure everyone stays safe.

Enjoy the solar eclipse, Beaufort.

A strong storm system battered Beaufort County with rain and heavy winds Tuesday afternoon — but reported damages appeared to be minimal as power slowly returned to the Lowcountry.

Fire officials from across the county said the volume of storm-related calls was about what they expected. Despite a sizable number of downed trees, no injuries or significant property damage was reported.

Just after 3 p.m., crews from the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department responded to a small structure fire at a business in the 1800 block of Boundary Street, which closed the roadway for less than an hour in downtown Beaufort. The flames were put out by a fire extinguisher and likely started in a surge protector, according to spokesperson Ross Vezin.

Beaufort County power outages peaked at nearly 17,000 affected customers around 4 p.m. Tuesday, with Palmetto Electric Cooperative’s Hilton Head customers experiencing widespread blackouts after a small tree impacted a mid-island Santee Cooper power line. Power outages dwindled as the night went on. As of 9 p.m., Poweroutage.us reported just over 1,000 households without power — nearly all of which came from Dominion Energy.

Winds reached a high point around 4 p.m. Tuesday, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 37 m.p.h and gusts reaching up to 53 m.p.h., according to data from the National Weather Service (NWS).

Although the local tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning ended before 6 p.m., Beaufort and Jasper Counties were still under a handful of weather warnings Tuesday night: a high surf advisory until midnight and a wind advisory lasting to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

The NWS also issued a special weather statement Tuesday night, warning of downed trees and power lines that might impact drivers overnight — especially on secondary roads and rural highways.

Other areas of the southeast and south had more extensive damage as wind, possibly from tornadoes, ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, as well as North and South Carolina. In Florida’s panhandle, images of a marina building and mobile homes severely damaged by the storm demonstrated the force of the storm as it moved across the states.

Meteorologists on The Weather Channel devoted Tuesday to tracking what they called a 600-mile long cyclone that moved from states near the Gulf of Mexico to all the way up the eastern seaboard, bringing winds, rain, and tornadoes to the south and wet snowfall to the northeast.

In Bamberg, SC, reports of a tornado touching down near a Edisto Electric Cooperative building causing damage will be investigated Wednesday as cleanup activities are completed.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story contained incorrect power outage information. It has since been updated.

This story was originally published January 9, 2024, 9:31 PM.

Southern Living magazine fired off its readers’ poll list of Best Island in South Carolina this month, and, unsurprisingly, four of the ten spots on it are taken by islands here in Beaufort County. Two in the northern end of the county, and two in the southern end.

“With 34 barrier and tidal islands peppering its shoreline (more than any other state except for Florida), South Carolina spills over with natural wonders, beautiful beaches, and unique destinations to explore,” SL said. “In our 2024 South’s Best awards, readers voted on some of the very best of them. Here are the best islands in South Carolina, according to our readers.”

Hilton Head came in at #1 on the list, and it’s no big mystery that folks from all over love it there. #7 on the list was our amazing Hunting Island, and we’re quite surprised that it listed as low as #7, but we’re very proud of our local slice of exotic paradise nonetheless.

Daufuskie Island came in at #8, beating out Fripp Island that appeared at #9 on the list.

What Southern Living said:

“With 12 miles of public beaches, more than 24 championship golf courses, and around 250 restaurants, Hilton Head‘s numerical stats alone prove why it’s one of the state’s most beloved islands. But the real magic, of course, belongs to its community—a mix of transplants and born-and-breds who are sure to make you feel right at home, whether you’re sampling local oysters at Hudson’s on the Docks or watching the boats come in at Shelter Cove Marina.”

“Just a 25-minute drive from downtown Beaufort, explore the seaside charmer’s wilder side at Hunting Island State Park (South Carolina’s most popular state park). Here, five miles of unspoiled beaches unfurl along the Atlantic and sandy trails wind through dense maritime forest.”

“As the crow flies, the southernmost of South Carolina’s barrier islands is just miles from Savannah and Hilton Head, but it might as well be worlds away. Daufuskie is accessible only by boat, which is likely one of the reasons its 500 or so residents have been able to so carefully preserve its natural environment and its rich Gullah history. And while the island remains untouched in many ways, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see or do here: Tour the island with sixth-generation Daufuskie native Sallie Ann Robinson for an education in Gullah culture; go for a horseback ride on the beach; shop indigo-dyed goods at Daufuskie Blues; and cap off the day with a plate of deviled crab at Old Daufuskie Crab Company.”

“About 20 miles from Beaufort, Fripp Island is a 3,000-acre designated wildlife sanctuary, home to more than 175 species of birds, plus endangered loggerhead turtles who use its beach as a nesting ground. The private island is accessible only to homeowners and those staying in vacation rentals, but once you’re here, there’s plenty to do, from guided kayak eco-tours to pickleball and golf.”

The full list?

Having four of ten spots here in the Beaufort area is a pretty big deal. Look at it this way, out of all the islands that dot the Palmetto State’s coastline, 40% of Southern Living’s readers polled picked a spot right here in Beaufort County.

That’s definitely a big deal. The islands here in Beaufort are pretty amazing.

See what Southern Living said about them all here.