Porch Construction in Beaufort, SC

Charleston may get most of the attention when it comes to South Carolina’s many cities, but the history, culture, and (of course) Southern charm that make it so special can also be found in smaller and less expensive places in the region. If you’ve ever watched “Forrest Gump” or read anything by the late author Pat Conroy, you may be familiar with Beaufort, a harbor town on Port Royal Island. While its narrow streets, oak trees, and historic district that pre-dates the Civil War are similar to those in Charleston, Beaufort is remarkable and magical in its own right. Plus, it doesn’t draw the same crowds that tend to flock to notable Holy City hangouts like King Street, Folly Beach, and the Battery.

Before you read any further, though, you need to know how to properly pronounce the name. Not to be confused with Beaufort, North Carolina (said like “bow-fert”), the coastal town has a pronunciation more akin to “bew-fert.” Mistaking the two will immediately identify you as a tourist—and it won’t sit too well with the locals. Once you have that squared away, you can start planning your trip to Beaufort, the second-oldest city in South Carolina.

Best Things to Do

In 1969, Beaufort became one of the few U.S. cities with an entire downtown designated as a historic district by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, so exploring the neighborhoods filled with Victorian, Greek Revival, Neoclassical, and Federal-style homes is at the top of most travelers’ lists. At Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, you’ll spot Woods Memorial Bridge, recognizable from the aforementioned Tom Hanks blockbuster. Stretching your legs is also encouraged along the Spanish Moss Trail, a 10.2-mile greenway that weaves by Beaufort’s marshes and through trees draped in Spanish moss. Given its waterfront location, Beaufort should also be experienced by boat; book a Dolphin & History Boat Cruise with Coastal Expeditions or an ecology tour with Beaufort Kayak Tours. Paddleboarding is another option, with rental equipment available through Higher Ground Outfitters.

Beaufort’s ties to the literary world are strong; visiting the Pat Conroy Literary Center (this was Conroy’s adopted hometown) or one of the three independent bookstores in town—NeverMore Books, McIntosh Book Shoppe, or Beaufort Books—is a must for book lovers. For those interested in local art, there's the Rhett Gallery, Thibault Gallery, or Atelier Off Bay.

Many of the best things to do in Beaufort are found outside downtown. About 17 miles east is Hunting Island State Park, with its pristine beaches, marshes, maritime forest, and saltwater lagoon. It's also home to the Hunting Island Lighthouse, which was destroyed during the Civil War and rebuilt in 1875. St. Helena Island (a 15-minute drive away) is home to the Penn Center—one of the United States’ first schools for formerly enslaved individuals—as well as the family-owned Dempsey Farms, where you can pick in-season fruits and vegetables. Local produce can also be acquired on Saturdays at the nearby Port Royal Farmers Market.

Best Hotels

Enhance your visit to Beaufort with a stay in one of the town’s upscale inns. Slow Southern mornings paired with a home-cooked breakfast can be enjoyed on the expansive wooden porch at The Rhett House Inn. Guests can also book the more modern Rhett House Inn Cottages, which sit across the street from the main building. Once a Union Army hospital, Anchorage 1770 overlooks the Beaufort River and offers a fine dining experience at The Ribaut Social Club. The Beaufort Inn first opened its doors in 1897, and the property’s modern-day chapter features several fully renovated buildings within the town’s historic district.

Where to Eat and Drink

As with most Southern cities and towns, food is a major part of the local culture. If you’re a traveler who plans their vacations around meals, you’ll want to start your day at Blackstone’s Cafe or Herban Market and Cafe. For a quick lunch while exploring Beaufort, stop by Lowcountry Produce Market & Cafe to get a fried chicken sandwich or po’boy. Chapman’s Grocer also has grab-and-go treats, wine, and craft beer. Old Bull Tavern is a lively gastropub open only for dinner, Saltus River Grill is great for indulging in seafood, and those craving Italian should dine at Griffin Market. On St. Helena Island, The Gullah Grub Restaurant is one of the area’s most famous eateries (it appeared on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations); order the shrimp gumbo.

Best Time to Visit

When considering the best time to visit South Carolina, there are a few things to keep in mind. Summers here are hot and humid—there’s no getting around that. To explore Beaufort in the most comfortable climate, your best bet is to go in either early spring or late fall. April and October are ideal—you'll find plenty to do (winter is far from bustling) while simultaneously avoiding the sweltering weather that's synonymous with the South.

Getting There

Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) are both about an hour's drive away. You’ll need to rent a car to fully experience Beaufort and its surrounding area. Charleston International Airport (CHS) is also an option, although it’ll take about 90 minutes to drive to Beaufort.

While visiting Fripp Island two years ago, a young boy was attacked by a snake at the resort’s nature center, where staff members were giving people an up close look at wildlife in captivity.

The boa constrictor latched onto the boy’s face near his eye, clinging so tightly that those who tried to help had difficulty freeing him. It was a horrifying event that left the five-year-old with recurring eye damage and emotional trauma.

It was also an incident that sparked a lawsuit and discussions about whether South Carolina needs tighter restrictions on the display of captive snakes.

South Carolina doesn’t have the rules or guidelines that address the handling and display of snakes at nature centers like the one at Fripp Island, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. It is currently legal for staff members at nature centers to take reptiles from their cages and let visitors touch them, DNR spokeswoman Cheyenne Twilley said.

In the attack on the young boy, the boa constrictor was shedding, which is a time when those animals can be disoriented and aggressive, a family attorney said.. Yet nature center staff brought the snake out to show visitors and were trying to get the child to hold the snake, according to the 2024 lawsuit against the Fripp nature center’s owners.

“They couldn’t get him off the little boy and there’s not a lot they could do,’’ DNR director Tom Mullikin recently told the agency’s board. “So, we’re looking at what do we need to do with dangerous snakes. These issues all are emotional issues.’’

Fripp, where the snake attack happened, is a barrier island with a gated community nestled among the multiple sea islands off the coast near Beaufort. Vacationers from across the country visit every year for its beaches and lush surroundings. It is between Hunting Island State Park and Pritchard’s Island, a University of South Carolina holding. Parts of the 1991 movie, “The Prince of Tides,’’ were filmed on the beach at Fripp Island.

The boa constrictor attack occurred in a state that traditionally has had some of the loosest rules governing the ownership and handling of reptiles. For years, South Carolina has been a haven for the black market reptile trade because of its limited restrictions.

Legislators have tightened parts of the law in recent years, particularly those affecting native turtles. But the changes have not been comprehensive.

It’s still legal, for instance, to own non-native venomous snakes. And there are limited restrictions on public interaction with snakes at wildlife exhibits, according to the DNR.

“South Carolina law currently lacks standards for venomous reptiles and public display of reptiles,’’ the DNR said in a statement attributed to Will Dillman, the agency’s top reptile expert. “Establishing clear statewide guidelines would help set reasonable safety standards, supporting public safety, while providing clarity for responsible keepers.”

Few details were available on what changes the DNR favors. But an amendment to a reptile bill that is still pending in the Legislature is in the works. The amendment would look at oversight of public exhibits that feature live reptiles, according to the DNR.

The reptile bill would have limited ownership of venomous serpents. Legislators took no action after snake owners complained at a hearing about the effect the proposed restrictions would have on them and their businesses. It could still be voted on this year.

Retired DNR biologist Steve Bennett, whose expertise includes reptiles, said instituting some type of guidelines on reptile displays is a good idea. Nature centers are found in many parts of the state, and it would be wise to have some training and basic standards, he said.

If the snake was shedding at the Fripp Island Nature Center as alleged, Bennett said that was “the worst time’’ to expose the public. He said it might be worth limiting public exposure to large snakes like boas, compared to small non venomous snakes.

While boa constrictors are not venomous, their bites sting and the animals are difficult to remove from people who are bitten, he said. Boas, like pythons, have curved teeth that sink into prey, acting like fish hooks.

“When it bites you, you’re going to need to have someone help you, “ Bennett said. “You’re going to have to sort of peel that snake off of you. They have a strong grip, but the main thing is they have these curved teeth.’’

Two state legislators who represent parts of Beaufort County pledged to look into the matter. Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort said she would talk to some of her contacts at the DNR. Rep Michael Rivers, D-Beaufort, offered similar thoughts, deeming the issue “pretty serious.’’

States like South Carolina periodically experience cases where venomous snakes bite people, but those animals are mostly native wildlife. In this case, the red-tailed boa constrictor is not native to the state.

Red-tailed boa constrictors are heavy snakes that can grow longer than 10 feet. They are nocturnal and generally slow moving. They feed on a variety of animals, including mice, rats, other reptiles and small dogs and cats, according to the government of the Virgin Islands’ website. They typically kill prey by biting and squeezing animals to death, then swallowing the animals.

The October 2024 attack at Fripp Island was serious enough to prompt the child’s family to first contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department, then sue the operators of the nature center on Fripp Island.

Filed Dec. 20, 2024, by the child’s father, Brooks Pennington of Madison, Ga., the suit says the company in charge of the nature center was “grossly negligent and reckless’’ and that the child’s injuries required emergency care, specialized medical treatment and psychological treatment.

“As a result of the snake attack, the minor child sustained significant and permanent physical injuries to his face and body, and severe emotional and psychological trauma,’’ the suit says. The suit says he suffered disfigurement and scarring from the snake attack.

The lawsuit, which is unresolved, says Seascape/Fripp Island Golf and Beach had a duty to “maintain a reasonably safe premise.’’ The suit also names the manager of Fripp Island Golf and Beach resort and two staff members.

Efforts to reach an attorney for Seascape were not immediately successful.

According to the lawsuit, Seascape invited the child to the nature center for an event being held there. Once there, nature center staff “tried to force’’ the boy to hold the boa constrictor, even though he didn’t want to, and it was against his parents instructions, the suit says.

Records obtained by The State newspaper and The Island Packet show that the child was accompanied by a babysitter. The snake struck the child after a staff member presented the animal for a photograph, a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department report says.

The McLeod Law group, headed by Democratic candidate for governor Mullins McLeod, and the Champion Firm are handling the case on behalf of the boy’s family. The family owns a home on Fripp Island, but is from Madison, Ga., a community between Augusta and Atlanta.

Pennington family members were not made available for comment, but their lawyer said recovering from the snake attack has been an ordeal.

“This five-year-old child was bit in the face by a snake that never should have been near him,’’ said Cooper Wilson, an attorney with the McLeod firm. “Frankly, this event is a nightmare that never goes away for him or his family.’’

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a statement from the distillery

A Beaufort distillery that opened almost six years ago at the height of the pandemic filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Tuesday.

Rotten Little Bastard Distillery, which opened in the former Kmart building at 2139 Boundary Street in August 2020, filed for bankruptcy March 10 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the district of South Carolina. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is essentially liquidation, which means the debtor’s nonexempt assets will be sold and proceeds will be used to pay creditors.

In a statement posted to Facebook Wednesday afternoon, owner Brigid Fackrell confirmed the distillery would close. Spirits will be available for purchase at South Carolina liquor stores and online distributors Cellar.com and Tipxy.com as long as supplies last, she said.

Opening in the middle of a pandemic led to an “unexpected rough start” for the business, Fackrell said in her statement. In 2023, things seemed like they were getting better, but in 2025 her husband and co-founder Brian had a stroke, which, while not debilitating, changed some of his abilities.

The couple started to look for someone to buy the business, Brigid Fackrell said, but the “current economy and changes in how people drink alcohol were not in our favor and we could not find a buyer.”

“Brian and I are not going anywhere, as Beaufort is our home,” Brigid Fackrell said. “We are just moving on to the next experience. Thank you, again, and see you around.”

In its bankruptcy filing, the company listed assets of $152,554.72 in total property, including $1,061.47 in cash, $2,169.25 in deposits and prepayments, $80,000 in inventory and $66,740 in machinery, equipment and vehicles, among other things.

The company has $395,265.12 in liabilities, including secured and unsecured claims. Its secured debt is a U.S. Small Business Administration loan from United Community Bank in Bluffton, worth $321,445.52; the rest of the debt comes from unsecured credit accounts and a rejected lease. Funds will be available for distribution to unsecured creditors, the company said in the filing.

Rotten Little Bastard made $278,023 in revenue in 2024 and $221,660 last year, documents show. From Jan. 1, 2026 to March 10, the company made $31,494 in revenue, the filing said.

How the distillery got its start

The distillery, started by the Fackrells, sells several award-winning spirits, including the corn whiskey Saint Helena ‘Shine, King Tide Vodka, Spanish Moss Gin and Boundary Street Rum. The name “Rotten Little Bastard” was an affectionate nickname Brian Fackrell’s mother gave to him when he was a mischievous child.

The Fackrells were inspired to start a distillery by the television show “Moonshiners,” according to Island Packet archives from 2020. They developed the business over the course of four years, taking classes at Moonshine University in Kentucky and taking trips to other distilleries for inspiration.

At its Beaufort distillery, RLB sells its spirits and offers tastings, private parties and classes on everything from sea glass wind chime making to sourdough starter.

Get ready for another celestial event in the sky over Beaufort, SC. The only lunar eclipse in the Lowcountry for 2026 comes on Tuesday morning. The eclipse will take place in the morning hours with the moon turning red in the Earth’s shadow in the western sky.

When it comes to this full worm moon eclipse, as long as we have clear conditions, there won’t be any problems getting to enjoy it in the pre-dawn sky.

Visible here in the Lowcountry, the moon will be turning a copper-red shade for abut 58 minutes total as it passes through the Earth’s shadow. Totality begins at 6:04 Tuesday morning, and ends at approximately 7:02am. The partial phase will begin around 4:50am. And, it’s safe to view with the naked eye.

With the moon being low in the sky it is best if you can get away from any surrounding trees that could block the view. Along the Atlantic Seaboard, including Beaufort SC, the moon will set while it begins to emerge from total eclipse.

You may want to try and catch this one as there won’t be another total lunar eclipse until June 26, 2029.

A total lunar eclipse has five stages, with different things to watch for at each, according to Space.com.

The first penumbral stage begins when the moon’s leading edge enters the pale outer fringe of the Earth’s shadow, called the penumbra. But the shading is so weak that most people won’t notice anything until about 70% of the lunar disk is immersed into the penumbra; or about 20 minutes before first contact with the much darker umbral shadow. Some folks with exceptionally acute vision can detect the penumbra when the moon has intruded about halfway across the penumbra or about 30 minutes before it first touches the umbra. Watch for a slight darkening to become apparent on the moon’s upper left side. The penumbral shading (or “smudge”) becomes stronger as the minutes tick off and the moon moves deeper in.

The second stage is partial eclipse. This begins much more dramatically when the moon’s leading (left) edge enters the umbra, Earth’s inner shadow, where no direct sunlight reaches. With a telescope, you can watch the edge of the umbra slowly engulfing craters, mountains and lunar maria (the darker plains on the moon’s surface), as your local night sky slowly and progressively gets darker. Take note of the Pleiades star cluster, which will be situated high above the moon, becoming more prominent as the eclipse progresses.

A little over an hour into partial eclipse, only a final bright sliver of moon remains outside of the umbra. And the rest of the moon is likely showing an eerie reddish/coppery glow. The contrast in both light and color have led some to refer to this as the “Japanese lantern effect.”

Next comes the third stage: the total eclipse, beginning when the last rim of the moon slips into the umbra. Although the sun here is completely hidden, the moon is likely to glow some shade of red or orange. These hues are caused by sunlight skimming and bending through Earth’s atmosphere: it’s the combined light of all the sunrises and sunsets that ring our world at any given moment. If an astronaut were standing on the moon, he or she would see the sun completely hidden and the dark disk of the Earth (appearing nearly four times larger than the moon does for us) surrounded by thin ring of red or orange light. And that light, in turn, falls across the surrounding lunar landscape.

And then, as the moon continues eastward along its orbit, events recur in reverse order. The moon’s leading edge re-emerges into sunlight, ending totality and beginning stage four: partial eclipse again.

When all of the moon escapes the penumbra, only the last penumbral shading is left for stage five. This final duskiness slowly fades away, leaving the brilliant mid-autumn full moon to resume its normal guise.