Hey y’all. Beaufort did it again. Beaufort SC was just named one of the Best Small Towns in America by CNN, the most popular news outlet on Earth.
“The vast majority of Americans may live in big cities (more than 70%, according to the 2020 census), but there’s an enduring affection for small towns and cities,” CNN said. “The United States boasts tens of thousands of towns and cities with fewer than 50,000 people. So there’s no lack of choice when it comes to visiting America’s diminutive destinations. But how do you choose which are the best?”
Enter, Beaufort, South Carolina.
“Founded in 1711, this charming town is the second-oldest in South Carolina, after Charleston. Stately mansions built before the Civil War surround the commercial hub along Bay Street,” the popular outlet published in its July 21st article 15 Best Towns & Cities in America, which named Beaufort SC #4 on its list.
In a nod to our waterfront dining, CNN said, “a pleasant park along the waters of the Beaufort River is just beyond the street lined with restaurants and shops. Shade and sustenance – with waterfront views – are available on the porches and patios at Plums, Saltus River Grill and Lowcountry Cider Co. & Superior Coffee.”
“Exhibits and artifacts inside the old Arsenal show how Beaufort was in Yankee hands for most of the Civil War, while the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park (one of the newest units of the US National Park System) spins tales of the post-war American South.”
“Beaufort is bullish on festivals including an oyster festival in January, Original Gullah Festival over Memorial Day weekend, and shrimp festival in September.”
And, not leaving out our cultural history, CNN added, “a string of barrier islands is just across the bridge. St. Helena is rich in the culture of the Gullah Geechee people, descendants of formerly enslaved West and Central Africans.”
And our beaches and amazing natural environment even got a mention. “Farther on, the state’s most popular park, Hunting Island State Park, boasts thousands of acres of maritime forest and marsh fronted by five miles of unspoiled beach.”
It’s good to be consistently included among the best, but this isn’t really that much of a surprise if you’ve ever visited Beaufort SC.
Beaufort is in some good company on the list, too. Other towns made the list include Saranac Lake, New York, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Taos, New Mexico, Moab, Utah, Whitefish, Montana and Mackinac Island Village, Michigan.
The accolades really have been pouring in for Beaufort recently, and we couldn’t be more proud.
Trips To Discover recently named Beaufort the Best Summer Vacation Destination in South Carolina, one of the Most Friendliest Towns in the U.S. and one of the 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the U.S.
In 2022, Southern Living magazine named Beaufort the #1 Best Small Town in the South.
We’ve also recently been named one of the 25 Best Small Towns in America by Architectural Digest; the Most Charming Small Town in South Carolina; one of the Cutest Towns in the U.S. and the Most Quaint Town in South Carolina.
In addition to those, Southern Living magazine named the Old Sheldon Church ruins one of the South’s Most Beautiful Chapels; named Hunting Island State Park one of the Best State Parks in the South; and named downtown Beaufort’s Craven Street one of the South’s Most Beautiful Streets.
