Covering Areas
| Beaufort |
Hilton Head | St. Helena | Lady's Island |
| Fripp Island | Harbor Island | Port Royal | Bluffton |
| Ridgeland | Yamassee | Hardeeville | & More... |
Beaufort
Beaufort is a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States, situated on the Beaufort River. Founded in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,950 in the 2000 census (46,227 total pop. of Beaufort Urban Cluster). It is the county seat of Beaufort County and part of the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Beaufort (pronounced "byew-furt" unlike its counterpart in North Carolina) is located on Port Royal Island, in the heart of the Sea Islands and Lowcountry. The city is renowned for maintaining its traditional "southern aura", which have helped it attract tourists and new residents.
Downtown & Historic District
The original settlement of Beaufort can be found in the downtown or historic district area. 304 acres of the town have been designated a National Historic Landmark. With approximate dimensions, downtown is defined as anything upon the peninsula jutting into the Beaufort River that is located east of Ribaut Road (US 21). Further defined, downtown is broken into several distinct neighborhoods:
- The Point, also known as the Old Point is home to some of Beaufort's largest, oldest, and most expensive homes. Defined as the land between Carteret Street and the Beaufort River, this portion of downtown does not follow the major street grid.
- Bay Street & Waterfront Park is centered along Bay Street, Beaufort's main downtown commercial street. Behind Bay Street is the newly renovated Henry Chambers Waterfront Park, which overlooks the Beaufort River and is home to many of Beaufort's festivals.
Tourism & Events
Beaufort is a romantic and popular tourist destination. Major festivals and arts events include the Water Festival which is a well-known, two week extravaganza in the middle of Jul. The Shrimp Festival, celebrating the local and traditional industry, is in the second weekend in October. Kaleidoscope: Film, Food, and Fine Arts in late February screens independent films, such as Brats. A Taste of Beaufort, presented by Main Street Beaufort, is held on the first Saturday in May and features 20 local restaurants, fine wines and live music. Chalk on the Walk at Beaufort Town Center is an interactive festival focusing on bringing street art to and by the people, and is produced the Arts Council of Beaufort County.
Economy
The location of the City to other fast growing areas including Hilton Head Island, and Bluffton as well as good access to Savannah, Georgia, the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, and a future container port to be built on the Savannah River make the city a desirable choice for residential and business development opportunity.
Important Links
South Carolina Information Highway
Hilton Head
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (SC) is
located at the southernmost tip of the state directly along the
Atlantic Ocean. The island offers a unique blend of recreational,
environmental and cultural amenities - including twelve miles of sandy
white beach, world class golf, award-winning dining, and great shopping
- set in a nature-conscience, picturesque background.
Whether you're a permanent islander, part-time resident or a visitor
just discovering the bounty of Hilton Head, you know there's something
special about this island. From the moment of arrival, whether crossing
the arc of the bridge, flying over the sea and marshlands or navigating
the surrounding waters to dock in an island harbour, there is the
immediate sense of being removed from the rest of the world. Apart from
a frantic pace, the island is instead an enchanting haven where the
tempo of life beats in the metronomic measure of nature.
Hilton Head Island is unforgettable, its seaside magic and lyrical
beauty leave an indelible imprint of cherished memories and wonderful
times with family and friends. It's understandable why so many visitors
choose to come back again and again- some never to leave, making Hilton
Head Island home for good.
The island has a rich history that started with seasonal occupation by native Americans thousands of years ago, and continued with European exploration and the Sea Island Cotton trade. It became an important base of operations for the Union blockade of the Southern ports during the Civil War. Once the island fell to Union troops, hundreds of ex-slaves flocked to Hilton Head, which is still home to many 'native islanders', many of whom are descendants of freed slaves known as the Gullah (or Geechee) who have managed to hold onto much of their ethnic and cultural identity.
The Town of Hilton Head Island incorporated as a municipality in 1983 and is well known for its "eco-friendly" development. The Town's Natural Resources Division enforces the Land Management Ordinance which minimizes the impact of development and governs the style of buildings and how they are situated amongst existing trees. As a result, Hilton Head Island enjoys an unusual amount of tree cover relative to the amount of development. Approximately 70% of the island, including most of the tourist areas, is located inside gated communities. However, the Town maintains several public beach access points, including one for the exclusive use of town residents, who have approved several multi-million dollar land-buying bond referendums to control commercial growth.
Hilton Head Island offers an unusual number of cultural opportunities for a community its size, including Broadway-quality plays at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, the 120 member full chorus of the Hilton Head Choral Society, the world-class Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, the largest annual outdoor, tented wine tasting event on the east coast, and several other annual community festivals. It also hosts the Verizon Heritage Classic, a stop on the PGA tour which is played on the Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines Resort.
Important Links
Hilton Head Travel GuideSt. Helena
St. Helena Island is one of the South Carolina Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina that are historic sites of early European colonization of North America. St. Helena is also the center of African-American Gullah culture and language. It is sometimes claimed to be the oldest settlement in the United States.
St. Helena Island is located halfway between Beaufort, SC, and the beaches of Harbor, Hunting and Fripp Islands. Vast fields intermingle with some of the Beaufort real estate market's best-known golfing and waterfront communities, including Dataw Island. The panorama of marshland views framed by the massive live oaks is bound to take away the breaths of any prospective Beaufort and St. Helena real estate buyer.
St. Helena Island is where freed slaves lived in relative isolation during and after the Civil War and where the famous Penn Center served as school and community center for the African American community.
St. Helena Island’s museum and art galleries attract customers from around the world. Local St. Helena Island restaurants offer Gullah specialties plus fresh shrimp and crab burgers. Many shrimpers tie up at St. Helena Island docks, so the freshest seafood is always available to buyers of St. Helena Island real estate.
St. Helena Island SC has interesting historic ruins to visit, old tabby foundations and the antebellum Chapel of Ease. Estate-sized land parcels are occupied by luxurious new St. Helena Island homes or large, older restored homes. Miles and miles of waterfront property is still undeveloped on St. Helena Island, making it a perfect opportunity for Beaufort real estate investors.
Important Links
St. Helena "Hometown Locator"
The Penn Center
St. Helena's Church
St. Helena Island Community Information
Lady's Island
Lady's Island Real Estate Offers Rural Flavor For Prospective Beaufort Real Estate Buyers
Lady’s Island lies just eight minutes across the picturesque swing bridge from Beaufort SC. Lady’s Island feels as though it’s an extension of Beaufort, yet Lady’s Island is a bit more rural. Once home to indigo plantations and the domain of fishermen and shrimpers, Lady’s Island is where Beaufort's first country club community designed for retirement living was built.
Lady's Island has miles and miles of waterfront, making for prime Beaufort real estate. Since Beaufort homes for sale on Lady's Island were built property-by-property rather than by neighborhood, the homes of Lady's Island real estate reflect individual styles. There are even a few luxury condominiums on the water, plus majestic new mansions and more modest homes and cottages. Many have private or shared docks.
Celedon Village is one of the newest communities on Lady’s Island. You’ll know it by the tower, welcoming residents home. Lady’s Island real estate owners of Celedon Village enjoy their neighborhood, whether dining out, shopping or just relaxing on the porch. A Montessori school and post office add to the convenient living of this neighborhood. Carriage homes for sale begin in the $300s. Courtyard condominiums start in the $500s. Homesites for row houses, villas and cottages are available starting in the mid $80s.
The 400-acre Coosaw Point is located mid-island. Coosaw Point has a rich history from the time when Native Americans thrived here. Pottery shards are often found, relics of the earliest inhabitants of Coosaw Point. Most recently the area served as a private hunting preserve.
Coosaw Point is situated near the Intracoastal Waterway, which runs along two sides of Lady’s Island with the mostly-deep-water Lucy Creek on the eastern side. The coastal paradise of Coosaw Point is home to woodlands, parks, riverfront marshland and wetlands. The 11,500 sq. ft. clubhouse features a veranda, bar and professional kitchen. Homesites for sale in Coosaw Point begin in the $140s and homes for sale start in the $400s. Amenities include walking trails, tennis courts, parks, ponds and a community dock. A charming old crab-packing shack from years past now serves as a place for Coosaw Point real estate owners to hold community events.
The community of Newpoint on Lady’s Island embraces traditional architecture and walking neighborhoods of days gone by. Intimate parks and a dock pavilion add to the beauty of Newpoint. The tall, antebellum-styled homes are built with the latest conveniences and homes for sale begin in the mid $500s. Homesites are available.
Lady’s Island and connected islands also have equestrian farms, advanced-stage maritime forests, tabby remnants of old plantation buildings and shallow-water beds of ancient fossils. Community boat ramps provide easy access to deep water.
Lady’s Island has the advantage of being close to town. Lady’s Island is 20 minutes from the beach, five minutes to town, and about an hour from the Savannah/Hilton Head airport. Charleston is about an hour and a half away, and it takes 40 minutes to reach I-95. A convenient shopping crossroads with one of Beaufort's best and largest grocery stores and an excellent wine and liquor store means that all necessities are near at hand for Lady’s Island real estate owners.
Connected to Lady’s Island by nearly unnoticeable bridges and raised roadways are other islands, including Cat Island and Distant Island. These smaller islands are home to some of Beaufort real estate's newest luxury communities with vistas overlooking endless tidal creek and marsh, or deep waters leading to Port Royal Sound, the Intracoastal and the Atlantic Ocean.
The 432-acre natural habitat known as Cat Island is just five minutes from Historic Beaufort. Cat Island living is perfect for prospective Lady’s Island real estate owners that enjoy barrier island vistas, huge ancient oak trees and wildlife. For golfers, the perfection continues with the 18-hole public South Carolina National Golf Club. Designed by George W. Cobb, the course provides a haven for the serious golfer who appreciates a nice dose of scenic perfection. Homesites range from $100,000 to the $500s and are available as golf view or deep water lots.
Along the South Carolina National Golf Club fairways is the gated Olde Tabby Park. The community features 75 homesites, a park, playground, spa, tennis courts and pools. Additional amenities are a fitness center and dining at the Golf Club. Homesites are available in the $100s and higher.
The Village of Distant Island is a boater’s dream. Surrounded by deep water creeks with direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean, The Village of Distant Island offers traditional Lowcountry architecture, porches and detached garages. Parkfront homesites begin in the mid $170’s, pondfront homesites start in the high $220s and waterfront begin in the high $770s. Current plans for the community include tennis, hiking trails, a village square, community garden and oyster-roasting house.
Important Links
St. Helena "Business Professionals Association"
Lady's Island Marina
Fripp Island
Why is Fripp Island real estate so prized? Because Fripp Island has so much to offer. It's pristine, private and located in the heart of South Carolina's Lowcountry. Surrounded by the warm rivers of the Lowcountry and the Atlantic Ocean, this is about as close to paradise as you can get. The pace of life on Fripp Island leaves you with little time to do anything more than walk our three and a half miles of secluded white beach, tee it up on one of our two beautiful championship golf courses or spend the day exploring our local waterways. Our Fripp Island realtors cordially invite you to come and visit one of the best guarded secrets in the country -- Fripp Island. We offer the finest of rental homes and villas, and once you're here, you'll feel like you're home..
Important Links
Welcome to Fripp Island
Fripp Island Resort
Harbor Island
Harbor Island, a private 1400-acre barrier island on the Atlantic seacoast, is located outside the city of Beaufort, South Carolina. The natural beauty of the island lies in its graceful sand dunes covered with sea oats and coastal grasses and in its tidal waters and saltwater marshes.
Three
miles of pure, untamed sandy beach is waiting for your exploration,
relaxation, and play. Walk among the terns, pelicans, egrets, herons,
and horseshoe crabs or sit in the sands and bask in the sun while
watching the dolphins play.
Sunrises, flowing waters, gentle breezes, sunsets, and spacious views make Harbor Island a place worth living. A peaceful, gated community exists with nature on Harbor Island.
Important Links
Port Royal
Port Royal, South Carolina. The Town of Port Royal is located
between the Beaufort River and Battery Creek in the South Carolina
Lowcountry. The Town is home to two military installations, Marine
Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island and Naval Hospital, Beaufort,
as well as neighbor to the historic City of Beaufort and The Marine
Corps Air Station, Beaufort. Historic Port Royal is a well kept
secret being only five miles from downtown Beaufort, a hour from
Historic Charleston, Savannah and a short drive to Bluffton and
Internationally known Hilton Head Island.
The Town takes pride in its unique natural environment and its
accessibility to that environment through its network of walking
trails, community beach, boardwalk, and observation tower. Port
Royal is experiencing significant growth which has led to the
revitalization of the traditional, historical, mixed-use core; the
renovation of historic homes; residential infill in and around
downtown; and the expansion of the Town's elementary school. Port
Royal seeks to foster community and direct new development with the
guidance of a Neo-Traditional Master Plan. The Town of Port Royal is
recognized as one of America's leaders in small town New Urbanism.
Important Links
Bluffton
Located just across the bridge from Hilton Head Island, Bluffton blends the charm of a quaint town with the modern conveniences of twenty-first century life. This historic South Carolina haven offers a fascinating window into the Lowcountry's past, present and future. Antebellum homes, historic churches and unique shops line the moss-shaded streets of Bluffton's historic district. This charming Lowcountry town continues to attract visitors and residents in search of a relaxed lifestyle and strong sense of community. Discover Bluffton!
Bluffton
has earned the distinction of being one of the fastest-growing areas of
the United States. This Lowcountry town is full of history and has a
charming, small town atmosphere, yet it features world-class amenities
that make it a unique, appealing community. Bluffton also offers a wide
range of restaurants, shopping centers, businesses, hotels, golf
courses and residential communities.
Important Links
Ridgeland
Ridgeland is a town in Jasper County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,518 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Ridgeland is included within the Ridgeland Urban Cluster (2000 pop.: 3,585) and the larger Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area.
Ridgeland, South Carolina has been called the "Heart of the Lowcountry" for several reasons. First of all the people who live here are genuinely friendly. Don't be surprised when people you have never seen before bid you the greeting of the day while walking down the street or wave at you from their cars.
It also is the "Heart of the Lowcountry" because it
is centrally located to all the famous sites people want to
see and all the wonderful things people want to do while visiting
in the Lowcountry. And last, but for many certainly not least,
Ridgeland is known as the "Heart of the Lowcountry"
because people come from all over the world to get married here.
It only takes 24 hours to get your license and the Probate Judge
will gladly do the honors.
How would you like to visit three of the most desirable vacation spots on the east coast, unpack only once, get motel rooms at reasonable rates, and enjoy the hospitality of a small southern town just like it used to be? Sounds to good to be true? Not in Ridgeland. We are 30 miles from Hilton Head Island with its fabulous beaches and its fantastic golf courses. It also is only thirty miles to the "Garden of Good and Evil" in Savannah. See all the sights mentioned in "The Book" as it is called here, experience a town unlike any other in the world and then return to the leisurely flow of life in Ridgeland. Beaufort, SC, home of the world famous Parris Island Marine Corps Depot is also only 30 miles away. This wonderfully preserved town will take you back in history with carriage tours passing by stately mansions and under moss laden oaks. Then in the evening return to Ridgeland for that real leisure time.
Important Links
Yemassee
Yemassee is a town in South Carolina, United States. The population was 807 at the 2000 census. Yemassee lies within both Beaufort County and Hampton County, but is also very near the borders of Colleton and Jasper counties. The town is divided by the county line between Beaufort and Hampton Counties, which follows the roadbed of the CSX railroad. Most of the town's population presently lies within Hampton County (as of 2006). The town is serviced by Interstate 95, U.S. 21 & U.S. 17A, and S.C. route 68. The site of the present town is surrounded by both Revolutionary and Civil War sites. The remains of Civil War field fortifications can be observed along U.S. 21 & 17A between Yemassee and Pocotaligo (that section of highway is now a part of Yemassee, as the town has now greatly expanded into Beaufort County [as of 2006]). As of 2006 there is a building boom underway in and around Yemassee. The rural aspect of Yemassee is now (as of 2006) beginning to disappear with the construction of large numbers of new homes and very large housing developments in the area. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Yemassee is included within the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area. Yemassee hosts one of the few commercial breeding facilities of non-human primates in the entire United States. Also, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Auld Brass Plantation house and outbuildings lie just outside the town limits of Yemassee.
Yemassee is a small town rich in local history. In the late seventeenth century, when Englishmen began to settle coastal Carolina, a number of tribes, mostly of Muskogean stock, inhabited the area. Of those tribes, the Yemassee was the most extensive and powerful. Its territory stretched along the coast from southern Georgia to the region of the Edisto. Its two major centers of power lay between the Savannah and Combahee rivers at Pocataligo and Coosawhatchie, villages which to this day retain those names.
Important Links
Hardeeville
Hardeeville is a small, though rapidly growing city in Jasper County, South Carolina, United States.
In 2005, the population of the city was estimated at 1,843, though the
surrounding area had a population of 6,509. As defined by the U.S.
Census Bureau, Hardeeville is included within the Hilton Head
Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area.
Downtown
"Downtown Hardeeville" or "Old Town Hardeeville" refers generally to the original city limit extents of the community, bound between Exits 5 and 8 along I-95 and between the interstate and the rail-line. Downtown consists mostly of one-story single-family homes along quiet and shaded streets. Main Street (S.C. 46) and Whyte Hardee Boulevard (U.S. 17) provide the majority of commercial development in downtown. Most travel-oriented commercial establishments are along Whyte Hardee Boulevard closer to Exit 5, while more locally-oriented commerce is located along Main Street and northern portions of Whyte Hardee Boulevard.
New Developments
Hardeeville is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the state and has in the past few years annexed large parcels of land in southern Jasper County, in anticipation of major growth. To help realize its goals for smart growth, the City entered an agreement with Jasper County in 2005 to grant extraterritorial development review authority beyond the city limits.
Among major developments that are planned or are underway include the following:
- Tradition, a mixed-use, golf course community by Core Communities.
- Hampton Pointe, a residential golf course community by Toll Brothers.
- Hilton Head Lakes at Hardeeville, a lagoon-oriented residential community.
- Courtney Bend, a luxury garden apartment community by ContraVest.
Hardeeville currently is served exclusively by the weekly newspaper Hardeeville Today, which is a subsidiary of the Savannah Morning News. Other local newspapers that serve the community include the Jasper County Sun, the Island Packet, and the Beaufort Gazette.
Festivals & Events
The city hosts celebrations throughout the year to garner community involvement and interest. Among the more notable celebrations include:
- Children's Fishing Rodeo (May)
- Fireworks & Fun Fourth of July Celebration (July)
- National Night Out (August)
- Celebrate Hardeeville Festival (October)
- Christmas Parade (December)
Through the city's recreation department, junior and intramural athletics are sponsored year-round. Activities include football, basketball, softball, soccer, and cheerleading. Most recreational events take place at the city's recreation complex located behind City Hall. The city hopes to attract baseball, softball, and soccer tournaments in the future.
The city is also home to the semi-professional football club, the Hardeeville Warriors, which moved to the city from Georgia in 2007.
Community Facilities
- Hardeeville City Hall
- Hardeeville Museum (inside City Hall)
- Hardeeville Community Library
- Senior Citizens Center
- Carolina Coastal Medical Center
- Hardeeville Community Park (sports and recreation fields & courts)
- Hardeeville Veterans Park & Old Number 7 Locomotive
- Sgt. Jasper County Park
The city is home to several Christian denominations, with most churches located in the downtown area. Other religious faiths have houses of worship in surrounding communities, especially in Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Savannah.
Important Links
Hardeeville "Hometown Locator"
