1. Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort’s pristine waterfronts and moss-draped live oaks set the backdrop for this beguiling coastal city the late wordsmith Pat Conroy called home.
The 19th-century storefronts along busy Bay Street house locally owned boutiques such as Beaufort Belle Company and gift shops like Scout Southern Market with its signature Sweet Tea Bar. Thibault Gallery and other modern art havens stand alongside historic sites, including the John Mark Verdier House Museum.
Southern traditions, Lowcountry roots, and Gullah culture all inform the town’s flavor at top-notch restaurants like Wren Bistro & Bar and the reincarnated 1891 Ribaut Social Club. Pick up regional provisions from Lowcountry Produce, a double-duty café and market.
