This Southern United States Downtown Is Made For Strolling
The Southern United States is rich in history and charming small towns that beckon travelers to stay and explore all they have to offer. In the south, architecture is often spread across sprawling properties and massive buildings, so not all of these communities are as walkable as pedestrian visitors would like. However, when you visit Beaufort, South Carolina, you get the best of both worlds: the gorgeous history of antebellum homes amid the twisted oak trees, and a walkable center that is actually deemed the best downtown in the state. When you make your visit, there is a whole weekend’s worth of exploration in just a few downtown blocks.
A Town Meant for Wandering
Beaufort was not originally designed to be as easy to navigate on foot as it is now, but the original layout still exists and packs a lot into about 20 blocks. These bones date back to the 1700s, and many of the same historic buildings now house modern restaurants and businesses that are taking locals and visitors here by storm. Bay Street, one of the main thoroughfares, cuts through the heart of the activity here, following the Beaufort River. The compact grid makes it easy to stay where you want to be and reduces the risk of getting lost.
Most are two or three stories, so nothing ever towers over you. Instead, you get big, bright windows in the shops and little quaint eateries that are packed right in with the shops and galleries you are enjoying. Honestly, with the compact layout, you could park your car and forget it’s there.
The Beaufort River Awaits Walkers
Sooner or later, every road seems to spill out into Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. That’s the real heart of Beaufort — a huge stretch of green right up against the river. The boardwalk is built for strolling at your own pace, and the swing on the giant oak tree is almost always in use. The park basically sits on Bay Street, so one minute you’re shopping, the next you’re watching dolphins slice through the current. Doesn’t matter if it’s the wild rush of the Water Festival or just a lone painter catching the last light — if you want to feel the town’s heartbeat, this is where you go.
Exploring Bay Street
Bay Street is where the town's past and its commerce meet most satisfyingly. Many buildings here have stood for over a century, lending a significance to the storefronts that older shops wear especially well. If you're a reader, you'll want to swing by the McIntosh Book Shoppe, a place where you can easily lose an hour or more in local lore and Southern fiction. Your next favorite book could be waiting in the packed shelves for you to find in this little bookshop. Just a few doors down, the Rhett Gallery showcases Lowcountry art and iconic sweetgrass baskets, which have been a regional staple for generations. If your travels include picking up a souvenir or a commemorative piece of where you’ve been, this is where you should stop.
Hungry? You don't have to trek back to your car. Plums Restaurant is a local fave for crab soup and shrimp salad, in a space that feels refined but not stuffy. This is more the kind of place people can go to anytime for a fresh plate of seafood that leaves you hungrier for more, with a menu that gives you plenty to try the next time you arrive. For a true "night out" vibe, Luther's Rare & Well Done serves steaks and wine with real style. This is far more upscale in its presentation and in its dishes, a reflection of the southern gentility that Beaufort also carries in spades.
Southern Treasures Similar to This South Carolina Town
Of course, Beaufort isn't the only place that has nailed the walkable town center. There are some other southern towns that exude their own charms, history, and walkable layout worth exploring as well. If this is the feel you like, two other towns are worth a place on your radar:
Beaufort, North Carolina, shares the name and the coastal charm. With about 4,000 residents, it’s even smaller and sits right on the Intracoastal Waterway. Front Street runs beside the water, lined with spots like Clawson’s 1905 Restaurant & Pub, a former general store turned popular eatery. You can visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum to see artifacts from Blackbeard’s ship, or stroll the boardwalk and try to catch sight of the wild horses that roam Carrot Island just across the water.
But Abingdon, Virginia, shows that you don't need an oceanfront to be walkable. This small town, with a population of 8,000, is located within the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has a downtown area centered on a highly historic Main Street. Here, you can find the Martha Washington Inn, as well as the Barter Theater, which is the longest-running professional theater in the country. It's also a National Historic Landmark, where you can walk on brick sidewalks that lead to places from the 18th century, such as "The Tavern", Abingdon's oldest tavern and building, which has housed guests like Andrew Jackson and King Louis Philippe of France.
Take a Stroll Through Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina, is a testament to the fact that to truly experience a place, one must travel at a walking pace. While it is easy to get caught up in the quick pace of life and the movement from one location to the next, places like this South Carolina community or the North Carolina and Virginia counterparts, labeled as well, are places that reward travelers for slowing down and using their feet to find the treasures they have waiting around every corner in the historic downtown districts.
