The Hunting Island Lighthouse is the only South Carolina lighthouse open to the public. (Photo: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images )

Beaufort, South Carolina, lies within 45 miles of both Hilton Head Island and Savannah, Georgia, and is approximately 70 miles west of Charleston along the Palmetto State coast. With a population of approximately 12,500 according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Beaufort is not as well known as its larger neighboring cities. But the smaller town has plenty of the things that make South Carolina's Lowcountry a prime tourist draw: historic homes and attractions, scenic water views and nearby beaches.

The three closest Atlantic Ocean beaches to Beaufort all lie along U.S. 21 South, with the closest being Harbor Island, a private resort island between St. Helena Island and Hunting Island approximately 15 miles from downtown Beaufort. Much of the 1,400-acre island is made up of tidal marshes, but the island's northeast section has a three-mile stretch of beach along the Atlantic. You can access the beach by staying in one of Harbor Island's vacation villas, condominiums or homes. Harbor Island has guest recreational amenities such as an outdoor pool, hot tub, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts and bicycle rentals.

Hunting Island, approximately 17.5 miles southeast of Beaufort, is a barrier island that is home to 5,000-acre Hunting Island State Park (southcarolinaparks.com): a five-mile, palmetto-laden stretch of beach along the Atlantic with maritime forests, a historic lighthouse, a rental cabin and about 200 campsites near the ocean for tents, trailers and RVs. Other amenities include a nature center, hiking and biking trails, picnic areas and fishing in the ocean, saltwater lagoons or off a 1,200-foot pier. A park entrance fee is required, and another nominal fee is charged to access the 130-foot-tall, circa-1875 lighthouse, the only publicly accessible lighthouse in the state. Brave the 175-step trip up the cast-iron spiral staircase and you can see for miles across the neighboring sea islands and Atlantic.

U.S. Highway 21 South ends at the gates to Fripp Island, approximately 21 miles southwest of Beaufort. Similar to Harbor Island, the private resort requires you to have overnight accommodations at Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort (frippislandresort.com) to access the 3.5 miles of white-sand beach. The resort has houses, villas and efficiencies for weekly or overnight rental and a host of amenities, including several restaurants, children's activities at Camp Fripp and a a full-service marina offering boat and kayak rentals and guided charter fishing trips. Other recreational attractions include bicycle and golf-cart rentals, tennis courts and 36 holes of golf, including several oceanfront holes.

If you're planning a trip to Beaufort and its beaches, you might want to make it a weekend or longer to get a true taste of the Lowcountry. Take a walk along the Beaufort River through Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, browse the antique shops and galleries along downtown's Bay Street or visit Beaufort National Cemetery, which includes the graves of soldiers from the Spanish-American War and Civil War. Tour historic buildings such as the circa-1724 St. Helena Episcopal Church, the John Mark Verdier House or the Beaufort Arsenal. Or visit the Parris Island Museum, which includes exhibits on the history of the U.S. Marine Corps and its noted training base just 11 miles from downtown Beaufort. The city has a wide variety of accommodations, from downtown bed-and-breakfast inns to chain hotels.

Robert Kay has written travel articles since 2002 and has more than 20 years of experience at three daily newspapers and a national magazine. His work has appeared in "Golfweek," "The New York Times" and various AAA publications. Now based in Florida, he holds a journalism degree from the University of South Carolina.

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Beaches Near Beaufort, South Carolina | USA Today