The Beaufort area’s shopping allure comes from the rich variety of independently owned shops, most of which keep a pretty high standard and don’t deal too much in touristy schlock. As you might expect, the main drag in town, Bay Street, is also the shopping hub. Note that in Beaufort’s shops as well as most everything else in town, hours of operation are loose guidelines and not rigidly observed.

My favorite shop in Beaufort is The Bay Street Trading Company (808 Bay St., 843/524-2000, www.baystreettrading.com, Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m.), sometimes known simply as “The Book Shop,” which has a very friendly staff and the best collection of Lowcountry-themed books I’ve seen in one place.

Across the street, the recently renovated, so-bright-red-you-can’t-miss-it Old Bay Marketplace houses a few very cute shops, most notably the McIntosh Book Shoppe (917 Bay St., 843/524-1119, Mon.–Sat. noon–5 p.m., Sun. 1–5 p.m.).

Also in the Marketplace is the stylish Lulu Burgess (917 Bay St., 843/524-5858, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m.), an eclectic store that brings a rich, quirky sense of humor to its otherwise tasteful assortment of gift items for the whole family.

A unique gift item, as well as something you can enjoy on your own travels, can be found at Lowcountry Winery (705 Bay St., 843/379-3010, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.). Not only can you purchase bottles of their various red and white offerings, they host tastings daily in their tasting room (because of state law they must charge a fee for the tasting, but it’s only a buck per person).

One of the more unusual shops in town is Cravings by the Bay (928 Bay St., 843/522-3000, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. noon–4 p.m.), primarily known for its collection of gift baskets incorporating regional gourmet goodies like She-Crab Soup, Praline Mustard Glaze, and Benne Wafers, any of which you can purchase separately, of course.