Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park: Walk the dog or while away the time on a porch swing at this clean and inviting gathering place on the serene Beaufort River.

St. Helena’s Episcopal Church: To walk through this Beaufort sanctuary and its walled graveyard is to walk through Lowcountry history.

Penn Center: Not only the center of modern Gullah culture and education, this is a key site in civil rights history as well.

Hunting Island State Park: This is one of the most peaceful natural getaways on the East Coast, but it’s only minutes away from the more civilized temptations of Beaufort.

ACE Basin: It can take a lifetime to learn your way around this massive, marshy estuary — or just a few hours soaking in its lush beauty.

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge: This excellently maintained sanctuary is a major birding location and a great little getaway from nearby Hilton Head.

Old Bluffton: Gossipy and gorgeous by turns, this charming village on the May River centers on a thriving artist colony.

South Carolina Artisans Center: From folk art to classic watercolors, this happening place is the center of artistic life in Walterboro.