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Running parallel with historic downtown Beaufort’s many restaurants, historic attractions, and shops is the Beaufort Waterfront Park.

This public land along the Intracoastal Waterway offers some of the best views of nature in the country and is located midway between Charleston and Savannah. Many restaurants dot the park’s edge and offer scenic views to be enjoyed while eating dinner from a restaurant’s porch or terrace. A long boardwalk dots the park’s edge, perfect for a stroll after dinner or just a chance to sit in one of the many swinging benches to enjoy the view of the Beaufort Rive and its marsh.

Not to be overlooked is the park’s modern playground, clean facilities, day dock and marina.

But despite the historic nature of its surroundings the park is actually fairly new, having been built in the mid 1970s as a way to revitalize Beaufort’s downtown district.

In 1975, the City of Beaufort worked with landscaper architects Robert Marvin and Associates to develop the site plan. When completed the park was a marvel of engineering. But the park has undergone major updating and renovation over the years and still serves as home to the popular Beaufort Water Festival held each July. (In 2010 it will be held from July 16 to 25.) Also held at the park are the Taste of Beaufort, Shrimp Festival, Gullah Festival, and many, many more.

Located just a block from the park, the City Loft Hotel is a great spot to rest whether you’re in town for a multi-day festival, or just want your hotel to offer convenient access to one of the best views in the country and many of the other beautiful historic sites in town.