Travelers take a step back in time while visiting Beaufort, where stately homes and massive oaks draped in Spanish moss capture the essence of the Old South. One block from the Intracoastal Waterway, The Rhett House Inn is Beaufort's best lodging. With its gracious manner and country charm, this plantation home, which dates back to 1820, opens its arms to visitors. The guest rooms have a distinctive allure, with floral fabrics, fireplaces, four-poster beds, and antiques. Oriental rugs grace the hardwood floors in this quintessentially low country home. Breakfast convinces guests to rise early for pancakes, French toast, and traditional Southern grits. Visitors succumb to the region’s unhurried rhythms on the verandah, where afternoons are spent sipping tea and nibbling freshly baked cookies or brownies, and cool evenings are spent relaxing in the wicker chairs and enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

The Rhett House Inn Amenities:

• 17 rooms, 3 story. Children over 5 years only. Complimentary continental breakfast. Check-in 3 pm, check-out 11 am.