As most of you know, John is the travel planning guru in our family. He does most of the legwork on our trips, as I prefer to be surprised when I show up to our destination! So when he suggested Beaufort, SC when we needed a one-night stay close to Bluffton two years ago, I was game, but didn’t really know what was in store. I think it’s fair to say that we were both blown away by this quiet Southern town – it captured us in a way few other places have. We’ve been eager to return ever since, and this past weekend, we got the chance to! Beaufort is not Charleston or Savannah – it’s much smaller than both. I think I love it because it seems like a place people lead normal lives – but in a beautiful, idyllic way! The streets are quiet and draped in Spanish moss. The houses are absolutely gorgeous but have people puttering in the lawns or sitting on their front porches. When we ate dinner in the bar of a local restaurant one night, it seemed like everyone knew each other. For any Hart of Dixie fans out there, Beaufort really reminds me of Bluebell – except with slightly weaker accents :) Like last time, we stayed at City Loft Hotel, and continue to be huge fans of the way the owners have transformed an outdated roadside motel into a chic boutique motel! You can read my much more thorough review of CLH here. After checking in, we immediately hopped on City Loft’s complimentary cruisers and pedaled toward the Point, the beautiful historic district right next to downtown. I was in my happy place – there are few activities I enjoy more than biking or walking around an old neighborhood with

After stopping at the Old Sheldon Church Ruins, it was on to Beaufort, proper! Our first agenda item was to check into our accommodations, the City Loft Hotel. CLH is a boutique hotel in Beaufort’s historic district. John found it on Trip Advisor, and I’m so glad he did! The hotel is really neat on the outside – it’s an old-school motel-type place that’s been completely remodeled, but they kept intact some of the more charming features. I loved the sun umbrellas, louvered shutters, and breezy curtains! The inside furnishings, too, are modern, both in style and features. We loved the slick tub, awesome shower, and iPod lamp! One of our favorite features of the City Loft Hotel was the cruiser bikes provided for guest use, free of charge! We happily took them for a spin, making our way through the beautiful historic neighborhoods surrounding the hotel and downtown area. I would highly recommend a trip to Beaufort, SC, and if you do go, the City Loft Hotel, too! Up next: where we ate! All photos by moi