Skip to content
Destinations › Tours and Day Trips › Beaufort and Parris Island
Beaufort is a walkable river town with a free National Park Service site. Parris Island's visitor rules are set by the Marine Corps, and we could not read them, so we say so below.
- Reconstruction NHPFreeno entrance pass
- Visitor Center713 CravenMon-Fri 10-4, Sat 10-3
- Park GroundsSunrise-sunsetevery day
- Parris IslandNot confirmedbase pages unread
Facts below come from official pages read on November 3, 2026. The Marine Corps site for Parris Island would not load for us, so the base is covered only as a gap below.
Visitor Center and Waterfront
Beaufort’s historic downtown sits on the Beaufort River.
- Visit Beaufort Visitor Center is at 713 Craven Street (Historic Arsenal), phone (843) 525-8500. source
- Visitor Center hours: Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, closed Sunday. source
- Visitor Center holiday closures listed: Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. source
- Beaufort's Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park is on the Beaufort River near the Woods Memorial Bridge, with a seawall promenade, gardens and waterway views. source
- On June 30, 2025 the City closed about 40 feet of the park's water's-edge platform; the day dock and playground were closed until further notice. source
Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
- Reconstruction Era National Historical Park is free to enter and no entrance pass is needed, per the park. source
- The NPS park headquarters and visitor center is in the Old Beaufort Firehouse, 706 Craven Street, phone (843) 962-0039. source
- Park grounds are open sunrise to sunset every day; visitor center hours vary by location. source
- Parking near the NPS visitor center is metered street parking run by the City of Beaufort. source
- The NPS notes Penn Center reopened its Welcome Center and gift shop with the York W. Bailey Museum; for hours and visiting, call Penn Center at (843) 838-7105. source
- Fort Frederick Heritage Preserve (601 Old Fort Road, Port Royal) is county-managed and open sunrise to sunset daily, per the park page. source
Parris Island
Parris Island is a Marine Corps recruit depot, and its museum and visitor rules are set by the base. We could not read the base’s own pages, so we give no hours, prices, ID or vehicle rules here. See the gap list below.
Our Beaufort guide, things to do and 2 Days in Beaufort and Hilton Head have more.
What We Could Not Confirm
Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.
- Waterfront Park hours, street address, dog rules and parking: the City pages we read do not list them.
- Whether the 2025 Waterfront Park closure (platform, day dock, playground) is still in effect: the City notice we read is from June 2025; check the City website.
- NPS site hours by visitor center: the park hours page lists them under sections we could not read.
- Penn Center admission and hours: not on the pages we read; the NPS page points to Penn Center.
- Discover Beaufort's own pages for the historic district were blocked to us; only the visitor center page was read.
- Parris Island Museum hours, admission, who may enter, ID and vehicle rules: the Marine Corps site (mcrdpi.marines.mil) blocked our reading, so nothing is recorded. Check the base's Visitors pages before you go.
- Parris Island recruit graduation public attendance rules: the base site blocked our reading; nothing recorded.
- NPS fee page says last updated 2023 but lists 2026 dates; confirm with the park.
- Parris Island Museum: hours, admission, visitor ID and vehicle rules, and public graduation attendance are not confirmed. Read the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island official site before you drive there.
FAQ
Is Reconstruction Era National Historical Park free?
Yes. The park says it is free to enter and no entrance pass is needed. Parking near the visitor center is metered street parking run by the City of Beaufort.
When is the Beaufort visitor center open?
Visit Beaufort lists Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, closed Sunday and on five holidays, at 713 Craven Street.
Sources
- Visit Beaufort – Visitor Center
- City of Beaufort – Reserve a City Park
- City of Beaufort – Civic Alert Waterfront Park closure
- NPS Reconstruction Era NHP – Fees
- NPS Reconstruction Era NHP – Hours
- NPS Reconstruction Era NHP – Beaufort NHL District
Official pages read on November 3, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Beaufort and Parris Island: Visitor Center, Waterfront and NPS Sites”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/tours-and-day-trips/beaufort-and-parris-island/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.