The coastline of the Carolinas has long been known for charming waterfront towns where visitors feel immediately welcome. Thus, North Carolina's Beaufort (pronounced "Bo-fort") and South Carolina's Beaufort (pronounced "Bew-fort") provide a hospitable slice of small town life.

The generally accepted and abbreviated explanation for the different pronunciations is that both Beauforts were named for Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort.

LYNN SELDON/Special (ENLARGE)

A trip to Shackleford Banks (left), a 9-mile island with a herd of wild horses, requires a ferry trip from Beaufort, N.C. In South Carolina, a tour passes stately homes and the Rhett House Inn.

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The towns were founded in the early 1700s, with the residents of Beaufort, N.C, using the more contemporary French pronunciation (as in "beaujolais") and those of Beaufort, S.C., adopting the more medieval French pronunciation (like "beautiful").

Both pronunciations stuck over the centuries and they're both "right" — as are visits to either (or both) towns.

North Carolina version

Few places in North Carolina are as tied to the water as Beaufort (population 3,700). From the restaurants serving fresh seafood caught by local fisherman to the tourists caught up in the quiet of Cape Lookout National Seashore, Beaufort residents and visitors have been living by the tides for centuries.

The town overlooks Taylor Creek and the Rachel Carson National Estuarine Research Reserve. There are lots of shops, restaurants, water-based rentals and excursions, bed-and-breakfasts and inns, but Beaufort is also a great base for exploring Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Several ferry services, such as Outer Banks Ferry Service, take visitors out to the protected seashore, where it's often possible to spot some of the wild horses that are part of a 120-strong herd on Shackleford Banks, a 9-mile island that's part of the national seashore.

Beaufort is also the home of the North Carolina Maritime Museum, which interprets all aspects of the state's maritime heritage. Exhibits vividly document commercial fishing, watercraft, lifesaving history, navigation and coastal marine life. Across the street at the museum's Watercraft Center, visitors can watch the renovation and restoration of wooden boats and ship models.

Nearby, the Beaufort Historic Site is a two-acre plot with 10 buildings that date from the 1730s to the mid-1800s. Visitors will find cottages, a jail, an apothecary shop, a doctor's office and even the Old Burying Ground — one of very few cemeteries listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Inlet Inn on Front Street is an ideal place to stay. Nearby, Front Street's Sharpies Grill & Bar has fresh seafood, while Beaufort Grocery on Queen Street is popular with locals and visitors for its creative menu.

A bit further afield, there's lots more to explore. Highlights can include Morehead City's History Place, which provides a great overview of area history; a meal at Sanitary Fish Market Restaurant, a Morehead City landmark since 1938; and the beaches just across the bridge from Morehead City (with such attractions as deep-sea fishing, historic Fort Macon State Park and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores).

Morehead City and Beaufort also have dive shops, and the area has been dubbed the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" thanks to numerous wrecks just offshore.

A visit wouldn't be complete without heading across the North River bridge and into the easternmost parts of the county. The even quieter Down East section features Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Visitors to the 12,500-acre Cedar Island can enjoy hiking, birdwatching and boating. At the waterfowl museum, exhibits detail water-based life, including a special emphasis on the decoy carving culture of Harkers Island and beyond.

Along with Beaufort, Harkers Island is another gateway to Cape Lookout National Seashore, where an even quieter beach awaits. The 22-mile-long South Core Banks is home to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse; the 20-mile North Core Banks is even quieter.

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse, completed in 1859, is 169 feet tall with 201 steps, and it flashes every 15 seconds. The complex includes the Keepers' Quarters, with a small museum and bookstore. This spot is one of Beaufort's beautiful highlights.

South Carolina's charms

Your first stop should be the Greater Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center where you can obtain brochures and insider information about what to see (and buy), where to stay and where and what to eat in this town of 12,950.

Highlights by foot have to include the Federal-style John Mark Verdier House Museum, the Beaufort Arsenal Museum and lots of private historic homes found simply by wandering the pretty streets. For a more in-depth view, excellent guided tours are available through the Spirit of Old Beaufort and Jon's Walking History Tour.

Bay Street has great shopping options, including the original Beaufort hook bracelet at Bay Street Jewelers. This street also features several restaurants that look out over Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park and the Beaufort River. Plums is highly recommended for creative seafood, while Luther's (in an old pharmacy and general store) is known for its steaks.

Those who want to get on the water will find a variety of options. Capt. Dick's Beaufort River Tours & Dolphin Watch at the downtown marina has two excursions by boat, while Beaufort Kayak Tours, operated by Kim Gundler and David Gorzynski, provides a great way to see the city, ACE Basin or Hunting Island.

For those spending one or more nights, the Rhett House Inn and the Beaufort Inn are great bases. Both are in the heart of the historic district.

Further afield, Sea Island Parkway heads over Lady's Island and onto St. Helena Island. Visitors in the know stop at Penn Center, the site of one of the country's first schools for freed slaves. At the right-hand turn for Penn Center, look for Gullah Grub on the left for barbecue ribs or chicken, the fish chowder dinner or the Lowcountry crab soup dinner (the dinners come with white rice, a mixed salad and, of course, corn bread).

Penn Center's fascinating collection of 19 restored buildings and other attractions includes Brick Church, Darrah Hall, Grant Cottage (where Martin Luther King Jr. stayed), the old burial grounds and a nature trail. The York W. Bailey Museum is the place to start.

The pretty drive down to Hunting Island, Hunting Island State Park and the Hunting Island Lighthouse is well worth a day trip (or stay in one of the state park cabins). The park consistently ranks as the state's most popular, attracting more than 1 million visitors annually (though the sprawling park has many peaceful spots year-round).

The barrier island features five miles of beach, thousands of acres of marshland, tidal creeks, a maritime forest, a saltwater lagoon and an ocean inlet that's a popular fishing hole.

The 170-foot lighthouse is the state's only publicly accessible historic lighthouse and dates to the 1870s. With several historic outbuildings, it can be climbed for a couple of bucks and offers phenomenal views of the pretty (as in "beautiful") Beaufort coast.

IF YOU GO

Beaufort, N.C.

Getting there

Driving: This North Carolina coastal town is about 520 miles (8 3/4 hours) from downtown Atlanta.

Flying: Delta Air Lines' 1 1/2-hour flights service New Bern, the closest airport. It then about 40 miles to Beaufort.

What to see

• Cape Lookout National Seashore, 131 Charles St., Harkers Island. 252-728-2250, www.nps.gov/calo.

• Outer Banks Ferry Service, 326 Front St., Beaufort. 252-728-4129, www.outerbanksferry.com.

• North Carolina Maritime Museum, 315 Front St., Beaufort. 252-728-7317, www.ncmaritime.org.

• Beaufort Historic Site, 150 Turner St., Beaufort. 252-728-5225, www.beauforthistoricsite.org.

• The History Place, 1008 Arendell St., Morehead City. 252-247-7533, www.thehistoryplace.org.

• Fort Macon State Park, 2300 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach. 252-726-3775, www.ncparks.gov.

• North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores. 252-247-4003, www.ncaquariums.org.

• Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, 909 Lola Road, Cedar Island. 252-225-2511, www.fws.gov.

• ore Sound Waterfowl Museum, 1785 Island Road, Harkers Island. 252-728-1500, www.coresound.com.

Where to stay

• Inlet Inn. Doubles from $125. 601 Front St., Beaufort. 252-728-3600, www.inlet-inn.com.

Where to eat

• Sharpies Grill & Bar. Entrees $22-$34. 521 Front St., Beaufort. 252-838-0101, www.sharpiesgrill.com.

• Beaufort Grocery Co.Entrees $23-$39. 117 Queen St., Beaufort. 252-728-3899, www.beaufortgrocery.com.

• Sanitary Fish Market Restaurant. Entrees $10-$30. 501 Evans St., Morehead City. 252-247-3111, www.sanitaryfishmarket.com.

Information

• Crystal Coast Tourism Authority, 3409 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC 28557. 1-800-786-6962, www.crystalcoastnc.org.

Beaufort, S.C.

Getting there

Driving: Beaufort is about 290 miles (43/4 hours driving time) from downtown Atlanta.

Flying: The most convenient airport is Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (about 45 miles to Beaufort). Delta and AirTran offer service (about one hour). Direct Delta service to Hilton Head Island (about 55 minutes to Beaufort) is another option (about 1 hour, 25 minutes on smaller planes).

What to see

• John Mark Verdier House Museum, 801 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-379-6335, www.historic-beaufort.org.

• Beaufort Arsenal Museum, 713 Craven St., Beaufort. 843-525-7077, www.historic-beaufort.org.

• Spirit of Old Beaufort, 103 West St. Ext., Beaufort. 843-325-0459, www.thespiritofoldbeaufort.com.

• Jon's Walking History Tour, 1 Venice Court, Beaufort. 843-575-5775, www.jonswalkinghistory.com.

• Bay Street Jewelers, 902 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-524-4165, www.baystreetjewelers.com.

• Capt. Dick's Beaufort River Tours & Dolphin Watch, 1006 Bay St. (downtown marina), Beaufort. 843-812-2804, www.beaufortrivertours.com.

• Beaufort Kayak Tours, 600 Linton Lane, Beaufort. 843-525-0810, www.beaufortkayaktours.com.

• Penn Center, Martin Luther King Drive, St. Helena Island. 843-838-2432, www.penncenter.com.

• Hunting Island State Park, 2555 Sea Island Parkway, Hunting Island. 843-838-2011, www.southcarolinaparks.com.

Where to stay

• Rhett House Inn. Doubles from $175. 1009 Craven St., Beaufort. 843-524-9030, www.rhetthouseinn.com.

• Beaufort Inn. Doubles from $160. 809 Port Republic St., Beaufort. 843-379-4667, www.beaufortinn.com.

Where to eat

• Plums. Entrees $15-$26. 9041/2 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-525-1946, www.plumsrestaurant.com.

• Luther's Rare & Well Done. Entrees $15-26. 910 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-521-1888.

• Gullah Grub. Entrees $11-$19. 877 Sea Island Parkway, St. Helena Island. 843-838-3841.

Information

• Greater Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, 2001 Boundary St., Beaufort, SC 29902. 843-986-5400, www.beaufortsc.org.

• Frampton House Plantation and Visitors Center (Lowcountry information for those driving; at I-95 at S.C. 17), Yemassee, SC 29445. 1-800-528-6870, www.southcarolinalowcountry.com.