Fripp Island is the most seaward of all the beautiful South Carolina Sea Islands and is located eighteen miles east of the inland town of Beaufort, South Carolina. Fripp Island holds a fascinating history and bears an exciting future to match. Learn all about Fripp’s humble beginnings and how the area has changed over the decades morphing into a seaside vacation getaway that keeps visitors coming back year after year!

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In the Beginning

In days of yore, this majestic 3000-acre island was a popular oasis for world explorers and a quiet retreat for treasure hunting pirates who sailed the seas preying on ships of all nations. Because of its reputation for being a pirate’s hideaway, stories about buried treasure on the island still persist today! Fripp Island’s history can be traced back to the 17th Century when the island was deeded to Captain Johannes Fripp, a swashbuckling privateer who, like other letter-of-marquee men and pirates at that time, sailed the Seven Seas in search of gold and treasures. Captain Fripp was a big powerful man whose reputation as a skillful sea warrior marked him as a fearful foe.

Geography & Development

Amazingly, Fripp Island was a much larger island than it is today. However, in 1854, the ocean broke through two places on the island to form three separate islands: Fripp, Pritchard’s and Capers. Today, a growing number of travelers, like the 17th Century seafarers, are attracted to this palmetto-studded island because of its mild climate. This “private world of beauty”, resplendent with tropical foliage, a gently sloping beach that is swept by refreshing trade winds, the magnificence of the sunrise over the Atlantic, and the soothing sound of the surf, have never lost and will never lose its appeal.

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Fripp Island in Modern Times & The Spotlight

The development of Fripp Island was started in 1961 when the only way to reach the island was by boat from Hunting Island, a South Carolina State Park. A half-mile access bridge was completed in 1963 and a security gate stands at the entrance to protect the tranquil beauty and privacy of the island. Today there are approximately 1,474 privately owned homes and villas on the island with more under construction.

Hollywood has found Fripp Island fascinating as well. In fact, it was at the Ocean Creek venue and the surrounding tidal marsh that was used as a film set for both Forrest Gump and Disney’s The Jungle Book! Additionally, Jacques Cousteau has said that Ocean Creek is framed by some of the world’s most fertile and pristine salt marshes.

Step Out of Your Fripp Island Resort Rental & Into History

Fripp Island Resort, just like its history, is popular for those who seek to avoid the commonplace. Some of our guests desire to stay in intimate villas, while others rent large luxurious homes. At Fripp Island Resort we are committed to one simple goal: something for everyone at one of the very finest of all South Carolina Resorts.

Whether your preference is enjoying an action-packed week of family activities, or if you look forward to lounging on the beach with a good book, search Fripp Island Resort for your perfect Fripp Island rental property.

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