The Beaufort SC 365 travel app for 50 million (and counting) iPhone users.

Cover art for the Beaufort SC 365 travel app by Benton Lutz
cover of the app

Locals know how wonderful it is to be here in the Slowcountry— festivals on the water, history in the homes, art on the walls, architecture on the streets, gardens in the shade, drama on the stage, and fresh seafood on the tables, all minutes from the beach and miles from hectic.

But, for people in Indiana or Vermont or Germany daydreaming about their next vacation, Beaufort and Port Royal and the Sea Islands might be a bit hard to find. That's where the Beaufort SC 365 app fits in-- right in to their personal handheld devices to help them better navigate the back roads, festivals, and historic sites of this wonderful destination.

The app has 126 entries and 870 photos, organized geographically and in categories from "Performances & the Arts" to "Shopping & Collecting" to "Nature & Photo Opps".

"I created this app because Beaufort has to get better connected, tech-wise," said Lisa Rentz, who authored this guide for tourists and people who are moving to the Lowcountry. "I spent two months compiling and photographing all this info, which was actually great fun. As I talked with innkeepers and artists and tour guides and chefs, I was really impressed with how much they have to share with visitors and new residents, and by how hard, and creatively, they work. These people, in their shops and cafes and galleries and B&Bs, really motivated me-- the app's slogan is 'historic, eco-magical, and victorious' for them."

The app emphasizes the year-round qualities of Beaufort. The 'Good to Know' section gives context to the tidal rivers, the Gullah people, Spanish Moss, oysters, and other Lowcountry intricacies. The 60 entries mapped in the historic district amount to a great day or two or three of relishing this small but not sleepy town. The arts entries are comprehensive and cross-referenced, and the 870 photos are dramatic and fun: shrimp burgers hot out of the fryer, views from the light house and the tower at the Sands, Natalie Daise on stage, Amber von Harten holding a fresh catch, and a whole lot more. The cover bears an expressive crow painted by Benton Lutz in Beaufort's classic outsider style.

"This app is really a travel guide to the characters around here, the authentic, laid-back, positive charm that makes walking down Bay Street, or going to a gallery opening, so much fun. I'm already working on the update, so I look forward to hearing what the community thinks, and any suggestions about who and what should be added."

People can see how the app at http://sutromedia.com/apps/Beaufort_SC_365 and there's a slideshow of screen shots on flickr: http://bit.ly/BeaufortSC365screenshots

Rentz is a writer, a teaching artist in the Lowcountry Arts Integration Project, and public relations coordinator for ARTworks in Beaufort Town Center. Her latest short story, 'Higgonsville and the Garden of Victory" is also set in Beaufort and was published in print and online this month, here: http://bit.ly/ckD63Q
She can be reached at lisa@beaufortcountyarts.com at www.eatgoodbread.com.

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