Welcome to

Folly Beach!

To some of us, it’s second nature — walking along the beach with our eyes trained on the sand and the lapping surf, looking for treasures cast from the sea. Shells, shark’s teeth, starfish, sand dollars . . . all seem like perfectly innocent (not to mention sought-after) souvenirs to commemorate time at Folly. But … Continue reading Is It Okay to Pick Up Starfish, Shells, and More at the Beach?

Folly’s appeal is far reaching. People travel from all over the country and the world to walk the beaches, surf the waves, fish from the pier. And some people are expressing their love and appreciation in literature. Folly’s shores and streets have become the setting for several recent novels. Dorthea Benton Frank, maybe the Lowcountry’s … Continue reading Folly Beach Reads

During the summer of 1934, renowned American composer and pianist George Gershwin rented a cottage on Folly Beach while working with Charleston author DuBose Heyward to compose the music for the internationally acclaimed opera “Porgy and Bess,” based on Heyward’s 1925 novel “Porgy.” It tells the sad tale of Porgy, a crippled African American beggar … Continue reading Gershwin on Folly: Summertime and the livin’ was easy

There’s nothing like relaxing to live music with cold drink in hand at the end of a sunny beach day. We are sharing some of our favorite places to catch the best live music while vacationing on Folly. This list covers all the bases—whether you want a family friendly environment with a great menu or … Continue reading Top Five Spots for Live Music on Folly Beach

  If you’re looking to ride some waves on Charleston-area beaches, you can’t do any better than Folly Beach. With a dedicated surf shop and surf schools, quality surfing spots and professional instructors, you’ll want to wax up your board and hit the beach to ‘Hang Ten.’ Gives you a full body workout- Surfing is … Continue reading Top Five Reasons to Surf Folly Beach

Nothing ruins a fun day at the beach like returning to your car and discovering that slip of paper tucked under your windshield wiper notifying you that you’ve been ticketed. Don’t let a parking violation spoil your good time while visiting Folly. Know the parking rules and regulations so that you can avoid those vexing … Continue reading How to Avoid Parking Tickets on Folly Beach 

As of May 13, the Folly Beach Pier rebuilds first phase of construction on the “apron” section (the rectangular deck behind the restaurant and gift shop) has been completed. The Gangplank Gift & Tackle Shop, observation deck, restrooms, and showers are open and accessible to the public, while replacement construction continues for the remainder of the pier … Continue reading Folly Pier update: “Apron” section open, completion estimated for spring 2023 

Crabbing can be a fun family activity to plan with your kids while vacationing on Folly Beach and getting started is easy. You just need some line, a net, bait and a bucket or cooler for your catch. In South Carolina, you are most likely to haul in blue crabs, known for their namesake blue-hued … Continue reading Let’s go Crabbing!

With only one ingress and egress on and off the island, traffic at Folly Beach can back up quickly, especially during peak season, holidays or festivals. Knowing the best times to arrive and depart probably still won’t help you avoid the traffic completely, but it can at least significantly reduce your gridlock experience, giving you … Continue reading Tips for Avoiding The Worst of Folly Beach Traffic

Loggerhead sea turtles are an endangered species that nest along Folly Beach, and all along the southeastern US shore. They crawl up the shore from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to dig a nest in the sand and release their clutch (eggs). Once loggerheads release their clutch, they cover the nest with sand and … Continue reading Protecting the Loggerheads (and how you can help)

It’s been a scorching summer, and you’re going to need liquid nourishment to bring you some relief from the heat and humidity. What better way to relax from a hot day at the beach than sipping on your favorite liquor libation with friends or family. We’ve compiled a list of the top five cocktail concoctions … Continue reading Top Five Cocktails on Folly Beach

Entering Folly Beach for the first time, you drive over the Folly River and one of the initial idyllic images greeting you are the boaters, kayakers and paddle boarders enjoying a beautiful day on the water. When you cross the bridge you pass by the charming main downtown strip of Center Street, highlighted by the … Continue reading An Unforgettable Experience: A first look at Folly

If you’re searching for a quick beach weekend getaway or a couples retreat, Folly Beach is conveniently located just off Interstate 26 near Charleston and offers several different hotel and bed and breakfast options from which to choose. Folly’s hotels are better suited for families with kids or a group of friends who want to … Continue reading Folly Beach Hotels and B&Bs: Where to Stay for your Folly Vacay

Memorial Day is of course in remmberance of those who’ve died in service to their country, but it also serves as the unofficial start of the season here on Folly Beach. So why not join us in celebrating the arrival of the summer holidays? The weather should be warm, with average temperatures in the low … Continue reading Spending Memorial Day Weekend on Folly

Charleston gets a lot of hype and hoopla in travel magazines as a top wedding destination, and deservedly so, but you would be remiss to overlook surrounding areas like Folly Beach. Not only are there beautiful beaches and pristine marshlands, there are plenty of places for your guests to stay and more affordable options for … Continue reading Five Reasons Folly Weddings Rule

Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you need to forego seeing your favorite sports team or athlete play. Whether you’re a fan of football, hoops, baseball, hockey, NASCAR or soccer, Folly offers an array of options to catch your live sporting event of choice. We’ve compiled a list below of some of the best … Continue reading Best Places to Watch Sports on Folly

Try to imagine for a minute, if you will, what eight million metric tons of plastic might look like. Got a clear visual? Now picture that overwhelming mass of plastic filling the surf at Folly Beach. That’s right — that’s how much plastic waste makes its way into the world’s oceans each year… a whoppin’ … Continue reading Why Plastic and Styrofoam Aren’t Allowed at the Beach?

Spring Break is quickly approaching and there is a lot to do on Folly Beach that make it the best place to spend the break while enjoying a little time off with your family. While we understand we can’t possible include everything to do in Folly in ten reasons, incorporate some of these plans and … Continue reading 10 Reasons to Spend your Spring Break in Folly Beach

The best part about fishing on Folly Beach is that it is a great activity that you can engage in year-round. Whether you decide to go it on your own or join a private fishing charter, you can expect to catch several different local species, including red drum/redfish/spot tail bass, black drum, spotted sea trout, … Continue reading Fishing the Folly River

Folly Beach’s Center Street Landshark is a quirky landmark you may have noticed jutting out from a tourist shop next to City Hall, but just how did it get there and why? In 1991, not long after Hurricane Hugo ravaged the Lowcountry, Ed Hollingsworth and his friend Bill Perry derived a plan to mount a … Continue reading Landshark Landmark: Center Street Shark A Folly Fixture