Bring the family for a vacation to Folly Beach this summer and explore the fun things to do with the kids.
What’s so special about Folly Beach? How different can it be from any other South Carolina beach? There’s a mysterious and eerie history. You could travel around South Carolina and visit historical Civil War sites, but Folly Beach was home to the fallen and forgotten.
Folly Beach
There are so many things to do in Folly Beach, but when you do find yourself on the beach, which is inevitable, keep your eyes open for turtle tracks. Loggerhead sea turtles nest at Folly Beach every summer. You won’t be able to miss them. With some weighing in excess of 300 pounds, these fascinating, beautiful creatures will amaze you.
What is folly beach known for
The western end of Folly Island, which is now a State Park, was referred to on a map dating back to the 1700’s as “Coffin Land”. In that era, ships on their way to the Charleston Port would drop off passengers that had been diseased with a plague or cholera, and return to pick them up on their way back out to sea; burying the souls that didn’t survive.
Folly Beach was also believed to be a hideout for pirates. If you’ve got an interest in recovering buried treasure, you may want to check it out. There’s an old ghost story about a band of pirates burying six chests. The leader of the gang became upset with another pirate and stabbed and buried him with the treasure. Some treasure hunters have told stories of strange occurrences when they attempted to retrieve the infamous chests.
Surfing at Folly Beach
If you don’t want to pack up all your treasure hunting gear, then you could bring your surf board or learn how to surf at Folly Beach and, afterwards, enjoy dinner at The Washout. It is a section near the middle of the six and a half mile long beach, which boasts fantastic waves that occur as a result of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 naturally clearing out any obstructions.
Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier (under renovation and scheduled to open spring 2023)
Surfing’s not your thing? Try bringing a fishing pole down to the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier instead. It is 24 feet wide and extends over 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. You can expect to catch spotted sea trout, black drum and red drum, sheepshead, Spanish and king mackerel, to name a few.
And if you’re a catch and release type of person, you can enjoy some great food right at the base of the pier at Locklear’s Beach City Grill. This moderately priced menu is sure to satisfy your craving after a long day at the beach. They offer up everything from steak and seafood to pasta and salads.
Folly Island
If you don’t want to spend your entire vacation digging your toes into the beach sands, you can rent a bicycle and cruise the island at your own pace. You can make your way up to the northeast tip of the island and see the spectacular Morris Island Lighthouse. The original structure was blown up by Confederate soldiers in 1861, but was rebuilt in 1876. Erosion of the sand has caused this once mainland lighthouse to stand on its own little patch of earth nearly 1600 feet offshore.
As you can see, there are many things to do in Folly Beach! Whether you’re interested in buried treasure, ghost stories, fishing, or exploring the beach, Folly Island is the perfect destination for the family. The quaint town and friendly people will be the cornerstone of your unforgettable experience.
Sounds like a fun place to visit and the history is so interesting. I love spending time at the beach.
I spent a day in Folly Beach a few years ago, I’d love to spend a whole week there!
Folly Beach sounds like a really fun vacation spot for the whole family!