Folly Beach Vacation Guide

Folly Beach is the area of town I know the best. My family and I live close to this beach and have many friends on the island. My husband surfs a longboard at the pier most mornings. My three girls, ages 9, 7, and 1 spend hours playing in the sand on the weekends with friends.

Don't miss these Folly Beach Restaurants

Bowens Island Restaurant is a fried seafood and oyster dive restaurant with plenty of character and incredible views of the water and sunset. Look out for dolphins swimming by, and bring your bug spray.

https://bowensisland.com/

Taco Boy has a fun beach vibe with incredible food. It's a four-story restaurant with unique decor. I love their fried avocado tacos!

https://www.tacoboy.net/

Rita's Seaside Grille is authentically Folly. They have live music nightly on the patio. My kids love the chicken fingers served on a frisbee. My favorite is the tuna watermelon nachos.

https://www.ritasseasidegrille.com/

What to do on Folly Beach

Morris Island Light House Trail on the east tip of the island is an easy 1-mile walk to the ocean. There is graffiti everywhere along the path through the marine forest. There is a beach at this end of Folly, perfect for viewing the lighthouse or dolphin watching, but you do not want to swim here. The east end of Folly has deadly currents and sharks. Bring your bug spray as well.

http://savethelight.org/

Learn to surf with an instructor. I recommend taking a lesson at Shaka Surf School or Isla Surf School over renting a board on your own. A lot goes into reading the waves and popping up at the right time. Surf schools provide big foam boards that make it easier to stand up on the wave and safer when you fall.

http://www.shakasurfschool.com/

https://www.islasurfschool-charleston.com/

Visit Bert's Market on Folly for some incredible people-watching and snacks. This 7 Eleven style market got a facelift a few years ago and is a great place to grab a sandwich, shop for local beer, and buy some Doritos. Berts is the local's favorite place to shop; you will find beach bums, surfers, college students, and families running earns here.

http://www.thebusiness.company/bertsmarket/phone/index.html

A view of East Ashley Avenue from the top deck of Taco Boy

Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island Vacation Guide

The IOP, as it's better known, is one of my favorite beaches. I lived on the Isle of Palms after college for a few years. Its neighboring Island, Sullivans, is the most expensive location to live in South Carolina. Take a bike ride along Ion Avenue between Station 18 and 17, and you'll be sold too. 

The beach at Fort Moultrie overlooking the Charleston harbor

Don't Miss These Area Restaurants

The Sea Biscuit Cafe is an IOP staple. This cute Lowcountry cafe serves a homestyle brunch. I recommend the crab cakes benedict! If you're going with a group, be prepared to wait for a table or send a family member ahead to wait in line for the group. 

https://sea-biscuit-cafe.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral

Home Team BBQ on Sullivans Island is our family's favorite restaurant. We like the chicken wings with Alabama white sauce. This is also a great place to grab a beer and watch the game. 

https://hometeambbq.com/

Obstinate Daughter on Sullivans Island is a great place for the family or a date night. Their farm-to-table menu features Lowcountry dishes with a twist. Make sure you save room for ice cream downstairs at the Beardcat's Sweet Shop. 

https://theobstinatedaughter.com/

https://beardcatsweetshop.com/

What to do on the Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island 

Fort Moultrie is a Revolutionary War relic that is perfect for entertaining the kids for a few hours. It has a small museum and gift shop to breeze through. Then spend time exploring the bunkers, let the kids climb on the canons, and enjoy a great view of the cargo ships arriving in the Charleston harbor. 

https://www.nps.gov/fosu/learn/historyculture/fort_moultrie.htm

Go to the library! That's right; Sullivans Island Edgar Allan Poe Library is an underground bunker. It's a former Spanish-American War gun battery. 

https://www.ccpl.org/branches/sullivans-island

The Isle of Palms Marina is a great launching pad for getting out on the water. The beauty and charm of the Lowcountry are even more elevated by a day on the water. I highly recommend spending time on a boat. There are several different companies that take dolphin tours, fishing tours, and eco-tours, and some take you to neighboring barrier islands. 

https://nature-tours.com/