Junk Removal in Folly Beach, SC

The spirited island hamlet south of Charleston shakes off mainland sophistication in favor of flip-flops and cash-only dive bars.

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It's only twelve miles south of Charleston's historic homes and manicured window boxes, but the salty little town of Folly Beach ditches the Holy City's refinement in favor of an easygoing, barefoot sensibility that feels a bit more California than Carolina. Known to locals as the Edge of America, Folly is everything a beach town should be. Surf shops line the main drag; cover-ups count as appropriate lunch attire; and nobody takes themselves too seriously (they drop a pair of LED-lit flip-flops to celebrate New Year's Eve). Here's where to stay, eat, relax, and play in South Carolina's super chill surf town.

Where to Stay

Every single room at Tides Folly Beach comes with an ocean view. Perched at the end of Center Street, the town's main thoroughfare, the hotel is steps from both the beach and an array of local shops and eateries. For families looking to stretch out a bit more, there are a boatload of rentals to choose from: Opt for ocean-front properties that will sleep a crowd or cozy cottages with marsh and Folly River views. And for people who wouldn't dream of traveling without their four-legged companions, there are plenty of pet-friendly rentals too.

Where to Eat

You won't go hungry on this island. Lost Dog Café is a local staple, serving coffee and all-day breakfast; don't miss the eggs Benedict, which they top with fried green tomatoes. Fish tacos, Vietnamese-inspired lettuce wraps, and Cuban sandwiches all have a place on the colorful menu at Chico Feo, where the vibe is equally colorful. Don't let the easygoing atmosphere fool you: Rita's Seaside Grille is serious about its food...and its cocktails. Try one of the Signature Crushes, fruity sippers with flavored liquors that pack a punch. End the night at Sand Dollar Social Club, a dive bar where you're invited to come as you are, so long as you're a member; membership costs $1, so bring your cash (you won't find a credit card machine here).

Where to Relax

The island's six miles of beachfront are its main attraction, and it'd be easy to while away a week with no plans beyond putting your toes in the sand. Spend a day shelling, sunning, surfing, or searching for shark teeth. Enjoy oceanfront views while lunching at BLU Beach Bar and Grill. At the northern end of Folly Beach, the Morris Island Lighthouse provides a stunning backdrop from the shore. Get a closer look from the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve or via kayak. Several guided tours leave from Folly Beach to visit Morris Island for shelling, photography, and lighthouse history. The historic lighthouse is not open for viewing. How close you can get to the lighthouse depends on the tides.

Where to Play

For those looking to build an action-packed itinerary, there are plenty of activities that highlight the destination's natural beauty: Book a guided kayak tour or rent a stand-up paddleboard to explore the tidal creeks; stop by McKevlin's Surf Shop, South Carolina's oldest surfing outfitter, before catching some of the area's best waves at The Washout; and plan to make a trip with your fishing poles to check out the beloved Folly Beach Pier that has reopened after extensive renovations.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) – The Arctic Avenue Plan officially started being discussed in 2021, and on Thursday, there will be a public meeting where community members can give their input about the changes they’d like to see made to Arctic Avenue.

The City of Folly Beach is discussing plans to make several improvements to one of the city’s most active two-lane roads.

“What our proposal is saying, ‘Hey, lets make this officially a one-lane, one-way street with parking on one side and a pedestrian path on the other,’” Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin said. “So people can have a place to walk, place to park and you still have a place wide enough to safely go down the street in your vehicle.”

Thursday’s public input meeting will be the second after the first one was held in June earlier this year.

Goodwin says consultants who were hired to carry out this project will show neighbors the two alternatives they’ve come up with for the city’s commercial and residential districts.

“They’ll show them all the drawings and proposed parking areas and non-parking areas and walking paths and all that,” he said. “Then, they’ll get feedback from the citizens like they did the first time.”

All that feedback will be considered before a formal proposal is presented to city administrators and city council.

“Then what we have to do is we have to take that and turn it into the Department of Transportation (DOT) for their approval,” Goodwin said. :It could take two years to be approved, just depends on how fast DOT wants to work.”

Katie Zimmerman with Charleston Moves says the development process leading up to this point has been phenomenal and she’s optimistic because the time and attention to detail the design team has put in.

“I mean a lot of the time,” Zimmerman said, “with a lot of these projects, there are no walking audits that are done, and they’ve done two. So, they’re really taking their time and collecting as much data and going out and seeing the user experience, which is really admirable.”

Goodwin says no matter which alternative is chosen, or how long it takes to implement the changes, he just wants to make sure it’s what’s best for everyone.

“For something like this that’s going to be around for a long time hopefully,” he said, “it takes a while to get it right because you definitely want to get it right the first time.”

The public input meeting will start at 5:00 p.m. Thursday at Folly Beach City Hall.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCIV) — Tami Bourne has lived on folly beach for over three decades.

However, because of a recent development plan on Folly's beachfront lots, she is concerned.

Folly Beach resident fears overbuilding amid ongoing legal battle over beachfront development. (WCIV)

"When you have these disasters, these hurricanes, houses blow into houses," Bourne said. "So the more you put out there, the more it's gonna' get blown into the water. So it's just a problem that way. And also with the hurting the beach as far as making it erode more."

The super beachfront lots are along East Ashley Avenue, just north of the washout down to the lighthouse.

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"These lots were platted back in at least the 1950s," Leslie Lenhardt said, "and they are the most seaward of any lots that were platted on Folly Beach."

The plots are currently held in trust by the state for the public to enjoy. Some property owners attempted to claim ownership after the 2018 Folly Beach Renourishment Project.

"So for a very short period of time after that Renourishment, these lots became high ground," Lenhardt said. "These property owners, what they are trying to do during this window of time is to develop those lots."

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This is a legal battle that goes back to 2020. A judge hear motions on whether developers could build on those lots. The legal maneuvering is ongoing, with the issue expected to go before another court in the coming months.

"The Court of Appeals has remanded the case," Lenhardt said. "Because it's a novel issue, the court said we really want a judge to determine whether or not this is a recognizable theory under the law."

Multiple preservation groups and the city say they want to figure out the boundary between private and public property while preserving the beach.

"I'd like to keep folly as it is," Bourne said. "It's unique. It's funky. And I hate to see it get overbuilt and our beaches overbuilt."

People like to call Folly Beach the “fun” beach, and maybe it is, especially if you’re visiting for the restaurants and bars.

But there’s also a measure of serenity here if you know where, and when, to look.

Here’s the best way to find it: Get here early; 7 a.m. should work — before the traffic on the only road in and out becomes a nightmare.

Bring the dog if you have one: From May through September, they’re allowed on the beach before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m.

Check the tides online before you arrive: at high tide, part of this walk is underwater.

Park in the grass just outside Folly Beach County Park. Make sure your tires aren’t on the pavement or you’ll have a ticket when you get back.

Take a right when your feet hit the sand.

Keep going, past the pelicans flying so low they could dip their toes in the water, past the last jetty trying to keep the sand from washing away.

Before you’ve walked a mile, you’ll reach a bend in the beach. This is the spot.

To the left, waves lap at the coast. To the right, still water.

It feels like you’ve reached the end of the ocean. Or the beginning.

Sit in the sand. Before you head back to civilization, let the scene wash through your eyes and into your body.

Explore

The Washout

Head to the other end of the island if your companion is a surfboard instead of a dog. A spot off East Ashley Avenue known as The Washout is a favorite for surfers. A bit farther along the street, a paved trail covered in graffiti leads to a small beach with views of the Morris Island Lighthouse.

If you’re brave enough, join the kite surfers being pulled along the water on windy days, sometimes soaring high above the surface before splashing back down.

Folly Beach pier

The pier reopened in December 2022 after a two-year, $14 million rebuild. It’s 1,049 feet long. The pier has been a part of Folly Beach — you can’t miss it if you head toward the sand — since the 1930s. Pay $5 for an all-day fishing pass or just walk to the end and listen to the water.

The pier is open from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Eat and drink like a local

Lost Dog Cafe

For brunch, the go-to meal for late sleepers or early drinkers, try Lost Dog Cafe. Located in a former laundromat on West Huron Avenue, you can find breakfast and bloodies on the menu all day. Try a breakfast burrito, or grab some fried green tomatoes and a chicken salad croissant from the lunch menu. And like many other eateries in Folly, your dog is welcome to join you.

Jack of Cups

A favorite of The Post and Courier’s food editor, Jack of Cups on Center Street has a menu built for the adventurous eater. Boasting a bevy of vegetarian options on a menu the owners describe as “globally inspired,” the kitchen also cranks out dishes you probably never come across at home: Among them: Cap’n Crunch deviled eggs, dill pickle soup and unicorn pop rock cheesecake.

The Bounty Bar

Created by the owners of The Royal American in Charleston, The Bounty Bar on Center Street aspires to serve “better than it has to be” bar food. It’s open until 1 a.m. daily and has you covered whether you’re craving seafood, chicken or steak.

Chico Feo

Head to Chico Feo on East Ashley Avenue for tacos, beer and live music. Check their calendar for musical performances. Or show up on a Monday for soapbox night, when you can sign up to take the stage and show off your talent, whether it’s singing, spoken word or parlor tricks.

Shopping

If you need groceries or a quick snack, try Bert’s Market on East Ashley Avenue.

A smattering of surf and beach shops in the heart of town will have everything you need for a day on the beach, including the towel or sunscreen you accidentally left at home.

While you’re indoors — easily the worst place to be at Folly Beach — you can also pick up some souvenirs for the family members who couldn’t join you.

If you plan to spend most of your time on the beach, there are some rules you should remember:

No alcohol, glass containers, plastic bags, balloons, Styrofoam, open fires, fireworks or littering.

Surfing without a leash is prohibited. From May 15 to Sept. 15, surfing is prohibited from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 2nd Street East to 3rd Street West. From Sept. 16 to May 14, surfing is allowed in any area. It is prohibited within 200 feet of the fishing pier.

Stay off the dunes and use public walkovers.

To protect sea turtle hatchlings, no lights are allowed that illuminate the front beach between 10 p.m. and dawn from May 1-Oct. 31. For a full list of beach rules, check visitfolly.com.

Reach John Ramsey at 843-906-9351. Follow him on Twitter @johnwramsey.

Food editor Parker Milner contributed to this report.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) – Warm weather and plenty of sunshine was a welcoming sign to the crowds of people enjoying the Labor Day on Folly Beach. But the heavy foot traffic and recent high tides come only days after Folly Beach saw significant dune erosion after Tropical Storm Idalia.

A coastal consultant with the city of Folly Beach told News 2 that the dune erosion they faced from Idalia was worse than Hurricane Matthew back in 2016 and could have lasting impacts through the winter.

On Monday beach officials set up cones to create a path for rescue vehicles and to prevent people from setting up too close to the dunes.

The assistant manager at Folly Beach County Park, Sam Colgate, said in the past three days, even with minimal space, they’ve seen thousands of people at the county park alone.

“From Friday to today we’ve had about 5,000 people here at Folly Beach County Park, it’s been pretty busy, especially for after a storm,” she said. “This week especially we’ve seen a lot of people setting up camp right against the dunes, I’d say for the most part people are very respectful,” said Colgate.

Dune protection continues to be a priority for Folly Beach after Tropical Storm Idalia removed about 15 feet of dunes in some locations that separate the beach from homes and the island itself. And according to coastal consultant Nicole Elko, it’s leaving the city in a vulnerable spot for the rest of the hurricane season.

“We basically have no protection if another storm were to come by this season,” said Elko.

Folly Beach has plans to renourish its dunes but that will happen after hurricane season.

“Folly Beach hasn’t been renourished since 2018, so this winter the contract will be awarded for the next renourishment, so that is certainly coming just in time, not to get us through this hurricane season but to get us through the next one,” said Elko.

Beach officials want to remind folks to stay off the dunes, especially after the recent erosion

“We definitely want folks to be respectful and not go up in the dunes, they are a natural barrier, kind of help us for lots of reasons out here,” said Colgate.