10 Things to Do in Folly Beach for a Perfect Vacation

Called “The Edge of America” for its beautiful beach views, this small island town has a funky, laidback vibe that has (so far) resisted a lot of commercialization.

You’ll find a lot of locally owned restaurants and shops just steps from the sandy beaches and Atlantic ocean.

Note: Folly Beach is extremely popular on warm weekends, and there’s only one way on and off the island, which can snarle the flow of traffic.

Come early on summer weekends and holiday to avoid get stuck in the slow moving line of cars on Folly Road.

Once you’re there, you’ll have so many fun things to do in Folly Beach!

Here are my favorites for the perfect beach day.

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Written 7/2022

Best Things to Do in Folly Beach, SC

Test out your surfing skills.

South Carolina isn’t really known for surfing, but Folly Beach is one local place that has some consistent waves.

The Washout, located on the northern end of East Ashley Avenue, has the best consistent waves.

However, Folly Beach’s entire shoreline has bigger waves than any you’ll find at Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island, so jump in and try it out!

Carolina Salt offers surfboard, paddleboard, and boogie board rentals if you don’t have your own.

Bring your favorite furry friend along with you to Lost Dog Cafe.

Charleston is becoming more dog friendly by the day, and the Lost Dog Cafe helped lead that change.

Since 2002, the restaurant has been serving up yummy breakfasts and lunches, and adding more dogs to its Dog Hall of Fame!

>> Discover Charleston with my comprehensive digital visitors guide! <<

Take a picture of the Morris Island Lighthouse.

There are a few ways to get to the Morris Island Lighthouse: one involves owning or renting a boat, while the other involves taking a boat tour.

Either way, you can pull up to this island for shelling and relaxing before snapping a few pictures of the iconic lighthouse.

Get great deals on Morris Island lighthouse boat tours here!

If you’d like to get a photo of Morris Island from the shores of Folly Beach, head down East Ashley Avenue until the road ends.

You’ll find the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve there. Take the path to the beach for an unobstructed view of Morris Island Lighthouse.

Celebrate Taco Tuesday (or any day!) at Taco Boy.

Taco Boy menu with chips and salsa — Chips and salsa at Taco Boy | source

A long standing Lowcountry restaurant, Taco Boy is THE place to get taco, fajitas, and margaritas.

The fun, funky, and colorful decor adds to the experience. You’ll feel as if you’re vacationing at a hidden gem along Mexico’s coast!

Look for sharks’ teeth at Folly Beach.

man holding handful of sharks teeth folly beach — Sharks teeth everywhere! | source

Folly Beach has some great shelling and sharks teeth hunting, but you’ve got to know where to look.

The best time to go is after a big storm, when the surf has been all stirred up.

You’ll also want to look just below the high tide line and work your way down to the existing tide line.

My husband is great at finding sharks’ teeth, and he says to look for the darkest, deepest black among all of the colorful shells.

Eat oysters at Bowens Island Restaurant.

large pile of oyster shells next to a parking sign at Bowens Island — Outside Bowens Island Restaurant | source

At first glance, this restaurant looks a bit like a shack, but don’t be discouraged.

Inside is great local seafood and yummy hushpuppies.

While the original restaurant burned down in 2006, the spirit of the place lives on in the new building.

There are no reservations, everyone eats at long tables together, and they haul out the steamed oysters with a snow shovel.

Expect a line of locals!

Enjoy the ocean breeze while you dine at Rita's Seaside Grille.

Located near all of the main attractions on Center Street, this restaurant offers up casual fare with beach breezes.

It’s owned by the same restaurant group as the famed Halls Chophouse, so you know you’re getting something good.

Practice your casting skills on the Folly Beach Pier.

The pier is under reconstruction until mid-2023 due to storm and shipworm damage.

From everything that I’ve read about the new project, the new pier will be even better than the old one with a larger observation deck.

We’ve been to the County Parks-sponsored Summer Shag series here, and we can’t wait until they return!

See the pelican rookery at Folly Beach County Park.

Pelican looking away from the camera — Pelicans at Folly Beach | source

If you’re into bird watching, you’ll want to view the pelicans at Skimmer Brown.

Walk all the way to the most western portion of the park and get your binoculars ready.

If you’ve read any of the other posts in my Discover Charleston series, you’ll know that I highly recommend the Charleston County Parks Gold Pass.

You can use that to get in for free here. It also allows for free parking at the Isle of Palms County Park, which has beach access, and Mount Pleasant’s Palmetto Islands County Park, which as paddleboats, a playground, and hiking trails.

NOTE: I’m not getting paid in any way to recommend the pass—we love ours and it can save so much money on beachfront parking this way!

If you plan to do a day trip, the county-run Beachwalker Park is one of my favorite things to do in Kiawah Island! (The Gold Pass gets you in there as well.)

Take a kayaking tour for a fun day out on the water.

Kayaking on the Folly River — Kayaking on the calm Folly River | source

The waters around Folly Beach are teeming with marine life, and you’re almost guarantee to see a dolphin or two on these kayaking tours.

The Folly River runs on the west side of the island, and the currents here tend to be gentle.

That means you’ll have a relaxing kayaking tour no matter your experience level!

Check your date below to see availability for the tour:

Which of these Folly Beach activities would you like to do?

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Natalie Vereen-Davis is a native of Charleston, South Carolina who loves to explore her hometown between trips around the globe with her husband and 2 kids. She started Cosmos Mariners in 2014 as a way to bridge the gap between her love of travel and her career as an English professor, and she hopes that the site’s content will help you to truly travel smarter!