CHARLESTON, S.C. — Charleston may have a reputation for expensive (and often starched) elegance, but there are options for vacationers who want to kick back at a low-pressure Lowcountry beach. Welcome to Folly Beach.
In a nutshell: Downtown Charleston is flanked by barrier islands. Up the coast is Sullivan’s Island and the golf/tennis development of Isle of Palms. Down the coast is Folly Island, 12 square miles of eclectic relaxation. Originally known as Coffin Island because ships bound for Charleston would dump their plague victims there, it became a summer getaway for Charlestonians.
These days, huge modern vacation homes mix easily with weather-beaten bungalows. The long, wide beach faces south for great sunrises and sunsets. Center Street — S.C. 171 (aka Folly Road), which connects it to James Island and the mainland — is a micro-Myrtle with a sprinkling of Asheville funkiness and Lowcountry manners.
Staying there: Weekenders can stay in the one hotel, the beachfront Tides high-rise (a former Holiday Inn), or one of several scruffy motels off Center.
The best way to go is renting a house Saturday-to-Saturday. Rates vary by size and condition as well as season. Cost rises the closer you are to the beach, with streets west of Center a bit pricier overall.
Fred P. Holland Realty (fredhollandrealty.com) is the big player in full-service vacation rentals, and there’s a lot of variety in the 200-some properties they handle. They may handle a few too many: The week’s worth of sheets and towels were missing when we checked into a Holland-handled beachfront place on an offseason midafternoon; the housekeeper, eventually found in Mount Pleasant, made her delivery several hours later.
Before you go: Don’t pack too much. A couple of day’s worth of clothes will do; rental houses have laundry facilities, and this isn’t a dress-up destination. Don’t bother with food: Stop at the Food Lion on S.C. 171 just before you hit the marshes.
If you want to fish on the pier, borrow and pack your rod and tackle before you leave town.
Getting around: Get ahold of “Matty B,” the character who rents well-used but well-working fat-tire bikes from his yard, a block north of Center on Huron. It’s $40 for a week, lock included (843-406-5721).
When you’re hungry: If you’re renting a home, figure out how often you want to dine out versus using the kitchen. Crosby’s Fish & Shrimp Co. (843-795-4049) is the fresh seafood market on S.C. 171, a small place perched above Folly Creek. Their boats work the area. The prices are reasonable enough, but the freshness and variety is what does the trick, plus, you can get items you won’t find elsewhere, like triggerfish.
Advice: This is the beach, remember. You’re here to relax. That’s what brought George Gershwin here in 1934. He vacationed long enough to judge a local beauty contest — and do research for his opera “Porgy and Bess.”
If you go
Getting there: From Charlotte, take Interstate Highway 77 south to Columbia, then Interstate Highway 26 east toward Charleston. Take Interstate Highway 526 bypass west to U.S. Highway 17; turn left; turn right on Wesley Drive/S.C. 171; Folly Beach is 9 miles ahead.
More info: follybeach.com, cityoffollybeach.com/visitors.
