By Steven Hawkins / Image by Robin Gibson

When I was younger, my friend and I used to swim in the ocean, and my sister Debbie would collect seashells.

 

The City of Folly Beach is a quaint little place. When visiting Charleston from Greenville, my friends, family and I always make it a stop during our trip. The drive in from downtown surroundingThe CitadelandMedical University of South Carolinais a dream, and once you arrive there it’s a worthy destination.

Wonderful little shops line Folly Beach's Center Street that we always pop in and patronize, likeMcKevlin’s Surf Shop,Ocean Surf Shop,andPalms Resortwear.These stores and others are among the first you see coming into the business district.

Hungry? You’ll find great restaurants, too, that are enjoyable, reasonable and relaxing after a long day in the sun. These includeTaco Boy,St James Gate,Loggerhead’s Beach Grill,Rita’s Seaside Grille,Lost Dog Cafe,andJack of Cups Saloonto name a few. 

I always said if I had money one day, I would love to own one of those vacation houses. That would be nice, but not in a million years!

Going into Folly, we always notice theTides Folly Beach Hotel,but, admittedly, have never stayed there. I’d like to one day along with two others:Water’s Edge Inn,a luxury bed and breakfast catering to adults, and the classicHolliday Inn at Folly Beach,not to be confused with Holiday Inn. While not full of too many hotels or motels, there are plenty of rental options available including condos and single-family vacation homes. I always said if I had money one day, I would love to own one of those vacation houses. That would be nice, but not in a million years!

We often land on the west end of the island at theFolly Beach County Park,at 1100 W Ashley Ave, where we stop the car and get out to walk on the beach. When I was younger, my friend and I used to swim in the ocean, and my sister Debbie would collect seashells. This place is so full of life with natural and seasonal beauty. 

Folly Beach is one of the Charleston area’s best attractions. And it is a place I want to continue visiting repeatedly for years to come. After this coronavirus is over, I'd like to plan an extended stay there — maybe even at the Tides Hotel. Folly Beach truly is a gem of the South Carolina Lowcountry. 

Editor’s note: Steven Hawkins is a Freelance writer from Greenville SC. Since 2014, he has written more than 90 letters to the editor in over 40 newspapers and magazines, mainly in South Carolina and North Carolina, and around the country. Last year in 2019, he compiled his editorials and writings in a book published by AuthorHouse publishers entitled “Letters from South Carolina.”

Image credit: Robin Gibson/Charleston Grit Editorial Archive