Folly Beach doesn't require a big budget. The things that make this island worth visiting — the beach, the waves, the wildlife, the community — are mostly free. Here's everything worth doing on Folly Beach that costs nothing.
The Beach Itself
The most obvious one but worth stating clearly: access to Folly Beach is free. There's no entry fee, no parking fee at the public beach access points on side streets if you find free street parking, and no charge to walk onto the sand at any point on the island.
Six miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline. Free.
Sunrise Walks
Folly Beach faces east. Sunrise over the ocean from the beach is one of the better free experiences available anywhere in the Charleston area. The beach is quiet in the early morning, the light is exceptional, and the walk from one end of the island toward the other in the first hour of daylight is the best possible way to start a day on Folly.
The pier area offers a particularly good sunrise vantage point — the structure extending over the water and the view down the coastline make for a memorable morning.
The Washout
Watching the surfers at the Washout on a good day costs nothing and is genuinely worth your time. The break on the western end of the island produces the best waves in South Carolina and the local surf community is skilled enough that watching from the beach is entertaining in its own right.
On bigger days — northeast groundswell in fall or after a tropical system — the Washout produces waves that attract surfers from across the region. Bring a chair, stay for a while, and watch how the locals navigate a break they know well. See our Folly Beach surfing guide for more on what to look for.
Shark Tooth Hunting
The Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve at the eastern end of the island is free to access and one of the most productive shark tooth hunting locations on the East Coast. Fossilized teeth from prehistoric shark species — including megalodon — wash up on this stretch of beach regularly.
Low tide after a storm is the best time. No equipment required beyond patience and a bag to carry your finds. See our complete shark tooth hunting guide for exactly where to look and what to expect.
Boneyard Beach
The dead trees at the eastern end of the island — bleached white trunks standing in the surf at the edge of Folly Island — are free to visit and unlike anything else in the Charleston area. Walk from the end of East Ashley Avenue toward the inlet, past the preserve, and you'll reach the boneyard trees in about 20 minutes.
The Morris Island Lighthouse view from this stretch of beach is exceptional. Sunrise and sunset at Boneyard Beach, both free, are among the best photography opportunities accessible from Folly Beach.
Dolphin Watching
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are resident in the waters around Folly Island year-round. On the ocean side, dolphins often feed in the surf zone — visible from the beach without any equipment. On the river side, the tidal creeks behind the island are productive dolphin habitat, particularly in early morning and late afternoon.
Standing on the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier gives you an elevated view over the surf zone and is one of the better vantage points for spotting dolphins working the beach. Walking to the pier is free even if you're not fishing.
Walking the Pier
The Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier is free to walk even if you're not fishing. 1,045 feet over the Atlantic Ocean gives you a perspective on the beach and the coastline that you can't replicate from the sand. The view looking back toward the island is as good as the view out to sea.
Biking Center Street
You need a bike, but if you have one — or can borrow one — riding the length of Center Street and the island from end to end takes about 20 minutes and gives you the complete geography of Folly Beach in a single pass. The flat terrain makes it accessible at any fitness level. The rental shops on Center Street charge for bikes, but if you have your own, the ride is free.
Wildlife at the Folly River
The river side of Folly Beach — accessed from any of the westward-facing streets that run toward the Folly River — offers marshland wildlife viewing that costs nothing. Great blue herons, brown pelicans, egrets, and various shorebirds work the tidal flats consistently. Sunset from the river side is as good as sunrise from the ocean side, and in a different direction entirely.
Beachcombing
Folly Beach produces good shell collections along its full length, with the eastern end near the preserve and Boneyard Beach being the most productive. After storms, the high tide line fills with interesting debris — shells, sea glass, the occasional fossil. Early morning is the best time before other beachcombers have worked the tide line.
The Community Itself
Center Street is free to walk, the people-watching is excellent, and the general atmosphere of a functional beach town that hasn't been homogenized into a resort is worth something that can't be priced. Spending an afternoon walking Center Street, sitting on a bench watching the foot traffic, and absorbing the particular energy of Folly Beach costs nothing.
For everything that does cost money on the island, see our complete things to do guide and our day trip guide from Charleston for planning a full visit.