Surrounding Area for Folly Beach

There are many beautiful and historic places to visit in the Charleston area around Folly Beach.  This area was one of the first places in America to be colonized and is the home to many of America's firsts.

Savannah, Georgia
Hilton Head
Myrtle Beach
Charleston
Kiawah Island
Seabrook Island
Mount Pleasant
Sullivans Island
Isle of Palms
Charleston International Airport

The surrounding areas for Folly Beach, though geographically close, have been inhabited at different times.  These areas share the same warm sun and nearby ocean, yet cultures and things to do are very different.

Savannah, Hilton Head & Myrtle Beach

Folly Beach, near Charleston is located on the Atlantic Coast between Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island.  Savannah, Georgia is near Hilton Head, just a little further south on the coast.  Any of these cities can be reach by driving within a few hours.  Driving to and from Hilton Head, Savannah or Myrtle Beach can be made into a day or weekend trip from Folly Beach.

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Downtown Charleston

Folly Beach is a barrier island, sometimes called Folly Island and is right outside the Charleston Harbor.  Much of the Charleston SC Real Estate is made up of islands connected by bridges.

Folly Beach is a 15 minute drive from downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Downtown Charleston is full of historic homes, tours, landmarks and more.  It is worth seeing Charleston for the architecture alone.  Strict city ordinances are designed to preserve all of Charleston's downtown buildings.  In many places, what you see is the same as what was there hundreds of years ago.

If you like to shop, you have to go to King Street.  Start at King and Calhoun Street and walk your way down and back up King Street.  Its called the downtown business district, but you might think of it as the shopping district, like an outdoor mall, but with much more interesting local shops, restaurants, interior design studios, upscale furniture, antiques, surf shops and of course clothing.  Built in a time before cars, the business district is scaled just right for an afternoon walk.

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Kiawah & Seabrook

Kiawah Island is geographically next to Folly Island, making it a short boat ride, though by car, you would have to travel inland to James Island, than across to Johns Island, than to Kiawah and Seabrook.  Depending on traffic, driving to Kiawah or Seabrook from Folly Beach can take 45 minutes to an hour.

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Mount Pleasant, Sullivans Island & Isle of Palms

If you are interested in doing some shopping in a traditional outdoor mall head to Mt Pleasant.  The biggest and nicest mall, with the best movie theater is the Palmetto Grande at the Mount Pleasant Towne Centre 1600 Palmetto Grande Drive.  If you don't go during rush hour, this drive should take you 30 minutes.  During high traffic times, Folly Road out of Folly Beach can be slow, as well as passing through downtown Charleston.

Not to far from Mount Pleasant are Sullivans Island and Isle of Palms.  Both are historic barrier islands on the the Atlantic. Isle of Palms has a nice public beach.

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Charleston International Airport

The quickest way to Folly Beach from the airport is taking 26 to downtown Charleston, 17 through downtown to the James Island connector, and Folly Road straight to Folly Beach.  It should take you about 30 to 40 minutes.

• Follow the exit signs around and out of the airport on International Blvd for 2.9 miles.

• Turn left at W Montague Ave.  Almost immediately, you'll see signs for I-26.

• Get on I-16 East to Charleston.  Go 6.9 miles.

• Take US-17 South, exit 221A to King Street/Savannah.  Follow the signs for US-17 South.

• Bear right at US-17 as you exit the highway.  Be careful to stay in your lane as 17 takes multiple lanes of traffic around some quick curves through downtown Charleston and merges with Spring Street.

• Turn left on Lockwood Blvd.  Stay to the left and get on the ramp to James Island/Folly Beach.  Cross this connector bridge to James Island.

• At the end of the bridge turn left on Folly Road.  Follow this road for about 10 minutes directly into Folly Beach.  Once in Folly Beach, Folly Road becomes Center Street.

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