Folly Beach, SC Travel Guide: Parking, Areas and Events

Destinations › Lowcountry › Folly Beach

Folly Beach is in Charleston County, in South Carolina's Lowcountry, with about 2,084 residents (2024 Census estimate). Folly Beach is a barrier island the visitor bureau calls The Edge of America, with colorful cottages, year-round surfing and a fishing pier.

Population2,084Census estimate, July 2024
CountyCharleston CountyLowcountry region
Our Guides Nearby24parks, attractions, venues within 25 mi
Things to Do7 pickshours, costs, kids, dogs

Plan It in Three Lines

Where to Park
East Arctic Ave on-street paid parking (through 5th St E): $3/hr
All parking below
What's On
Dated events in and around Folly Beach, checked on organizer pages.
Events page

About Folly Beach

Folly Beach is a barrier island the visitor bureau calls The Edge of America, with colorful cottages, year-round surfing and a fishing pier. source
The visitor bureau puts Folly Beach 13 miles from downtown Charleston and 20 miles from Charleston International Airport, with 49 public beach access points. source
The earliest official document mentioning the island is a 1696 land grant from King William III to William Rivers; Federal troops occupied it from 1863 as a base for the effort to take Fort Sumter. source
Per the city, George Gershwin composed Porgy and Bess while staying on the island, and building peaked in the 1960s with Ocean Plaza (rides, boardwalk, shops, pier). source

Areas Visitors Use

East Arctic Avenue / Center Street Paid on-street and small lots run along East Arctic Avenue; the Folly Beach Pier is at 101 East Arctic Avenue. source
The Washout Surfing spot on East Ashley (1563 E Ashley is the Washout lot). source
West End / Folly Beach County Park County park at 1100 West Ashley Avenue with beach access, parking, picnic tables and a snack bar; Bird Key shorebird rookery visible at the west end. source
Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve Shoreline, marshland and maritime forest with Carolina habitat, Civil War history and birding. source

Getting There and Around

From downtown Charleston: leave Calhoun St. onto SC-30 W, turn left onto State Hwy 171, then right onto W Arctic Ave (distance and drive time not listed on that page; the bureau's beaches page lists 13 miles). source
Nearest commercial airport is Charleston International Airport (CHS), 20 miles per the visitor bureau. source
Free beach wheelchair rental is available at Public Safety (106 W Cooper) with a credit card deposit. source
Public bathroom locations and golf cart rules are published on the city website under Rules & Regulations. source

Parking in Folly Beach

Where	Rate	When	Notes	Source
East Arctic Ave on-street paid parking (through 5th St E)	$3/hr	Monday-Sunday 8am-10pm	Paid parking is 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, 7 days a week. Pay at parkfollybeach.org / Pay To Park.	source
Rate schedule A lots (201, 301, 401, 501 E Arctic; 301, 401, 501 W Ashley)	Mar-Sep: weekdays $15, weekends and holidays $25. Oct-Feb: weekdays $10, weekends and holidays $15.	year-round; rates effective Sept 1, 2025	Operating hours per lot not listed on the page.	source
Rate schedule B lots (601, 901, 1001, 1101, 1201 E Arctic; 1587 and 1673 E Ashley; Summer Place; 601, 701, 801, 901, 1001 W Ashley)	Mar-Sep: $3/hr or $12 all day. Oct-Feb: $2.50/hr or $10 all day.	year-round		source
Rate schedule C (E Arctic O/S 122 spaces, W Arctic O/S 69 spaces, Washout 126 spaces)	$3/hr or $12 all day	year-round		source
General parking rules	n/a	year-round	All four tires off the road; parallel and with traffic; not within 20 ft of an intersection, 30 ft of a stop sign or signal, 15 ft of a hydrant; not on dunes, sidewalks or crosswalks. Rules strictly enforced. Pay or appeal tickets at parkfollybeach.org. Parking help 843-580-0423 (24 hours).	source

Beaches in Folly Beach

Beach	Access and parking	Dogs	Lifeguards	Source
Folly Beach (city beach)	49 public access points per visitor bureau; ADA-accessible access listed: West End County Park, 9th West, 3rd West, 110 West, Charleston County Pier, 110 East, 5th East (flat gravel, no ramp), The Washout (1563 E Ashley), 1670 East.	Dogs are not allowed on the beach from 10 am to 6 pm, May 1 to Sept. 30. At all other times, dogs must be leashed and under control. Owners must pick up waste. No pets are ever allowed on the pier.	Charleston County Parks and Recreation staffs West End County Park and the beachfront from 2nd Street East to 3rd Street West, May through Labor Day. Strong rip currents are common.	source
Beach rules (city ordinance)	No alcohol on the beach; no glass, plastic, balloons or Styrofoam; no open fires or fireworks; smoking prohibited on beach and accesses; no lights illuminating the front beach 10 pm to dawn May 1-Oct 31 (sea turtles); holes no deeper than 1 foot and filled in; fines up to $1,092.00. Surfing: May 15-Sept 15 prohibited 10 am to 6 pm in the swimming zone (2nd St East to 3rd St West); always prohibited within 200 feet of the pier; leash required.	See above	See above	source

Comparing beaches? See which South Carolina beach to pick.

Dogs

Folly Beach Bark Park is at 512 East Erie Street; rules are posted at the park. Animal Services information is on the city website. source
Dogs must be leashed in all Charleston County beach parks; no pets on the Folly Beach Pier. source

When to Go

Sea turtle lighting rule applies May 1 to Oct. 31; swimming-zone surf restrictions May 15 to Sept. 15; dog beach restrictions May 1 to Sept. 30. source
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (NOAA summary). (not confirmed on the official page) source
Hurricane Hugo (1989) destroyed many beaches and damaged homes on the island, per the city. source

Food

The visitor bureau lists Koko's on the Pier, Rita's Seaside Grille, Pinky's on the Beach, Taco Boy and The Crab Shacks (named a Top 10 seafood spot in S.C. by Southern Living) as places to eat. source

Things to Do in Folly Beach

7 picks from the town’s and operators’ own pages.

Parks

Folly Beach County Park
Charleston County park with beach access, parking, picnic tables, a snack bar, Pelican Watch Pavilion and Dunes House; the Bird Key shorebird rookery is visible from the west end. source
Hours
Not published on pages read
Cost
Parking fee not found
Where
1100 West Ashley Avenue, Folly Beach
Dogs
Pets must always remain leashed within county beach parks
Folly Beach Bark Park
Dog park run by the city. source
Hours
Not listed; rules are posted at the park
Cost
omit
Where
512 East Erie Street (east side near the water tower, reached from East Erie or East Hudson)
Dogs
Dog park

Beaches

Folly Beach Main Beach
Public beach with 49 public access points per the visitor bureau; city rules govern alcohol, glass, fires, digging and surfing. source
Hours
n/a
Cost
Parking charges apply (see parking)
Where
Folly Beach
Dogs
Not allowed 10 am to 6 pm, May 1 to Sept. 30; leashed and under control at other times

Trails

Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve
Shoreline, marshland and maritime forest for birding and Civil War history. source
Hours
Not stated
Cost
omit
Where
Folly Beach

Attractions

Folly Beach Pier
Over 1,000 feet into the Atlantic with fishing, views, beach access, a gift shop and Koko's on the Pier restaurant. source
Hours
Not published on pages read
Cost
Not stated
Where
101 East Arctic Avenue, Folly Beach, SC 29439
Dogs
No pets are ever allowed on the pier
Surfing at The Washout
Surfers ride waves year-round at The Washout; surf lessons are available from local schools. source
Hours
n/a
Cost
omit
Where
The Washout, 1563 E Ashley (parking lot)
Free Beach Wheelchair Rental
Free
Free beach wheelchair rental at Public Safety, credit card deposit required. source
Hours
Not stated
Cost
Free (deposit)
Where
106 W Cooper, Folly Beach

Coming Up in and Near Folly Beach

Through Nov 21Charleston Farmers Market (Marion Square, Saturdays)On nowCharleston · about 11 mi
Oct 30Halloween Night Climb (Palmetto Peaks Climbing, James Island County Park)Charleston · about 11 mi
Oct 31Charleston Southern football vs. Western Illinois (Homecoming)Charleston · about 11 mi
Nov 7Airing of the Quilts at MagnoliaCharleston · about 11 mi
Nov 7Charleston Southern football vs. UT Martin (Moncks Corner Appreciation Day)Charleston · about 11 mi
Nov 7Shake Your Trail Feathers (trail run and walk)Mount Pleasant · about 11 mi

30 more on the full events calendar.

Events within 15 miles, measured in a straight line to the centre of the event's town. Dates come from our checked events list; confirm with the organizer.

Near Folly Beach

Around Folly Beach within 25 miles

1May Forest State ParkState Parkabout 6 mi
2West Ashley Greenwayrail trailabout 7 mi
3Angel Oak Tree (Angel Oak Park)historic tree and city parkabout 8 mi
4Gibbes Museum of Artart museumabout 8 mi
5Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical ParkNational Historical Parkabout 8 mi
6Charleston Gaillard Centerperforming arts centerabout 8 mi
7Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Parkballparkabout 8 mi
8The Charleston Museumhistory museumabout 8 mi
9International African American Museumhistory museumabout 8 mi
10Johnson Hagood Stadiumstadiumabout 9 mi

Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.

Nearby Towns With Their Own Guide

FAQ

Can I bring my dog to the beach in summer?

Not from 10 am to 6 pm, May 1 to Sept. 30. At all other times dogs must be leashed and under control, and they are never allowed on the pier. source

How much is parking?

On East Arctic Avenue it is $3/hr from 8am to 10pm; lots range by schedule, for example $15 weekdays and $25 weekends in March-September at the closest lots, or $3/hr or $12 all day at Washout and the overflow lots. source

Is alcohol allowed on the beach?

No; possessing or drinking alcohol on the beach is prohibited. source

Are there lifeguards?

Charleston County staffs West End County Park and the beachfront from 2nd Street East to 3rd Street West, May through Labor Day. source

Is there wheelchair beach access?

Yes; free beach wheelchairs are rented at Public Safety, 106 W Cooper, with a credit card deposit. source

How many people live in Folly Beach?

About 2,084, the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate for July 1, 2024 (Census table).

What We Could Not Confirm

Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.

Folly Beach incorporation year: not stated on the history page.
Pier and County Park hours, fees and parking fee: ccprc.com pages blocked automated reads; city pages had blank hours.
Parking enforcement hours per lot and free parking areas: not listed on the pages read (only East Arctic on-street 8am-10pm).
County Park location: city page says 1100 West Ashley Avenue; the CVB page was inconsistent between west and east end.
Visitor center in Folly Beach: none found on pages read. City Hall phone (843) 588-2447, Mon-Fri 9-5.

Sources

Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Folly Beach, SC Travel Guide”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/lowcountry/folly-beach/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.

Folly Beach, SC Travel Guide

Where to Park

What's On