The take
Why locals love it
It's the one neighborhood where flip-flops are formal. Sunset on the pier never gets old.
Word on the street
What locals are saying
Locals describe Folly Beach as Charleston's scrappy, bohemian 'Edge of America' — a laid-back surf town with dive bars, Bert's Market, and the closest sand to downtown — but they openly grumble that day-tripper crowds, weekend traffic, and bachelorette parties have eroded its character. Parking has gotten harder and more expensive, short-term rentals are a contentious political issue, and many Charleston residents now quietly recommend Sullivan's Island when they want a calmer, more 'local' beach day.
laid-back surf town / 'Edge of America'weekend crowds and trafficparking is a hassle and getting priciershort-term rental backlashbachelorette-party reputationchronic beach erosionalcohol banned on the sand
