Folly Beach actually offers three enjoyable day trips, each with a separate appeal. In the heart of the island community, which is nicknamed the "Edge of America", the Charleston County Parks Commission runs the beautiful Edwin S. Taylor fishing pier that stretches more than 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. Decked out with a tackle shop, rod rentals, and separate fishing stations with water basins, cutting and measuring boards, the massive pier also has a 7500 square foot mezzanine area ideal for spectacular views of the Folly surf. The pier, which is second largest on America's East coast, is host to a number of fishing tournaments throughout the year, in which anglers can land channel bass, tarpon and mackerel. The Mezzanine area is also host to various dance events, and Folly Beach has long been famous for the sound and sights of the official South Carolina dance, the Shag. From the convenient pier parking lot which has an all day fee of $7 per vehicle, there are shops, an Oceanside restaurant, restroom and shower facilities. Open until 11pm from April through October, the pier offers a wonderful opportunity for sunset and evening strolls to the sound of pounding surf and an island background known for its entertaining nature. Down on the South end of Folly Beach at the terminus of East Ashley Avenue, is Folly Beach County Park, which offers more serene surroundings in a setting that is completely unspoiled. Park entry is a flat $5 fee, for which there is simple open-space parking, one restroom hut, and an endless horizon of waves, sand dunes, and sea breeze. The South end of Folly Island stands over the confluence of Atlantic Ocean and Folly River, overlooking Kiawah Island. In between the islands, visible from the Folly park, is Bird Key, a small, uninhabited sand island where shorebirds flock and nest. On any visit to the park, visitors are guaranteed to see breath-taking avian activity – from diving pelicans to swooping black skimmers. The pristine waters provide a visual feeding frenzy, with dolphins splashing through shallows in search of schools of fish. At this remote spot, it is very likely that visitors can see one of the dolphin's most captivating behaviors, called "stranding". The dolphin will swim fast toward the beach, pushing a wall of water filled with fish in front of them on to the shore. The dolphin will literally come out of the water to eat the fish, then wiggle its way back into the water. Even without the continuous show of creatures, this undeveloped end of Folly Beach is worth a trip just for a great beach walk along foaming surf and towering dunes. Finally, there is the open area on the North end of Folly, which is also Charleston County property, but offers no facilities. This quarter-mile hike through scrub myrtles and oaks is rewarding in its magnificent views of the old Morris Island Lighthouse, standing surrounded by water in Lighthouse Inlet, just off the beach. The 1876 light is a famous landmark in Charleston, and has stood strong against storm and waves for more than a century, colorfully painted in white and black striping from its days as a marker for the U.S. Lighthouse service.
