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I live close to the James Island connector, and when Folly Road is busy I use interior neighborhood streets until I'm only two blocks from the connector if I'm going downtown. I have chosen to go to Folly Beach at certain times not thinking about the traffic and have found myself glad I could turn around and forget the beach if I wanted to. It gets really backed up on beautiful days, mainly Friday through Sunday at certain hours, let alone vacation season.
Most Google searches, as I say, put it at 30-45 minutes, as I say (I was hoping it wasn't true, haha). I'll be retired and, as much as I love the ocean, as a single woman alone in the world, I'll need more to do than stare at the waves. I currently live 30 minutes in one direction and 50 minutes in another direction from "big city" amenities and find that to be too long a commute to be convenient more than once a week or so. I would be wintering there (so during the school year), but I suppose I could schedule things to avoid the rush hours. Anything else anyone can tell me about full-timing on Folly would be appreciated; thanks for your input!
If you're looking at Folly I would also consider Sullivan's Island. It's a different feel than Folly. There is much less retail and no hotels. But it has a nice little strip and is full of locals. Not nearly as touristy.
I do plan to rent out my place during the peak season (and travel myself), so I would want it to be a place tourists frequent rather than, say, a residential or suburban area. Also important to have shops/restaurants nearby both for the guests and myself. But I do wonder if it would be desolate and boring during the off-season, or if there are enough permanent residents there to prevent a feeling of isolation and boredom.
Add Isle of Palms to the list, then. Because that's pretty much the middle ground between Sullivan's and Folly in terms of tourism. You'll get a better feel for it when you visit.
Folly used to turn into a ghost town of sorts during the winter but not any more. I agree that Sullivan's or IOP would be good to check out but they're both going to demand more of your budget.
I think you can drive to the middle of Downtown... say Marion Square, in 25 minutes from Folly in light traffic. Forget rush hour and as mentioned, nice weekend days can see Folly Road turn into a stop and go drag during the summers. I used to live on Folly but wouldn't want to now due to the traffic. (I'm not retired though)
I actually don't find Folly any more touristy than Sullivans or IOP- but they definitely have different types of tourists. And Sullivans is much stricter on rentals so be careful when you are looking.
Also Folly's shops are not the full gamut. You have one nicer version of a convenience/corner grocery (Bert's-which has upgraded immensely since the guy's kids took over) and then restaurants/bars/trinket shops/Surf shops along the main road which is all of 4 blocks long. The hardware store closed during the recession. This won't be like Hilton Head where your friends stroll from shop to shop or have a boutique of any sorts. Its more of a come as you are area.
I'm not the type who needs to shop every day -- or even every week -- but I don't want to find myself virtually the only one on the island during the off-season, isolated and bored. I would need a decent number of amenities within easy reach as well as more "big city" infrastructure not far away. Obviously, it's hard to combine a busy metropolis with a quiet beach village, but I'm giving it my best effort...
I'm not the type who needs to shop every day -- or even every week -- but I don't want to find myself virtually the only one on the island during the off-season, isolated and bored. I would need a decent number of amenities within easy reach as well as more "big city" infrastructure not far away. Obviously, it's hard to combine a busy metropolis with a quiet beach village, but I'm giving it my best effort...
You won't be the only one on the island though whether you'll be bored will be up to you. If it's not rush hr you will be able to find something interesting within a 25 minute drive throughout the off season. During the summer, it will get crowded at the times when folks are coming to/leaving the beach. Folly is not really "dead" at any time anymore, imo.
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