Folly Beach just got a little sweeter.

Shoobies Ice Cream is now open at 18 Center St., offering 16 hard-scoop flavors with homemade waffle cones. Six soft-serve flavors with plenty of do-it-yourself toppings will be released in early March.

The shop took over the space formerly occupied by Dolce Banana Café, which served similar sweet treats, and is repurposing the existing frozen-yogurt machines.

Shoobies is the newest venture from Cody Brooks, owner of the Pineapple Hut mobile frozen treat truck, which will remain across the street.

Brooks, who co-owns the Pineapple Hut with his wife, said they heard through a mutual friend the owners of Dolce Banana Café were selling and came to an agreement to take over the space. They decided to stick to the original concept of self-serve ice cream and embarked on a cosmetic refresh of the space.

“Each of them offer a unique experience compared to the other," Brooks said of the variety of hard-scoop flavors that include Graham Central Station.

"I think we’ve differentiated them enough to prevent one taking away from the other," he said.

Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and until 11 p.m. during the peak beach season.

Bonjour, Summerville

A favorite French-inspired restaurant has relocated and re-opened inside a historic Summerville house.

In August, La Cuisine Du Chevalier — or La Chev, as most call it — closed its location in a Publix-anchored strip mall at 1585 Central Ave. in the Knightsville area.

The restaurant has since reopened as La Chev 208 at 208 E. 1st North St., just off Main Street in downtown Summerville. The renovated 100-plus-year-old property can hold about 50 diners indoors and another 50 outside, co-owner Jason Tucker said.

La Chev held its grand opening Feb. 22. Lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. After an hour closure, dinner services start at 4 p.m. and extend until various closing times.

Island decor

A design company is coming to Johns Island.

Madison Miller Décor is a market place with local vendors, artists, designers and more. The store will carry furniture, home décor, accessories, art and women's and children's clothing.

The business will celebrate its grand opening March 1 and 2 at 1716 Hollydale Court. Champagne and cocktails will be served at noon Saturday.

Hours will run Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 12 to 4 p.m.

SC debut

As hundreds of homes continue to crop up in Summerville, a retailer has opened to help furnish the rooms with its first South Carolina store.

Hometown Furniture, a family-owned business, will open its new showroom Feb. 28 at 1422 Boone Hall Road.

The retailer sells discount furniture, mattress and appliances and is an authorized dealer of name brands, including Ashley, Best Furniture, LG, Samsung, Steve Silver and others.

Hometown's five other stores are in Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

Sushi on tap

Mount Pleasant Towne Centre is gaining a new tenant.

Revolving Sushi Kingdom, owned by Lianna Chen, will move into the first floor of the Hyatt Place hotel at 1600 Palmetto Grande Drive.

Chen said she is still working on site planning and does not have a timeline for opening yet.

Gift givers

A gift store has opened at Shoppes at Seaside Farms in Mount Pleasant.

The Southern Welcome at 1952 Long Grove Drive formerly was an online-only operation. Owned by Steph Ryan, the retailer has now expanded into a brick-and mortar store.

Shoppers can peruse selections of apparel, jewelry, home décor and local artwork. It also offers custom gift sets, event gifting and welcome services for real estate agents, hotels and more.

Popping up

Johns Island designer Grace Frederick is having a pop-up event March 8.

The owner of Grace Frederick Design at 710 Halycon Loop will welcome vendors for an art walk and tent sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Vendors include Color Drunk Designs, House of Gleason, LB Modern Designs, Kimono Dragon Jewelry, 100 Neyrae, Sarah Basso Makeup and others.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - Folly Beach hosted its longest-running annual festival over the weekend.

The 33rd Annual Sea and Sand Festival brought hundreds of community members and tourists to the island, ending the weekend with a sand-building contest.

Kathy Hickie, a frequent visitor of Folly and the Sea and Sand Festival, said she loves seeing the contestants with their plans.

“The fact that some people come and, obviously, they come with an idea in mind of what they’re going to make,” she said.

Hickie said she and her husband have been coming to the festival for the last four years or so all the way from Tennessee. She said even though they’ve been several times, this is their first year staying for the sand sculpture portion.

Hickie said she loves seeing the process of each person’s idea. As for the team who won, Jeep Sealife ended up winning best overall.

“There was a fella there with his phone, and he kept checking it as he was working on his castle, so he had an idea. And this mermaid here right next to us, they’ve thought about it—how to use the dry sand, how to use the wet sand. And, you just don’t see that everywhere,” Hickie said.

However, that’s not always the case with all contestants, including Laney Willis.

“And we’re going to do this, and as you can see we’re using pickleball paddles to help us dig it out, so we’re a little under-prepared compared to everybody else,” Willis said.

As their team lead, Willis said they didn’t necessarily plan for their sand boat to be this size. She also said she originally signed up more so as a joke but was happy by the end of it.

“We kind of thought there was going to be more people sculpting for fun and not kind of experienced like the Jeep people,” Willis continued.

The Jeep Sealife team ended up taking home best overall, but Willis said they’re still glad they participated and look forward to next year’s festival.

Best friends Riley Waites and Liliana Elek were among the hundreds of spectators of the sand sculptures.

“I think it’s just so cool because they’re putting all their hard work into this and it’s just cool to see them making it,” Elek said.

They said seeing everyone’s creativity was their favorite part of the day and hope to do it in years to come with this kind of turnout.

One of the judges, Vanessa Oltmann, said a big reason why it was so crowded today was because she used social media hoping it would bring in some more attention.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

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Beach season is still in full force, and you don't have to go to California or Florida or put your passport to use in Cancun to enjoy an awesome beach vacation.

Florida seems to steal most of the glory in the South, with Gulf Shores not far behind, but there are more southern coastal destinations well worth a visit.

One of those being South Carolina.

While the historic, charming city of Charleston has become one of the trendiest getaways in the nation, it's the state's beaches that travelers are raving about this summer.

According to Southern Living, these are the top 6 beaches in South Carolina. Plus, stick around to the end to the end for a bonus #7, our editor's top pick!

Edisto Island is a barrier island nearly 40 miles from Charleston.

Definitely not a household name, locals have begun to shine a light on this beautiful beach for its raw, untouched appeal.

Away from the hustle and bustle of more popular beaches, Edisto is perfect for a relaxing getaway for all ages and even includes multiple golf courses.

Go camping, hiking, biking, or lounging in the summer sun away from the crowds.

Many visitors love spending an extended time on the island's State Park by booking a cozy cabin with rates beginning at $185 in August.

One of the bigger names in South Carolina, Hilton Head sees its fair share of crowds, unlike Edisto.

Offering more of what you'd expect from a popular beach town, such as trendy shops, restaurants, and prime hotel real estate along the scenic beachfront, there's never a dull moment on Hilton Head Island.

Not only does this lovely island have 12 miles of beaches, the area is surrounded by waterways made for exploring.

Rent a kayak, take a boat tour, or even go dolphin-watching. Check out picturesque Harbour Town to tick off all these boxes.

Of course, beaches are the main draw at the end of the day. Most tourists agree Coligny Beach is the place to be with ‘beautiful sand dunes' and ‘beautiful views'.

Maybe not a recognized nation, but Isle of Palms is still a local's favorite retreat despite being relatively popular since the 1970's, with classic resorts standing the test of time like Wild Dunes.

Adding to the allure, it's super easy to access as it's only 30 minutes from Charleston.

Sandwiched between the vast Atlantic and the South's standard marshlands, the setting couldn't be prettier.

If there's one thing to know about visiting the Isle of Palms, it's to be prepared to stay put.

The barrier island is only 7 miles long and 1 mile wide, perfect for lovely strolls along the beach.

There's famous Myrtle Beach…and then there's North Myrtle Beach, a whole different world according to vacationers.

In fact, they are 30 minutes apart, technically. North Myrtle offers less razzmatazz for those who prefer similar amenities without the ‘touristy' vibes.

You know, like a giant Ferris wheel on the beach and Ripley's Believe It or Not “museums”. Myrtle Beach isn't known for being outrageously expensive, but North Myrtle tends to offer even more savings across the board.

Check out popular Barefoot Landing for the best eats, shopping and family-friendly fun such as live music.

Kiawah Island is an outdoor lover's dream. Set between the scenic Kiawah River and gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean, visitors have their choice on how to spend their time in nature.

Most choose to hit the sand at Beachwalker Park, the only public beach access here, but the area's 30 miles of convenient biking and hiking trails are second best weaving through South Carolina's beautiful ecosystems.

That is if you choose to leave the posh digs of the immaculate beachfront hotel, The Sanctuary.

Best of all, Kiawah is secluded, unlike, say, Myrtle Beach, where there is virtually no privacy.

Tip: there are only 150 parking spaces that usually fill up in summer months by 10:30am

One of the closest beaches to Charleston is also the best! Taking the #1 spot, this pretty beach just 12 miles away.

Locals have dubbed this beach “the edge of America”, which doesn't quite add up considering it neighbors Kiawah Island, but hey, we'll go with it.

The only thing edgy about it may be the cash-only dive bars. Here, nobody takes themselves too seriously, which is why locals love this place to escape the 9-5 grind with epic surf spots and cozy stays like Regatta Inn, perched waterfront with stunning coastal views.

Hello dear readers! Tyler here, Managing Editor and Travel Off Path's #1 reader ????.

I couldn't let this list come out without raving about another incredible beach in South Carolina, because I literally just left!

The picture above was taken just three days ago at my favorite destination in South Carolina – Fripp Island. (And so was the first photo of the article)

I have been going to Fripp Island every year for about 6 years and will keep going back for many years to come. I always recommend it to family and friends.

Here are some of the things I love most:

I look forward to this trip every single year and can't recommend checking it out enough! If you ever want some tips, always feel free to reach out to me here or on Instagram.

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 30 countries and written over 400 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.

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Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Folly Beach has narrowed down some potential affordable housing options for those who work in or for the city.

Folly Beach city leaders have been working over the past year to evaluate the issue of affordable housing through community surveys and research, and have come up with some possible recommendations.

Officials say one of the recommendations is to increase and expand housing stipends for Folly Beach workers to help offset housing costs for those living on Folly Beach or James Island.

Folly Beach City Councilmember Katherine Houghton says that historically they have provided these stipends for public safety so they can respond more efficiently, but they are considering expanding this initiative to other workers in the city and increasing the dollar amount.

“Right now, it’s for emergency services. So, right now it’s for public safety and they presently already do have a stipend if they live on Folly or James Island. Right now, they are looking to increase that and expand the spots, as well as look at other city employees, not just public safety,” Houghton says.

The current housing stipend in place for public safety workers is $600 a month if they live on Folly Beach and $300 a month if they live on James Island.

Another recommendation the city is considering is the “Lease to Locals” program. Houghton says this initiative would offer incentives to homeowners who currently do short-term rentals and provide them with a financial offset amount to encourage them to do long-term rentals to locals.

“If you do the math, someone who has short-term rentals during a peak season makes a certain amount of money, so therefore what we realize is we’d have to give a financial incentive to be able to subsidize the loss in short-term rentals and offset it with a long term renter that is affiliated or with the city or working locally,” Houghton says.

Another potential recommendation that will be discussed at the next planning commission meeting is accessory dwelling units. These are small living spaces that are located on the same lot as main residences.

“The issue with attainable housing all around not just Folly, Charleston, things of that nature, you will have employees that need to work in those cities and then it’s a question of what the city does to respond to get them either living more local, which is why the strength of the public safety we’ve been doing that for years,” Houghton says. “And recently what’s happened is the question has been posed by business owners and folks that work on Folly, could you do more? Could you push out that program beyond public safety?”

The discussion of affordable housing is great news for Folly Beach worker Sydney Macek. She says that she has been eyeing affordable housing options on the island, but when one does become available she says there is a line of people wanting it as well.

“So a lot of people who work down here live 45 minutes to an hour and a half away and commute down here every day for work and I think that contributes to the restaurants and bars down here being understaffed sometimes. It would really help the local businesses down here if their workers had affordable housing and were able to live down here,” Macek says.

Houghton says that these recommendations are being brought up as the city approaches budget season and whatever options are chosen will have to be evaluated for inclusion in their budget.

The housing stipends and “Lease to Locals” program will be brought to the city council in April. The accessory dwelling units were supposed to be discussed at the planning commission meeting on March 3 but got postponed to the next meeting in April.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.