When my grandma made this summer’s vacation plans for Folly Beach, South Carolina, the rest of my family and I had never heard of it before.

For years, my brothers and I have always gone on vacation during the summer with our grandparents, who we call Mimi and Poppy.

We’ve been to Myrtle Beach twice, Virginia Beach, Ocean City, Maryland twice, New York City and Canada.

Wherever we go, it’s always an adventure with the Graves Family, and Folly Beach was no exception.

Our journey began at the Akron-Canton Airport, where our night flight to Charleston was delayed until around 10:30 p.m. 

When we landed in Charleston, we took a long 45-minute cab ride and finally arrived at Folly Beach shortly after 1:00 a.m.

As we walked into our hotel, the Tides, we were greeted by a wall of men’s body spray smell that filled the lobby along with our favorite icon of the trip, Susan, who had the midnight shift at the front desk.

When we first got to our hotel room, exhausted and hungry from our long night of traveling, we decided to venture out and explore the town at 2:00 in the morning.

Susan, who we jokingly imagined running through the hallways spraying the men’s cologne that stunk up the hotel, directed us down the block to a 24-hour store called Bert’s Market to satisfy our late-night cravings.

As we walked down the street, the town immediately reminded my grandma of the beach town described in Jimmy Buffett’s famous “Margaritaville” song, with the shops and unique restaurants that surrounded us.

The town was dead.

I remember all of us laughing and joking that our vacation might be a bust because of how lifeless the town seemed. 

But as soon as we stepped inside Bert’s, it seemed like the only place still alive. The sound of a piano playing flowed through the crammed market, and when we turned around, someone was actually playing a piano in the corner. 

The store sold everything from groceries and hot foods to music supplies. We grabbed some snacks and trotted back to our hotel, drained from the night.

We went to bed wondering what Folly Beach would have in store for us. After our three days, it turned out to be my favorite beach vacation, and I think more people should know just how special it is.

The beach, which is south of Charleston, is on Folly Island. The Atlantic Ocean and the Folly River surround the island, and there is also a pier stretching over 1,000 feet into the ocean.

What makes this beach stand out from others is that it’s not as commercialized as more popular places, and it’s a much more relaxed beach town.

Our hotel had an oceanfront view, so we were able to walk right out onto the beach. Since it’s a tight-knit beach town, many of the shops and restaurants were within walking distance. However, we rented a golf cart so we could explore the island.

On our golf cart, we passed through countless rows of beach houses. Each one was styled differently with colors and textures, and palm trees lined the town.

For the rest of our stay, the streets were full of life, and the down-to-earth atmosphere made you feel right at home.

We spent our days relaxing on the beach and eating our way through Folly. Though it might not sound thrilling, it was exactly what we needed.

Another fact about this town is that there aren’t any chain restaurants. Instead, there are a wide variety of local restaurants, bars and cafes that attract tourists to their dining rooms each day.

My favorite was Taco Boy, a three-story hideaway that features a rooftop bar. Hanging above the patio bar is an upcycled octopus, a piece of artwork made entirely of trash. 

They serve tons of specialty tacos and, of course, tequila. I ordered their Taco Americano and Baja fish tacos, and they were the best tacos I’ve ever had.

We went to several other restaurants on our journey, including the Lost Dog Café, which serves breakfast all day and has walls covered with dog photos.

As our vacation came to an end, we realized that the laid-back “Margaritaville” vibe that Folly Beach gave off was the kind of vacation we were looking for.

Even though it may not be as popular as Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head, I was drawn to the tides of Folly Beach, and I think it’s highly underrated.

Aden is an opinion writer. Contact him at [email protected].