The beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina is steeped in history, unique architecture, cuisine, scenery and beaches. It is known as a top vacation spot for a reason. If you are looking to visit Charleston and hoping to catch a few waves while you’re there then you’re in luck, the area has some amazing swells as well.
Where Can You Surf Near Charleston?
There are two holy grails for surfing that you will want to try out in Charleston: Folly Beach and Isle of Palms.
Folly Beach: Out of the two, Folly Beach is definitely the better setting if you’re looking for larger waves. It’s a natural barrier island known for some of the best swells along the East Coast. With its several surf spots, surfers of all levels flock to the shore eager to get a taste of what the renowned Folly Beach waves have to offer.
If you are making your way over to Folly Beach there are three spots that you will want to try: The Washout, Folly Beach Pier and 10th Street East. The best time to head out would be during the early morning as Folly can get crowded and parking is hard to find.
The Washout
The jettied beach break of The Washout, specifically the spot known as Hollywood, has the best waves on Folly Beach which can be attributed to Hurricane Hugo. When Hugo rolled through, knocking the homes in its path, it created the perfect path for the wind to blow across the beach, through the wetlands and land at the Folly River. This wind path is what the veteran surfers of the area thank for their fabulous sets.
The swells are not for the weak, especially during tropical storms and hurricanes. If you are a beginner I would not recommend trying out The Washout first unless you’re ready to get tossed around a bit.
Folly Beach Pier
The pier breaks farther out and longer than what you will see at The Washout but it is rideable on either side and works well with any swell. The waves are typically cleaner in this spot but make sure you are not surfing within a block of the pier or your beach day will be ruined with a hefty ticket.
10th Street East
10th Street East is another popular spot on Folly. Though the waves are smaller than The Washout, they come pretty close and you’ll deal with half the crowd. The breaks are sometimes more on the outside and form longer cleaner lines.
Isle of Palms
While the waves on IOP are less powerful than Folly, don’t count it out in terms of surfing. This beach still packs a punch and deserves to be explored.
The Pier/Windjammer
You will find the best surf at the Pier on IOP, which is also known as The Windjammer. The north side has a much better peak and is often fairly crowded with locals. Because of the wide sandbars a longboard is best for this spot but it's not rare to still see shortboarders out in the water.
35th Street
On 35th Street, there is an exposed sandbar break that produces consistent waves year-round, for the most part. It’s best surfed when the wind is sweeping in from the northwest and the best swells come from the southeast. This spot is not as crowded as the pier but you will still want to get here early to secure a spot before the crowd starts filling in.
If you’re lucky and you’re near Isle of Palms when a storm starts rolling through don’t let the rain keep you inside, stop everything you’re doing, grab your board and head out. The waves will be booming and you won’t want to miss it.
Gear Needed to Surf Near Charleston
The summer months are scorching and you will be just fine in your bikinis and boardshorts as long as you have a bucket of sunscreen.
Once the fall and winter months come around the water definitely gets nippy and it’s recommended that you wear a 3/2mm fullsuit and maybe keep some booties on standby.
Boardwise it depends on which beach you are heading to. On an average IOP beach day, you can’t go wrong with a longboard and a fish may also be beneficial. For Folly Beach, a shortboard would be preferable.
Surf Shops to Visit Near Charleston
Mckevlin’s Surf Shop: Mckevlin’s is my favorite surf shop in Charleston and can be found on the corner of Folly at 8 Center Street. This is the perfect shop for clothing, gear and boards and is always my go-to when I need something before heading out.
Ocean Surf Shop: This is another favorite of mine. There is a wide range of clothing, swimwear, boards and gear that has me coming back every time I visit the area.
Parrot Surf & Skate: In the Mt. Pleasant area there are not a lot of surf shops but that is perfectly fine because Parrot Surf & Skate is the only one you need. This shop has all of your skating and surf essentials, shoes, clothing and a wide variety of wetsuits.
The Bottom Line: Surfing Near Charleston
If you are looking for a stunning area for food, drinks, views upon views and surf on the side, then Charleston will be your paradise. While “hurricane season” is the best time for surfers, from June through November, you will see some unbeatable swells during the warmer months as well. You really can’t go wrong in Charleston, as long as you triple-check the forecast ahead of time.
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