James Island and Folly Beach With beautiful marshland, creeks and rivers, James Island is the site of plenty of new development, due to its prime location: halfway between downtown Charleston and Folly Beach. Just 10 minutes from downtown Charleston via the S.C. 30 connector, James Island is bordered by Wappoo Creek to the north, Stono River to the west and the Folly River to the south. In 2006, residents of James Island voted to incorporate to fight piecemeal annexation by the city government of Charleston. Mostly rural until the 1960s, James Island offers quite a few established neighborhoods. Developed during the 1940s, Riverland Terrace along Wappoo Creek is considered the oldest neighborhood on James Island and is known for its gorgeous “avenue of oaks.” Adjacent to the James Island Yacht Club, the Eastwood neighborhood off Fort Johnson Road offers charming homes on large lots, many with harbor or marsh views. Other neighborhoods include Parrott Bluff, with large brick homes; Parrot Creek, a gated community with waterfront homes; Lawton Bluff, which offers views of the harbor and includes 40-acre Lake Frances; and Seaside Plantation, with a range of housing options, including waterfront properties off Clark Sound. Newer neighborhoods include Westfield Place of Secessionville Road, with 19 homes from the high $300s to the $400s, and Lakeside Village, with homes in the $400s. Both developments offer cottage-style homes with traditional Charleston colors and high ceilings. James Island has a rich history, as the site of many of the Civil War battles. Union troops based on Folly Beach tried to invade Fort Sumter from James Island. Fort Lamar is the site of the Battle of Secessionville, in June 1862, considered the first major battle to take Charleston. A heritage preserve is currently being developed around Fort Lamar. The family-friendly town also offers plenty of recreational opportunities. Covering 643 acres, James Island County Park features a playground, fishing and crabbing docks, paved trails, a sprayground, picnic sites with grills, a picnic shelter, an off-leash dog park and a 50-foot climbing wall. The park also includes a campground and 10 vacation cottages for rent. You can also rent bicycles, pedal boats and kayaks at the park. Kids will especially delight in Splash Zone Waterpark, with waterslides, water playgrounds, a 500-foot-long lazy river and swimming pools. The annual Holiday Festival of Lights is held at James Island County Park from mid-November until Jan. 1. The three-mile drive takes you through beautifully lit trees and decorations, as well as a train ride, marshmallow roasting pit, sand sculptures, gingerbread houses, a carousel and climbing wall, and the opportunity for kids to have their picture taken with Santa. The event celebrated 16 years in 2006. James Island is home to the City of Charleston Golf Course off Maybank Highway. Opened in 1929, the course has hosted the South Carolina State Championship and is the site of the Charleston City Amateur. An incorporated city with about 2,200 residents, Folly Beach is a six-mile-long barrier island south of James Island that is the closest beach to downtown Charleston. With quaint beach cottages, modern condominiums and massive beach houses, Folly Beach is also known as the “Edge of America.” The popular beach is known for its great surfing, particularly along the east side of the island, which is considered one of the best spots on the East Coast. At 25 feet wide, the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier stretches 1,045 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. The pier is a popular spot for fishing and viewing dolphins and other sea life. Nearby, the Holiday Inn Charleston on the Beach offers all oceanfront rooms. Folly Beach is also extremely protective of its sea turtle population, which comes ashore to lay eggs on the beach. Since hatchlings follow moonlight to head out to sea, the beach has a restriction on non-natural light — including headlights — after sunset. At the western edge of the island, Folly Beach County Park offers an oceanfront beach with a designated swimming area and seasonal lifeguards. The park includes dressing areas, restrooms, boardwalks, picnic areas, rentals of beach chairs and umbrellas, and the Pelican Watch picnic shelter. Morris Island is a barrier island east of Folly Beach that is known for its lighthouse, first built in 1767. After being replaced in 1838, the second lighthouse was destroyed by Confederate troops during the Civil War to prevent Union warships from using it. The present lighthouse was built in 1878 about 1,200 miles from shore; however, due to the tides and winds that continually change barrier islands, the lighthouse is now out to sea. Now owned by the state of South Carolina, the Morris Island Lighthouse is protected by Save the Light, an organization dedicated to shielding the island from development and preserving its history. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION