Welcome to the 2013 issue of Sun, Surf, and Sand, or S3 as it's known at the City Paper HQ. As you know, something horrible, something terrible, something dreadful, happened to one of Charleston's favorite beaches last fall. I can't mention it without shedding a tear right into a half-finished solo cup of beer, so I'll refrain from saying anything else about it. Instead, I'll talk about happier things. You know, the stuff you'll find in this year's S3. Things like taking your dog to the beach or learning to kiteboard on Sullivan's or heading out to the Windjammer to see all the Hazelnuts getting nutty at the Hazelnut Hang (And no, that last bit there wasn't some long-lost passage from Dr. Seuss' unfinished magnum opus about '90s-era alt-rock bands and the guys and gals who still go ga-ga for them). In addition to all that, you'll find a handy-dandy guide to the area's three bestest beaches, and even an article on that horrible, terrible, dreadful thing that happened to Folly Beach (shudder). I don't know about you, but I'll never forget. —Chris Haire

Folly Beach Food+Drink Map Click to view

Sullivan's Island Food+Drink Map Click to view

Isle of Palms Food+Drink Map Click to view

The only guide to Folly, IOP, and Sullivan’s that you will ever need
The only guide to Folly, IOP, and Sullivan’s that you will ever need Where to Go, What to Eat, and What to Do

Charleston is home to three great beaches, and each one has its own vibe. And sadly, now that the Folly Beach booze ban is in effect thanks to a couple of knuckleheaded bros, you can’t legally drink an ice-cold adult bev on any of them. — Davin Turkewitz


Gearing up for a sober summer on Folly Beach
Gearing up for a sober summer on Folly Beach Requiem for a Beer Bong

Thanks to a few drunken meatheads who got all liquored up, picked a stupid fight with the cops, and more or less started a riot last July 4th, booze is now banned on Folly Beach. Within a week after the riot, a 60-day ban was placed on drinking on the beach, and a group of 357 citizens signed a petition urging Folly City Council to put a permanent ban in place. — Stratton Lawrence


If you need a beer run
If you need a beer run B, double-E, double-R, U, N

It's no longer legal to drink alcohol on any of Charleston's beaches. That doesn't mean people don't do it or that you'll be caught if you're discreet, but we're certainly not going to tell you to break the law by drinking pre-mixed concoctions from stainless-steel water bottles or beer out of a Camelbak. — City Paper Editorial Staff


Are Bellyaks the next big thing on the water?
Are Bellyaks the next big thing on the water? A Playground of Awesome

"I breathe plastics," says Adam Masters. "It's in my genetic code." The Asheville-based creator of the Bellyak — a strange-looking face-first kayak that you ride on your belly — could just as easily have said he was born breathing white water. — Stratton Lawrence


When and where to take your furry friends
When and where to take your furry friends Dog Days at the Beach

Folly Beach Dogs aren't allowed on the beach at Folly between May 1 and Sept. 30 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. During all other hours, they can run on the sand and frolic in the surf, but they must be leashed. However, certain exemptions exist for members of the Folly Island Dog Owners Club. — Emily Taylor


Making sense of the Windjammer's annual Hazelnut Hang
Making sense of the Windjammer's annual Hazelnut Hang Oh Nuts!

Mumford & Sons could open for Shovels & Rope, Jay-Z could rhyme a verse on the new Righchus — er, Matt Monday — track, and Ben Bridwell could dethrone Joe Riley as the mayor of Charleston. But none of that would do a dang thing to change the minds of Sister Hazel's army of Hazelnuts. — Stratton Lawrence


Old-timers and newbies cast their lines off the Folly Beach Fishing Pier
Old-timers and newbies cast their lines off the Folly Beach Fishing Pier Drop a line

There's no telling what you'll catch when you go fishing off the pier at Folly Beach. Sometimes it's an ordinary whiting, and other times it's a gorgeous, and delicious, king mackerel or a prized red drum. — Paul Bowers


A quick-and-easy guide to staying active at the beach
A quick-and-easy guide to staying active at the beach Get Moving

As any visitor to the Lowcountry's beaches knows, you're missing out if all you do is lie on a towel all day reading Fifty Shades of Grey for the 50th time. There are plenty of real-life aerobic activities you can do. — City Paper Editorial Staff


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