Pirates. Playgrounds. Folly Beach. What a perfect combination! And you can see it all at Tim Goodwin’s Pirate Cove Playground. The woodchip-lined play space has a tire swing, monkey bars, slides, tunnels, and murals, all illustrating Charleston’s ocean heritage and rich pirate history.
Pirate’s Cove Playground was built 2007 just below the Folly Beach water tower, in the fifth block between East Erie and Hudson Avenues. The playground is one of just a few non-beach recreation sites on the island. A large, bench-lined oak tree shades much of the playground, which makes it a popular destination for children, even in the summer’s heat. Public tennis courts and half-sized basketball courts make up half of the park’s size. And a covered gazebo is an ideal picnic or party location.
But it’s the extra pirate-styled touches that make Pirate Cove Playground one of a kind. An extra-tall tunnel slide is shaped and painted like a lighthouse. A play replica of a shrimp boat has a wobbly bridge, fireman pole, toddler slides, and a ship’s cabin. And Blackbeard, Anne Bonney, and Stede Bonnet, three of the most famous pirates to sail the Atlantic off of Folly’s coast, are depicted on the playground’s colorful mural.
Pirate Cove Playground is open every day from 8 a.m. until dusk. Public restrooms are available, and remember that no dogs are allowed.
