Brand New Folly Pub Tour delves into Folly’s History as well as its booze
By Lorne Chambers | Editor
Sure you can learn a lot about a culture from what they eat. But you can also learn a great deal about it from what it drinks. The French love their wine, the Russians love their vodka, the Belgians love their beer. But what do Charlestonians love, and more specifically, what do folks on Folly drink and what does it say about our history?
Becca and Daniel Lesesne delve into more than just the drinks on their acclaimed pub and brewery tours, it’s a walking breathing history lesson. The couple has combined 30 years of leading unforgettable tours around the Charleston area. In 2009 they launched their own tour company, Original Pub & Brewery Tours of Charleston, centering around Charleston’s pub scene and it’s newer bustling brewing culture.
As 12th generation Charlestonians, the Lesesne family is deeply rooted in the Lowcountry from Huguenot descent, which largely helped shape the melting pot culture of early Charleston. With their experience in history, beer brewing, and beer history, Becca and Daniel, along with their experienced team, have provided authentic tours througout downtown Charleston and the surrounding areas. But until last weekend, they did not offer a guided tour of their home town, Folly Beach.
“My heart belongs to Folly. I have lived here much of my life and something keeps bringing me back here. It’s a personal vortex,” says Becca. “My great grandfather hand- built his Folly beach house here in the 1920s, so perhaps it’s genetic? I wonder what he would say, when asked, why he loved Folly Beach?”
On Sunday, Feb. 26 Becca and Daniel offered their inaugural Sunday Funday Pub Crawl, taking a small group of customers through five of Folly’s classic taverns with tales of the island’s more than 300 years of history. Guests had the opportunity to purchase drinks of their choice at each stop and a portion of proceeds went to Surfer’s Healing and other local charities.
“Our mission is to provide an opportunity for seasonal visitors to give back to our local community. We want folks to relax, slow down, reciprocate that Folly love, do their part, all for a great cause. I’m like the Lorax who speaks for the trees,” says Becca. “By sharing the story of Folly, we hope that people will leave here with a greater appreciation of this place we love, to protect the organic character, respect the island’s beauty, follow the rules and leave no trace. By spreading our message and supporting local charities, we believe we can make a difference in our community.”
Folly Beach’s own Sunday Funday Pub Crawl will be held every Sunday, to book visit www.pubtourcharleston.com.
