South Carolina Camping: Your Guide to Scenic Escapes and Outdoor Fun

South Carolina offers a diverse range of camping destinations, from serene lakeside getaways to bustling family-friendly beachfront parks. Whether you’re a seasoned RVer or a first-time tent camper, this guide highlights the best spots to suit every adventurer’s preferences. Read on for top camping destinations, helpful tips, and essential gear to enhance your outdoor experience.

Top 10 Camping Destinations in South Carolina

Lake Greenwood State Park

You can’t beat Lake Greenwood State Park for year-round bass fishing, boating, and nature trails. The 125 paved shoreline campsites offer water, electricity, and picnic tables and are very popular with boaters, who have 2 boat ramps available to them. If you don’t have a boat, there’s also a fishing pier for your enjoyment. They also offer an RV dump station and restrooms with hot showers. 

If you’re camping in summer, the EcoFlow WAVE 2 Portable Air Conditioner will keep you cool for up to 8 hours wirelessly. It can be recharged with AC, DC, or portable solar panels. For camping in winter, it also doubles as a heater to stay warm on chilly nights. 

• Book reservations online with a minimum 2-night stay. 
• Reservations made less than one day before must be secured at the park. 
• Campsites accommodate tents and RVs up to 40 feet long.
• Pets are welcome but must be kept on a leash. 

Ocean Lakes Family Campground

This large, award-winning, family-owned campground sits at the south end of Myrtle Beach, offering 859 campsites for tents or RVs, including 641 with concrete pads—beach house rentals are also available. Campsites have picnic tables, electricity, water, sewers, and HD TVs. The campground also offers Wi-Fi, a coffee shop, fitness classes, bicycle rentals, beach chairs and umbrellas, laundry facilities, a playground, indoor and outdoor pools with fences, a lazy river, a water park, a game room, mini golf, video games, and more. Be sure to bring along the EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank to recharge your phone or tablet while lounging on the beach.

• Reservations can be made up to 18 months in advance.
• Sites can accommodate large RVs with slideouts.
• Pets are welcome.

Point South / Yemassee KOA

Set within lush gardens with unique statuaries, this award-winning campground is a popular destination in the heart of the historic Lowcountry. It offers shaded sites for tents and RVs as well as cabins and lodges for rent. Campsites have picnic tables, fire rings, water, and electricity. Amenities include a coffee bar, wine and local craft beer, pool, games, playground, Wi-Fi, TV, restaurant, convenience store, outdoor fireplace and furniture, and laundry facilities. 

• Family-friendly with activities for both kids and adults. 
• Pet-friendly campground with a dog park and walking trails.
• Easy drive to Beaufort, Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head.

North Myrtle Beach RV Resort and Dry Dock Marina

This is the perfect luxury waterfront resort for those with very large rigs or looking to bring a boat or yacht. It offers a state-of-the-art dry dock, marina, and wet slips to store your boat. Sites have concrete pads and full hookups. Luxury amenities include hot tubs, pools, a bar and poolside bar, yoga classes, badminton, canoeing, fishing, table tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, water sport rentals, BBQ, sun deck, sun chairs and umbrellas, and a snack bar, restaurant, coffee shop, and casino. For kids, there’s a games room, kids’ pool, water park, waterslide, kids’ TV channels, outdoor and indoor play areas, and more.  

• Located on the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway at mile marker 348.
• Accommodates big rigs with large (53’x63’) and extra large (53’x75’) full hookup sites.
• 24-hour security to protect your boat and other valuables.

Keowee-Toxaway State Park

Keowee-Toxaway State Park is located on the shores of Lake Keowee in northwestern South Carolina. This quiet campsite has 10 sites with power and water for RVs or tents, 10 tent-only sites, and 3 trail-side campsites for hike-ins. There’s also a 3-bedroom cabin with a private dock that can accommodate up to 10 people. The park offers hiking trails and canoe/kayak access points for boating in the tranquil waters of Lake Keowee. The Raven Rock hiking trail is particularly popular for its picturesque lake view and great photo opportunities, including spectacular sunsets. There’s even a zipline to soar through the trees and over Lake Keowee for exciting family fun. 

The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus is the perfect camping companion for sites without power. This small solar generator doesn’t have a motor or use fossil fuels, so it won’t disturb the peaceful surroundings. 

• RVs over 40’ long will have difficulty navigating the campground road.
• Camping rates vary seasonally; reservations can be made online. 
• Pets are allowed but must be kept on a leash.

Devil’s Fork State Park

The Devil’s Fork State Park has two campgrounds near the shores of Lake Jocassee with 59 standard campsites for RVs or tents, 25 tent-only sites, 1 boat-in campground, and 20 lakeside villas. All sites offer picnic tables and fire rings; some have power and water hookups. There are restrooms with hot showers, 3 public access boat ramps, picnic shelters, a cozy meeting room that holds up to 25 people, and the beautiful Oconee Bell Nature Trail, where you might spot the rare Oconee Bell blooming in early spring.

There’s no power for those staying in tent-only, hike-in, or boat-in sites, so bring along the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Solar Generator (PV45W). Whether traveling with your family or solo camping, this lightweight but powerful unit will recharge all your electronic devices and run camp lights. The super-efficient 45W solar panel lets you quickly recharge it during the day. 

• Reservations can be made online for a minimum 2-night stay.
• Reservations made less than 1 day before must be done at the park. 
• All campers, vehicles, trailers, motorhomes, etc., must remain on paved surfaces.
• Pets are allowed in most areas but must be kept on a leash. 

Chattooga River Lodge and Campground

The beautiful Chattooga River Lodge and Campground is just 6 minutes from the wild and scenic Chattooga River and surrounded by the Sumter National Forest. It has 17 creekside campsites with shelters, fire pits, and picnic tables. It also has a handful of RV sites nestled in the woods on the hill, offering 30/50A electricity and water hookups. You can enjoy nearby hiking or river rafting or stay in and enjoy the peaceful tranquility of the creekside. A restroom with hot showers is available, and the tavern opens at 5 pm with great music and food. 

• Tent sites come with or without electricity. 
• Some tent sites will accommodate a popup or a superlight camper.
• RV sites are limited, so reservations are recommended. 

Outside Inn Campground

The Outside Inn Campground is nestled among tall pines in the rural farmland of Santee. This unique campground was built on a family farm and is geared towards families and nature lovers. It offers easy walking trails, friendly farm animals, including cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and donkeys, an organic garden, and an opportunity to experience life on a working farm. All campsites are spacious with full hookups and free internet. Bring a chair and join them in the evening for an outdoor movie.  

• Easy access from the I-95 and I-26.
• Dog and pet-friendly.
• Open year-round.

Oconee State Park

This park offers a main campground with 110 sites with picnic tables, water, and electricity, with 24 sites also offering sewer hook-ups. Tent campers can use those or the 15 designated walk-in tent campsites with fire rings, picnic tables, centralized water, and easy access to restrooms with hot showers. There is also a primitive group area for up to 50 people with central water and nearby restrooms. The area has plenty of outdoor activities, including a lake with a swimming hole, canoe rentals, fishing, and nature trails where you can see beavers, ducks, fish, turtles, frogs, and more. 

This is a perfect location for van campers to enjoy the amenities and hot showers while staying immersed in nature. For sites without power, bring an EcoFlow RIVER 3 Series portable power station. These ultra-quiet generators operate just above a whisper so that they won’t disturb the peaceful surroundings.

• From December to March, contact the park for information on winter closures.
• Camping reservations can be made online for a minimum of 2 nights.
• When reserving, check details for equipment accommodations and driveway length.
• Pets are allowed but must remain on a leash.

Edisto Beach State Park

Edisto Beach State Park is a popular park in the southern part of the state, offering 4 miles of ADA-accessible trails to meander through the maritime forest and enjoy the hammock islands before finishing at the Environmental Learning Center. The center has a fantastic fossil collection, live animals, and exhibits to help illustrate the area’s wonders. The park offers campsites along the Edisto Island oceanfront and shaded maritime forests, several of which can accommodate RVs up to 40’ long with water and electrical hookups. Cabins are also available, and all sites can access restrooms with hot showers. 

• Reservations can be made online up to 24 hours before check-in. 
• Reservations made less than one day before must be secured at the park.
• Pets are not allowed in the cabins but are permitted on a leash in most outdoor areas. 
• The town’s water is relatively high in salt; while safe, they offer a water-filling station for drinking water. 

What To Pack for a South Carolina Camping Trip

• Camp stove and cooking utensils
• Firestarter
• A tent with a good rain fly, a raincoat, and boots to prepare for rain
• A standard sleeping bag 
• Loose-fitting clothing and swimwear, layered clothing for the off-season
• Sunscreen and sunhats
• Mosquito netting and repellant from May to October  
• Water bottles for hiking 
• A portable power station for sites without power 
• Camera

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

South Carolina’s camping options cater to every outdoor enthusiast, offering unparalleled opportunities to connect with nature, relax by the water, or enjoy family-friendly activities. There’s something for everyone, from luxurious RV resorts to secluded hike-in sites. Ready to elevate your camping experience? Don’t forget to check out the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Series portable power station for your next adventure.