We stayed in the Lakeshore side, and after viewing the Cypress View campground, we made the right choice.
Cypress view is nice, and closer to the camp store, but is geared more toward RV campers, and we are tent campers.
The drive in is mostly paved. The road in is bumpy in spots, but easy to navigate in any vehicle.
The sites are spacious and not right on top of each other. Our site had a good view of the lake. We have Verizon, and had no issues with service here.
The town of Santee is close by, about 10-15 mins away. We did go into town to purchase firewood at the Santee General Store. A bundle was about $6, stored under cover, and dry.
Some of the neighbors were loud at the campground, but we consider this more of an inconvenience of rude people and not the parks fault. When camping at state parks, the noise levels are hit and miss depending on the people camping.
We would have given this park 5 ⭐️ if it weren’t for the bathrooms. They did have plenty of hot water, and were kept clean, they were just dated. Old facilities, no mirrors, etc. but clean.
There is a boat ramp close by and trails to explore, although we did neither. We just relaxed, enjoyed the weather, and decided we would definitely come back since it is only a little over an hour from our home.