Best Tent Camping near Columbia, SC

Recent Tent Reviews near Columbia, South Carolina

282 Reviews of 5 Columbia Campgrounds

• J

  J Terrell M.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 5, 2019

  Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

  In the middle of Columbia SC

  Built to celebrate the Sesquicentennial of South Carolina in the 30’s . At one time on the furthest outskirts of Columbia SC. It is now firmly in the muddle of the Metro area. Plenty of trailer sites. Tent site and primitive camping. Has recreational areas. Restaurants and shopping nearby

• C

  Christopher B.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 7, 2021

  Military Park Shaw AFB Wateree Recreation Area and FamCamp

  Wateree Tent Camping

  This was my family’s first time tent camping in the cold weather and it wasn’t that bad. The lakeside tent area provided beautiful scenery with access to restrooms and showers. It wasn’t too crowded as it was military members only and you can’t beat the price for a lakeside spot. We would definitely go tent camping here again!

• S

  Stephen C.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 6, 2018

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Not too crowded

  Nice quiet spot not far from Columbia. Love the elevation change which is rare in Midlands of SC.

• 

  Matt C.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 22, 2021

  Military Park Shaw AFB Wateree Recreation Area and FamCamp

  Tent camping

  Did some tent camping in mid October. Had tons of fun and the park was really clean. Bath houses were nice and had hot water. T mobile service doesn’t work at all, but they have Wi-Fi hotspots for rent for $5 per day. Tent camping was $7.50 per night. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5, was because Quiet hours are supposed to be from 11-7, but there were people partying pretty late. Definitely should’ve brought some ear plugs. Check out our review https://youtu.be/j-5JBxOl3uE

• R

  Rick B.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 9, 2018

  Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

  Nice camp ground.

  Good camp for rv or tent camping. Plenty of trails, splash park for kids and a lake for boating and fishing

• 

  Matt C.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 31, 2021

  Weston Lake Recreation Area

  Overnight

  Stayed in a tent at tent site 3. Site was level and clean with water and electric, fire ring, and a picnic table. for $10 per night. There are also primitive tent sites as well for $5 per night. Lots of RV spots too! Bathhouse was cleans and has 2 showers and toilets on the mens and womens side. The office was closed before we arrived, but we were able to call on the phone to make a reservation. Seems like a few full time people in their RV. T mobile service worked well. Camp host was very friendly

• A

  Ashley R.

  Traveler

  

  May. 26, 2018

  Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

  Great spot

  Camped here numerous times throughout the years. Always had a good time. Rangers are nice and helpful. We park our John Boat at our tent camping site without any problems. They seem to be adding a splash pad area for the kids. A couple of big playgrounds at the park too. A decent lake for fishing and paddle boat (at least I think) rentals. Picnic tables and charchol grills are availble near the lake as well.

• 

  Mark L.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 15, 2022

  Cypress View Campground — Santee State Park

  Huge Park , nice wooded sites.

  I chose the lakeside tent sites section. I wish I knew that the Cypress side was open to tents also. It is much further from I-95. I can clearly hear roadway noise from this side. I visited the other side tonight and it is a much greater diatance from the highway and faces away from the noise. It is more popular over there so tonight, I have more isolation here. Good for tents all tbrough park.

• 

  Kristin E.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 25, 2018

  Aiken State Park Campground

  2nd choice

  This campground is 20 miles from town. it is a long way out. The site is a loop for 35 foot or less and it has tent sites! it has one bathhouse with 2 showers and two toilets. it is not enough when it is full. It does not have sewer but a dump site. No phone or internet use. It was very quiet and it offered walking trails, small beach area on lake.

• 

  Matt C.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 30, 2021

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Nice state park

  We tent camped for the weekend in mid October. The park was probably 80% full, but didn’t seem crowded. All the spaces were spread out and the sites were level. We stayed at site 30, so it was a close walk to the bathhouse, with plenty of space, picnic table, and fire ring. The bathhouse was in fair condition, but the hot water was limited. The mens bathroom definitely needed to be cleaned. There were lots of trails, a pond, and a park for thing to do. T-mobile service barely worked. Check out our review https://youtu.be/pL1zgad0rN0

• 

  Krista R.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 23, 2020

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Great Park

  I stayed at this park because the one in Congaree was full and I’m very glad I did! It took a good 45 minutes to get to Congaree but it was a pleasant drive. I walked on some of the trails in the campground but didn’t touch most of them. I definitely need to come back with a bike! I stayed at tent site 36 and felt like I still had enough privacy from the sites beside me. The bathrooms were well taken care of.

• 

  Hannah W.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 11, 2022

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Great stay!

  Stayed here for a few nights with a friend for spring break. The staff were very friendly and answered all the questions that we had. We were tent camping and the campsite was perfect! Had a picnic table, fire ring, plenty of space to pull the car in, level ground for the tent, and trees for hammocking. The bathroom facilities were very clean, and were right by the campsites. In terms of activities, there are plenty of hiking trails and a beautiful lake right in front of the visitor center. We rented a paddleboat and got to see some wildlife on the water (cranes, turtles, and even a couple little gators). Overall, this was a perfect state park, great for a quiet getaway.

  (Side note: the bugs were practically nonexistent in March when we visited, but we were told that they can get bad in the summer months)

• 

  Jessica M.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 16, 2022

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Great for Activities, Camping is lacking...

  Large. Multiple trails. Secluded. Scenic. Rental/Activities. Waterways. Picnic areas. Kid playground. ***BUT...! if you are camping... there's no wifi or cell service in camping section!! Whether 'primitive' or tent/rv with power, it ALL seems a little primitive. Only difference is power connection sites and a bathhouse. I'm truly ok with semi-primitive, but no cell service or Wi-Fi (in camping area), as a female... this needs to be addressed for safety, at minimum. It was beautiful, but we had to leave, as safety is #1. *oh.... SITE 17.... is the worse, if you wanted a little seclusion. It's the only rv/tent site that is "in" the 'activity field' (there was a group of teens playing loud and rough football right next to us, even my daughter did NOT like it). Highly suggest day visits, not so much camping.

• M

  Marissa H.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 5, 2021

  Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

  A National Park in my backyard!

  It was a pleasant stay at Congaree. As a SC resident I was surprised to learn we had our very own National Park and just had to take the short drive from Charleston to experience it - glad we did! The sites did not have water or power but were a decent size. We stayed at tent site 1 which was right at the beginning of the Bluffs Trail. We took our 2 dogs hiking to the boardwalk trail which led back to the Visitor Center.. this was a decent 3+ mile hike our dogs were pooped! Overnight guests should be prepared to gather your own wood as none is sold on site. You can also get water from the Visitor Center (which is a better drive than walk if carrying a large or multiple jugs). The bathrooms on the campground part were essentially glorified port-o-potties (a building surrounding a hole in the ground). The Visitor Center was a better bathroom experience. Overall, I would return here to camp. The hikes were not too challenging but the boardwalk provided a unique experience!

• 

  Jay B.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 4, 2021

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Site 37

  We stayed here April 2-4. We mainly stayed here because it’s only an hour and a half from Charleston, and read some good reviews.

  If you are coming from the south, be advised that once you are off I-95, you will see zero stores or gas stations, so plan accordingly.

  The road going into the campground is pretty bad, but doable. We tent camp, but saw quite a few bigger rigs camped there. I did hear some of the other campers with trailers saying they had trouble backing into their sites do to the trees.

  If you’re getting there after dark, I imagine that it would be difficult to find your site.

  Site 37 was super small, but we did manage to get our tent set up as well as our screen for the picnic table. The water spigot was in a weird spot and got in the way.

  There are many spots that are bigger and in better spots, so choose wisely. There was no privacy at 37 and it was way to close to the site next to us.

  There seems to be many trails for hiking and/or mountain biking and we did see people with kayaks.

  There are two bathrooms that were fairly clean, although one was closed Saturday afternoon for a plumbing issue.

  We were surprised at the amount of people camping, because the first night we were there, it got down to 27 degrees.

  If you are not bringing wood with you, the office will deliver to your site if you call between 4 and 5 pm.

  Overall, a decent place, and we will go back, just into a different site.

• 

  Myron C.

  Legend

  

  May. 31, 2021

  Cypress View Campground — Santee State Park

  Cypress View Campground

  This is one of the two campgrounds at Santee State Park, and it is as different from the other as night and day. Unlike the dirt roads at Lakeshore Campground(the other campground in the park) the roads in Cypress View are paved. The sites are gravel, and many of them are pull-through sites. Although tent camping is allowed in Cypress View, I would feel out of place since most of the campers are RVs. However, our teardrop camper fits right in. Cypress View is a much smaller campground than Lakeshore Campground, but the amenities are the same. Every campsite is a short walk from the lake, and the campground is closer to the store than Lakeshore Campground. Unlike Lakeshore Campground, Cypress View Campground’s sites are much closer together, so there is not as much privacy. The campground is quiet, other than the noise from the highway.   That may be one reason to be in an RV or a travel trailer--to cut out some of the noise at night.

  Close to the campground, there is a tennis court, a boat launch, Fisheagle Tours, a picnic shelter, kayak rentals, hiking trails, and more. It is conveniently located to most of the state park’s attractions without having to drive so far. Cypress View Campground is also close to the main office and the boat dock. 

  If you had rather stay in a cabin, there are cabin rentals on the water. They are accessed by way of a boardwalk across the water. The bath house is modern and has hot showers. It is centrally located so that it isn’t that far of a walk from any of the campsites. 

  Overall, I do recommend this campground, especially if you are in a travel trailer or an RV. If you are tent camper, you would probably better enjoy being at the other campground in the park.

• 

  Thomas H.

  Ranger

  

  Mar. 21, 2022

  Weston Lake Recreation Area

  Peaceful

  I was stationed at Jackson from’07-‘09 and the only thing that has really changed is the dam is being worked on so you can only observe the lake, no swimming, boating, anything on the lake until repairs are completed. The receptionist said they’ve been working on it for maybe 4 years. Hopefully it’ll be completed sooner than later. The grounds could be kept up a little better as could the restrooms/bath houses but I imagine they lost some revenue due to the lake being closed for dam repairs.

  There isn’t any concerns getting back here, the biggest rigs will not have any problems. All sites are large concrete pads, FHU. Most sites are spaced very well, some better than others but you won’t be on top of anyone whichever site you’re at. They have a large concrete patio area, nearly the size of the pad itself with a picnic table and fire pit/grill and stand alone grill.

  Verizon cell coverage is adequate. I had 2 bars and LTE, sometimes 5G. Not like being in the city but sufficient. No wifi.

  There are cabins and tent sites as well. This isn’t a large campground but there were still a few open spaces.

  There will be various bugle calls throughout, morning, day and night. You may hear firing range training going on in the distance. You should expect this and it should not be seen as negative, you’re on a military campground.

  Current RV site price a night is $35, if you have a National park pass it’s $32.50. Despite the lake being off limits right now I will still come back. Once it’s opened back up I’m sure it will be more busy, right now it’s very peaceful.

• D

  David D.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 19, 2021

  Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

  Campsite 41 was poorly planned and maintained

  Pros The pond was beautiful, nice walking trail for beginners, would never consider this a hiking park. Location was close to Colombia and all it offers. Bathhouse was acceptable but nothing to brag about. Toilets were three flushers is you cared about the next guy.

  Cons Guessing I may have had the worst site (41) but walking through there were others similar. Site 41 is a pull through lot which declines quickly upon entry and is marred by deep ra9n crevices. You then incline to the area you should probably land as there is an obvious flat spot. Unfortunately in you stop there, your camper door will open on the neighboring fire ring which is the only fire ring on the back side of the neighboring spot in in the fore ground of yours. Asinine. I had to manipulate my camper for an hour to a spot level enough yet not in my neighbor's fire and dealt with a large tree and had to tie back branches to extend my awning. Uggg

  Effing covid. The state of South Carolina, the City of Columbia don't have mask mandates. But this state park requires a mask to pee in the urinal. The boss says the county still mandates it.

• 

  Caleb

  Scout

  

  Sep. 8, 2020

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  A mirage

  It looks nothing like South Carolina as you enter the gates. After half a dozen ups and downs and right turns you find yourself in a clearing and a large parking lot, a lake and a ranger station. Around the clearing are more than a dozen trails for hiking or MTB. It's a "mountain" in the low country.

• 

  Myron C.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 1, 2021

  Chester State Park Campground

  State Park with a Beautiful View of the Lake

  I gave this campground four stars, but only for RVs and travel trailers. I would not give it four stars for tent campers. Tent campers would have a hard time finding a suitable site that would not be too rocky. When I checked in, the lady was nice enough to find a site with grass behind the gravel so I could set up my tent. She didn’t warn me that it was sloped. With that said, it is a campground in a beautiful setting. The lake and the sitting area beside the lake are both beautiful. There is a paved walkway down to the lake to a sitting area and a dock. The bath house was air conditioned, almost too much. It is a shock to the system moving from the intense South Carolina heat into the bath house. However, it was a nice break from the heat. Be aware that when you take a shower, you may have to wait a few minutes for the hot water to start. When I first turned it on, I wondered if there was any hot water. Eventually it came, and it was HOT, so I had to adjust it quickly. Also, take your own hand soap with you. There are paper towels but no soap. There are several trails, and you can rent boats, peddle boats, canoes, and kayaks. There is also a disc golf course. If I had known beforehand, I would have taken my own discs. That’s my fault for not doing the research. My favorite part of this camping experience was waking up early in the morning and sitting by the lake. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to capture a photo of the ducks taking off and flying in a perfect v-formation, but it was so peaceful there. Overall, this is a great campground to get away from civilization.

• 

  SwitchbackKids

  Legend

  

  Jun. 29, 2017

  Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

  Bluff Campground the way to go for quiet, peaceful park oasis

  Having been on the road for about three months before coming to Congaree, we were happy to arrive to such a quiet and tucked-away campground. For $5 per night, Bluff Campground was the perfect spot to hole up for a few days and relax surrounded by the old growth forest of Congaree National Park.

  Our time at Congaree was different from the other national parks we visited, because South Carolina had just undergone major flooding and much of Congaree -- especially its trails -- were under water.

  With no crowds and not much to explore, our three days in the park was very relaxing. We chose Bluff Campground -- a one-mile walk-in campground near the visitor center -- because we knew it would be less popular than Longleaf Campground, and we knew we’d be spending a lot of time there. The one mile hike seemed further than we thought because of our heavy loads, but once we arrived at our camp, set up our tent, chairs, hammocks, and slack line, we were able to just make the easy walk in and out each day.

  The campground itself has no facilities; its only amenities are the fire ring and picnic table at each site. We encountered only one other camper in our two nights here. We did encounter many mosquitoes, though, so don’t forget bug spray!

  At Congaree, there are several hiking trails and kayaking trails that we would have liked to do, but with our plans foiled by rain, we spent time at the visitor center, around the short boardwalk trail adjacent to the visitor center, and kayaking through the flooded plains, straight off the boardwalk.

  You can read much more about our three days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Congaree)

• 

  Matt G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2016

  Poinsett State Park Campground

  Quiet...minus the bugs

  First, in the parks defense, it was probably not the best idea to stay here during the summer time. July? Hottest month of the year? South Carolina? The bugs were massive. I probably could have been carried away by some of the horseflies I saw. However, I will not give a place just two stars for something out of the parks control. The mountain bike paths are really cool, and if you have a mountain bike, I suggest you bring it because there really is not much else this park has to offer. You can swim in a 10' by 30' area of a pond that is questionable. You can fish in that same pond. That's about it. The "overlook" is okay, but really you are staring at a sliver of flat land. I will also say that it is very clean and there are probably always camping spots available.

• 

  Matt G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2016

  Cypress View Campground — Santee State Park

  Good Little State Park

  There are quite a variety of things to do at this state park, and the camp sites are spacious. There is a little store where you can buy any of the little things you may have forgotten. There were not too many people camping during our visit, but it could be that not many people want to stand the South Carolina heat! Either way, it made the visit quiet. There are also plenty of geocaches around, if you're into that. There are 2 places to shower in the campground, so I imagine that once it fills up, you may have to wait to shower. It was pretty clean and the water was clear, so I guess you could just go for a swim! I wish we had brought our tubes and some rope to float out on the water!

• 

  Phil L.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 31, 2016

  Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

  Beautiful, majestic forest

  While there are two campsites here, a quick backwoods camping trip (which is free with a permit you get from the visitors center) is the way to go and experience this wilderness right outside of Columbia

• J

  J Terrell M.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 5, 2019

  Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

  National Park. Beautiful, pristine trails in a lowland, River-swamp habitat

  Pristine, but organized trails near the Consgree river and Swamp. Lots of wildlife and ancient trees on the trails. Small campsite to include group camping. 40 miles from downtown Columbia SC. A rare treat to go back in time like this.

• 

  Tara M.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 17, 2018

  Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

  Great Park

  I camp at Sesqui very often. I live in downtown Columbia, so its only a short drive away. Love the bike and hiking trails. Very nice area to kayak in, I love all the Lilly pads. Camp sites are decent size and always well maintained.

• T

  Troy P.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 23, 2021

  Weston Lake Recreation Area

  Beautiful, but pricey…

  Weston Lakes is located at Fort Jackson, on the South Side of the Base.

  It has a large recreation area with about 20 or 30 RV spots. I was in a spot that had the Hookups at opposite end of concrete pad and opposite side. I ended up buying an additional 20 ft. of dumping tubing ($60).

  The area is very nice and somewhat quiet. But with all the other amenities there like boating, fishing, field sports, etc. they charge $35 a night. This is over 1K for a month with a three month maximum. You need to be either active or retired Military, which I was not. My Father was the Commander at Fort Jackson for 8+ years and he sponsored me so I could stay.

  Once back in Columbia, SC after Thanksgiving I am moving to a park that is only $390 a month as I will be in Columbia for a while.

  If money is no object then this would be a 4 star + rating. But not for me.