If you want to explore the beauty of Isle of Palms, glamping is an excellent option. The Dyrt lets you enjoy a unique, rustic Isle of Palms experience while glamping. The Dyrt makes it easy to find glamping near Isle of Palms.
Enjoy the natural beauty of James Island County Park, with year-round fun for the entire family. Just a short drive from downtown Charleston, the 643-acre park offers an abundance of exceptional recreation offerings and natural beauty.
With the Campground and Cottages at James Island County Park, it has never been more convenient to explore historic Charleston and the Lowcountry. Come discover our history, charm, fine dining, antiques, plantations, parks, and sandy beaches. Just minutes from all of these attractions is your private retreat within the 643-acre James Island County Park.
$35 - $70 / night
For overnight accommodations, furnished cabins sit nestled in the woods for rent, as well as campsites which can be found along the Edisto Island oceanfront or in the shaded maritime forest. Wifi is also available in select areas, as well as bathrooms, showers, and electrical hookups in most campsites. In fact, 120 sites can accommodate RVs or tents, with 115 sites offering 50 amp electrical service.
Buck Hall Recreation Area offers a premier location to enjoy the outdoors. It is situated along the Intracoastal Waterway and provides great access to Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, 65,000 acres of marsh, tidal creeks and beaches; and Bulls Bay, the coast's best shrimp baiting area.
The area is primarily used for shrimp baiting and fishing. Anglers can expect a huge variety of fish, including bass, flounder, sea trout, snapper, mackerel, swordfish, crab, shrimp, clams, oysters and more. The campground provides access to boating and ocean sailing. Fishing boats and often very large pleasure boats can be seen as they travel the popular Intracoastal Waterway. A long portion of the Palmetto Trail, which leads from the marshes of the ocean to the mountains of South Carolina, is accessible from the recreation area. Most of the trail is unpaved and can be used for hiking, biking or horseback riding, although a few sections are restricted to foot traffic only.
The popular campground sits at sea level, alongside the Intracoastal Waterway. It is part of the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina. The campground itself is grassy and open, with very few trees and limited shade.
Charleston, South Carolina is about 30 miles southwest of the campground.
Reservation Fees In addition to camping fees a non-refundable reservation fee of $8.00 for telephone bookings and $6.00 for website bookings applies. Cancellation Fees Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee in addition to the non-refundable reservation fee. Late Cancellations A cancellation the day before or on the day of arrival incurs a $10.00 cancellation fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation will apply. Non-refundable reservation fees still apply.
$20 - $45 / night
Scout
This campground is near Charleston,SC and the Beach at Isle of Palms.
ScoutCamped at site 32 in mid-November and site and grounds were both beautiful and very well kept. Staff was extremely friendly and attentive. There was a nice walking/biking path around the campground and downtown Charleston and Isle of Palms beaches were both close by. We are already planning a return trip.
Ranger
Nice RV Site if you are visiting Charleston, South Carolina. The site is very hot due to no trees. Currently the restrooms and showers are down, so you need to have a self contained unit. However, very quiet. No pull thru sites. Must back in.
Traveler
There are two sections to Edisto Beach State Park. The Ocean side campground is the best with the ocean breezes, but the marsh side campground is an easy bicycle ride from the beach.
It's South Carolina in the summer, so there are mosquitoes. And the raccoons are pretty fierce so you want to make sure your food is stored securely, so you don't wake up to critters eating your potato chips.
The restrooms and showers are clean.
Edisto Island is one of the least developed islands in South Carolina. There is a Piggly Wiggly grocery store to pick up all the things you may have forgotten. There is an ice cream shop and several restaurants, but it is pretty quiet. My favorite thing about staying at Edisto Beach State Park is bicycling to the beach, bicycling along the paths in the state park that lead to a shell mound, built by Native Americans around 2,000 B.C., and bicycling for beers at one of the little bars overlooking the ocean. Another plus is the park's proximity to Botany Bay.
Legend
Reservations during the main season are key if you have any hope of getting a campsite in this awesome Francis Marion National Forest campground which sits just along the gorgeous intercoastal waterway, about 40 minutes northeast of Charleston, SC! We pulled in without reservations and nearly every site was booked out. The campground host was super helpful, though, finding us an empty spot (due to a cancellation) for a couple nights, then moved us to a non-reservable site for the remainder of our time.
The majority of the sites are designed for very large RVs, with a few very nice waterfront sites designated for tents. Each site is spacious, complete with a picnic table, firepit, 2 lantern poles, and electrical hookups, with a dump station at the back of the campground. The bathrooms are equipped with flush toilets, sinks, and a shower and kept relatively clean.
The campground itself is dripping with live oaks and speckled with Palmetto trees, so lots of shade is available, especially in the tent areas. The boat launch is walking distance from the campground and has a nice picnic area adjacent to it. We watched a pods of pelicans and dolphins come through the area, as well as many other sea birds.
We kayaked along the intercoastal waterway and out into marshy sea grass areas and had one of the most amazing wildlife encounters to date (and we’ve been all over the country). We saw a pod of dolphins in the distance, which appeared to be feeding. We stopped about 150 away and just enjoyed watching them dance and dive in the morning light. Then, two of the dolphins peeled away from the pack and headed straight toward us. As they approached our kayaks, the larger one gave an extra tail fin flap and dove under our boats, coming up just a bit on the other side. As naturalists, our hearts were pounding with excitement! We also hiked and mountain-biked along the gorgeous Palmetto Trail (which is a mountains-to-sea trail across South Carolina, and this campground serves as its coastal terminus).
Also, don’t miss the famous Sewee Restaurant for some downeast coastal Carolina fare, as well as the Center for Birds of Prey just across the highway from this restaurant. This wildlife conservation and rehabilitation center is doing some amazing things for birds and in the region and doing a great job of public education. If you head up the coast, be sure to stop in Boats & Hoagies in McClellanville for a bite to eat. Cute place, great food, awesome service!
The $20 per night fee is a great price for the amenities this campground offers, especially with full hook-ups and showers, and a boat launch. Check out our blog on The Dyrt's Online Magazine about our experience on the coast of South Carolina.
Traveler
When making reservations at James Island County Park we had modest expectations, but we were going to tour Charleston most of the time, so we decided anything close to the city would be good enough. The campground turned out to be very nice. We wished we had stayed there longer to enjoy not only Charleston, but the nature beauty of the park itself. The campground is located in a huge park with lots of amenities. The sites are spacious, covered with trees, full hookups with 50 amp service. There are a lot of shaded picturesque walking and bike trails in the park. The dog park was amazingly big, with a little doggy beach for water lovers. There is a big kids playground with a fun looking spray play fountain. It is located just 15 min drive from the campground to downtown Charleston. It is a great campground to stay when visiting Charleston. We have a video on our YouTube Channel- Summertime RV Rovers- about this park- Great Campgrounds in Coastal South Carolina: Charleston and Hilton Head Island. Please check for yourself. We camped at James Island County Park in a Motorhome.
GuideWe stayed in a 2 bedroom cabin for this trip. It was a great campground. It had a pool, camp activities, hiking/nature trail. It was extremely clean and the staff was friendly. It has a lake for fishing and water activities, a dog park. It is very close to things around Charleston. We will absolutely go back.
RangerThis is a fantastic campground. The staff is friendly and helpful. The grounds are very well maintained. There are activities offered including a wagon ride through a plantation. There is a pool. They offer bike rental, along with kayak/paddle boat rentals. There’s a great dog park our pups loved. We paid a little extra for a deluxe site with full hookups and a lake view. The deluxe site also had a concrete pad, brick fire pit, and a swing. It was a shady spot with big oak trees. There is a nice camp store. The location of this campground is perfect near stores, restaurants, and not far from the beach.
ScoutVantastic
TravelerWe had a great site and was surprised how much room for a KOA. Loved being able to explore the city with the help and guidance of the staff. Our fave was the wagon ride to the plantation next door.
GuideGreat trip! Only a few miles from historic Charleston. Excellent care to the grounds and friendly staff plus a cool hayride and history lesson. Very happy to have stayed here. Not giving 5 stars ONLY because it was a little pricey.
LegendWe don’t typically stay at KOA’s but this one was convenient and had power so we could run the AC. Summer humidity is a killer! This park was well kept. A great 1.5 mile long nature trail. We didn’t see the resident alligator but glad to know there is one. Great smooth road for skateboarding.
Pool was open but limited to 6 people. No boat rentals, but bikes were still available. They are checking what state you’re from. If you’re from a state that is still on stay at home orders, they won’t be able to give you a reservation.
Would have given it 5 stars, but it’s hard to pay $75/night for camping...
LegendMy boys and get together at least once each summer for a guys camping outing. Our last outing was themed- “ Poopin with Sasquatch”. As always we had a great time and our group is growing with grandchildren.
GuideA lot to do for kids. Close to mount p shopping. There’s an on site dog park that dogs can swing in the lake as well. There’s also frisbee golf on site.
LegendLocated only 15 minutes from downtown Charleston and 10 minutes from Shem creek this campground is gorgeous and spacious. They offer kayak and bike rentals. There’s a beautiful lake that allows catch and release fishing. Some tent sites and cabin sites are right along the water and offer nice views. There’s a one mile loop trail through the woods and along the lake. There are waste bags scattered throughout the park and a huge dog park. (But it’s quite far from the campers) There are multiple playgrounds and many kid friendly activities to do including corn horn and other games. The price is more expensive than we’d like to pay, especially for a site with only water and electric. No dump station. The bathrooms are clean and accessible to wheelchair bound guests. The store has everything you may have forgotten! Overall our stay was great!
RangerDefinitely been to better KOAs. Weather was yuck for most of trip. Site stated rec room offered many things (ping pong) that it did not have. They were very strict about group size and didn’t allow visitors. This was not relayed until we got confirmation call when we were about to pull in. Has a trail to hike. Was decent but mostly swampy area. Lake had a nice view. Many people fishing. Showers and bathrooms need serious updating. One shower didn’t lock and was walked in on. Very disturbing.
Lots are rock and sand. Made for very messy when rain started. They also needed to mow everyday around 9am. Was frustrating if trying to sleep in and then also trying to cook outdoors. They had a tractor ride that only operated on weekends which was disappointing as well for the kids. We of course adventured into Charleston which was beautiful. Don’t think we would pick this spot to stay again if we return. Kinda boring
RangerWe stayed in the camping cabins and loved them! The bathroom was super clean, the sites were very nice and the waterway and amenities were really awesome! Lots of places close by to eat at but this feels so tucked away all at the same time.
GuideGood location and quiet even though it sits right near Hwy 17 in a busy section of the city. Huge catch-and-release lake for fishing. The staff goes out of their way to accommodate your needs. Weak WiFi signal, but they will loan you a modem at no extra charge to connect to the Ethernet at the power post which is connected to a site-wide fiber optic network. It sits on a historic plantation that is only accessible by KOA guests with hay rides Monday through Thursday. Full hook-up with propane refill and dump station. Very near Wal-mart and Lowe's for shopping, among other stores. I recommend this KOA.
ScoutMout Pleasant KOA is a fantastic campground. Staff is friendly and the grounds are very well maintained.
TravelerThis is a wonderful KOA off of Hwy 17. North. It is also on a pond in which you can do all of your water activities, just no motor boats. It’s to small for that. They even have a small pool and playground for the kiddos. It’s a great location if you are looking to be very close to the city, it’s pretty much in the middle of everything. Less than a 1/2 mile from restaurants, shopping, etc…. And only a few miles from the beach! Very convenient and super nice!
TravelerThis was our first trip taking our 43ft 5th wheel out pulled with our F350. Pull through was very much desired since sharp turns can be difficult. The grounds are beautiful and there is so much to do in and around the area. The people onsite were super helpful from navigation to help and direction on setup. We stayed at site 20 for the first two nights and for the 3rd night we moved to site B1 directly on their little lake. It was perfect and absolutely beautiful. We are already planning our next trip! If you are concerned about pulling a huge rig this place is very user friendly. We had dinner at Pier 41 (my favorite, suggest the ceviche salad) we had brunch at Crave (suggest the eggs Benedict) there are many restaurants and a Target and Walmart within a mile or two of the park. They have a great playground and a huge pool. The roads are paved.
LegendThis is a nice KOA with several amenities. Very friendly staff and helpful. We would stay again. They even have a dog park that has access to the lake, so your water dogs can take a swim without the worry of alligators!!!
TravelerNice location. Convenient to outside amenities. Friendly staff. Grounds were nice and well kept. Restrooms need attention. Poor ventilation in showers and not clean. If I were self contained, I would have given this campground a higher rating. Be aware of your surroundings while walking through the wooded areas.
RangerWe stayed here for a week in the summer and loved it. Our site was very close to the lake and we had a great view. We were also right beside the pool and playground area so it was convenient to walk over. The bathhouse area was clean. The park offered fishing, kayak/canoe/paddle boat and paddle board rentals. They also had a free wagon ride to a nearby plantation a couple of times a week. We actually missed it but would really like to take the time to do it if we ever get back. The lake had a little dock and we my husband and son fished off of it. There were alligators in the lake and they actually caught one.
GuidePrior to arriving I was informed that I I was in a deluxe site which was in a quiet area facing the pond. Although there appeared to be many sites opened at the time of our arrival we were escorted to a site situated between a row of cabins , sandwiched between other campers. Although it was not water front as I was informed the site was functional-
GuideAlthough there are a variety of sites available we are positioned smack in the middle of families with small and unsupervised children. When we were contacted to confirm our checkin I was told we were in -B8- a “deluxe” water view site that was not on a peninsula at the front of the KOA- We are a busy retired couple with a pup and honestly enjoy people and families- as well as privacy- the gentleman confirming our arrival convey a different setting- on a positive- the hiking trail here is nice and well maintained-
TravelerThe location is very convenient to most areas in town. We enjoyed the Fun Park next door. Our campsite was extremely close to the neighbor so a fire was out of the question. Bathrooms were kinda dirty every time we went in there
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Isle of Palms, SC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Isle of Palms, SC is Campground at James Island County Park with a 4.6-star rating from 57 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Isle of Palms, SC?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 glamping camping locations near Isle of Palms, SC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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