Cabin camping near Goose Creek, South Carolina offers year-round access with temperatures ranging from 40-90°F depending on season. Located in Berkeley County about 20 miles from Charleston, the area features coastal plain topography with elevations under 50 feet. Military personnel have priority access at several facilities, with cabins typically requiring reservations 3-6 months in advance during peak summer season.
What to do
**Outdoor adventures: Explore James Island County Park's extensive recreation facilities. "The Outdoor Zone featuring a 50 foot climbing wall, obstacle challenge course, 1K sq ft bouldering wall and slackline that will have you and your brood enjoying these backwoods in no time. West of this Outdoor Zone is an 18-hole disc golf course," explains a visitor to James Island County Park.
**Water activities: Rent kayaks or paddleboards at Short Stay Navy Recreation Area. "The camp store has boat kayak rental and propane tank refill. The sites on the lake have full hook-up and there is a dump station for those that do not," notes a camper at Short Stay Navy Outdoor Moncks Corner.
**Historical exploration: Take the free plantation wagon ride at Mount Pleasant KOA. "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," shares a visitor at Mount Pleasant-Charleston KOA.
What campers like
**Privacy and space: Oak Plantation offers secluded sites. "Large park with paved and grass sites. I stayed in a paved full hookup site P2 and, even though there were a fair amount of guests, they spread everyone out so I had no immediate neighbors," reports a camper from Oak Plantation Campground.
**Swimming options: James Island County Park features water recreation. "Splash Zone Waterpark complete with (2) 200 foot waterslides, 500 foot long lazy river, leisure pool & rainforest play structure, kid's playground as well as a boat house with kayak, pedal boat and canoe rentals," describes a visitor.
**Lakefront views: Short Stay Navy Recreation Area provides waterfront camping. "We love camping at Short Stay. The only downfall is the geese. They leave a mess everywhere. But otherwise the people are friendly, the rates are great, and it's nice to be right on the lake," shares a military camper.
What you should know
**Military restrictions: Several cabin facilities require service verification. "This is a military campground!" points out a reviewer about Foster Creek RV Park, while another notes about Short Stay, "Heads up you must be military to stay here."
**Variable maintenance levels: Facility upkeep varies significantly between locations. "Several sites are out of commission and the grounds are in bad need of maintenance. No bathrooms, showers, laundry, wifi, cable, and Verizon is sketchy," reports a camper at Foster Creek RV Park and Villas.
**Reservation planning: Peak season requires advance planning. "This campground is near Charleston, SC and the Beach at Isle of Palms," explains a visitor to Mount Pleasant KOA, highlighting its popular location that necessitates early booking.
Tips for camping with families
**Dog-friendly options: Several parks accommodate pets with specific areas. "They have waste bags scattered throughout the park and a huge dog park. (But it's quite far from the campers)," notes a visitor to Mount Pleasant-Charleston KOA.
**Kid activities: Look for parks with dedicated play areas. "There are multiple playgrounds and many kid friendly activities to do including corn horn and other games," shares a camper from Mount Pleasant KOA.
**Educational experiences: Try Givhans Ferry State Park for nature learning. "Small campground not far from Charleston and very close to Bee City Zoo. This campground has several shelters one with a fireplace at both ends. The tent camping area is awesome and has a great layout with lockable chuck boxes on each site along with power and water," explains a visitor.
Tips from RVers
**Site selection: Choose perimeter sites at James Island for maximum space. "IMHO the best slots in this RV exclusive campground are those on the perimeter with the best sites being the ones without anything behind them, specifically on the NW periphery with sites #46 - 55," advises an experienced RVer.
**Traffic considerations: Oak Plantation requires careful entry/exit planning. "The road in front of campground is extremely busy (Hwy 17) and I wouldn't attempt ever turning left to get out. Just take a right and another right behind campground to get you out. It may take longer but worth your sanity," suggests a camper.
**Seasonal pest control: Prepare for ants at some locations. "We got a tip from a neighboring RVer to spray for small ants anywhere that the RV touches the ground so the ants won't crawl up and get in our RV as it did theirs. We promptly went to buy ant spray and never had a problem," shares a visitor at Colleton State Park Campground.
