Best Glamping near Santee, SC

We enjoyed our long stay at Santee. Spotted a gator on sinkhole trail. Took the fisheagle boat tour. Photos and details on the link.

https://imaginecamper.com/2019/04/13/santee-state-park-sc/

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.

We usually go to Santee lakeshore campground - it’s very shady and next to the lake with lake access for swimming and kayaking - a few trails around the campground too (sinkhole) - beautiful sunsets - facilities are fine (normal state park standard) - we love it here (family with 2 kids)

This State Park has a lot to offer from plenty of campsites with all of the traditional amenities(water, electric hookups), decent (OK, not great) restroom facilities and excellent grounds running adjacent to Lake Marion that offers sweeping views of this incredibly beautiful, massive lake. 

There's EZ access to the lake with a great boat launching area. The only downside is the foliage isn't terribly dense at the campground, so you'll basically be seeing all of your neighbors (and I mean all of them - from the far side to the near front) for as far as the eye can see, so if the lack of privacy and seclusion doesn't bother you, then you should be alright. 

Insider's Tip?  If I was to book a campsite here at Santee SP, it would be this one -#100 (nice and private, further away from the other campsites) with direct lake access, plus, it's got some really great trees and shrubs all the way around it.

Lots to explore, see and do here at Santee State Park. Happy Camping!

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!

We stayed at Santee Lake in a 37' travel trailer. Sites were tight for a rig that big but we made it work. Our site was level, others were definitely not. Nice dock for fishing. Great playground along the shore. If it wasn't near freezing, there was a nice spot for swimming. Ordered pizza and had it delivered to the campsite! Nice touch!

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.

I hardly ever give five stars to a campground. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a 9 because of the background road noise from the highway, but my wife and I had such a great experience. It was everything we wanted… and needed. 

Lakeshore Campground is one of TWO campgrounds at Santee State Park, and they are very different from each other. Lakeshore has dirt paths and sandy sites. I realize some people had rather have paved roads and RV sites with hard surfaces, but I prefer a more natural site. The spaces are large and fairly level. Although there may be some roots onsite, they were not really a problem. I don’t remember there being lantern hangers, but there were picnic tables and fire pits. We stayed in Santee for four days, so we were able to relax without feeling as if we were rushing, which reflects the whole essence of Lakeshore Campground. We booked for two nights, but we loved it so much we booked two more nights. Unfortunately, we had to move to another site in order to stay longer. 

Our first site was a little closer to the bath house, and we stayed in a teardrop camper. Knowing what I know now, I would do a little more research to see if I could get closer to the lake next time, although most of the sites between us and the lake are reserved for tents only. Still, the lake was visible from our campsite. 

The main reason people visit here is the lake, whether they want to fish for huge catfish or just want to boat on the water. Within the park, there are several “fishing holes” to explore and several trails as well. When hiking the trails, however, you have to constantly be on the lookout for alligators. We came across one on one of our hikes, and it was huge. I guess it was probably at least ten feet long if not longer. We also came across turtles, ducks, and other animals. Although I didn’t have any luck while fishing, it didn’t matter. I just enjoyed wetting a hook. 

The bath house has tiled floors, and it had hot showers. For a state park, it had above average facilities. Would I recommend this campground? Absolutely!!!!

My wife and I spent one night here out of necessity but would definitely return to actually visit and relax. It’s right on the Santee lake and even though we didn’t have a lakefront site we could still easily see it from ours. We didn’t get to just walk around and check things out but the staff were very friendly. I did use their restroom and it was clean. We did like how there were many birds active and chirping, there were some squirrels, we love all the critters.

It’s right off I-95, getting to it is simple. It can be a little tight in some spots but anything should be able to get through where your rig will fit. Our site did require a good bit of leveling. Plenty of water pressure, will definitely want a pressure regulator.

They serve Hunt Brothers pizza from the office. You can call and place an order, they’ll charge it to your card on file if you’d like, they’ll even deliver it to your site. And the pizza was phenomenal!!

Overall we were pleased and would be happy to visit again.

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.

BE CAREFUL EROSION IS SEVERE IN SECTIONS OF THE PARK. We stayed here for a week to take care of some medical issues. VA healthcare is difficult on the road. Anyway the campground is ok, nothing amazing. The location is nice. They have a boat dock. Cabins and 2 RV camping areas. The bugs are plentiful. The shoreline is difficult to reach from the campground. I see the lots are mowed after the campers leave. The grass gets mowed and anything left on the ground gets chopped up, small trash included. When we arrived with our RV we were neve directed to check in. We found our site and on the pole was a small tag with our name and a checkout date. We have been here 5 of the 7 days and we have yet to see the camp host unless he IS the "Mad Mower" even so we didnt get as much as a wave. My wife did venture over to the restroom / showers and refuses to return. She said they were not clean and had bugs everywhere and it was disgusting.  I figured she was exaggerating so I checked the men's room. It really needs some help. I would be happy to spray down a bath house or 2 but since I haven't seen a camp host I will leave it be. It's amazing how much fellow campers will help out if they have the opportunity,  I was ready to help and even have everything needed to help out. Maybe I will see him this weekend before I get busy with other things. Anyways this came was not a bad experience so far but I think they really need some better hosts and maybe set up some kind of activities. They have nothing going on here other than the lake. UPDATE: Before we left our week stay in santee we were able to visit the other campground connect to the same park to get to this side you must turn right. They were collecting a $2 fee. At 1st everything seemed ok. Minor road damage, downed trees here and there, nothing that 2ould keepme away. It seemed like the permanent camps were here. Some of the camps appear to have been set up for a very long time. As we went back the roads got worse and worse. I would not take my rig into the back 2 loops without locking in 4 wheel drive and riding on the "grass" to go around. The road in the back has some major road erosion going on. I suggest you walk back before taking a rig of any size back there. With the leaves on the ground it does not look bad. I saw drops of at least 12" BE VERY CAREFUL, THE ROAD EROSION IS SEVERE.

Peaceful, quiet place remarkably close to I-95. The central feature is the large lake that the campground is on, but also nice is the pretty forest of tall oaks and pine trees that makes up the rest of the park. The park feels remote, despite being nestled among foresty neighborhoods. The surrounding businesses cater to lake-goers. You can buy fishing supplies and get food and things nearby. Note: I don't think alcohol is allowed at the campground.

This was the maiden voyage of my parents 22ft airstream! They originally booked a site far away from the water in the back of Lakeshore Campground but were able to move thanks to a helpful person at the park! My husband, kids and I came along and brought our tent. It was a super spacious site with more than enough room for us to spread out and park our cars away from the site. This factor really helped with those 4 stars because its not often that you can get a lakefront view with lots of room to spread out. 

The good: Spacious, well wooded and there was a fantastic breeze all weekend with helped with the heat and bugs! The lake access had a beach area that the kids (3 and 1) loved to play at and there was no rocks around that area or dangerous drop offs. The bathrooms were well kept, and cleaned every morning while we were there. Our neighbors were super friendly and helpful with all the camper questions we had! 

Lakeshore is also right next to a public (within the park)  boat ramp so if you have a boat, its super convenient to bring along and put in. The electricity and water hookups worked well and the dumping station was actually pretty clean (for a dumping station). 

We had super easy access to the lake for putting in the SUP and paddling around! The view of sunset on the lake is absolutely breathtaking! 

The bad: Our first night, a group of campers were very loud and rowdy until 12am. Then after the rowdiness calmed, their TVS were set on like the loudest kid show until 3am!! These were not campers that were close to us either so it had to be pretty darn loud for those that were next to this group. They also do not lock up the campground at night so we had late night fishing visitors that walked by our campsite at 2am waking us up because they were loudly dragging their cooler down the dirt road. They were apparently not staying at the campground either which was a little annoying that anyone can just come in when they please.  Needless to say, if you're looking for a quiet place to enjoy the lake this might not be it. 

The trash was another big negative. Our campsite was littered with cigarette butts  and having young kids it was a little frustrating since they pick up everything! My 3yo wanted to pick up the trash on the little beach area one afternoon so we did, then the next morning it was littered with fresh beer cans again. I wouldn't even let them walk near the beach next to the boat ramp (public access) because it was covered in trash and fish carcasses. It is unfortunate that people treat such a beautiful landmark with such disregard to throw trash everywhere and ruin it for others. If BOTH the campers/visitors and park staff would put forth a greater effort to combat the litter issue it could be a 5 star park!!

Nice clean campground. Every employee was friendly and helpful.

Booking online was great. No checking in just go to site and all tags are waiting for you at site. No problems. They have 4 separate bathrooms that are clean and well kept. You can only reserve a site for 14 days at a time. If you would like to stay longer you need to change sites.

We were at campground in the off season and had no problems getting another site.

Such a beautiful location but price doesn’t match the upkeep. If you pay resort style prices (in which you do) you shouldn’t have to work on shower heads in the bath house… Shouldn’t be grime and rust built up in the stalls and shower. Should spend money on repairs for sure. Everything is outdated. However, it is a nice location.. Campground was a lot of fun and a lot to do. If they could just clean it up and do some maintenance I wouldnt mind the 90 dollars a night

This park is really nice and clean! You can tell that it is well taken care of. The sites are large and far enough a part; but be mindful of the site you pick! Our sites were right next to the highway, I will say though we did tune the noise out the longer we stayed (and drank). Palmetto shores has a nice outdoor activity area, a nice lake beach and a really nice pool and lazy River. We will be back, just next time we will pick different sites!

We stopped here for a night on our way back to Florida. We were on C5 which was a very large pull through and relatively level. We did not even have to bring out our leveling blocks, the auto leveler was able to handle it well. Power was stable and water pressure was good. Only things we did not like is that every site was just dirt and there was not much shade at our site.