02 Mar
Travel Tips

Camping Sites in South Carolina: From the Mountains to the Coast

Are you looking for the best camping sites in South Carolina? In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best camping spots in the state.

From the mountains to the beaches, South Carolina has something for everyone. So pack your camping gear and get ready for an adventure!

See also: Best Camping Places in the USA

The best camping sites in South Carolina

Here’s where to find the best South Carolina campgrounds – from beachfront campsites to mountain escapes. And, for those who aren’t keen on camping, you’ll find a few parks with cabins available to rent.

1. Myrtle Beach State Park

Myrtle Beach State Park is located on the oceanfront in a beautiful maritime forest.

This park offers many different activities for visitors to enjoy, including fishing from the pier, hiking and biking on nature trails, playing games like Cornhole and Bocce Ball, and simply relaxing on the beach.

There are also several picnic areas with pavilions, complimentary wifi, and lifeguards on duty from Spring through fall.

Quick Facts:

  • All RV sites and cabins have electricity and water. Most camping sites have water available.
  • Pets are not allowed in cabins but have access to other outdoor areas and limited access to the beach.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling 1-866-345-PARK or CLICK HERE.
Myrtle beach camping sites
Myrtle beach camping sites

2. Edisto Beach State Park

Edisto Beach State Park is a beautiful park located on the coast of South Carolina. This park offers visitors a chance to enjoy nature and all that it has to offer, including fishing, hiking, birding, and kayaking.

There are also several cabins available for rent if you don’t feel like camping. These cabins come equipped with kitchens, bathrooms, and decks overlooking the ocean.

Quick Facts:

  • All campsites have electricity and water.
  • Pets are not allowed in the cabins or cabin areas but are allowed in most other outdoor areas.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling 1-866-345-PARK or CLICK HERE.
Edisto Beach State Park
Edisto Beach State Park camping in South Carolina

3. Lake Wateree State Park

Located in Winnsboro, South Carolina, Lake Wateree State Park is a great place to go camping, swimming, boating, and fishing. The lake is large, clean, and perfect for water activities.

The park has many campsites available for tents or RVs and even some cabins that can be rented out. There’s also a cute little store where you can purchase basic grocery items, snacks, firewood, and fishing supplies.

This lake is home to many fishing tournaments throughout the year.

Quick Facts:

  • All campsites have water and electricity.
  • There is a primitive camping area where groups of up to 50 can camp.
  • Pets are allowed in most areas of the park but must be on a leash at all times.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling 1-866-345-PARK or CLICK HERE.

Related read: Best Mountain Biking Destinations in North America

4. Devils Fork State Park

Devils Fork State Park is located right on Lake Jocassee, in the beautiful mountains of South Carolina. This lake offers fishing, boating, and swimming activities as well as many hiking trails that take you through some stunning scenery.

The lake is unique for the number of gorgeous waterfalls that feed into it, some of them only accessible by boat.

The lake is also great for trout fishing and is so clear it’s a popular spot for scuba divers.

Quick Facts:

  • Some of the Devils Fork campsites have water and electrical hookups, while others are rustic, walk-in campsites.
  • There are also several fully furnished villas which include linens, and all the kitchen appliances if you don’t feel like camping.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling 1-866-345-PARK  or CLICK HERE.
Devils Fork State Park
Devils Fork State Park

5. Keowee-Toxaway State Park

Keowee-Toxaway State Park is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina. It has gorgeous hiking trails over rock outcroppings that give you amazing views of the lake.

You can fish, boat, swim, bird watch, and go geocaching at this lake.

Quick Facts:

  • All RV sites and cabins have electricity and water. Most camping sites have water available.
  • Pets are not allowed in cabins but have access to other outdoor areas and limited access to the beach.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling 1-866-345-PARK or CLICK HERE.

6. Little Pee Dee State Park

This park is located in the midlands of South Carolina and is named after the blackwater Little Pee Dee River.

You can fish the 54-acre lake where you’ll find bream, bass, and catfish. Or you can explore the black waters of the Little Pee Dee River swamp.

This park has a mysterious geological depression called Carolina Bay where visitors can see a sand rim that was once part of an ancient coastline.

Quick Facts:

  • All Little Pee Dee State Park campsites have electricity and water available.
  • Pets are not allowed in cabins but have access to other outdoor areas and limited access to the beach.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling 1-866-345-PARK or CLICK HERE.
Camping sites in South Carolina at Little Pee Dee State Park
Camping sites in South Carolina at Little Pee Dee State Park

7. Ocean Lakes Family Campground

Ocean Lakes Family Campground in South Carolina is the largest campground on the East Coast. It’s a wonderful place for families with children of all ages.

The park offers swimming pools, lazy rivers, a water slide, miniature golf, basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoes, playgrounds, and much more. There are also bathhouses and laundry facilities.

If you don’t feel like cooking, there’s a restaurant and grill on-site as well as an ice cream parlor.

Quick Facts:

  • Book a campsite, beach house, or trailer. They have 859 campsites and around 300 individually owned homes and trailers.
  • This campground has bicycle rentals with beautiful paths to enjoy the eight freshwater lakes on the property.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling  1-877-510-1413 or CLICK HERE.

8. Colleton State Park

This park is located in the Low Country of South Carolina, just north of Walterboro and offers canoeing on a blackwater river.

You can rent a canoe or kayak to float down the Edisto River and see alligators, turtles, and birds along with amazing scenery.

There are also trails for hiking and biking. This is a great spot to go birding along the river or Cypress Swamp Trail.

Quick Facts:

  • All campsites have electricity and water.
  • Pets are allowed in most areas of the park but must be on a leash.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling  (866) 345-PARK or CLICK HERE.

9. Dreher Island State Park

This state park covers three islands on Lake Murray. It consists of 348 acres of land and 12 miles of shoreline surrounded by pristine water.

The lake is famous for striped bass fishing but also has largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bream. The park’s hiking trails are perfect for bird watching and wildlife viewing.

This park also offers scuba diving but does not have rental equipment.

You can rent a waterfront cabin, campground or go primitive camping on the islands.

Quick Facts:

All campsites have water and electricity available and some sites accommodate RVs.

Pets are not allowed in the villas but are allowed in most other outdoor areas if kept on a leash.

Reserve your camping spot by calling (866) 345-PARK or CLICK HERE.

Dreher Island State Park campgrounds in South Carolina
Dreher Island State Park

10. Table Rock State Park

This camp site in South Caroline is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and covers around 12,000 acres. It’s named for Table Rock Mountain, which is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the state.

The park offers a wide variety of outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.

You can also explore the area on horseback or by boat. There are three picnic areas, two playgrounds, and a nature center.

Quick Facts:

  • Standard camping sites have water and electricity available. Primitive tent sites have no access to flush toilets or power.
  • Pets are not allowed in cabins, or on the swim beach but have access to other outdoor areas.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling (866) 345-PARK or CLICK HERE.
Table Rock State Park campsite in South Carolina
Table Rock State Park

11. Calhoun Falls State Park

This park is located on the shores of Lake Russell in Abbeville County, South Carolina. It offers camping, fishing, swimming, boating, and hiking.

The camping sites here are known for how spacious they are and the great views they have of the lake. All but one camping site is waterfront.

The park has a scenic 10-mile horse trail and a 1.75-mile loop hiking trail.

You can fish from the handicap-accessible pier for bass, crappie, bream, walleye, stripers, and catfish.

Quick Facts:

  • All campsites have water and electricity available. Some sites accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long.
  • Pets are allowed in most areas if kept on a leash.
  • Reserve your camping spot by calling (866) 345-PARK or CLICK HERE.

12. Hunting Island State Park

Hunting Island is South Carolina’s most popular state park. It’s located on a barrier island near Beaufort, South Carolina. This diverse park includes access to a marsh, saltwater lagoon, ocean inlet, and maritime forest.

It offers camping, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking as well as swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.

You can fish for sea trout, flounder, red drum (redfish), bluefish, and whiting from the surf or from a pier.

You can also visit the historic Hunting Island lighthouse.

Quick Facts:

  • All campsites have water and electricity available. Some sites accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long.
  • Only one cabin is available for rent. It includes linens and cooking appliances and has a screened-in porch. Look for other nearby cabins here.
  • Pets are not allowed in the cabin or on the pier or inside the lighthouse. Pets are allowed in most other outdoor areas other than the tip of North Beach past the posted markers where there is a protected shorebird habitat.

Reserve your camping spot by calling (866) 345-PARK or CLICK HERE.

Hunting Island State Park camping ground in South Carolina
Hunting Island State Park

I hope this gets you excited about visiting a few camping sites in South Carolina. Be sure to check out their websites for more information and reservations. And as always, happy camping!

03 Apr
Travel Tips

Top Koh Tao Diving Sites

Looking for the best Koh Tao diving sites?

Lucky for you, there’s a lot of them! It’s one of the top places to go scuba diving in Thailand.

This travel tip will probably make it harder for you to choose a diving spot… as there are so many. Best is to try them all!

Go scuba diving in Koh Tao with Nava Scuba Diving. They offer Discover Scuba Diving, 3-day PADI open water dive, 2-day PADI open water dive, refresher dives and fun dives. Book here.

Top Koh Tao Diving Sites
Top Koh Tao Diving Sites

Top Koh Tao Diving Sites

Mango Bay

Located to the north of Koh Tao the area around Mango Bay makes a nice relaxing dive. With depths ranging from 2 to 15 meters its ideal for beginners and snorkelers. Hard and soft coral formations here are plentiful along with a variety of sponges and clams. The bay is only accessible by boat and makes a popular snorkelers day trip. Drop in further around the northwestern tip of the island and drift into the bay area to avoid the crowds.

Sail Rock

One of the more famous Scuba diving sites in the Koh Samui archipelago. It is an iceberg shaped pinnacle that rises from the sandy sea floor at 40 metres and rises 15 metres above the surface. It is a suitable dive site for all levels of diver, from Discover Scuba up.

Its surface consists of small patches of hard and soft coral. Common fauna that may be seen include barracuda, batfish, jacks, occasional whale sharks, and many other species of tropical fish. The currents can vary considerably, but generally are mid to strong. Visibility is usually in the 10-30 meter range. For more advanced divers, there is a vertical ‘swim through’ on the northwest side of the rock. Commonly called “The Chimney”, it begins at a depth of 18 meters and exits the rock again at depths of 12 and 6 meters. There are no associated fees as yet with diving Sail Rock.

Chumphon Pinnacles

Widely regarded as the Gulf of Thailand’s premier dive sites, 5 km Northwest of Koh Tao. The site is comprised of one huge granite pinnacle with some smaller pinnacles rising from the bottom. 40 Meters. Bull Sharks, schooling Barracuda. Batfish, Giant Gropers, Pacific Lionfish, occasional Whalesharks.

Southwest Pinnacles

Consisting of seven granite pinnacles ranging from 5 to 30 metres deep and located around 12km off the south west coast of Koh Tao is one of the islands best dive sites. The shallower sections of the pinnacles are covered in anemones, whip corals and sea fans. Big groupers and barracudas can often be seen here and you may be lucky enough to spot even larger visitors.

Green Rock

Green Rock offers several small swim throughs, caves and crevices where marine life can be seen sheltering. The boulders range in depth from 5 metres down to around 32. There is often a strong current here that you can use to drift around the submerged pinnacles so its not really recommended for inexperienced divers. You will certainly encounter Yellow Margin and Titan Trigger fish here as it forms a popular breeding ground for them … so approach with caution.

White Rock

Two large granite boulders make up the White Rock dive site. An expansive coral garden can be found here at around 10 meters that’s teeming with schools of butterfly fish and angelfish. Blue spotted stingrays are also a common sight on this dive. White Rock is also a popular night dive spot where feather stars, and an array of crustaceans can been seen hunting for food.

Red Rock

This Koh Tao diving site is also referred to as Nang Yuan Pinnacle. It starts at around 2 metres and drops to 22. The pinnacle itself is nothing special and the main attractions to this site are the swim throughs. The entrance to the swim through can be found if you leave the pinnacle and head west towards Koh Nang Yuan. This is usually done as a drift dive down to Japanese Garden where you can relax for the safety stop.

Scuba diving in Koh Tao, Thailand
Scuba diving in Koh Tao, Thailand

Twin Pinnacles

On the far side of Koh Nang Yuan starting at around 5 meters below the surface and dropping to a depth of 18 metres is Twin Peaks or just “Twins”. This is an ideal site for beginners due to its depth and ease of navigation. The rocks are embedded into white sand and there is no shortage of marine life here. A friendly pair of rare saddleback clownfish and be found to the western side of the larger of the Twins.

Japanese Gardens 

This dive site is named after the ornate arrangement of coral boulders here. Situated on the east side of Koh Nang Yuan and with depths ranging from 2 to 12 meters it is suitable for snorkelers & beginners. Plenty of staghorn and plate coral can be observed in the shallows. A popular drift dive can be done from Red Rock through a series of swimthroughs and emerging into Japanese Gardens for a relaxing safety stop amongst the myriad coral formations.

Hin Wong Pinnacle 

Situated on the east side of Koh Tao is Hin Wong Pinnacle. This site comprises several large granite boulders covered with sea fans and whip corals, as well as filefish, shrimpfish, coral grouper and many other reef fish. You may encounter the resident Green Turtle if you’re lucky. The summit is a tabletop rock formation within about 10 meters of the surface and the maximum depth at Hin Wong is around 32 meters.

Laem Thien Pinnacle

Laem Thian Pinnacle is a great rocky dive site near Mao Bay full of swim throughs, caverns and small caves. There are a few steep walls with some predators hunting for smaller prey. Some excellent white soft coral and sea whips can be admired along the wall at depths between 18 and 5 meters. It is possible to combine this cave dive with the beauties of shallow reef diving inside Mao Bay or Aow Mao.

Shark Island

Named after its resemblance to a dorsal fin, Shark Island is a twin rock outcrop situated to the southeast of Koh Tao. Each side of the islet offers a different array of marine life and features making it almost two sites in one! On the east side you’ll find myriad soft corals, gorgonians and sponges while the west offers hard coral formations that are home to moray eels, nudibranchs, sting rays and the odd Leopard shark. Titan triggerfish can be very aggressive here so approach with caution. Maximum depth at this site is 25 metres.

Unicorn Wreck

It was rumored at the time of sinking in 1989 that the Unicorn was sunk on purpose as an insurance scam. The 60 meter long cargo vessel was reported to have a hold full of expensive tuna fish which turned out to be inexpensive dog food, hence the nickname it later acquired – the “dog food” wreck. Lying around 12km off Mango Bay and in 50 meters of water it is also a technical diving site. Still mostly intact with the majority of the obtrusive fishing nets now removed some penetration is possible. The wreck is now home to some big red snappers and patrolling groupers.

Torpedo Wreck

The Torpedo is a 70 meter Japanese cargo vessel sitting upright in around 55 meters of water an hour north of Koh Tao, she sank in the mid 1970’s. Due to the depths involved this has been classified a technical dive for experienced divers only. There are three areas of penetration however visibility is usually poor at depth. The deck is at 45 meters and the cargo holds are still full of teak logs, with a few scattered on the seabed.

Hin Ngam

Same wider bay as Aow Luek, shallow training or sheltered dive dive.

Hin Pee Wee

Next to White Rock, 30m.