The 15 Best Campgrounds in South Carolina

1. Caesar’s Head State Park

Cleveland, SC

Named for a giant stone gneiss nested in the Blue Ridge Escarpment, Caesar’s Head State Park is certainly one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina. Caesar’s Head provides visitors with a panoramic view of the scene around it, including mountains, foothills 2,000 feet below, and local wildlife.

Throughout the fall (from September to November), one of the best things to do at Caesar’s Head is to watch the annual migration of thousands of hawks, which passes right through the park. The park also has over 60 miles of challenging hiking trails and several beautiful waterfalls throughout.

Caesar’s Head State Park offers 18 campsites for camping in the area, which you can book for $14-30 per site per night. Keep in mind this camping is not for beginners, as the sites are trailside backcountry, meaning they are remote, accessible only by hiking trails.

But, for those who want to get away from the crowds and hustle and bustle of everyday life, Ceasar’s Head State Park is one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina.

2. Calhoun Falls State Park

Calhoun Falls, SC

Calhoun Falls State Park is one of the most popular campgrounds in South Carolina for good reason. It’s most known because it extends out into Lake Russell, a coveted fishing destination and the site of fishing tournaments throughout the year.

The park’s campgrounds boast views of the lake’s shoreline and surrounding forest. Calhoun Falls offers 100 campsites, including sites for tents and RVs. Amenities include laundry, water and electricity at 86 of the campsites, and more.

In addition to fishing, visitors to Calhoun Falls State Park will find a plethora of activities. The park offers a nature trail, swimming, a tennis court and basketball court, boat slips, and events throughout the year.

3. Cheraw State Park

Cheraw, SC

Cheraw State Park is a great campsite for a wide variety of needs. The park is known for its 300-acre lake, Lake Juniper, and for having a championship 18-hole golf course. Visitors to the park can also enjoy fishing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and covered picnics.

Cheraw State Park has 22 campsites and accommodates both tents and RVs. Of these sites, most offer electricity and water, but a few are designated specifically for tents instead. There are also options for boat-in camping as well as primitive camping for organized groups. Alternatively, if true camping is not your style, the park also offers 9 cabins, which are a great option for golf groups.

No matter what brings you to Cheraw State Park, you will find that it is one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina.

4. Devils Fork State Park

Salem, SC

Devil’s Fork State Park earns its spot as one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina because of its beauty. Located in the Jocassee Gorge in the Blue Ridge Escarpment, it boasts mountains, a stunning lake, and several waterfalls.

The park is the only place that offers public access to the unique 7,565-acre Lake Jocassee. This lake stands out for the mountain streams and falls that flow into it, as well as especially clear water that makes it a great spot for swimming and scuba diving.

Visitors to the park have plenty of options for overnight stays, including 59 campsites for RVs or tents, 25 campsites for tents only, and 20 lakeside villas. These campsites all have convenient access to restrooms and laundry.

For those wishing for more remote, backcountry camping, Devil’s Fork State Park has you covered. On the north side of the lake are 25 boat-in-only campsites that require a short but moderate hike to access.

5. Dreher Island State Park

Prosperity, SC

Just a short drive from Columbia, Dreher Island State Park is located in Lake Murray. The park extends across three islands in the lake, making it one of the best lakefront campgrounds in the state.

Within the park, you’ll find three hiking trails, three playgrounds for kids to enjoy, boat ramps, picnic shelters, and more. But Lake Murray is perhaps best known for fishing and water activities, so you won’t want to miss those.

For overnight stays, Dreher Island State Park offers a plethora of options. You’ll be able to choose from 97 paved campsites for RVs or tent camping, an additional 15 tent campsites, or even a lakeside villa. Or, if you have a large group more interested in primitive camping, the park’s primitive campground can accommodate up to 25 people.

6. Edisto Beach State Park

Edisto Island, SC

Edisto Beach is one of South Carolina’s best oceanfront state parks, providing access to a beach that spans one and a half miles. There, you’ll find an abundance of seashells, wildlife, and more.

The park is a national historic landmark that was once home to the Edisto indigenous population. As such, one attraction unique to Edisto Beach is a mound of shells and other refuse that dates back to 2,000 B.C.

Edisto Beach boasts 120 campgrounds for RVs or tents along with seven cabins (including one-bedroom and three-bedroom options). It is quiet, clean, and well-taken care of, so you can be sure to enjoy your stay.

7. Hickory Knob State Resort Park

McCormick, SC

Hickory Knob State Resort Park is both a state park and a golf resort, making it a unique destination suitable for a variety of crowds. Families, group retreats, and other gatherings will all find something to do here!

Visitors to Hickory Knob State Resort Park will stay busy, enjoying access to an 18-hole championship golf course, hiking and biking trails, fishing, axe throwing, kayak and canoe rentals, a playground, swimming, archery, skeet shooting, and more.

Campsites are located on the shore of Strom Thurmond Lake. The park’s 43 sites are standard, with water and electricity, fit for both RV and tent camping. Cabins, villas, lodge rooms, and group lodging are also available, so there are plenty of ways to enjoy this great campground in South Carolina.

9. Hunting Island State Park

Hunting Island, SC

Hunting Island State Park is the most popular campground in South Carolina. The park is unique for its five miles of beach and for being home to South Carolina’s only lighthouse with public access. The park also offers playgrounds, boat access, hiking trails, and fishing.

Visitors can choose to camp at 102 campsites, which offer water and electricity, restrooms with showers, and other amenities. The park also offers 25 rustic campsites which don’t have water and electricity, instead providing tent pads, fire rings, and picnic tables.

9. Huntington Beach State Park

Murrells Inlet, SC

Huntington Beach State Park is an ideal destination for fans of nature, art, and history. It’s home to Atalaya, a national historic landmark and the winter home of scholar and philanthropist Archer Huntington. Every September, Atalaya features a widely popular Arts and Crafts Festival.

Perhaps what makes this one of the best campgrounds in the state is the scenery and wildlife present at the park. It features a vast, 3-mile beach that’s home to loggerhead turtles, alligators, minks, and many birds. It’s a great spot for fishing, bird-watching, swimming, and more.

There is no shortage of campsites to choose from. Huntington Beach State Park offers 107 standard campsites (with water and electricity), 66 full-hookup campsites (with water, electricity, and sewer hookups), and 6 rustic campsites.

10. Keowee-Toxaway State Park

Sunset, SC

Keowee-Toxaway State Park is one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina if you’re looking for a mountain and lake getaway. It’s located on Lake Keowee with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and you can enjoy fishing, hiking, canoeing or kayaking, and more.

The plants and animals that abound in the park make it a unique destination. In the spring, wildflowers are bountiful. And, as far as wildlife goes, you may even spot a Black Bear!

Keowee-Toxaway offers fewer campsites than many of the other options on this list, so you’ll likely have a quieter and more private stay. You can choose from 10 standard campsites for RVs and tents, 14 sites exclusively designated for tent camping, or a three-bedroom cabin.

11. Lake Wateree State Park

Winnsboro, SC

Located on the 21-square mile Lake Wateree, Lake Wateree State Park is a great campground in South Carolina for anyone looking to enjoy water activities. Whether you want to go fishing yourself, observe one of the many fishing tournaments that happens at the park throughout the year, boat on the lake, or go for a swim, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy.

Of course, there are many amenities on land that you can enjoy at Lake Wateree State Park, too. A few options include spending time with your kids on the playground or hiking the easy, 2.3-mile nature trail.

The park offers 100 standard campsites, 23 of which are lakefront. These include a mix of standard campsites with electric and water hookups as well as full-hookup campsites that have sewage, too.

12. Myrtle Beach Travel Park

Myrtle Beach, SC

For oceanfront camping in Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach Travel Park is a great option! It’s one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina for families because of its family-oriented atmosphere and many things to do.

Myrtle Beach Travel Park stretches across a half-mile of the beach and offers a lake, several swimming pools, and a lazy river. It also offers a variety of activities including arts and crafts, group fitness classes, games, holiday parties, concerts, and more!

Myrtle Beach Travel Park is perfect for RV campers or those who prefer to rent a cabin. Keep in mind that this travel park does not offer tent camping, so if that’s more your thing, I recommend looking at one of the other options on this list.

13. Ocean Lakes Family Campground

Myrtle Beach, SC

Ocean Lakes Family Campground is another great family option in Myrtle Beach. It’s a “mega-park,” offering 859 campsites in addition to beach houses that are available to rent. Campsites can accommodate a range of camping options, from tents to large RVs up to 45 feet.

It’s one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina for its many amenities and things to do. Ocean Lakes offers volleyball and basketball courts, bike rentals, a swimming pool, a water slide, a lazy river, mini golf, and a nature center, among many other activities.

14. Solitude Pointe

Cleveland, SC

If you’re looking for a quieter RV or cabin stay, Solitude Pointe may be one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina for you. Located in the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains, Solitude Pointe’s cabins and RV sites are secluded and private.

A stay at Solitude Pointe also puts you in close proximity to many of the wonderful sites that Upstate South Carolina has to offer, including some of the others mentioned on this list! You will be just a short drive from several waterfalls, state parks, hiking trails, and lakes.

Within Solitude Pointe, you’ll also have access to fishing, sports, yard games, a playground, and a nature trail, so there is truly something for everyone.

15. WillowTree RV

Longs, SC

WillowTree RV Resort and Campground is another one of the best campgrounds in South Carolina near the beach. Located just a few minutes’ drive from Myrtle Beach, Sunset Beach, and Calabash, it offers many great options for enjoying your days in the sun.

At the campground, you’ll find swimming pools, freshwater lakes, a fitness center, a playground, nature trails, pickleball courts, a basketball court, and more.

Camping options include paved campsites for RVs or lakeside cottages available for rent. Unfortunately, there are no accommodations for tent camping at WillowTree RV.