Overview:
- Location: St Helena Island, South Carolina
- Price: We paid $64/night in November
- Hookups: Water and electric, dump station near entrance
- Amenities: Beach access, Playground, 5 comfort stations, Park store
- Website: https://southcarolinaparks.com/hunting-island/camping
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Hunting Island Campground – the trip that started it all!
It was November of 2020, and in the midst of the pandemic, we were aching to get away and get our toes in the sand. My husband had become interested in the idea of camping… but I just wasn’t so sure about that. Our dear friends Justin and Katelyn, who just so happen to have children the exact same ages and genders as ours, had been traveling in their KZ Sportsman Classic 19BH and were having a great time. They so graciously offered to let us borrow their camper to test it out, and we booked a couple nights at Hunting Island Campground in South Carolina.
Now truth be told, for this first trip we were really nervous about how our youngest would do since he had never really slept away from home at all, so I booked him and myself a condo at Fripp Island Resort (which is just about 15 minutes down the road). This ended up being an incredible scenario, since we got to dip our toes in the camping waters while also having a back up place to be and to eat some meals. It’s a great solution if you want to vacation with other family or friends at the beach, and you’d like to camp but they would like to stay in a condo.
ANYWAY, Hunting Island Campground was a blast! We had such a short walk to the ocean, and even though it was pretty chilly in November, the kids had the best time playing in the sand, collecting seashells, and even splashing in the (frigid) water.
Our site was right by the playground, which was awesome for when we were at the camper and they could easily walk over and play whenever. The comfort stations were clean and well maintained. We felt like we had plenty of space at our site between the palm trees, and being so close to the beach was such a dream.
There were also other fun activities to do on the island. We visited the lighthouse, which was fun to see and walk around, but my children were not tall enough to climb it (44″, and they do not let you carry them if they are not tall enough). There is also a nature center that we didn’t make it to, but I wish we had.
Needless to say, we had the best time and we were hooked! We purchased our own travel trailer, and got to booking. We bought the Coleman Lantern 17B, which is the exact same floor plan as the camper we had borrowed.
As I began researching places to go, I spent a ton of time and became a little frustrated trying to find what I was looking for and wished there were better resources for parents searching for camping trips. I’m hoping that sharing what I find and plan will help another family looking to get out, enjoy the outdoors, and enjoy time together!
Happy travels!