Advice on SC/GA coast area campgrounds

[Smokyroo]

Mtn Guy:
Being a native Floridian my view on beaches is well perhaps more refined or snobbed up a bit ;-). Hunting Beach is near Myrtle Beach which is too much like Daytona or Panama City Beach except with less white sand or as blue water. I do not like these beaches in Florida. They are crowded and waaaay to touristy for my liking. Myrtle Beach is like that as well. So my bias is well biasing me against the Hunting Beach SP as I do not have interest in going to Myrtle.

My sister has a time share through Mariotte at Hilton Head and I have been there a couple times as her guest. The island is pretty and laid back, but the beaches are ok at best. The water is muddy as the Savannah River empties into the ocean on the south side of the island. I was there a few year back swimming in the pool when a nice lady from Ohio was raving about the beaches and how she just loved the place and then without knowing where I grew up or was living at the time asked me how I liked the beaches there. I was polite and told her I thought the beaches are ok and she looked at me puzzled. I then followed up that I was born and raised in Florida and that my benchmark are the beaches there especially the central Panhandle and the eastern beaches. There is no comparision in terms of beauty and what not to any of SC's beaches. I told her as much and I think I offended her. What I do not understand is why Hilton Head in particular is so popular with folks from Ohio. When I was last there in July of 2005 there seemed to me more cars from Ohio than South Carolina. (lol)

With that said, I enjoy the coast and SC has a unique flavor to it and Hunting Island, Hilton Head and Beaufort are nice and I enjoy going there which is the bottom line right?

[mtnguy]

Yes, I also try to avoid the crowded places, but figure the end of February should be not be too bad.

Our criteria for this trip is:

*A "reasonable" warm beach campground with electric and water, with sewer if possible.

*Would like for it to be within a days travel of home (Charlottesville, VA. area).......around 400 miles maximum. We may spend 2 days getting there by traveling a less traveled route to do some exploring.

Hunting Island is about 520 miles, while Huntington Beach is around 420 miles. We could head to Hunting Island and spend 2 days getting back by traveling another backroads route.....hmmmm.......it is further south.

[Smokyroo]

Hey dont take my word on Hunting Beach as I have not been there as it is close to Myrtle Beach . if you go to Hunting Beach please post your experience as I would consider it if it was out of the way and laid back. We are going to Hunting Island in July when my sister will be at Hilton Head.

[02 rockwood]

Were going to try myrtle beach state park the first week of may, never been there but I have a friend who lives close by and says it's nice.

[LKicklight]

We have stayed there several times over as many years. The beach seems to change every year just a little. The sites are very nice, the bike trails are great and the local biking around town is very nice. The movie " The Big Chill " was filmed in Beaufort along with several other movies. The downtown area is a good place to eat and just walk around. The river front downtown is on the inter coastal waterway. The marine base is close by, airplanes are very loud......I grew up around Savannah, so this is like home..enjoy...nats are bad during the summer...take fabric softner sheets...you will be amazed..

[mtnguy]

To do a little follow up, we spent last week at Huntington Beach State Park near Murrell's Inlet, SC. This is about 20 miles south of Mrytle Beach.

It is a great place to camp. There is a choice of open, wooded, or combination sites. The sites are graveled, fairly level, are roomy and not on top of other campers, and have a fire-pit and picnic table. There are only a few sites with sewer connections, but all except the tent sites have water and 30 amp service. There are 2 accesses to the beach from the campground, and we could actually hear the waves from our site. The showers are a little outdated, and 1 out of 2 were broken in the men's room on the station that we used....I did not go into the other 2 stations.

There is bike path that extends north up through "Restaurant Row" in the town of Murrell's Inlet. The missus and I biked about 6 miles, ate at Creek Ratz, and then biked the 6 miles back. I did some more mileage south along the path, which I promptly got lost in a residential area when the bike path led into. The path continues on south, but not very far. I got in a total of 27 miles that day.

Bike riding is also possible on the hard-packed beach sand on the high tide area.....I did a couple of miles on that, and it was great riding with the wind......but a chore coming back against the wind.

We also took our canoe out for a 1/2 day trip in the marsh area of Murrell's Inlet. The winter home of the Huntington's is on the Park, and that is a great self guided tour.

Overall, we really liked the campground and surrounding area, and hope to get back there, maybe next year.

Can you believe that I forgot to take pictures of the campground ?? My bad.

[MIKE44460]

Myrtle Beach Travel Park is the best place in Myrtle. Once in Sep 2007, once in Sep 2008, twice in 2009, twice in 2010, twice in 2011, and booked for May this year and back in Sep. The people working there keep the showers very clean, they are in there at least twice a day. I think we paid $48 a night last Sep, off season, May is off season as well. Very easy to get to right off the end of SC22, make a right. No long lines when you go out for food. We like the May - Sep thing because of the wonderful friends we made there. PM me if you want more information. 642 miles one way for me. If you like rubens, there is a place two blocks away, bring your bicycle, best anywhere, my first stop.