Review: Edisto Beach SP Campground
We just returned from a two night “shakedown cruise” at the Edisto Beach State Park. We were eager to get out for our first camping trip with Harvey, and we figured that we’d discover new challenges once we actually lived with him for a few days. (We did. More on that soon.) For now, I offer you this review of the Beach Campground at the Edisto Beach State Park on Edisto Island, South Carolina.
Edisto Island is a fairly remote location, despite being only about 25 miles from Charleston, as the crow flies. With barrier islands, you cannot travel as the crow flies so the island feels remote as you cross several bridges and tidal waterways enroute. The island itself has very little development and retains more rustic, small-town charm than most beach communities. In the off-season, many some business are closed or have limited hours. Year-round your shopping will be limited to a small Bi-Lo grocery store, a few gift shops, and some gas stations. In exchange, you get a beautiful natural habitat and a beach with excellent shelling.
In this article, we will review only the Beach Campground at the state park. The park also operates the Live Oak Campground just a couple of miles up the road. The beach campground includes 63 sites all within easy walking distance of the beach.
We camped at site 69, an interior site with lots of shade, close proximity to the restroom (but not so close to be disturbed by other campers), adequate privacy, and a partial view of the marsh. This site was large, but the size of sites can vary greatly in this campground, so pay attention to the details on the reservation page. Because of the sand dunes, only a few sites (#9, 10, 18, 19) have a direct view of the beach. Nearly all of the marsh-front sites have a beautiful view, especially at sunset. The sites on the east side of the campground (#18-36) are nearly full sun: wonderful in the cooler months but could be brutal in the summer.
Sites include 30 amp electric service and fresh water connection. There are no sites with sewer, cable, or wi-fi. Cell phone service is spotty, depending on your carrier. We hear that Verizon has the most reliable coverage. The water on Edisto Island is affected by salt water intrusion. It is safe to drink but does not taste very good, so we recommend bringing water from home to drink, make coffee, etc. Each site has a wooden picnic table and a fire ring with a grill grate. There are no free standing grills on the sites, but there is a picnic area in the park with grills. Raccoons can be a problem in the park, so be sure to bring in your trash, coolers, and pet food each evening.
The park offers few facilities other than the beach and a small playground for children. The restrooms on the west end of the campground have been renovated and the east restrooms are currently undergoing renovation, to be complete in April 2015. Two showers in each restroom are free, have hot water, and no timers. Toilet facilities were clean and well-stocked even on a weekend when the campground was busy. The waste water dump station is located about 50 yards beyond the entrance to the Live Oak Campground on your way off the island.
Overall, we recommend this campground for those who like laid-back beach life with a little bit of rustic charm.
