Santee State Park in
South Santee (SC)

We stayed in one of the newly renovated cabins this weekend. Very quiet and relaxing. And affordable!

Santee State Park in Santee, SC (off Lake Marion, near I-95, about 57 miles and 1 hour from Charleston/where we live). We saw the visitors center/interpretive displays (NOT about that rattlesnake skin, it goes over the left side of the shelf, made us extra cautious while doing our trail. TONS of leaves for coverage, luckily since it was much colder usual, the snakes should mostly be burrowed but would be careful for copperheads in spring/summer as leaves colors would be perfect camo - don't be afraid, be mindful and respectful of nature). Since we were mindful about daytime hours + closest to visitors center + already had walked a longer trail that day (fitbit said 10k steps by time completed both trails), we did the Oak Pinolly trail (0.75 miles) - can't say it was anything to write home about, but it was easy (mind the roots!!!), took us about an 29 mins, saw lots of HUGE oak leaves (like Land Before Time tree star huge), found 2 small feathers. Probably would be really nice in the spring when all green again. Before leaving/near where we parked, visited the short pier and the Cypress gift shop too (similar to what was in visitor center but some more snacks and tackle/fishing gear).

Had a really great time biking the trails but lost track of time and it got dark very quickly. I want to give a big THANK YOU to Ranger Tom who saved the day! Thank you so much for your patrols, diligence and friendly help :)

Beautiful, serene place on Lake Marion. Cypress View campground has beutiful lakefront sites where you think you are the only people in the world.

Great place to fish, hike and enjoy the great outdoors

We have stayed here a few times, both times in the fall, and have stayed at both campgrounds, I love this park. There is a lot to offer here, from camping for RV’s with full hook ups to tent sites. There are a few Mt Bike trails and hiking trails. The restrooms are clean as are the showers. There is a small beach area to go swimming, and a cabin for group outings. They also offer cabins to rent, and boat and kayak rentals. The rangers are helpful and informative. There is also a small store to grab necessities.

Beautiful views and scenery! Stayed in a pier cabin and absolutely loved it!!!!

Site 43. Another wonderful SC state park. The campground was very nice. Bathhouse was older, but in good repair, hot water and very clean. The inner sites are not terribly private, but all are pretty large. 41 (pull through) and 43 both have great views of the lake. Beautiful!

Beautiful and very relaxing. Waters hot this time of year but a great place for a solo or family getaway.

Nicest state park I have camped in. Very heavily wooded and it is not to my taste but I can see why some people would like it. If you have concerns about solar panels on your roof, you might want to skip this place. Lots of acorns falling! Mosquitoes were off the charts…had to use a very high setting on my outdoor fan. Men’s restroom was clean as of September 2025 but the women’s shower left a little bit to be desired. The cabins were hit and miss. Our family reunion utilized the cabins and some were decent and others were Unacceptable. There are only four really good Waterview RV spots. They are 34, 33, 41, and 43,. Spot 35 has a limited Water view if someone is occupying spot 34. We found that they blocked our view with their tow vehicle. The setting was very quiet and serene, unless you have reunions taking over the campground.

Great Lake views, campsites’ electrical and water hookups work properly. No the campground is not level, no there are not perfectly pristine cement rectangular sites??‍♀️ who cares??? I don’t expect perfection while camping. Website a little glitchy and I would prefer trash cans availablity throughout but have fallen in love with the place and staff! I have camped there several times?My spoiled dogs’ favorite campground?so a winner for me.

Spent one night on a tent site. The campground was in a great spot on the water and looks like it had a ramp to launch a boat.

Beautiful park. Roads are not maintained but we always enjoy this park anyway. Get a map at the gate because sites and roads are not well marked.

Beautiful waterfront dock great place to see dolphins and an old aircraft carrier with a great view of the bridge and island cross

Awesome place. Cypress campground for the people who like perfect! Lakeshore is little rough around the edges but still very nice.

Lovely Lake! Love the Pier. We came to fish we are definitely getting nibbles but have not caught anything yet. Been here 3 times. However, the scenery is beautiful.

Went to there fishing event. We did not stay the whole time due to me having to work. But we had so much fun. Kids were giving all kind of goodies to help with fishing.

Santee is a wonderful state park. We enjoyed camping there. The views are Amazing, especially if you go on the trails. Great for families as well! Nice clean bathrooms, parks and camping spot.

We camped at Lakeview for a night. The showers nearest to our site had no hot water. Went to park office and were able to move to Cypress View campground. Much nicer. Paved access and close to amenities.

We camped here for a week. We enjoyed it. We did hiking, mountain biking, board watching, and considered renting kayaks from the park but decided not too. Definitely would return.

Great for family and fishing. We caught 3 good-sized catfish! Camping area has electric outlets, water, fireplaces and clean bathroom and shower with hot water! Camp-host was very friendly and welcoming.

Tent camped in the Lake Shore Campground. Incredibly clean facilities and enough bathrooms that it didn't feel overcrowded or worried about having to wait. Lake access was very convenient. Camp store and welcome center had plenty of snacks, drinks, and anything you forgot for your stay. The information in the welcome center about the history of the area was very interesting to see. One thing to note - Lake Shore Campground is a bit far from the welcome center, camp store, and trails - so Cypress Campground might be more convenient and where I will stay next time if I have the chance.

Beautiful spot to camp, right on the lake, the kids had a blast. We will definitely be back. Come prepared for the bugs though, since it’s close to the water the mosquitos were prevalent. A Thermacell will help keep them at bay.

One of the nicest and cleanest parks I have camped at. Last night the bathroom was untidy (kids left unsupervised ) and this morning when I went to shower it was immaculate! There is no trash at the sites and everything is well maintained. Thank you SC State Parks!

Stayed in the cedar view area. Nice large sites with easy big rig access. The other area had an access road that was in need of repairs when I stayed last year. Both areas have nice views of the lake

Stayed four nights with friends. Quiet campground during the week and the bathrooms were clean. Sites have fire ring, picnic table along with water and electric. They have a pickle ball court, corn hole boards and a playground for kids. This park is dog friendly

It was a little hard to figure out where I was at first. GPS took me to a sign in the woods. You have to travel straight down that road until you see a 4 way stop, then continue straight some more before actually arriving at the park office. Once I got here it was a nice little park. It was windy and cold the day I went so no fishing for me. The ladies at the park were super friendly & nice. The trails aren't so well marked or maintained. I did see several types of mushrooms, an armadillo and a bald eagle. I'll return to fish very soon.