It's probably much nicer in just the right weather, but warmer temps and less wind won't silence I-95 traffic or wipe its view from the small beach. On one hand convenient for fly-by campers and much nicer than most of those one- night spots off major highways. On the other hand, the price and setup of spots (so only the one closest to the water has a view) make it unattractive for anything but a one nighter. The view is pretty, and we definitely could have anticipated the noise level. The bath house was very clean but also very dated and showers has little room to place belongings where they wouldn't get wet. The price is what gets me- in the off season so no pool and no water sports and still over $75 per night? Not with it. Earned a third star based on 1) the staff- so friendly and keep the place very clean and 2) proximity to the nature preserve and Ellery. read more

Santee Lakes Campground - I-95 - Campgrounds Near Me - Summerton, South Carolina

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This isn't one of the nicer looking KOAs I've seen. I kind of wonder why KOA lets it remain on their list. The grounds are well used and worn, with a rustic appearance. The tree cover is all tall pines with few mossy oaks. The campground is set up so all the sites sit parallel to each other in rows perpendicular to the lake so only a few have actual lake views down by the water. The buildings are old and dated and the bathhouse desperately needs to be renovated and updated. They were clean, but really old and in poor condition. They do have a nice beach area and old fishing pier which are both nice use on the lake. The internet service is horrible. It is slow and drops out regularly. Don't count on it if you need connectivity for work. Fortunately I had my Starlink mini and was in a site with a clear view of the sky. I stayed two nights in mid September and it wasn't too crowded and the campground was quiet. I didn't notice I95 as much as some other reviews suggest. The staff is great and everyone is very friendly and helpful but I am sure I would not come back. There must be something better available on. The lake. read more

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RIP Santee Lakes KOA. Used to be great stop. Now somewhat run down. Check in was agonizingly slow with only one person on duty at prime check in time 6:00 ish. Was shown to site pretty far from lake when the park was pretty empty. Side was very unlevel, front wheels 5" off the ground. Wife tried to use ladies room in mid park bath house, but very "unclean" - maybe due to the campers. Will try the adjacent RV park next time. read more

This would be our second time this week staying at this KOA. Not only are we sitting next to open drain holes, but the very worse WiFi connection ever. The lake is beautiful but we are heading home and want to relax, sleep in and binge movies till it's time to go back to the real world. Let's see how tomorrow goes. 2nd day: sent the hubby to the grocery store! Wanted to have a cookout and sit outside and play a board game! And then this happens! Construction right next to our site. Fix your Wi-Fi before you put more sewer lines in! Why would you even put us right here. The place isn't close to full read more

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Nothing Good to say about this RV Campground. Dirty, unkept, junk around permanent RV's, grounds have weeds everywhere, pool area a disgrace, kiddie pool looks like it was designed to be a mosquito breeding ground (black water, taped off with yellow tape). Grills were nothing but a steel ring on the ground with no grill grates. I would never stay here and would advise you not to as well. read more

Now a KOA stopped for the night returning from Florida. Our problem was the sites were tight for a big rig and the neighbors fire pit was less than 6' from our rig, which caused some friction. Our fire pit was also right beside our neighbors on the other side in a pop up camper. A lot of trees but the sites and roads in the campground are dirt and in need gravel and was very rough. We got in and out okay in 45' rig flat towing but there are some tight spots. We wouldn't stay here again. read more

Santee Lakes Campground - Neighbors fire pit less than 6' from our rig. - Campgrounds Near Me - Summerton, South Carolina

This KOA campground is located just off I-95 right on Lake Marion. All spots are shaded by very tall trees and campground includes a beach area, new playground, mini golf, and a pool. As with most KOA's the staff is friendly and the store is fully stocked. If you're looking to get some takeout there is a restaurant you can walk to just look for the break in the property line on the southwest corner of the campground. The other campers were really friendly and let us check out their setup. Loses a star because the lake was really dirty looking and nobody was wearing masks in the shop. read more

Santee Lakes Campground - Beach area and dock. - Campgrounds Near Me - Summerton, South Carolina

Great overnight stay. Check in was easy. Our site was typically sized for a KOA and offered full hook ups. The resort has a beach and pool for swimming. The pool needed to be skimmed but the water was well chlorinated. We would stay here again. read more

Santee Lakes Campground - The beach on Lake Marion. - Campgrounds Near Me - Summerton, South Carolina

We stopped here at 5:30 to stay overnight and let the kids cool down in the pool. When we came over at 6 the pool was padlocked!! The office was closed and no pool hours were posted anywhere. This is also a very residential place. It has a lot of old and overgrown campers and the residents were very unfriendly. All scowled or ignored our pleasantries. I won't stay here again. read more

Read the reviews.. took them with a grain of salt. Did a drive through.. Looked like redneck ghetto. Glad I took the chance and stayed here. These people will bend over backwards to help you with anything. During the recent Hurricane Irma threat, this community came together and held strong. Everyone here is nice, even the permanent residents. I enjoy staying here. Some of the best people I have met are here. I like this place and will stay here until my project is over and if im ever in the area I will stop by and say hi. read more

I cannot say enough great things about the people at this KOA. We made a giant rookie mistake and drove off with one of our jacks down. The staff immediately helped us troubleshoot and eventually sawed off the bent metal jack in the pouring rain. The campground was beautiful and covered by large trees. We will definitely be back and hopefully a little more seasoned next time! read more

Great campground. Great location. Great management. Fun place. Fishing. Boating. Campfires. Quiet. Pool. Mini golf.

We stayed here overnight on our way to the mountains. It's nothing special but is clean and the staff is very nice. The sites are large and full of trees so you feel more remote than you are. Some sites are on the water and has a pretty view. There is a little playground, mini golf, and even a small dog park. The only problem I had was that everything seemed far away. We had to walk across the grounds for everything. That being said, we would stay there again. My kids loved the common room. It has a pinball machine and a pool table. Perfectly fine for an overnight stay. read more

DONT pass up the beautiful campground right next door........to this dump! Lake Santee is 75% full timers with junk piled high everywhere. No laundry facility...."oh it's been broke awhile" as was the CC machine on checkin! I was appalled that the owners would allow such a beautiful piece of property to be disrespected like this! Please stay at the Palmetto Shores! We walked through its grounds green with envy! read more

The location of this campground is very convenient if you're passing through on 95. The water access is perfect, though if you are looking for natural views, you'll be disappointed with highways nearby. Full hook up sites are $35 with a price increase coming later this summer, but that included very good free wifi which was important for getting work done on the road. Playground isn't well maintained (broken swings, missing boards on see saw, dirty) but our kids didn't mind. Bath houses are neat and clean, but no soap to wash up. Laundry facility was out of order when we visited. Staff were very nice and made late check-in easy. read more