Hunting Island
Hunting Island State Park is a beautiful park with so much to offer. Some highlights are gorgeous beaches, a historic lighthouse, incredible marshlands, and a comfortable campground. We were there for four nights with our Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs, and Friends group. There was a very large turnout and we really enjoy the people in this group. Consequently, we had a great time!
Getting There Via Harvest Hosts
The campground was a seven hour drive for us, per Google Maps. So, it was realistically at least nine hours with stops along the way. Therefore, we planned a one-night stopover with our first Harvest Host, Lane Orchards near Macon, Georgia. It was a good experience, overall because the store was unique and our lunch was good. Lane Orchards is on a beautiful piece of property. The only negative was a substantial amount of highway noise.
Hunting Island Campground
This was our first trip to Hunting Island. We had a nice, large spot in the campground near several of our friends from the SE group. Sites are equipped with electric and water. The biggest negative was virtually no garbage cans anywhere in the park except for dumpsters at the exit. This was also the case at the Florida campgrounds we visited last month. It was very inconvenient, but a sign of the times.
A little bird visited the campsites and seemed to have no fear of humans. He would get very close. He was a brave, little cutie!
This was the second camping trip for our puppy, Sophie. She is adapting well to the campground environment. Her trainer has us walking with her using cheese as an incentive. It was working great, but not all the time. She is very excitable.
Raccoon Invasion
After time around a campfire with our friends, we were walking back to our site when I noticed movement near our car. Suspecting raccoons, I walked to the other side and shone my flashlight around. To my shock, a raccoon was inside our car! Inexplicably, I released a blood-curdling scream that was heard back where the group was assembled. A couple of our friends came to check on us. (It’s so good to know there are people who will look out you.)
We opened the car doors and the raccoon emerged. He was able to get into the car because my husband had left the windows cracked because of a seafood smell that was in the car earlier. The raccoon left footprints all over our interior and had unzipped a bag with some dog food. He urinated on the seat and there was a wild animal smell.
It was very fortunate that we discovered the raccoon before we went to bed. A park ranger told my husband that a raccoon got into a car through a sunroof the prior year and could not get out. It completely tore up the seats of the vehicle and the headliner.
Hunting Island Attractions
There is so much to do on the island! Trails abound for hiking and biking. Several of our friends biked the island trails. It has the only South Carolina lighthouse that visitors can climb. I climbed it and was rewarded by spectacular views. Though there are about 170 steps, many platforms with information about the lighthouse break up the effort.
The Lighthouse
The Atlantic Ocean
It was just a short walk to the beach and it is a really great beach for two reasons. Firstly, it was not at all crowded. The area is a bit remote and I believe that part of the beach is just for the campground. Secondly, a portion of the beach allows dogs. So, it was a special treat for our pup.
Marshland
The island has an abundance of marshland, which has its on special beauty. The boardwalk was a really nice trail and we saw several birds.
Boneyard Beach
Because Hunting is a barrier island, its landscape is subject to many changes. Boneyard beach is an area of forest that has been reclaimed by the sea. It is a very haunting reminder of what a force of nature the sea can be.
Creekfire RV Resort
South Carolina was a fairly long drive for us, so we tacked on a stop in nearby Savannah on our way home. We camped at Creekfire RV Resort for three nights. It is a very nice campground! One thing that was especially nice was the concrete pad—no rocks for our pup to put in her mouth and no digging.
The resort has some awesome amenities. For instance, it has a heated pool, hot tub, store, gym, and sauna. There is also a lazy River. However, it was not currently operating. We spent an afternoon at the pool and sauna and ended it with ice cream from the store. So relaxing for a warm, sunny day in early March!
Savannah was just a short drive away. So, on one afternoon, we took our pup and had lunch with outdoor seating at Vic’s on the Waterfront. It was another beautiful, sunny day. Vic’s was amazing—delicious food and great service. They were also very sweet to our pup. On the way back to the campground, we purchased macaroons from a downtown store. It was a very good day!
In Conclusion
This trip had so many wonderful things. The campgrounds were stellar and we had the opportunity to spend time with friends. Our pup was still a handful, but is adapting well to camping. We are so fortunate to have experienced this trip! Lastly, if you would like to read another post about South Carolina camping, check out South Carolina Camping, First T@B 400 Trip.
Happy Camping!
