Edisto Beach State Park
Lots of room at the far end of the beach campground.
You can even watch the sunrise by just peeking through the trees.
Be sure to stop off at Marsh Hen Mill for some of the best grits, cornmeal and heirloom peas you can find in the South. And, absolutely do not forget to pick up a Key Lime Pie at King’s Market. It’s the best and not to be missed!
Edisto Beach
South Carolina State Park
Edisto campground feels, to me, like the classic “old-timey” beach. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it brings back memories of going to the beach with my frugal Aunt and a few of her Catholic Church friends and their kids in the 1970’s. And, I realize this is a specific memory of mine that you, the reader, may or may not identify with. So with that, the best way I can otherwise describe Edisto Beach campground is it feels like you are back in time. Everything is simple and neat but nothing is fancy or “extra” - unless you are talking about the sunrise or the amazing expanse of beach.
The beach campground is unpretentious and simple, very relaxed and nature-forward. It’s very beautiful and a bit wild. Amongst the sites are live oaks, palmettos and shrubs that thrive in the sand. Some of the sites back up to the marsh that I refer to as “the swamp” and some of the sites back up to the beach, while the remainder of the sites are in the middle of the two. We have camped on the swamp side and on the beach side and it’s not hard to guess which was more pleasant, especially for a city girl. The swamp is survivable, but definitely not my preference. It’s that kind of natural landscape where the brush and grass are thick and heavy and there is no defined area between water and land. I wondered what creatures might be lurking in the clever camouflage of that brushy water and found it to be a challenge to completely “settle” sitting outside, especially after dark.
The beach campsites are my favored choice, especially the ones that border the beach itself. We were able to watch the sunrise through our bedroom window, although it was way more impressive when standing on the beach. But I have to say that waking up and sitting in bed to view the sunrise is a pretty cool moment.
There are two campgrounds here at Edisto. One is the Beach Campground and the other is the Live Oak Campground that is just down the street. I can’t say I have any information on the Live Oak Campground, as I have only walked through and not spent time really taking an earnest survey of the area. So for now, I’ll say it had sort of a jungle-forest vibe where the beach campground has more of a sandy, old-coast vibe.
Either campground has access to the magnificent beach. It is wide, natural and rarely crowded. It’s great for long walks and shell hunting, or simply sitting in a chair and listening to the surf. Sunrises are spectacular - the most meaningful way to start your day. Meanwhile, at the end of the day, you can head back to your campsite and settle in after a fun day at the beach. Maybe you,k be lucky to catch the truck that delivers delicious treats such as boiled peanuts, ice cream and frozen chocolate bananas. The icing on the cake, folks. There’s nothing like the feeling of sun-kissed skin, sand in hair after a long and relaxing day at the beach and just like magic having boiled peanuts delivered to your camper door. It’s like magic. The best kind.
