We packed lunches and Nancy plotted our route. The plan included a stop at Santee State Park to scope it out for a future camping/kayaking trip. Santee State Park is located just off of I-95 in Orangeburg County on Lake Marion. The park has two campground: Cypress View (50 sites) and Lake Shore (100 sites). Like most state parks, most of the sites have 30 amp electric and water connections. Each had a dump station, but a limited number of bathhouse/shower facilities.
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Campground Store and Boat Launch Area
Fishing Pier
Cypress View (smaller campground)
Lake Access at Lake Shore (larger campground)
View of CHOPPY Lake Marion
Shoreline Erosion at Lake Shore Campground
Quite frankly, we were not really impressed. Although the sites are in a wooded area (which we love), they were very tight, close together and not very level. Unless you get a site in the smaller campground, which can be difficult, you would have to share the shower facilities with an awful lot of people. Since we still travel in our Class B Van, shower facilities are important to us. This campground is tight and has very few sites suitable for large rigs (35 ft. and up). It is a beautiful lake and I am glad we went, but I don’t think we will be camping here any time soon. We really prefer Cheraw SP which is closer also!!
Our next stop was the Edisto Memorial Garden in Orangeburg, SC.
We enjoyed our packed lunch in the parking lot and then toured the grounds.
Pretty Waterfall on the way to the River
Centennial Park Amphitheater and Fountain
First a short trail along the river and then a stroll on a boardwalk through the woods.
Paddle Wheel in the River
Stroll along the boardwalk
Bill, Nancy, Chris, Bill
Copperhead swimming up stream!!!
Beautiful TALL Trees!!!
End of Boardwalk, approaching the Rose Garden
First we went by "Birdie" park!!
Bill and The Rose Garden
Roses and the Fountain
Garden Statue
Bill and Chris enjoying the Roses
The roses were beautiful even though we were visiting a week or so after their prime blooming time. Nancy still managed to snap a ton of pictures!! OK, here they are in every color imaginable!!!
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Nature is AMAZING!!
The meal was OK, nothing special, but we had lots of laughs with Bill and Chris about our day trip. It was a FUN day with great friends and we can cross the Rose Garden off the “TODOS” list!!
What gorgeous gardens! Too bad those parks weren't up to par for bigger rigs. They looked very nice in the pictures. Always nice to have notes on places from someone we know...thanks :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like a pretty garden. By the way, when you start your expanded travels, Seminole Canyon State Park TX, is a must for you two. The campground and park are magical.
ReplyDeleteWe stayed at the Santee Park CG a few years ago on our way to Fl. Like you, we weren't impressed. Since it's so close to I95, it's mostly used as a one night stop over it seems.
ReplyDeleteWe've got about a dozen rose bushes and that will be one thing that I will miss. A fresh cut homegrown rose is 1000 times better than a florist rose IMO.
Syl
I never knew there were so many colors of roses! They sure are pretty.
ReplyDeleteWhat is that water wheel for? To catch Copperheads? Now those snakes are scary.
Glad you had a great time, and Nancy, Happy Mother's Day. :c)
Diane and Roger,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. We have added Seminole to our list of places to visit...our TODOS list. We just need to get this house sold so we can really start seeing some of these things!! In the mean time, we are traveling with our "Homeless" friends ;o))
Nancy
Those roses are so incredible I can practically smell them! Simply beautiful.
ReplyDelete