Lake Hartwell State Park — Attraction in Lavonia

We spent the weekend at Lake Hartwell State Park in Fairplay, SC, and encountered several aspects that led to an overall disappointing experience. The park's close proximity to our home, just an hour's drive, was its initial appeal, but it fell short in several key areas.

While the park isn't responsible for the lake's water levels, which were low and left deep muddy banks instead of a pleasant beach, we felt that other amenities could have compensated for this. An updated and engaging playground or well-maintained roads suitable for biking would have greatly enhanced our experience. Unfortunately, these aspects too were lacking. The playground was outdated and uninspiring, and the park's roads were in poor condition and challenging for those on bikes or scooters— especially with them also being very hilly.

Additionally, the camping sites, though well-spaced for privacy, were quite small. This, coupled with the underwhelming waterfront and other amenities, made it challenging to fully enjoy our stay. Our own 50-foot hanging obstacle course proved to be essential for keeping the kids entertained.

Another point of confusion was accessing the beach if your site wasn’t directly on it. Locating a public access point to the beach was unclear and not well signposted.

On a brighter note, our weekend was salvaged by some enjoyable excursions outside the park. We had a fantastic lunch at The Smoking Pig BBQ in Clemson, SC, a short 25-minute drive away. Additionally, a visit to Tugaloo State Park in Lavonia, GA, which was only 20 minutes from our campsite, showed promise for future camping trips.

In conclusion, despite the favorable weather, Lake Hartwell State Park did not provide the memorable camping experience we had hoped for. The park’s shortcomings, particularly in its amenities and infrastructure, significantly impacted our stay. While we understand some aspects like water levels are beyond control, improvements in other areas could have made a significant difference. We wouldn’t recommend this park based on our experience and are unlikely to return, though our exploration of the surrounding areas offered some consolation with promising alternatives for...

Lake Hartwell State Park is a gem nestled right in the heart of our great American landscape! Let me tell you, this place is more beautiful than a hot apple pie cooling on a windowsill. It's like stepping into a postcard from a bygone era, where the only thing you need to worry about is whether to catch a big ol' catfish or just kick back and soak up the sun!

First off, the scenery! Oh boy, it’s like Mother Nature herself threw a party and forgot to clean up! The shimmering lake is as clear as the crystal blue skies, and the lush greenery is practically begging you to grab a picnic basket and a couple of hot dogs. And speaking of hot dogs, you can grill them right by the water! Nothing says “good ol’ American fun” like a cookout with the family while keeping an eye out for the occasional squirrel stealing your buns.

Now, let’s talk about the activities! Whether you’re into fishing, hiking, or just lounging around, Lake Hartwell has got it all. You can rent a boat and pretend you’re Captain Ahab, or you can hike the trails and feel like you’re on an episode of “Survivor.” And hey, if you’re feeling adventurous, why not try your hand at some good ol’ fashioned rock hopping? Just be careful – those rocks can be slipperier than a politician’s promise!

And speaking of promises, isn’t it nice to enjoy the great outdoors without worrying about some big government telling you how to have fun? It feels like we’re finally back in the driver’s seat, folks! I mean, who needs all that fuss when you can just enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like fishing with your buddies or watching the sunset with a cold beverage in hand?

So pack up your car, grab the family, and head on down to Lake Hartwell State Park! It’s a slice of Americana that’ll make you feel as happy as a kid on Christmas morning. Just remember to bring your own hot dogs – you never know when the squirrels...

This was our second visit to the park and we enjoyed it just as much as the first time. The park is gorgeous with a wonderful lake for boating and fishing. It is a shame that the infrastructure of the park is falling into such disrepair. There is a total absence of people working there. The fire rings are not cleaned out, the picnic tables need repair and the asphalt roads and site pads appear to be falling apart. The roads are full of pot holes and are narrow, but that still cannot take away from the natural beauty that is there to be enjoyed.

We had water and electric at our site and both worked well and our site was fairly level. Most of the sites have very small activity areas. In some of them, the picnic table and fire ring take up all the space available and you would be hard pressed to get your camp chairs around the fire ring. I used the showers each day as they were OK with plenty of hot water but not necessarily very clean. The office is not open much and the staff is lethargic at best. We did use the laundry facility which was very reasonably priced.

We were in site no. 50 which was in the most popular area because there is direct access to the water for fishing or playing in the water. Some campers tied their small boats up right at their campsite. Our site had a very large activity area and was very private but with no view of the water. (There was a trail that led to the water just 20 feet away). Sites 40 to 48 are right on the water. If we were returning we would possibly stay at site 6 which is very quiet, private and has a great view of the water. We also like 53 as it has a view of the water and a little trail to a private beach area. The tent areas are the most beautiful I have ever seen and we walked those trails almost daily as they had awesome views of the lake.

We enjoyed a week and...