willald wrote: My vote is for Ocean Lakes, Pirateland, or Lakewood. In that order.
I disagree with TerryAllan about 'tiny sites' at Ocean Lakes. It IS true that *some* of their sites are small, but they also have many that are huge, with plenty of room. And, Ocean Lakes shows you on their web page, exactly the size (Length and Width) of each site, where trees and other obstructions are on the sites, AND lets you reserve a specific site, exactly the one you want. Soooo, with Ocean Lakes, you know exactly what site you're getting, and how much room you'll have on it. You won't get that much info about your campsite ANYWHERE else in Myrtle Beach.
Golf carts? LOL, I know Terry has a very strong opinion on that matter, but reality is that golf carts are bad at all of the big CGs there on south side of Myrtle Beach (Pirateland, Lakewood, and Ocean Lakes). Ocean Lakes security does just as much as the others to keep them under control (I've personally witnessed them taking carts away from violators). A lot of it has to do with the time of year you go. In the summer, all those campgrounds are very busy, and the golf cart traffic is much worse. Go in Spring or Fall like we do, its nowhere near as bad. We go there to Ocean Lakes for a week in April every year to 'kick off' the camping season, and its always great down there.
Only thing Pirateland has over Ocean Lakes, is the lazy river, and the shelters they put at each site. The shelters definitely are nice. The bad thing about Pirateland, is that almost all their sites back up right up against another site, so the back end of your camper in some cases may be just a foot or two away from the back of someone else's. Not much privacy there. That, and you may or may not get a site where your awning faces toward the ocean. You ALWAYS get that with Ocean Lakes, as all sites there face the ocean.
Lakewood is nice, too, we've stayed there a few times. Only thing I don't like about them is the $25 fee (IIRC) they started charging everyone when making a reservation there. None of the others do that.
Little known fact about PL. You CAN pick your site. They have a unadvertised reservation policy. IF you pay in advance for 7 or more nights. You pick the site. My site for this Summer is 187, ocean front, and faceing the ocean. I too feel that is really important. why drive all that way and not face the ocean, plus the afternoon shade iot provides.
Plus last year at OL. We could not leave the TV hooked to the TT, as it would be out in the road. It is no problem to stay hooked up at PL. Plenty of room.
My .02 All the MB CG's are great and have alot to offer. Our preference is Ocean Lakes. We like to have the option of reserving a site with a view like this. You cant see the ocean from your site at alot of the other CG's. I like to be able to step outside or just look out the window to see the beach and water. This picture was taken just 5 weeks ago.
We would choose sites in the 3000 or 4000 section during the summer months. There is alot less traffic and the option of shade on some of those sites. Tons of things for the kids to do.
Don't like the view?? Then change it and Go CampingOur pics
Terryallan wrote: Little known fact about PL. You CAN pick your site. They have a unadvertised reservation policy. IF you pay in advance for 7 or more nights. You pick the site. My site for this Summer is 187, ocean front, and faceing the ocean. I too feel that is really important. why drive all that way and not face the ocean, plus the afternoon shade iot provides.
Agreed, not being near the ocean (and facing it preferably) kinda defeats the purpose of going there. Thats why I have no use for CGs there that are not on the ocean.
Good to know about PL's unadvertised policy there. I like Ocean Lake's (fully advertised) policy better, though, that gives everyone a guaranteed site, basically, and doesn't require you to pay for 7 nights in advance to get it (only 50% of your reservation).
Quote: Plus last year at OL. We could not leave the TV hooked to the TT, as it would be out in the road. It is no problem to stay hooked up at PL. Plenty of room.
Well, OL tells you on their web page how big every site is, and reserves a specific site for you, so you will know exactly how much space you will or will not have before you make the reservation. If your site was too short for your liking, probably shoulda reserved something that was a bit longer.
For example: The campsite we have reserved for our trip to Ocean lakes this Spring, is 60' long by 45' wide. Plenty of room.
Quote: Good to know about the fee at LW.
..Well, I personally haven't been charged that fee. We haven't stayed at Lakewood in a long time. I'm only going off of what I've read on here recently from other folks having to pay it. For all I know, Lakewood may have stopped doing that.
Man, all this talk about Myrtle Beach camping....Is it spring yet? I'm ready to go.
Terryallan wrote: Little known fact about PL. You CAN pick your site. They have a unadvertised reservation policy. IF you pay in advance for 7 or more nights. You pick the site. My site for this Summer is 187, ocean front, and faceing the ocean. I too feel that is really important. why drive all that way and not face the ocean, plus the afternoon shade iot provides.
It's not an unadvertised reservation policy - it's right on their reservation page. We have site 111 for Easter.
Quote: 4.We will guarantee one of two specific site numbers if:
A. The requested site is available and the reservation is 7 nights or more,
B. The reservation is paid in full at the time of booking, AND
C. You must specify when making the reservation that you would like to guarantee a site number. A reservation for 7 nights that has been paid does NOT automatically guarantee a site number; it must be mentioned during the initial reservation process.
Terryallan wrote: Little known fact about PL. You CAN pick your site. They have a unadvertised reservation policy. IF you pay in advance for 7 or more nights. You pick the site. My site for this Summer is 187, ocean front, and faceing the ocean. I too feel that is really important. why drive all that way and not face the ocean, plus the afternoon shade iot provides.
It's not an unadvertised reservation policy - it's right on their reservation page. We have site 111 for Easter.
Quote: 4.We will guarantee one of two specific site numbers if:
A. The requested site is available and the reservation is 7 nights or more,
B. The reservation is paid in full at the time of booking, AND
C. You must specify when making the reservation that you would like to guarantee a site number. A reservation for 7 nights that has been paid does NOT automatically guarantee a site number; it must be mentioned during the initial reservation process.
Well, the way I read that policy, sounds like they do NOT guarantee one specific site, but only guarantee 1 of 2.
Perhaps they have an 'unadvertised' policy in addition to that, like Terry mentioned, where they do guarantee one specific site?
Either way, I think OL's policy/approach is much cleaner and simpler - chose the site you want, reserve it, and you get it, and you'll know exactly how much space you'll have (or not have) in that site. Period.
Terryallan wrote: Little known fact about PL. You CAN pick your site. They have a unadvertised reservation policy. IF you pay in advance for 7 or more nights. You pick the site. My site for this Summer is 187, ocean front, and faceing the ocean. I too feel that is really important. why drive all that way and not face the ocean, plus the afternoon shade iot provides.
Agreed, not being near the ocean (and facing it preferably) kinda defeats the purpose of going there. Thats why I have no use for CGs there that are not on the ocean.
Good to know about PL's unadvertised policy there. I like Ocean Lake's (fully advertised) policy better, though, that gives everyone a guaranteed site, basically, and doesn't require you to pay for 7 nights in advance to get it (only 50% of your reservation).
Quote: Plus last year at OL. We could not leave the TV hooked to the TT, as it would be out in the road. It is no problem to stay hooked up at PL. Plenty of room.
Well, OL tells you on their web page how big every site is, and reserves a specific site for you, so you will know exactly how much space you will or will not have before you make the reservation. If your site was too short for your liking, probably shoulda reserved something that was a bit longer.
Will
When you reserve OL for July, In Jan. You don't really get a wide choice. They put you on a site they tell you, Your camper will fit on. They do tell you what site it is, but if you don't like it. Tough. You pretty much take what you can get. Or don't go. My problem. I don't know 18 months out. Where, or when I'm going. They have changed their reservation policy in the last few years. Making it easier to get in. But, We found some we like better.
Even though Lakewood is charging the $25 to register I think you pretty much make that up if you are there a week over the prices of a place like OL. I don't know why they just didn't change their rates a few bucks a day instead of making it an added fee.
Some good features about Lakewood:
- Outdoor pool with slide and indoor pool (and spa) right there at the beach.
- Restroom facilities at beach
- Snack bar at beach
- Food vendors (Chik-fil-a, BBQ, Seafood). They come in and set up daily at the beach.
- Of the big 3, probably the most in shaded sites.
- Acitivities for the kids. Christian activities (if interested). Basketball, shuffleboard, water wars, hippo slide, canoeing/pedal boating, fishing (freshwater pond - catch and release), miniature golf, bicycles, coffee shop, ice cream, general store, laundry facilities, entertainment, and etc.
I think their website says that the Family Fun Pass is only $5 a day for the whole family, which entitles you to unlimited use of most of the stuff. Lat year it was free because they won an award. The year before we paid $15/day and it was well worth it. They also have food you can order and have ti delivered to your site and we did not find anything we didn't like (pizza, burgers, spaghetti, wings, chicken fingers, salad), with exception that I asked for sausage on the pizza and it was a different type than what we were used to. Might of been because I didn't specifiy.
We wanted to try OL this year. We were able to make reservations early enough for spring break. It appears to be a more modern looking place with the paved pads. We also like that all the sites are pull through and face the ocean, although most of our windows are on the backside...lol
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