Beach Get Together March 25-April 6, 2014

[DearMissMermaid]

I would like to host a beach get together at Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina from Thursday March 27 through Sunday April 6, 2014. If anybody can come during any of those dates, let me know. This has to be the most beautiful island and beach on the east coast, located about halfway between Savannah Georgia and Charleston South Carolina.

I updated this post to include my revised dates as I changed from 9 nights to 10.

Alternatively you can camp at Tuck in the Woods and commute by car to the island. I can probably get you a complimentary pass to come to the beach and campground as each site is allowed up to 6 campers. I have done this before for a friend that was staying inland at a hotel. I was able to get them a camper pass for my lot to come to and from the island.

Dog lovers will be happy to know that dogs are allowed on the beaches as are bicycles but not cars. People often leave their chairs and towels at the beach during the day and nobody steals them as it's only campers that have access to the beach.

The campground is located on 8 miles of unspoiled uncrowded beach with just sand, driftwood and a lighthouse you can tour. Sea shells abound and interesting things wash up on the beach some days. Fresh off the boat shrimp and fish is sold just a mile from the campground. It doesn't matter which site you get, they are all in close walking to the beach. Most are very roomy jungle like with plenty of beautiful foliage. Weather this time of year is generally terrific and perfect for open windows and fresh air. Palm trees and oaks with Spanish moss make this island picture perfect.

I hope to see you there! Let me know. All lots come with firepit and grill plus picnic table, electric and water. I travel with extra chairs and an extra card table. I will be in site 90. but I think you will find it's easy to walk from site to site and from any site to the beach.

I will host pot luck and parties at my sight if anyone is interested. I will be there with my dog and maybe a friend or two might be camping with me on my lot. Still getting grunts for answers and no clear yes or no.

[linann]

Great idea -- I am very interested in this GTG. Cancelled another SP and booked Hunting Island instead for Spring Break. Will be there earlier than your dates with a little cross over. Dear MM, sending you a PM with my dates and site #.

Trying to decide if I should bring my bicycle. It will will not be easy to ride on the beach because the tires are too narrow. Are the park roads paved? Is there somewhere nearby to ride?

[cnq50b]

Sounds soooo cool!!!
Wish I could, but I can't... (still waiting for retirement - then watch out!)

[DearMissMermaid]

Bring bicycle, park roads are paved, sites are not. Riding around is fun. You can ride on the beach as the tides are going out, the sand will be packed wet and it's great riding. Otherwise you can ride around the entire island on paved roads as well as throughout the campground which has quite a few loops.

Link to the tides:
http://tides.mobilegeographics.com/locations/2912.html

During low tide the beach is HUGE, during high tide it is tiny. I learned to ride on the beach on my bike and just love it! I check the tide chart every morning so I can get to the beach often to walk the doggy or ride the bike with doggy. Also, if you get a chance to wake up early and go watch sunrise at low tide at the beach, the treat is awesome and well worth tumbling out of bed for at dark thirty. You may need a flashlight to find the beach that early, but when the sun comes over the ocean, oh my gosh, it's just makes you feel great to be alive!

If you want to see my pics and posts about Hunting Island including awesome sunrises, here are my links:
https://www.google.com/search?q=hunting+island+site%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fdearmissmermaid.blogspot.com%2F&oq=hunting+island+site%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fdearmissmermaid.blogspot.com%2F&aqs=chrome..69i57.1036j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

I am trying to add on Thursday March 27th to my reservation, today is Sunday and southerners don't do Sunday business, so I have to wait til Monday to get it sorted out.

[Kathy5853]

Sounds like a great time. Nice of you to host. I am still in the dreaming phase of camping/full timing but wish I could be there. I enjoy your blog, especially any post that features Harley.

[Roadweaver]

I am not counting myself out of this. I will get back to you no later than tomorrow.

Louise

[bluepinecones]

Sounds great. Unfortunately I'm going to be stuck in north AL at that time.

[DearMissMermaid]

Rates are $27 a night plus tax, a huge bargain for such an awesome location.

If you are interested, CHECK the website to see which dates and spots you can have, this place is popular! They are pretty flexible about cancellations, with notice, so shake a leg and book something if you are interested, it's not the kind of place to wait until the very last minute to get into, though it can be done sometimes.

If you can't make the spring dates, I set up a separate get together for the fall, I listed Oct 20-Nov 3, 2014 as I am already confirmed there for 14 more glorious nights! Here again, check NOW if you are interested, so you can see what's still available.

It's at the beach so it's not top secret!

[DearMissMermaid]

I just changed my dates to reflect I am hosting a get together for 12 nights if anyone else can make it, I arrive this Tuesday for 12 nights.

[linann]

Enjoying my stay at this well maintained SP. Bath houses cleaned twice daily and pinecones blown off the roadway. I love my campsite . . . pull-through, level and spacious. Site has about 150 ft clearing sorrounded by a mix of tall pines and oak trees with bushes and palmettos at the ground. Very private, even though I am tight across from the bath house. Walking distance to a beautiful beach and interesting ranger led programs at multiple locations in the SP.

What more could you want? Oh, let's not forget Miss Mermaid, the hostess with the mostest, checked in yesterday with three pounds of fresh caught, jumbo shrimp for last night's potluck. She even set-up a table outside under her awning with real plates and silverware. Needless to say, we had a delicious dinner.

DS headed off to Nashville this morning where she will be working for about six weeks. The TT seems so big and lonely with only one person. I am so lucky MM is here. We are planning a campfire later today and another potluck of spinach ravioli and leftover shrimp. Yum!

Anyone in this area should consider the Fall GTG that MM is planning for Hunting Beach SP.

[grammynmaggie]

SPINACH RAVIOLI!!!! From Costco???? My very favorite!!! sure wish I was there...
but that is almost 1/2 to PA...and I just could not come up with the $$ ...when I
have to go up in a couple months....but is sure wish that Maggie and I were with
you all...I am over at Wickham for over night for my monthly tank duty...keep us
posted with pic's please...and thanks for posting....donna

[bluepinecones]

It sounds delightful there.
Like Donna, wish I could have joined you. Maybe next time.
Where are the pictures?

[BirdbyBird]

I have never met MM in person but her hostessing abilities on to of that beautiful state park...sounds wonderful. Take advantage of the near by sculpture gardens across the highway. I thought they were worth the walk through. but yes I did drive over to the parking lot first.

The dogs and I loved walking on the beach...and walking....and walking.....and walking.....

[linann]

MM is a fabulous cook. We ate shrimp two nights, then she cooked fresh tuna with home made cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. She even made a delicious salad with home made dressing. Have no clue what all was in the salad dressing, but it was yellow and tasted great. I served up my usual Costco/Sams fare. We had spinach ravioli with chunky tomato sauce, honey BBQ wings and chicken fried rice.

It was a fun GTG, walking on the beach and around the park. It was soooooo restful. Watched movies, slept late. Goofed off during the day. Good dinners. Just what a vacation should be.

Took a few photos of the beach and my beautiful campsite. Very proud I managed to maneuver off the site on my first try without hitting any trees. A neighbor camper helped guide me off the site. Putting photos on this site is a pain. You just need to visit this park. The trees and beach are beautiful. I stopped at Skidaway SP in GA to check it out. Nice enough, but I am so glad I ended up going to Hunting Island SP in SC. There is no comparison. I'd really like to visit some of the other beach parks in SC.

Anyway, I was trying to book a stay in the fall and managed to lock myself out of my account. Waiting until the 15 minute hold I just created expires so I can book the same site again. This one is a do over!

[DearMissMermaid]

I am just now reading this and responding.

to Kathy5853
THANKS for reading my blog! Harley may have his own blog soon...

to BirdbyBird
There is some confusion here. You are talking about Huntington Beach state park and we were at Hunting Island State Park. The Sculpture Gardens are at Huntington Beach. Both are SC parks, both on the coast, but they are 164 miles apart. I've been to both state parks. But I am madly in love with Hunting Island, is it way different than Huntington, but both are super nice.

Huntington Beach is northerly up towards Myrtle Beach and Hunting Island is southerly down towards Beaufort.

to Linann
So glad you made it down and are coming back in the fall! We did have a blast! I loved our nightly potlucks and look forward to doing that again when we meet up in October.

As for pics, I posted lots of pics on my blog.