Lakewood Camping Resort, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Review
Sunrise at the beach near Lakewood Camping Resort, Myrtle Beach
Lakewood Camping Resort has long been a staple among campers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
In fact, I grew up going to this resort with my grandparents in their Class A RV from the early 1970s!
Now that I have my own camper, my family and I decided to revisit Lakewood Camping Resort to see how things have changed—and stayed the same—over the years.
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Why We Chose Lakewood Camping Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC
PIN ME!
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a vacation destination for many campers, and it has a vast number of campgrounds to show for its overall popularity.
Given all of those choices, why did we choose Lakewood for my first outing in our new-to-us pop-up camper?
Simply, I wanted to return to my favorite campground from childhood, Lakewood.
I practically grew up there in the summers with my grandparents in their 1970s motor home.
I had fond memories of playing on the beach, grilling out, and going to the nightly shows back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
I hadn’t been back to Lakewood since my grandparents sold their camper when I was in the 8th grade, and I was curious to see what had changed—and what hadn’t—over the years.
Along for the ride on my first camping trip to Lakewood as an adult were my 2 kids, my husband, my parents, and my sister and her kids.
(Not all of us stayed in the pop-up if you’re wondering! It’s big, but not that big.)
If you have a pop-up and are thinking of upgrading, check out my pop up camper vs. travel trailer review!
Making a Reservation at Lakewood Camping Resort
When I decided to take the pop-up for its first trip, I didn’t realize that I was planning a camping trip for Labor Day weekend.
As the last weekend in the summer, Labor Day is one of THE busiest times for campgrounds, and so I was worried about getting a reservation just a week out.
Even during the busiest time of the year, Lakewood still had several spots available, so I grabbed one.
The entire camping resort ended up being sold out, so I’m glad I went ahead and booked.
The reservation process was fairly easy, which I appreciate.
During the process, I was able to select the area of the park that I wanted to stay in, but not the exact space. I was also able to pay in full.
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Best $59 I’ve spend on an app!
The Check-in Process at Lakewood Camping Resort
When we arrived in the late afternoon on a Friday, there was a line of RVs and campers ahead of us.
Waiting to check in
Although we had about a 10 minute wait, the employees at check-in were efficient and kept the line moving as quickly as possible.
The actual check-in was done in our car, which was nice as it eliminated the need to park and go inside the office.
The downside is that I felt a bit rushed through the check-in process and wouldn’t have had much time to ask questions if I’d had any.
Overall, the check-in process was easy, and we were at our lot in no time.
My husband came in a separate car later that night, and he had no issues getting a pass to come in.
What We Loved about Lakewood Campground
Water Park
Enjoying the water park
The number one best thing about Lakewood Camping Resort in their on-property park.
My kids woke up talking about the slides and went to bed planning the next day’s water park fun!
There were 2 larger slides that my 8 year old loved, while the smaller play area was perfect for my preschooler.
We enjoyed floating around on the small Lazy River and splashing in the big pool.
There were several picnic tables with umbrellas near the smaller play area, and we used this as our base each day.
It was nice to keep our towels and snacks in one place while one of the adults took the kids around the park.
Access to the park is free for campers. Additional guests from outside of the property can be added on.
Beach Access
If you’d rather splash in the waves, Lakewood Camping Resort has private beach access stretching the length of the property.
Bring your beach chairs, umbrellas, and picnics to enjoy a day out on the Grand Strand without having to get in the car.
If you bring or rent a golf car, there’s plenty of golf cart parking near the access boardwalks.
Full Calendar of Events
Resting in between all of the activities
Tie-dyeing, suncatcher-painting, and evening sing-a-longs: there’s something to do at Lakewood campground all day!
Sign up for one of the daily crafting sessions if you need some time out of the sun. Most are free, but some (like the tie-dyeing session) cost a few dollars to cover materials.
Most evenings, the oceanfront amphitheater has something happening, too.
Catch a production of “High Steppin’ Country,” a show that’s been going on here since the late 1970s!
There’s also weekly karaoke, Sunday morning church services, and gospel concerts.
Looking for more to do in Myrtle Beach?
Shop and Ice Cream Store
While there’s a Target less than 3 miles from the front of the campground, the on-site campground store makes quick work of forgetting chips or drinks.
The prices are, of course, higher than they’d be elsewhere, but you’re paying for convenience here.
Inside, you’ll find a cooler filled with soft drinks, waters, beer, and locally made dips and appetizers. (Try the Palmetto Cheese with Bacon, which is amazing!)
Nearby are stickers, t-shirts, and other souvenirs.
In the middle of the store is a coffee shop and snack bar with pizza, burgers, wings, breakfast biscuits, and sandwiches.
The Trees and Landscaping
Big trees around our camper
I appreciate that number of trees throughout the park as it made the process of camping in early September much cooler.
If you’d like a lot with tree coverage, be sure to check out the individual photos on the reservation website. Each site has its own photos and description of tree coverage.
There are very few (if any) trees in the sections closest to the beach, so keep that in mind as you weigh beach access versus a cooler stay.
>> Explore 2 days at Congaree National Park, an easy trip from Myrtle Beach. <<
What We Didn't Like at Lakewood Campground
I can say a lot of things about Lakewood, but I can’t say that it was quiet or dark.
Now, I know that we were staying there during a holiday weekend when people are excited and ready to let loose.
However, I don’t want to join them in their revels at 2 AM, and I think that a campground should closely monitor their clientele and enforce the stated rules.
Packing up to leave early
In the lot to our right, a group of 21 people had set up 17 tents across 2 lots. This gathering went against the stated policies of no more than 6 people and 2 tents to a lot.
Just that many people wouldn’t have bothered us, but the fact that this group played music until 2 or 3 AM, and had multiple high wattage lights hanging from the trees made our nights miserable.
In fact, they would’ve gone on later, but I walked over and asked them to turn off the lights and music each night so we could get to sleep.
The next morning, my dad and I went to the resort front desk and asked for security to do something long term about the situation or refund us our money.
The front desk was completely unhelpful, refusing a refund due to the fact that “camping was an inherently uncomfortable outdoor activity.”
They did send a security officer to move 2 of the tents and several of the people to a 3rd lot, but they officers didn’t do anything about the high wattage lights hanging from the tree branches, which also went against the stated resort policies.
In one of the spots behind us, we had 2 massive dogs leashed under the picnic table that barked day and night after their owners left for hours at a time.
In the other spot behind us, we had a couple that got drunk all 3 nights and fought loudly.
All night long, teenagers on golf carts blasted loud music and flashed blinking lights as they motored around the campground.
In fact, Lakewood Camping Resort is, without a doubt, THE least monitored and loudest place we’ve camped yet.
It was bad enough that we had 4 nights booked, but left (without a refund) after the 3rd night.
In all of the places we’ve camped, this is the ONLY place we’ve left early or asked for any kind of refund.
Again, I grew up going here multiple times a year, and we never had any issues like this then.
Large Size of Campground
Small lots and close neighbors
The Lakewood Camping Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina sprawls over 300 acres, which can be quite intimidating to those used to state parks and KOA campgrounds.
It’s so large that it’s practically a town unto itself.
While the larger size means more opportunities for activities, it does mean that you’re navigating around hundreds of cars, golf carts, and RVs moving around the property constantly.
Small Lots
My parents are convinced that the resort has added more spaces by reducing the space between lots since we used to camp here in the 1980s and 1990s.
Regardless, the lots here are small with little to no privacy.
I don’t mind seeing other campers when I’m in a campground, and I don’t have the expectation that I’ll be given an acre lot.
However, the lots in Lakewood were small enough that the back bed of our pop-up was less than 6 feet from the back bed of the pop-up behind us.
NOTE: The fact that our pop up would fit just about anywhere was a big reason we got it. Check out my pop up camper buying guide for more on logistics and purchasing.
This issue wasn’t just with our lot. We saw several larger campers who were struggling to get into their spots, and, when they were done, the bumper was practically hanging over into the lake behind them.
Stay organized when planning your next camping trip with our list of most forgotten camping items and downloadable packing list.
Final Thoughts on Lakewood Camping Resort
While staying at Lakewood Camping Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina did provide some nostalgia, the overall experience with the staff and other guests was bad enough that we won’t be returning in the foreseeable future.
Perhaps the property is different on a non-holiday weekend, but our experience during Labor Day was off-putting enough that we’ll seek out other campgrounds in Myrtle Beach to visit on any return visits to the Grand Strand.
Instead, I’d recommend Huntington Beach State Park, which is one of the best state parks in South Carolina for camping.
Have you visited Lakewood Camping Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC?
