Hartwell Lakeside KOA: Hartwell, Georgia

For Spring Break, 2023, we decided we wanted to be at the closest spot (travel wise) that we could get to and be ON the water. Christian avidly loves paddleboarding and spending time playing with the pups. Our permanent location at the time was located in Pendleton, SC.

When I found Hartwell Lakeside KOA, only an hour from our home site, I thought it was pretty perfect. I splurged for a lakefront site with a deck, and we had the most beautiful view each day.

Let’s talk the pros first:

1. The view/site obviously.
2. Ability to launch small recreational items privately from your site.
3. Fire Pit + Dog Park + Short Nature Trail
4. Smooth visitations from several of our family. They were very hands off here compared to some KOA’s we have visited.

Cons:

1. Electric/Water only – no full hookups, but the dump station was a short drive. We have a portable “poopoo” tank as I like to call it.
2. No pool – this would be a cool bonus.
3. Small main office with short hours.
4. No site trash pickup (maybe we got spoiled in Charleston?)

If you tent camp, you NEED to camp here. It has a boat launch, multiple picnic areas, and waterfront tent sites on Lake Hartwell. It was full of wildlife and we even saw live deer while staying here. A brief drive into town boasts lots of shops and some restaurants, including a brewery with a flight board of 30 beers… it was not an impressive quality beer wise but I did want to mention it because, you know – 30 4oz pours on one flight – its fun. lol We even found a camper sales/repair shop who provided us a random item we needed.

Overall, we spent most of our time enjoying the water and time with the fur babies. I read a lot and took in the peaceful sounds of the water lapping down below our site. It was just what we needed. I would rate this site 10/10, despite not having full hookups.

Did you know this campground was there? Comment below if you are going to be visiting this hidden gem!