Enjoy a Waterfront Getaway in Santee, South Carolina
As summer nears and you begin your vacation planning, Santee is the perfect place to cool off and enjoy a waterfront getaway. The charming town is home to the Santee Cooper Lakes systems which consists of Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, South Carolina’s first and third largest lakes. Both lakes offer great freshwater experiences including kayaking, boating, fishing, swimming and more. With 150,000 acres of water and 700 miles of shoreline, the “Great Lakes” of Santee offer scenic views with their beautiful cypress trees and fascinating wildlife.
Explore Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie
Boating, Kayaking and More
If you don’t own any water vessels, below are a few places you can rent from in Santee:
- Lakeside Marina Boat Rentals — Offers pontoons, houseboats, fishing boats, runabouts, center consoles, jet skis, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and electric fishing boat rentals
- Santee Boat Rentals — Offers a fleet of rental options including pontoons, tritoons, skiffs and motorized kayaks
- Lake Marion Resort & Marina — Offers pontoon rentals
If you don’t feel comfortable driving a boat yourself and still want to take in the natural beauty of the lakes, Santee Boat Rentals and Fisheagle Tours offer boat tours. There are several public boat ramps to get out on the lakes including Santee National Wildlife Refuge’s primitive boat launch and Santee State Park’s two boat ramps.
Fishing
The Santee Cooper Lakes are known for their record-breaking catches in South Carolina and are home to several species including blue catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, striped bass, smallmouth bass, shad, herring, crappie and bream. Located throughout Santee are several boat ramps as well as places to rent a boat. If you want to have a memorable day on the lakes and know where the fish will bite, Santee Cooper Country and Lake Marion Resort & Marina offer guided fishing tours. Santee State Park, Santee National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Marion Resort & Marina also have piers and banks suitable for fishing.
To learn more about ways to enjoy the lakes for your summer vacation, visit Santee Tourism’s explore page.
