Well after being pro Lakewood for the last 3 years with only walking through Pirateland and Ocean Lakes and assuming I liked Lakewood better, we are heading down to test Ocean Lakes for real in a few weeks. Just returned back from Lakewood last weekend and hated to leave the beach.
So I was thinking of a labor day trip and went to the other two's websites to see now that Ocean Lakes FINALLY have online reservations. I was shocked. They are booked for labor day weekend, but school starts in 3 weeks, so we got a good site week of 17th, which is good before school starts. Every single time in the past that I called Ocean Lakes they were booked or never answered their phone, so this is great. Their website even shows the length/width and description of each site that is available.
They sent me an express check-in package so I can avoid registration. With all sites pull through this should be a breeze. So far looking good Ocean Lakes, but I will let you know what I really think when I return.
You will like it I feel. very large but has a great game room for you, (I mean the kids). crowded on the beach most days because of so many in a small area.have fun and drive safely
I noticed this morning the OC website had changed and had the online ressies. I love booking the individual sites with the descriptions. I booked the old way for next summer a few weeks ago but our friends booked online last night for the same week and got the last site in the I section.
2007 Dutchmen 29QG-S
2003 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab 4x4 5.7 "Hemi"
Equalizer and a Prodigy
We are looking forward to our 5th Christmas at Ocean Lakes this year and have no interest in any other CG in that area. I guess that means we like it there.
Don't like the view?? Then change it and Go CampingOur pics
if there were no golf carts at these CG's, everyone would fill the roads with their personal vehicles. Too large to walk everywhere to get around. One of those necessary evils I guess you might call it.
Have fun. Be safe
Well after 3 days of being here at Ocean Lakes, here is my review.
I have stayed at Lakewood 3 years and this is the first time at OL... In short I can tell you that OL has Lakewood beat in almost every category. Funny thing though I walked through OL and Pirateland last year and said (even posted somewhere on here I think) that OL was a smaller version of LW and I'd rather be at LW.. Pirateland I don't even want to enter... However having said that, it seems sometimes you have to experience the place before judging it.
Truth is OL is huge.. probably bigger than LW, however LW is mostly all campers. When you go to Lakewood for the first time it is an amazing feeling and to me just really nice. Here at OL there are tons of houses and only a section of campsites.
Here are the categories and what I think:
Bike Riding - better at Lakewood. I enjoy riding my bike around campers than houses.
Golf Cart Riding - better at Lakewood. The golf carts themselves are worse at LW, as here at OL they are brand new and easy to charge it seems. The breaks work great and the back has a bar in the middle to help the backseat passengers and for gear. The overall experience of driving around though in my opinion is better at Lakewood. OL is a convoluted confusing road setup. They are all paved and nice, just easy to get lost. The main stretch at LW is long and a nice ride. OL has like 1000 stop signs so once you get riding you are constantly pushing the breaks.
Site Setup - Ocean Lakes takes this. All campsites are pull-through. Lakewood has very very few pull throughs and you wouldn't know you got one until you did. The only thing lacking at OL is a light on the hookup post that Lakewood has.
Site Ameneties - both OL and LW offer free telephone, cable, sewer, however OL (at least on my site) has the cable cord already there to hook up. You have to have your own at Lakewood. I am on a concrete pad that is not offered at Lakewood. It was $5/night more, but so far I think it is worth it. I would be ok not having it too to save money.
Site Sizes/Privacy - wow, I didn't think Lakewood was such a parking lot until I stayed here. I got a huge site.. Most here are huge. I have my awning out and I could still put two vehicles probably between me and the next camper. I don't think this is even possible at Lakewood. Lakewood backs campers up to each other so your back side is the other camper's back side.. One row is ocean facing and the other row is not. So if I was sitting here under my awning I would look to my right and see another camper's awning. All of OL sites are ocean facing and separated by roads, though the roads in each section are small.
Campground Store/Food - Ocean Lakes is like 10 times better than LW on the store. The restaurants on site have more variety as well. Lakewood has Chik-filet cart everyday and BBQ from a local restaurant a few days a week. These are nicer options that OL does not offer.
Campground Ameneties - Lakewood and Ocean Lakes has mini-golf, indoor pool, outdoor pool, laundromat, arcade, playground, basetball, and golf cart rentals. OL is once again 10 times better in quality on these items compared to OL, but the ocean front theatre and pool at LW is a better view and feel than here at OL. The pool area here is not set on the beach like LW, however it is way nicer than LW... the kids have more options at OL. OL also has free filtered water throughout the campground. OL has more lakes to fish. However, OL does not have campsites on the lakes and LW does. LW has paddle boat rentals as well and OL does not.
Maybe I forgot some things, but I think I pretty much covered it. I know it is easier to say that both are fine and blah blah blah, but I'd like to have known these things before I ever came, so maybe it will help somebody else.
Overall, if I had to give them a star rating out of 5 stars I would give Lakewood 4 stars and Ocean Lakes 5... Not that there aren't improvements needed, but just to show that OL is a step up. You can tell OL cares about the campers needs. The park is immaculate compared to LW.. Not that I don't enjoy Lakewood, and I will return there, but OL is so much more convenient in everything you do. I did bring my dog here which is a german shepherd/lab mix. This breed is prohibited at Lakewood, so when I don't need to bring him, and if I feel like venturing the back-in mess at LW, then I will surely return there. It is certainly easier getting a site at LW since there are so many, so that is one plus they have.
Personally, I don't like crowds or Myrtle Beach. Too commercial for me. However, the wife would like to camp somewhere in Myrtle for the kids sake. Everyone at work that goes to Myrtle goes to OL. Your review and comparisson answers a lot of the unkowns for me. Thanks again.
This was a stupid statement "Bike Riding - better at Lakewood. I enjoy riding my bike around campers than houses".... The housing section at Ocean Lakes is very peacefull, so riding a bike around them is nice as well.
I also forgot to mention something that Ocean Lakes allows that Lakewood does not and that is electric scooters.
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