Improvements at Ocean Lakes for 2012 and a new route to Myrtle Beach International Airport

Is summer ever close! This time of year is kind of exciting at Ocean Lakes Family Campground, especially from a teammate standpoint. It’s the time of year when everything starts taking shape for the new season and our team is busy getting the park ready for our guests who will soon arrive in mass for spring break and Easter. Behind the scenes there is an excited energy. For those of us on the “inside” Easter is basically the deadline for all things new at Ocean Lakes.

Many of our first quarter guests (January-March) find this activity somewhat intriguing, maybe fascinating at times and always reassuring. It provides evidence that we “re-invest” in our campground on an annual basis and that striving toward better is our normal mode of operation. At times, it can be a little distracting and possibly disrupt the “flow” of things, but only briefly. An example would be the new curbs that were put in around Spring Lane leading to the Golf Car Building and parking area beside the Main Office. Our loyal fans know this road well…it’s the first right turn past the Main Gate and it is a very busy intersection. In the midst of this main thoroughfare is a beautiful “green” area that I have enjoyed for years because our landscaping team does such a great job making it beautiful. So, between the concrete trucks and the landscaping team that popular green area saw a lot of activity in February, and Spring Lane became “narrow” for about a week.

Remodeled Shower

Bathhouses Improved

Through annual improvements (known as capital budget items internally), guests see roads are being repaved, more concrete pads are being added to campsites, lighting and signs are being updated, buildings are being painted and the list goes on…. And every year there are unique projects illustrating our attention to detail and taking customer service to the next level. For example, the new bathhouse remodel that went on this winter in the “H” bathhouse. We upgraded the tile, doors and transformed it into a more beautiful place like the “I” bathhouse, which was completed last year. All five bathhouses were upgraded to the auto flush system and on-demand water heaters were added as well. Our campsites are being fitted with new “Footloose” sewer caps, that not only improve our hookups on site but add to our environmental efforts (our iCare Program) and they were featured in a March 26^th article by Woodall’s Campground Management “Green Initiatives: Good for Business.”

Ocean Lakes Golf Cars get new facade.

 The Golf Car Building is getting a dramatic facelift including a new façade on the front, giving that building a more updated look and bringing it into line with the look of our other buildings.

Products are arriving daily for inventory in many departments. Sandy Mart has a new “Sandy Shop” with trademarked merchandise based on our ever popular and always cute mascot, Sandy Starfish. Ocean Lakes RV Center already has some 2013 models, including the gorgeous Cardinal 5^th Wheel. Accessories and electric vehicles of the golf cart kind are arriving at Ocean Lakes Golf Cars Sales & Service including the new Tomberlin LSV lines and custom built Club Cars.

Getting to the Myrtle Beach International Airport...

Speaking of arriving daily, I’d like to let you know there are now two routes from Ocean Lakes Family Campground to Myrtle Beach International Airport. They extended Harrelson Boulevard so it connects with Highway 17 Business (Kings Highway) at 22^nd Avenue South (see red line in map below). Many of our longtime visitors would know this area from visiting J. Edwards restaurant (now closed since Ed’s passing). Click on the airport link above and utilize their “Directions” tab. Of course, you can still take Highway 544 to Highway 17 Bypass North (see blue line in map below), but be aware there is a lot of road construction at the “back gate” (the intersection Hwy 17 Bypass and Hwy 707) see county site.

There are now two ways to get to Myrtle Beach International Airport from Ocean Lakes Family Campground.