Ocean Lakes

Welcome bikers! More bikers will be rolling in this week as the Hurricane Alley Fall Rally kicks into gear. The rally, which started Monday and continues through Sunday, attracts thousands of bikers to the Grand Strand for rides and events, but is much smaller than the spring Harley-Davidson rally in May. We want all our guests who are here for the fall rally to have a fun, safe visit! Below are a few reminders about our rules, information about parking and tips to make your stay as smooth as possible. Motorcycle rules You cannot ride your motorcycle through the campground. Riding motorcycles past the designated area at the entrance (signs mark the boundaries of the designated area) or coasting (not under power but with a guest sitting on the seat) are NOT permitted. Rope and motorcycle dolly towing are permitted to and from your rental site or campsite. Three-wheel rides such as Can-Am Spyders and Polaris Slingshots must follow motorcycle rules, meaning they aren’t ...

Every year, organizers of Ocean Lakes’ popular Fall Craft Fair faced the same scenario: A long list of crafters craving to participate in the event that quickly sold out. So this year, the 24 th Annual Fall Craft Fair has expanded to two days to give all interested crafters a chance to sell their homemade items. “That way new people could get in,” said Salle Horner, Sandy Harbor and Recreational Activities Coordinator. “We always had so many people on the waiting list to get a booth, but we didn’t have enough spots. Adding a day gives more crafters the chance to participate.” The two-day Craft Fair kicks off Friday, Sept. 23 in our Recreation Center. Hours are 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Guests staying at Ocean Lakes are exclusively allowed to shop during the first three hours each day. The fair opens to the public at 4 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday. More than 100 crafters over the two days will sell homemade items such as wreath...

We continue to get lots of questions about when our new water park will close for the season. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we discover what works best during Sandy Harbor’s first year of operation and want to give you a peek at some of the factors that are considered when determining the water park’s fall schedule. Sandy Harbor, which debuted Memorial Day weekend, boasts a 705-foot Adventure (lazy) River, Drop Zone, The Tube, Splash Zone and other features. While most water parks along the Grand Strand shut down after Labor Day, we’ve worked hard to treat our guests by extending the season as long as we can. The water park has operated under “hours as posted” since the day after Labor Day, with the hours being set a week in advance. Many factors influence whether the water park can stay open as we head into fall - weather is just one of them. Finding certified lifeguards is another reason water parks typically close at Labor Day. Most of the lifeguards ...

Seymour Port was recently thinking about that raffle ticket he bought in May to help the charity named for longtime friend and Ocean Lakes' teammate, Marti Parnell. As it turns out, he was the winner. Seymour’s ticket was drawn from a mound of raffle tickets Monday afternoon, making him the winner of the custom Harley-Davidson golf car once owned by Ocean Lakes' co-founder Nelson Jackson. The golf car was the prize for a raffle to raise money for Marti’s Wish, which aims to raise awareness and possible research of Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma of the stomach. The effort is named after Marti, a teammate at Ocean Lakes for 36 summers who was diagnosed with the disease and passed away last year. Seymour, who lives in Little River, had known Marti for 20-plus years and was a pallbearer at her funeral. Helping his friend’s cause was his priority when he bought the $5 raffle ticket. Winning? Well, that’s just a bonus. “Did I really?” Seymour said by phone Monday aft...