Discover the Nature Center | Campground Conversations

This week, on Campground Conversations, we are talking to Brandy Cloos, Ocean Lakes’ very own South Carolina Master Naturalist! She will be discussing the Nature Center and all the educational fun our guests can experience during their stay at Ocean Lakes.

Brandy loves reading, has worked at Ocean Lakes for 12 years, and received her Master’s in Parks Recreation and Tourism Management from Clemson University (Go Tigers)!

Here is what Brandy had to say on the Nature Center |

Location | The Leonard Raker Nature Center Discovery Lab is located behind Camptown Center along Lake Magnolia. The easiest way to get to the building is to turn onto Magnolia Lake Circle next to the Sandy Mart and then make the next left. The building is on the right.

Follow these landmarks to find the Nature Center: 

  

History | The Leonard Raker Nature Center Discovery Lab began in 1994, as a small dream of Reverend Leonard Raker, who wanted to share a love of the ocean and God's creations with everyone who visited Ocean Lakes. The Nature Center was relocated in 2017 and given a facelift to include new exhibits, live animals, and exciting family-friendly activities.  

Activities | The Nature Center hosts plenty of activities throughout the Summer including science labs, nature crafts, story time, and meet-n-greets with our resident animals.

In the off-season, we focus primarily on beach activities and animal shows. Each week we host a beach clean-up with our guests to maintain the beautiful beach we call home. Guests also have the opportunity to do Beach Clean Ups on their own time by borrowing an iServe with Sandy bucket from the Nature Center. For each bucket filled with beach trash, the Nature Center gives community service hours and a voucher for a free ice cream cone from the Meet n’ Eat. Along with Beach Clean Ups, we have an Explore Our Beach activity each week, where our naturalists help you discover shells and fossils along our beach and identify them for you.

If animals are more your interest, we offer Animal Shows with our resident turtles, leopard gecko, rat snake, and juvenile alligator where you can learn all about the animal including what they eat and how old they will get. In a normal summer season, our guests also get to touch our animals and get their photos taken with them. 

Outdoor Fun | The Nature Center also features outdoor exhibits including our Dig and Discover fossil site, where little ones can get their hands sandy while searching for prehistoric fossils, and the floating dock on Lake Magnolia, where families can fish, do morning yoga, and enjoy the beautiful sites of the campground. 

Until Next Time | Stay tuned for the Campground Conversations video segment tomorrow on our social media! You will hear from Brandy on the Nature Center and all the fun activities our guests have the opportunity to experience.