By day, Samantha Valkenburg and her husband Matt (far right) have a routine. He runs a manufacturing company in Greenwood, South Carolina, and she is a stay-at-home mom with her three children under age eight (pictured playing together).
“Sometimes I need a break, “said “Sam”, as her family and friends call her.
Her first cousin, Trey (far left), and his wife, Jasmine, also love to come to Hester’s to decompress. They are willing to travel 3.5 hours each way from Charleston to go to the campground with their two children.
Jasmine works remotely AND takes care of the kids, while Tres runs a very busy HVAC company. “He’s able to get some work done from Hester’s because of their great wi-fi,” said Jasmine.
In late June, the Valkenburgs and Jasmine’s family vacationed side by side at Hester’s Bottoms Campground between McCormick and Abbeville in Mt. Carmel, South Carolina
“My parents are camping beside us also, said Sam. It’s so close to Greenwood that we have other family members come out and just hang out for the day, even if they’re not camping,” she added.
All the family members love what Hester’s Bottoms Campground has to offer for the parents and the little ones.
“The campsites are really big and private, but also there’s a lot of activity here for the kids with fishing or boating and the activity parks, “said Sam.
There’s also a rental program in the park for kayaks, paddleboarding, and golf carts.
In the summertime, the Valkenburgs reserve a campsite every few weeks and every month or so at other times of the year. “We love it, we are here a LOT.”
Jasmine can often be found toting around her toddler in one of the two parks at Hesters.
Her family goes camping a lot, and despite the long commute, it is one of their favorites because of unique opportunities like exploring at Mama’s D’s Gem Mining attraction.
“It’s good for them to get dirty a little bit. I always pack a change of clothes,” said Jasmine.
“They’re going to get dirty. That’s what they do. But I think that’s kind of the whole point. For them to be outside. Not on games, not on devices, and not inside with TV. They come away with some interesting little gemstones and things. We’ve got so many bags in our camper. And we’re not allowed to get rid of them,” Sam chuckled.
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