City Spotlight:

Your Guide to Santee, South Carolina

golfer ready to tee off

Know Before You Go: About Santee

This small South Carolina town is a popular vacation destination for golfers and nature lovers.

Even though this South Carolina town has population of less than 1,000, its three golf courses—Lake Marion Golf Club, Santee National Golf Course and Santee-Cooper Country Club—draw around 150,000 golfers, even wannabe golfers, each year. For die-hard players, countless more are within driving distance. Get ready to tee off!

Weather for Getting Outdoors

Santee receives less than an inch or so of snowfall yearly and usually no snow in March. That same month, however, the town’s average rainfall measures 4.27 inches. Something to keep in mind: South Carolina’s hurricane season typically runs between June and November. There's also ample humidity year round—usually getting up to 80 percent in the morning and dropping down to 50 or 60 percent by the afternoon—but it can feel a bit uncomfortable when combined with summer highs in the low 90s. But you won't have to worry too much about the wind factor during your golf game, since the city enjoys significantly calmer winds on average than the rest of the country.

See and Do

Put your boat in the water and drop a hook for bass, bream, catfish and crappie at Santee State Park, nestled along the shores of Lake Marion. Hike or bike miles of wooded trails or bring your bathing suit for a dip in the lake. Take a wildlife-viewing tour to Lake Marion's sunken forest, or visit the Santee Wildlife Refuge for the best chance to snap a pic of an alligator, migratory birds and other wildlife.

Gulf and Much More!

Santee's location on the western shore of Lake Marion gave the city its roots as a center of commerce and agriculture after the lake's construction in the 1930s. Companies such as Talley Manufacturing and Santee Wire Products call the city home, and you'll also find a scattering of financial, legal and medical businesses. Fishing and golfing boasts the town's economy and contributes to its thriving retirement population. Major fishing tournaments, like the Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters Tournament Trail in early spring, bring in avid anglers from all over the country to cast their lines.

Make it a Road Trip

Santee is an ideal destination if you're traveling Interstate 95 by car, as its tucked back just a few blocks off the highway. If you're arriving by plane, fly into either the Charleston International Airport or the Columbia Metropolitan Airport to be within an hour's drive away. Whichever airport you choose, you'll want a rental—no trains or buses run through Santee and there’s no local transit. The nearest place to catch public transportation is in Orangeburg, which is 25 miles west.

Ready to travel? Find hotels in Santee.

Things to Do in Santee

From affordable golf courses and outdoor activities to great restaurants, you'll find plenty of fun things to do in Santee.