Camping Tour of the Low Country Part 2 – Skidaway Island
Part 2: Skidaway Island State Park and Service Brewing Company in Savannah
In late September, Jesse and I took a nice break from work and hit the road with our two dogs and camper. We headed down south to Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina and Skidaway Island State Park near Savannah. This article is part 2 of 2. If you haven’t already, go back and read our first article about Hunting Island here!
We visited Skidaway Island State Park on the second half of our two-state camping trip. We stayed for two nights, Wednesday through Friday. Skidaway Island is located in Savannah. It is not at the beach, but on the Skidaway Narrows which is a part of the Intracoastal Waterway. I had always wanted to camp here but I was not sure what to expect. This campground did not disappoint!
Camping at Skidaway State Park is like camping in a jungle
We arrived, right at check-in, on Wednesday. It was only an hour and forty-five-minute drive from Hunting Island. There are a variety of camping options at Skidaway – cabins, campsites, pioneer camping, and yurts. There are 87 campsites with electricity. The campground is pretty large. There are no campsites on the water – they are all in the maritime forest that is characteristic of the Georgia and South Carolina coast. I think it is like camping in a jungle. We went in the last week of September. It was hot but extremely humid. Luckily most of the campground is in the shade. Pines, oaks, and palmettos give a much-needed canopy to the campground.
We stayed at campsite 22. The online description says it is a back-in site; however we were able to pull through. This campsite was huge! We had a nice flat area with a concrete pad and picnic table. But between the picnic table and the woods, we had lots of room. This was great for the dogs to walk around (on leashes of course!). We did have a close neighbor, but we had enough space between each other that it wasn’t a problem. We were also a short walk from the bathhouse. This was kept clean throughout the trip. It is also a great place to look for geckos and cool bugs at night!
This campground is very large, so it is perfect for bike riding. There are 5 trails at this park. We decided to try something different and bike a trail. We took on the Big Ferry Trail, which winds around through the maritime forest and gives great views of the marsh. This is a two-mile loop. It is mostly flat and it was a fairly easy bike ride. There were some very rooty and sandy spots that did make biking difficult. Note that I only have a beach cruiser bike, so my bike isn’t necessarily made for trails. I think it was more challenging dealing with the humidity.
We finished the loop biking through the area that has alligator ponds
There was a point on the trail where a boardwalk led into the marsh to an observation tower. Unfortunately, the tower was closed for repair. But we did see a bald eagle flying over this part of the marsh, which was so cool! We finished the loop biking through the area that has alligator ponds. They are freshwater ponds on both sides of the trail. We looked all over for an alligator, but this time we missed them.
At this park there is an awesome visitors center. There is a replica of a prehistoric giant ground sloth. Bones of the ground sloth were found on Skidaway Island. There are also several tanks exhibiting some of the local wildlife, including snakes and terrapins. Behind the visitor center is the mile-long Sandpiper Loop trail, which takes you on boardwalks through the marsh. We did this after we biked the Big Ferry Trail, so we did not do the entire loop. We did enjoy the boardwalks though and we spotted an osprey there.
This time we went to Service Brewing Company, located near the end of River Street
Skidaway Island State Park is about a 25–30-minute drive to historic Savannah. We already have an article about great places to drink in Savannah. When we last went to Savannah, we enjoyed drinking at the historic and haunted Moon River Brewing Company. Sadly, the place went out of business. This time we went to Service Brewing Company, located near the end of River Street. We were actually able to walk from our dinner on River Street down to this brewery, which was maybe only 8 or 9 minutes.
Service Brewing Company is a veteran-owned brewery. The place has tons of indoor seating as well as some outdoor seating. When we were there, a running club was meeting, so there were lots of people. This place is also dog friendly.
Service Brewing had several drinks available while we were there – 19 beers and 1 seltzer. What I especially loved was the number of options for sour and fruited beers! I got the Jam in a Can, which was a blackberry and vanilla sour. This beer was to die for! It was so so so good! Jesse tried the Fuzzy Wishes, a peach and cream sour. This was also very good. We also got the SBC Festbier, which was their Oktoberfest beer. It was fully flavored and crisp. I sampled the Savannah Banana beer, which was a spiced banana fruit ale. That one is definitely for baseball lovers out there!
The Bamboo Room is always worth a visit!
You also can’t visit Savannah without visiting the Bamboo Room, and tiki bar located above the Sorry Charlies restaurant. We wrote about it in our last Savannah article. This tiki bar transports you to Polynesia, providing wonderful drinks and delicious small bites. Every time I visit, I get the Lowcountry Luau because it is one of the few drinks without coconut. Jesse got the Bananas Forsyth, a frozen banana rum drink that was very strong! The staff are always very friendly, and you get to keep your swizzle sticks and drink decor! Bamboo Room is always worth the visit.
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
One other thing we did while in Savannah was drive back over the GA/SC border and visit the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. This is also discussed in our previous Savannah article. If you are looking for a free activity, this is the place to go. This refuge is actually a National Wildlife Refuge. There is a nice visitor center and a nature driving loop which provides awesome wildlife viewing. This place is also a favorite because you can go any time of year and it is accessible for those who cannot hike!
Camping Tour of the Lowcountry Wrap-Up
Our trip to Skidaway Island wraps up our Camping Tour of the Lowcountry. I was so happy to check this state park off the list. It is so pretty here, and I am sure it is wonderful any time of year. If you want to immerse yourself in the nature of the Lowcountry region, Skidaway Island State Park and Hunting Island State Park are your perfect destinations.
Tips for your trip to Skidaway Island State Park
- Be prepared for the sticky humidity of Skidaway Island – but don’t let it scare you away! If you don’t do well in the humidity, go during the winter months.
- Make sure you spend time at Skidaway – don’t just immediately go to Savannah! The trails and visitor center are great!
- Bring your bike to Skidaway Island! But make sure to check which trails you can and cannot ride bikes on.
- Skidaway Island is a great location for bird watching.
- Make sure you keep your dog on a leash on the trails at Skidaway Island. They don’t need to be running around willy-nilly near those alligator ponds!
- If you take your dog to Service Brewing Co., please make sure you have it on a leash and that you watch it. Also, please don’t just assume that other dogs want to socialize with others. While we were drinking, we saw an obnoxious dog owner. That is one of our biggest pet peeves!
- Go to the Bamboo Room and the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. You will not be disappointed.
Lowcountry Camping Trip Part 2 – Location Information
Skidaway Island
- Address: 52 Diamond Causeway, Savannah, GA 31411 (Google Map)
- Phone: 912-598-2300
- Visit the Skidaway Island State Park website for complete details and to reserve a campsite.
Service Brewing Company
- Address: 574 Indian Street, Savannah, GA 31401 (Google Map)
- Phone: 912-358-1002
- Visit the Service Brewing Company website for operating hours and their current beer selections.
Last Updated on December 30, 2025
