Unless you prefer simply relaxing and listening to the sounds of nature – and there’s nothing wrong with that in this neck of the woods – then there’s no excuse for sitting still in Kershaw County.

There’s a lot to do here, from horseback riding, fishing and golfing to team athletics and shooting sports.

Parks and Rec

The Kershaw County Recreation Department alone offers superior facilities and programs, including 34 tennis courts, 31 baseball fields, nine soccer fields, four volleyball courts and a “star-struck” observatory for astronomers.

Programs open to the public include dance classes – including South Carolina’s state dance, the shag – gymnastics, tennis lessons, martial arts, swimming, playgrounds and more.

Lure of the Lake

In addition, Lake Wateree, one of the state’s oldest manmade lakes, is a huge draw for fishers and boaters. With more than 13,000 surface acres and 242 miles of shoreline, the lake offers bountiful crappie, bass, catfish and bream.

Lake Wateree State Park, a year-round favorite of campers, boaters and fishers, features a lakeside campground, nature trail, picnic area, playground, tackle shop/store and a boat ramp. In addition to Lake Wateree, there are the Wateree River, Goodale State Park and Kendall Lake.

Great Golf

Landlubbers, or those who simply like to cast golf balls instead of fishing lures, will be pleased to discover several golf links in the area. The Camden Country Club offers an 18-hole championship course, a challenging par 70 that is frequently rated among the top 25 South Carolina golf courses.

Other golfing options include Green Hill Golf Club, which is a nine-hole regulation course in Lugoff, the 18-hole White Pines Golf Course in Camden, Bethune Country Club, and Pickett-Thomas Park and Golf Club.

Set Your Sights

Shooting sports also occupy a good bit of free time in Kershaw County, with activities ranging from skeet shooting and a sporting clays course at Hermitage Farm Shooting Sports in Camden to quail hunting at Back 40 Wing & Clay in Bethune. Another popular hunting and fishing locale is PowderKegg Wildlife Preserve, in Cassatt, which specializes in trophy whitetail deer hunts.

Equine Sports

It’s no surprise that equine activities also play a big role in area recreation. In addition to the annual polo events and cup races, horse enthusiasts may take advantage of year-round activities at the South Carolina Equine Park, a 40-acre center that has been specifically designed for a full range of activities.

The SCEP, like most of Kershaw County’s offerings, is accessible by several nearby interstates including I-20, I-95, I-26 and I-77, making Kershaw County not only an ideal place to plan a vacation, but a perfect place to live.