Jellystone Park at River Bottom Farm, October 4-14, 2016

Rating:  3.5 on a scale of 5

Location: Because Glenwood Acres RV Park in Concord, NC, did not honor our reservations, we had to scramble a bit to figure out where we were going to stay to visit Congaree National Park. We had originally planned to stay at the Barnyard RV Park in Lexington, SC, but they could not accommodate o ur new dates. The University of South Carolina Gamecock games, cause most RV parks anywhere near Columbia, SC, to be sold out during the football season. Eventually, I found this place. It was about an hour away from Congaree and only about 30 miles from Columbia, SC. There just isn't that much stuff that we like to do available around here, but it ended up being a very nice RV park.

Lot size: We had a full hookup, back-in site in the center of the loop around the park. There was enough space between the sites and our motor coach, tow dolly and car all fit just fine on it. The perimeter lots are mostly shaded, but they appear to be occupied by seasonal folks with 5th wheel or RV trailers that come here on weekends and vacations, although some seem to live here year round.

Rustic tent and four cabins are also available here.

Our neighbors had these awesome Harleys that they transport in the rear of their 5th wheel. Once the weather cleared up, they enjoyed some riding in the area. 

Amenities: There are loads of amenities here. Located in the "in field" is a jumping pillow, playground, pavilion, volleyball court, horseshoes, and swimming pool (seasonal). 

A building by the pool houses the bathhouse, tiny laundromat and arcade room. We had lots of fun playing air hockey (we are very evenly matched!), pinball, and some of the other games in the arcade. 

The Canine Corral (large dog park) is near the entrance of the park. 

Also, the gem mining area, ball court, human footwork ball, and "pumpkin patch" for Halloween can be seen when you enter the park. 

There is no cable TV available at sites, but there is a large screen TV in the recreation area for guests. The wifi was slow, especially when the park is full on the weekends. 

The Campground Store sells firewood, ice, and some fishing supplies and bait for use in the three fishing ponds. Propane is also available for purchase here. We enjoyed the hiking trails and so did our doggy, Sadie. 

We enjoyed the hiking trails near the ponds and so did our doggy Sadie. 

We met a fishermen and his granddaughter near one of them.

Cost: $346

Management: The management here were efficient and friendly during check in. The park is very well maintained by the staff. We needed to extend our stay due to Hurricane Mathew and storm damage along the SC coast (where we had intended to visit next), and they were very accommodating. 

General Comments:  This place is a little more expensive than I prefer, but we were in a situation where we needed a place to stay and this fit the bill. I very much appreciated them accommodating us! It was a good location to weather out the hurricane that hammered the state during our stay. One major ding for us was there were only 2 washers/dryers in the laundry room. Also, do not wear sandals (as I did) when you walk through the grass here. I got all kinds of crazy bites on my feet and ankles before I realized I had to use bug spray every time I walked outside or my shoes/hiking boots! Although this is a very nice family park, I do not expect to stay here again.

Website: www.riverbottomfarms.com