Weekend trips are our bread and butter; they can be inexpensive and they can open up opportunities to visit parts of the state we would normally not visit. People often ask how we travel so often on such a limited budget, and the answer is simple: weekend trips. Oconee Springs Campground is a perfect example of one of these trips. From where we live, the campground is only about an hour and fifteen minute drive, and the park has quite a bit to offer. By the way, the name Oconee Springs can confuse quite a few people. The campground is actually on Lake Sinclair, but Lake Sinclair dams up to Lake Oconee, and the Oconee River is the main body of water that flows through both lakes. Hence the name Oconee Springs.

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Oconee Springs Campground consists of a multitude of RV sites, tent sites, cabins, and the day use area/marina. It’s the day use area that truly defines Oconee Springs, and it’s where the majority of the activity occurs. They have a wonderful marina/shop that sells both camping and boating/fishing basics, a sandy beach that is cleaned and “raked” every morning, and the floating park out in the water. The beach and floating park is where we spent most of our time; the older two boys spent the vast majority of their time on the inflatables, while Baby J floated around with us in the waist deep water that provided a massive relief from the 90-degree Georgia sun.

The beach at Oconee Springs also hosts a volleyball net and, during certain times of the year, a food truck! The food truck on location this time of year belongs to Georgia Butts BBQ, and being BBQ “enthusiasts,” we had to give ’em a try. Their menu is simple: pulled pork, BBQ chicken, hot dogs, brunswick stew, coleslaw, potato salad, and a few different sauces. We snagged the pulled pork sandwich for us and hot dogs for the boys, and we got one of each side. The pork was pretty solid, but in my opinion their sauces are what stood out. They had multiple variations, including a sweet, spicy, or mustard based sauce, and one extra spicy. The potato salad was tasty, and the brunswick stew was outstanding with a hit of that spicy BBQ sauce. The boys got out of the water just long enough to eat and went right back to the floats.

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As far as our actual campsite is concerned, it was peaceful and pretty par-for-the-course. The site itself was only a couple of hundred feet from the water. We set up super quickly when we arrived, and were able to hit the beach just a few minutes later. The sites typically have a gravel pad with a bit of grassy area, a fire ring, and a picnic table, and ours was no exception. There are also a couple of well-maintained bath houses. Most of the people there, however, are in RV’s, so the campground always had some type of activity going on. Case in point: our first evening we began hearing some drums and guitars sound testing. Turns out, a family was having a reunion at Oconee Springs, and one family member had a band and they just enjoyed playing music. They set up their own stage and lights and kicked off a free concert for everyone camping! It was a nice impromptu, unexpected event and we were able to settle in and listen for a while until the wind and weather came approached.

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Oconee Springs is a neat getaway that isn’t an extended drive from the larger cities in Georgia like Atlanta and Macon. If you have kids, you’ll all enjoy the beach, park, water, and facilities for a relaxing time away from all the craziness of the world. For a summer trip in Georgia, this campground is a hard place to beat. It’s in Georgia’s lake country, and the beautiful beach and cool water provide everything a group needs to chill and hit the brakes. Don’t come here expecting to stay busy with things to do; take advantage of a relaxing weekend. The views are outstanding, the grounds are clean, and the fun is there for the taking!