Hanging Out with Seven

The beginning of 2020 was a busy time for the CameraCouple. We had several camping trips back to back to back, which is exactly how we like it. This weekend, we were heading to Andrew Jackson State Park in South Carolina. Get it... he was the seventh president.

This was our first time at this campground, so we didn't really know what to expect. It was a surprisingly small campground that was also surprisingly packed. Usually, state parks are pretty spread out, and sites are secluded. Not here. It felt like all the campers were packed in like sardines. We could hear and see just about everything going on at the neighboring sites. At least it was in the woods by the lake.

 Since we were only there for a weekend (arriving Friday night and leaving Sunday morning), we really only had one full day at the park, but we were determined to make the most of it.

Although it was small, the park was actually rather pretty. There was a hiking trail that looped the lake connected right to our campsite. Rose and Luna just got matching buddy bandannas, so naturally, we had to show them off out in the wilderness.  

Don't they look adorable!?

The hike wasn't anything too strenuous, but that never stops chubby li'l Luna from wanting to take breaks every couple minutes. She always misses the couch.

After our hike, we grabbed some lunch and took a bike ride around the rest of the park, which turned out to be only one little loop.

We found out that the name "Andrew Jackson State Park" isn't just honorary; it's actually the site of Jackson's birthplace! There's a museum dedicated to his life in an old 18th century house. They had revolutionary artifacts and exhibits dedicated to his life. As a history nerd, I thought it was really cool!

This was also at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic hitting the U.S., and the lady running the gift shop register was more than happy to tell us al about her recent travels to Wuhan, China to visit her family. Great...

With our heads full of knowledge, we headed back to the campsite to chill for a little while by the lake.

After a quick search, we found a brewery in a nearby town that sounded interesting, so we headed just over the border to Waxhaw, North Carolina. The brewery, called The Dreamchaser's Brewery, was super cool. It was built inside of an old fire station and still had firefighting equipment scattered all over the room, along with plenty of dream catchers. We sat and had a few while Luna laid on the floor and recuperated from her big hike.

Downtown Waxhaw was cute too. After our beers, we wandered around the town for a bit before heading back to the campsite.

Upon getting back to the site, we got hungry. One of our favorite restaurants from when we lived in Pineville (South Charlotte) wasn't too far away. We had been debating whether we should go or not, and our hunger finally got the best of us. It was a 40 minute drive, but worth every second. If you ever find yourself in Fort Mill, South Carolina, go to Hobo's. You won't be disappointed. 

With full bellies and our yearning for adventure quenched, for now, we headed back home for another week. Next stop, an old favorite: Baker Creek State Park.