Chickery's Travels

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  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • The Best U.S. National Park Campgrounds
    • 28 Must-See State Park Campgrounds You Can’t Miss
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds: Discover Hidden Gems Just Outside the Park Boundaries
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Complete Guide to Camping at Shenandoah National Park
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah Views Campground (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Alaska
      • 5 Things You Can’t Miss On Your First Trip To Alaska
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves: Best Activities to Enjoy on Your Arizona Vacation
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Dunnellon, Florida)
      • Enjoy the Best of Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Hawaii
      • Everything You Need to Know About Camping in a Jeep Wrangler in Hawaii
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Road Trip
      • Discover the Beauty of Monhegan Island, Maine
      • Acadia National Park: Highlights You Can’t Miss
    • Nevada
      • Best Campgrounds in Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • North Carolina
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Uncover the Coastal Charm of North Carolina’s Outer Banks | A Guide for Visitors
    • Tennessee
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Restaurants in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
      • Explore Nature’s Untamed Beauty at Big Bend National Park
    • Virginia
      • Explore Great Falls Park, Virginia
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Maintenance
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • Get Ready for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • The Ultimate Guide to Embracing the Full-Time RV Lifestyle
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing – Stories from the Road
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • How Book Readers Can Space and Weight in the RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Creative Ways To Save Money On Your Next Vacation
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV: Try Before You Buy
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Attend An RV Show – Even If You Already Own An RV | Exciting Reasons Why
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

8:00 am by Julie 10 Comments

Guide To Using Military Campgrounds

Did you know the military operates campgrounds on many of its bases? They are an affordable option for your travels around the United States if you are an eligible patron. Situated in some of the most picturesque vacation destinations, military campgrounds and the bases they reside on offer numerous amenities. And they are usually a great value! Read this guide to learn more about how to take advantage of this terrific benefit!

Patrick FamCamp RV Site
Patrick Air Force Base Family Campground

Who is Eligible? 

The military has a large system of campgrounds and recreation areas. But who can use them?

Although bases tend to have their own specific rules on this, in general, to use a military campground you must be an active duty service member, National Guard or Reservist, military retiree, or 100-percent service-connected disabled veteran. Surviving family members of service members killed in action who have access to other benefits like healthcare and medical retirees and their families also typically qualify.

New as of Jan 1, 2020: Under the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018, all veterans with a service-connected disability rating (between 0-90 percent) can now use the base exchanges, commissaries, and many MWR facilities INCLUDING campgrounds! Read this article for instructions on how to access the base if you fall under this new access category. 

If you want to look up the official DOD policy, it is DOD Instruction 1015.10, enclosure 3 which details the Authorized Patronage of Military MWR Programs. But it is important to note that each service has written its own regulation. There’s also a common saying in the military, “There’s a waiver for everything,” which basically means each base can do what they want.

In our travels so far we’ve come across one military campground, the Grassy Pond Recreation Area managed by Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA that even allowed non-military affiliated civilians to stay.

Your best bet is to check well ahead of your planned visit to verify specific eligibility rules.

Where Can I Find Them?

Our favorite resource for finding military campgrounds is a free website, militarycampgrounds.us. This privately run website has a map feature that allows you to see where there are military campgrounds. Then it provides detailed information and reviews (with photos and often videos) of each campground.

Graphic will text for Roadtrippers Plus

You can maneuver around the site as a guest, or sign up to get a log in and post your own reviews. We try to review every campground we stay at, and I’ve noticed many others do too.

Are They Any Good?

Military campgrounds range in size and quality, just as civilian campgrounds do. Our recommendation is to read the reviews mentioned above, not just looking at the number of stars, but to see if the writer cares about the same amenities as you do.

Many military campgrounds are big rig friendly with full hookups, but there are older ones that only have partial hook-ups. Some even have overflow or primitive camping areas with no hookups. Most are located on the base, which offers normal amenities like swimming pools, commissaries, and fitness centers. However, some, like the Blue Angel RV Park are off-base and have their own activities like kayak rentals, sailboat lessons, paintball, and mini-golf.

Can I Make Reservations? 

Many base campgrounds take reservations which really makes planning simpler. This is especially helpful in locations that are in touristy spots. For example, Florida is a high-demand area in the winter. MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL takes reservations one year in advance and manages a very large (100+) waiting list. On the other hand, Patrick Air Force Base near Cocoa Beach is first come, first served.

The Navy even has an online reservation system, http://ngis.dodlodging.net. NGIS stands for Navy Gateway Inns & Suites, but many Navy campgrounds allow reservations on the site. We’ve used it successfully for a couple of Navy campgrounds in Florida, and one in Tennessee. The only thing we don’t like about the system is that you have to type specific dates and see if anything is available. If not, you change your dates and try again. There is no feature to see the next open available date like the National Parks system.

What If I Don’t Have An RV?

Did you know many military bases/posts rent travel trailers? Options include fully outfitted trailers that remain in place at the base campground, as well as those available to tow behind your vehicle to travel. In addition, many military campgrounds offer tent campsites. You can often rent the tent too!   
Travel Trailers for rent at Fort Belvoir

I love that many military bases even rent travel trailers and tents!

Offerings may include trailers that remain in place at the base campground for you to enjoy with your family. Other bases have travel trailers you can rent to behind your vehicle to travel.

Finally, most military campgrounds offer tent campsites and you can rent the tent too! 

Other Important Tips

Verify Base Access

Due to heightened security requirements, many bases/posts only allow RVs and trailers to enter via commercial vehicle gates. These are often closed after hours and on weekends. We’ve been to a few that have required us to contact base security to meet us at the gate. Always check with the campground during duty hours for specific instructions on base access.

Pay A Visit To The Outdoor Recreation Office

Outdoor Recreation programs vary by location, but most have rental equipment like kayaks and bicycles. Some even run a marina with rental boats and certification courses. Many also have trips & tours to local attractions. No matter what your plans are, it is always a good place to start before you go out exploring the local area!

Check Out Discounts at the Base Information, Ticket, and Tours Center

Whenever we move to a new base, we always check out the Information, Tickets, and Tours (ITT) office. This is where you can get special military discount tickets for a variety of local attractions. There is an ITT office on most military bases and even many satellite locations.

The ITT office also has tons of brochures, highlighting lesser-known local events alongside the major attractions. It’s a great way to get to know the area around the base and discover a new part of the country.

Military Campground Reviews

We always read the reviews on the free website, militarycampgrounds.us while planning our trips.  We also make a video of all the campgrounds we stay at. You can view them below.

FLORIDA

NEVADA

TENNESSE

TEXAS

VIRGINIA

Sharing is Caring! Please share the images below on Pinterest. 

Situated in some of the most picturesque vacation destinations, military campgrounds and the bases they reside on offer numerous amenities. And they are usually a great value! Read this guide to learn more about how to stay in military campgrounds in your RV, motorhome, fifth wheel, trailer, or even pop up camper.

Learn Tips and Tricks for Using Military Campgrounds. They are a great option for active and retired military, as well as 100% DAV and DOD civilians. These campgrounds and RV parks are often in great locations, with many amenities.

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2:12 pm by Julie 2 Comments

MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, Florida)

We just spent a month at the MacDill AFB Family Campground (aka FamCamp). We love its central location to tons of activities and amazing beaches! It is very large with 366 full-hookup sites (electricity, water, sewer, and cable TV). Folks staying for a few months can even get an account with the local provider and get internet/telephone service. They also have several partial hook-up spots with water and electric and a tent camping area.

Main FamCamp

The campground is divided into two parts. The main FamCamp is by the base beach on Tampa Bay. This area has two dog parks and new this year, a dog beach! The main campground also has a laundry room and bathhouse. This is really the only place with a strong Wi-Fi signal, but the drawback is that both times we have stayed at this campground, the air conditioner was out in this building.

MacDill AFB FamCamp

Base Beach and Seascapes

The water is not really deep enough to swim, but you can wade in the water or just enjoy soaking up the sun. The beach also has a volleyball net and picnic pavilions. If you prefer, you can enjoy the restaurant, Seascapes BeachHouse, which is open for lunch on weekdays and dinner on weekends. The outdoor Tiki Hut bar is also on the weekends so you can enjoy a cocktail and the fabulous sunsets. On Friday nights they have Family Fun Night with a DJ and activities for the kids.

Rainbow over the MacDill AFB Family Campground Beach

Marina

The base marina is also adjacent to the FamCamp. They have boats and kayaks for rent, as well as wet slips to store your own boat and a boat launch ramp. They also sell bait and assorted sundries. Outdoor recreation rentals are co-located with the marina and they rent bicycles, tents, and much more.

FamCamp Annex

The FamCamp Annex provides another section of full-hookup sites near the golf course. The spaces here are farther apart and most have paved parking. However, there is no additional bathhouse here, so if you need that amenity you may want to choose the main campground.

Reservations

Now you’ve probably noticed that there is a ton of space right now. That’s because it is summertime and you will never need reservations to come this time of year. If you want to come in the winter, that is another story all together. In the winter, this is a snow bird’s paradise and the only way you can get into full hookups is to make a reservation a year in advance. If you call to reserve a site arriving early in the season, say October, you will likely get one.  However, if you are trying to arrive later in the season you will most likely have to get on the waiting list.

A great source of information for the MacDill AFB campground and others is the website US Military Campgrounds and RV Parks. It provides a wealth of information including which gate to enter the installation, as well as reviews.

 

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Filed Under: Campground Review, Campground Reviews, Florida, Military Travel, Tampa, USA Tagged With: Campground in Tampa, campground review, FamCamp, famcamp macdill afb, Florida, MacDill AFB, macdill afb campground, macdill air force base, Military campground, military campgrounds, military campgrounds in florida, military campgrounds near destin florida, military recreation area, military rv park, military rv parks, military rv parks in florida, RV Park, tampa campground, Tampa RV Park, tampa rv parks

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