Chickery's Travels

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June 28, 2018 by Julie 10 Comments

Guide To Using Military Campgrounds

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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? 
  • Where Can I Find Them?
  • Are They Any Good?
  • Can I Make Reservations? 
  • What If I Don’t Have An RV?
  • Other Important Tips
  • Military Campground Reviews
  • FLORIDA
  • NEVADA
  • TENNESSE
  • TEXAS
  • VIRGINIA
  • Related posts:

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 Jan 1, 2020: Under the 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 their 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.

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 as 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 hook-ups, but there are older ones that only have partial hook-ups. Some even have over flow or primitive camping areas with no hook ups. Most are located on the base, which offers the 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, paint ball 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 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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Related posts:

Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, Florida)

Filed Under: Military Travel Tagged With: best military campgrounds, Blue Angel Park, blue angel park pensacola fl, blue angel park pensacola florida, campground reviews, FamCamp, macdill afb campground, midway rv park, midway rv park millington tn, midway rv park tennessee, military base, Military campground, military campgrounds, military campgrounds in florida, military camping, military recreation area, military rv campgrounds, military rv park, military rv parks, military rv parks in florida, military travel, militay camping, Naval Support Activity Mid-South, Patrick AFB, patrick afb rv park, patrick air force base campground, patrick air force base camping, patrick air force base rv park, pensacola rv park, rv park near memphis, top military rv parks

Comments

  1. Todd Beach says

    June 12, 2019 at 10:57 am

    I am a retired Marine and have purchased my first RV travel trailer. I am taking it out on it’s and my 1st trip next week. It’s great to know that there are several military bases that have campgrounds and I will definitely take advantage of them. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      June 12, 2019 at 4:07 pm

      Let us know if you every need any recommendations.

      Reply
  2. Sharon says

    July 27, 2019 at 10:58 am

    My husband is a Navy veteran and has commissary and exchange privileges.
    Total and permanent disability. Does he qualify?

    Reply
    • Julie Chickery says

      July 28, 2019 at 11:58 am

      Are you saying he is 100% DAV? If so, yes. If not, it will vary by military installation. The best thing to do is contact the campground you’d like to visit and verify eligibility.

      Reply
  3. Terry says

    August 8, 2019 at 2:54 pm

    Thank you for the info, my wife and I are active duty Army and seen your YouTube channel, we were able to gather valuable information on the Space Coast RV Campground on Patrick AFB and other campgrounds we are interested in visiting. We will be staying at the campground one night before catching our Disney Cruise in November. Prices have went up a little since your vlog but still very reasonable, staff was a great help as well. Again, thank you for the posted information on YouTube as well as this site.

    Reply
    • Julie Chickery says

      August 8, 2019 at 7:50 pm

      Glad you found it helpful. I hope we meet on the road sometime!

      Reply
  4. Al Temple says

    November 29, 2019 at 8:35 am

    I just found out about the new law allowing Service Connected Disability Veterans the privilege of using camping facilities on Military base commencing Jan 2020. Is there a printed hard copy listing available?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      November 29, 2019 at 2:10 pm

      You can order a book with the military campgrounds from the following website http://www.militarycampgrounds.us

      Reply
  5. Bill T says

    April 8, 2020 at 9:56 am

    The use of US military campgrounds, does it apply to allied military members and veterans as well?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      April 9, 2020 at 2:42 pm

      Some bases do allow retired allied service members. I would contact the individual campground to verify your eligibility.

      Reply

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