Reviews written by rray32539

NOTE: Mid-Bay Bridge Connector has opened and access to Mid-Bay Shores from the south must now exit at Lakeshore Drive, then left to White Point Road. There is no longer access to the Mid-Bay Bridge from White Point Road. Access to Mid-Bay Shores is from White Point Road ONLY.

Reservations not accepted did not seem to be a problem, even during the Thanksgiving holiday week. All of the premium sites were taken, but the newer standard sites were adequate for our needs. WiFi was available even at the far ends of the FamCamp. We could pick up the local San Antonio television stations using our over the air antenna, and setting up satellite TV was also easy. The bathing facilities were clean and in good order. A picnic area and dog walk are adjacent to the FamCamp. The facility does seem to be pet friendly, unlike some places we have stayed previously. The office is staffed during the majority of duty hours, the staff was friendly and helpful. Checking out the BX and Commissary found both with a wide selection of items that the FamCamp user might need, including an extensive selection of camping supplies in the BXtra. The food court has a wide variety of dining selections. A new barbecue restaurant is between the FamCamp and the BX and Commissary. The AAFES fuel station does not sell diesel, but we found a Citgo station that sold diesel at a good price on U.S. 90 directly across from the VIA stop and Wilford Hall Medical Center. If you have relatives in west San Antonio, are visiting Lackland AFB for BMT graduation, or just passing through, the Lackland FamCamp is a pleasant place to stay.

I had problems with the older campground by the river. The first problem is that the road to the campground is poorly marked, and the roadside was littered with fallen trees. As I arrived after dark, I got lost three times and had to maneuver my truck and fifth-wheel to turn around closed and locked gates. I finally found the campground through sure dumb luck. The gate guards at Gate 9 did not have a clue as to how to get there, one of them even said they thought it was closed. Another minus for Redstone Arsenal, unless you have a DoD registration sticker that is current, you can expect a LONG delay as your vehicle and trailer are thoroughly searched. The Air Force has made the stickers optional as many Air Force bases now have 100 percent ID checks 24/7 and have ceased issuance of DoD vehicle registration stickers. The guards at Gate 9 saw my sticker without an corresponding valid year sticker and threatened to remove the sticker and turn me away. They finally gave me a pass that I had to renew twice in 24 hours. And I had to go through the third degree search every time I went through the gate. After I got the rig parked, I wanted to take a nice hot shower. The bath house was serviceable except there was no hot water. There is practically no street lighting at the old campground, so if you arrive after dark, bring flashlights. Pluses include the friendly staff at the Outdoor Recreation Center who told me to just pull in to an open spot and come by the next morning to pay the camping fee. The old campground is right on the river, and there is a boat launch there. You can watch the river barge traffic, sit underneath the shaded campsites and enjoy the quiet. The new campground is very nice, with pull throughs and a new bath house, but NO trees to speak of. The new campground is well marked, close to the base facilities and eating establishments. The daily rate is higher at the new campground. With the security implementations those with large rigs will have to take a roundabout way to get to either campground. The old campground, as noted, cannot accomodate RVs larger than 30 feet. While the security precautions are understandable given the mission at Redstone Arsenal, the heightened security checks every time I entered the installation (I was in town for a amateur radio convention) made getting to the outlying campground even more of a chore. Unless you are staying for a long time and have a DoD vehicle sticker with year of expiration issued by your installation, to my way of thinking the good is outweighed by the bad. I give the ORC staff high marks, the actual maintenance of the roads and signs that lead to the old campground leave much to be desired, and the overzealous security staff make staying at Redstone Arsenal more of a chore than a pleasant experience.