MacDill AFB Recreation Area

Well we were dissappointed on our visit to this base. I called 1 week before arriving here and ask about sites available for last min arrivals and I was told MANY were available. We drove here from GA and when we checked in they said there fully booked till March! They said there doing renovation on half of there sites and we can stay in overflow. When we drove through the park we saw about 30 sites available in between other RVs in a separate area from the renovation area. It was a miserable hot night too. People at the office were not very friendly or helpful, it seemed like they were doing a job they didn't want to do. Also be prepared to bring registration for RV and toad, current insurance and dog vaccine records. Also directions above are not correct on one part: it says to take exit 41a then go South on Dale Marby highway. Sadly Dale Marby highway is also called HWY 92 and it goes east and west, not north and south, this will be very confusing, so you need to go WEST on HWY 92, but the rest of the info is correct.

I called several months in advance of our trip to make sure there would be no problem with us getting a sight because we are DOD retired. I was assured there would be no problem.. I was told to call 2 weeks before arrival, I did and was told that DOD can not make reservations but to come on we would be in dry camp for a couple days, week at the most. We arrive, and are told "oh no, you are lowest of priority" but to check back if someone leaves we may get a sight. We pay for a week in dry camp, go to renew and see what is the possibility of getting electric, at this time we are told that there would have to be a mass exodus for us to even be considered for a electric sight!! Several people have come and gone. We still sit in dry camp over 3 weeks!! I am sorry but we may be DOD my husband did serve in the guards, he did time for his country, he has worked very hard for the department of defense and is very proud of the job he did, now here we are being treated as second rate citizens. I truly understand active duty has first choice!! I understand retirees should have benefits. I do not mind waiting my turn..but it seems NO ONE here knows the rules. By the time we figured out we were scum, it was too late to find another place to stay, everything is full. So DOD unless you want to stay in dry camp, stay away..it advertises DOD can stay, but they forgot to say where. Oh, by the way the showers are NOT cleaned daily. I watched one stall for 4 days that had hair in the same spot. I bought cleaner and would clean and disinfect when I showered. There is very very limited wifi, if you find it DO NOT MOVE!! We have stayed at other military camp grounds and this is the first time I have been made to feel soooo bad.

VERY DISAPPOINTED!!! This is no longer a "recreation" area. It is a HOUSING area for snowbirds, and for some savvy Florida "residents" and contractors!! This is the most disorganized, inefficient camping area I've ever encountered, and I would not even call it a recreation area. I had not been here in 4 years, and boy has it changed. When I called to check, I specifically asked if there would be a space for us. We called less than 2 weeks before we went, and the young man ASSURED us that we would have at least partial hookups, and said to just "pick an open spot" if the office was closed. We drove 8 hours with 2 small kids for a 5-day vacation. WHAT A FIASCO !! We arrived about 4:30 New Year's Eve, the office was closed, and we picked an open spot. There were MANY open spots. The next day, we checked in with the camp host, who said we had to move to "dry camp" overnight (NO hookups of any sort) and then go into the office Jan. 2 at 10 am to get another spot. I went in there at 10 am Jan. 2, waited in a long line for an hour, with other people, only to be told we had to "dry camp" again EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE STILL MANY, MANY OPEN SPOTS WITH FULL HOOKUPS!! We traveled 8 hours to get there, with 2 small children, and bought over $100 worth of food that nearly spoiled. Also, the night we were in dry camp it got pretty cold, and we couldn't run our furnace or even a space heater. At 10 am Jan. 2, the office staff said "come back at noon" to see if we could get a partial or full hookup spot - STILL lots of empties!! - so we did. Then at noon, they said come back at 2. We came back at 2 - "come back at 4" so basically they jerked us around ALL DAY, wasting a full day of our 5-day vacation. Almost all the spaces that were empty the first day were empty throughout our stay. FInally at 4:30 I was completely fed up, told them we'd be leaving the next day, and that I would be contacting the base commander about this fiasco. (Which I certainly will). THERE WERE STILL DOZENS OF OPEN SPOTS, including the one which we'd selected the first night, that remained open the entire 5 days we were there! When I spoke to the manager, an empty full hook up site magically became available!! Mere SECONDS after the same young man I'd spoken to on the phone said there were NONE available and we'd have to dry camp again. HOORAY!! But not before wasting a full day, spoiling some of our food, and spoiling all our fun for 20% of our vacation time, not to mention causing a whole lot of stress. Had we known that this could happen, we could have at least brought our generator along. The fact that, when I called, we were ASSURED at least a partial hookup made this whole ordeal completely unacceptable. When I asked the manager how a site was now available when the guy JUST TOLD ME there weren't any, she said "well, he doesn't know what I see" on her computer. So apparently the folks there will just tell you anything, whether it's true or not. I heard this from lots of people: #1 - Florida residents rent their homes out to snowbirds in the winter for a lot of money, then take their RVs to live at MacDill while pocketing a good profit (renting homes for $2,000 or so per month, staying at MacDill for $600 per month including utilities). #2 - a certain percentage of spots "have" to remain open for active duty personnel (who presumably can just take off whenever they want (yeah, right) and go in with no reservations and no prior planning). #3 - retirees live here half the year (you can stay for 6 months at a time), and a certain percentage of spots are reserved for them. #4 - it's fine for civilian contractors and Reservists or active duty on TDY or PCS to live here, while getting per diem to live out "in town" and to pocket the savings. Now, I'm not bitter or anything, and don't begrudge anyone for taking advantage of a financial loophole especially in this economy, but this is supposed to be a RECREATION AREA, not a housing area. It's my understanding that MWR, non-appropriated funds, etc. are a separate funding stream from housing/BAQ, etc. So why are recreation facilities suddenly turned into housing areas? This used to be my favorite Florida campground. Not any more! Take your chances coming here, and make sure you bring your poop tank, water bottles, extra clothes, fans, heaters, generators, fuel, etc.

We were not sure at all we wanted to come here but curiosity got the best of us and being nearby we drove over to check it out. I'd called in late Feb and was told there was no chance of even overflow, dry camping. Then the conversation turned confusing: something about you had to wait 2 weeks in overflow, then you had to make a reservation 2 weeks out. So I asked to make a reservation for 2 weeks from then and no, that was not possible. When I hung up I just said HUH?? To my surprise when we drove in on March 22 the office staff was super pleasant and said sure we could have a fhu site with no reservation, just come back Tuesday. We did, again very pleasant people in the office, and we got one of the many sites open. That said, we would not come back. I think the place's main appeal is it's the southernmost famcamp outside of Key West, making the winters warmer than the nicer (in our opinion) camps up in the panhandle. The sites are just average, pretty close together, the laundry room is big but not very inviting, same with the bathrooms. The beach is ok for sitting, not for swimming. The base itself is very nice, the commissary and bx are great. The annex on Golf Course Rd was never discussed so I don't know what one has to do to get there. It's a little more open, more of a "country" feel. Has the look of an old mobile home park with the sites very oddly spaced on concrete pads, one for each wheel. There are no facilities at all there. The Tampa traffic alone is enough to keep us away from a second visit. It's just not that nice a place.

This is a very good facility, which could be great with a policy change. Since stays up to 6 months are allowed, from October to April it's not a campground, it's a home for snowbirds. To make a "reservation" a $100 deposit is required. We called on 13 November 2013, but did not have a confirmed reservation until a month before we left home. The last time we stayed here we arrived in December and didn't get confirmed until two weeks after we arrived. Many people abuse the system. They make reservations for October. They arrive and park their rig, then go back home until after Christmas or New Years. This allows them to get a confirmed reservation, pick a good site, and deny others the opportunity to do so. Reducing the stay limit to 4 months would fix that problem. Although the signs say the rest roooms/showers are closed for an hour and a half daily, the state of those facillities do not reflect that. I saw the same candy wrapper on the floor for 3 or 4 days. On many occasions there were no paper towels and at least one time there was no toilet paper. Wi-fi is spotty at best. IF you can connect it's not very speedy. There is a limit to the number of connections at each location and many who get connected never disconnect. They do offer Mi-Fi for $50 a month. I had my own Virgin Mobile Mi-Fi and service was lousy. They are tearing down the old office and building a new one. Hopefully they'll upgrade the Wi-Fi.

Upon arrival at the office I could not find fault, The office staff were helpful and considerate, however it was only the third week of October 2014 but never less there were some two week spots. I read the reviews and certainly can see there are people who have been coming to this camp ground who feel entitled as annual renters, one told me he has been coming for 19 years. I asked several different questions regarding the USAF Policy on operating the camp ground and how the site reservation and waiting list are managed but was never able to see the AFR because there was no copy available and no clear response was given on year to year management. I suspect the IG should get involved or maybe raise it to a Congressional investigation. I don't think the people running the site are intentionally mismanaging the system, but I think there is a gap of fairness from year to year that should be looked into. Example is if all reservations are filled early in October for 6 months, people should be made to physically occupy the space not just pay to keep it for 90 days before they arrive. The other short sighted rule is if you are on the reserved waiting list and carried over to the following year then those people should be the first to be allowed to reserve spots before those who reserve and occupy annually. This would allow rotation from the waiting list annually and create fairness for all on the waiting list. Example if you are number 18 or 125 on the reserved waiting list in 2013 then you would have been given a reserved spot the following year during the peak times of October thru March 2014 before anyone who occupied the reserved spots in 2013. This would create a rotation from the reserved waiting list into the reserved spots at least every other year. The reserved list for reserved spots would only be open until they reach the total number of reserved spots available and would only be able to be reserved by those occupying a reserved spot in March of the year they have the spot. This is called fairness to all military entitled people to get a chance at enjoying the benefits offered at Raccoon Creek MacDill AFB Family Camp. I am not available to partake in this adventure because I still work full time and enjoy my job so even at 66 I have no plans to retire. However I did enjoy our two weeks spent here this year. I will not be able to travel there in 2015 due to overseas travel work commitments but I do intend to follow what is happening here because I think there are numerous violations of reservation mismanagement and if not publically repaired I will without hesitation start a congressional inquiry because I think all deserve to enjoy what just a few are now enjoying. Last thanks to the friendly management I enjoyed my visit and hope to visit again in 2016 or 2017, keep the lights on!

Raccoon Creek is a “Snow Bird” Mecca during the winter that was at capacity during our stay 23-28 February. MacDill is a full services base with excellent commissary, exchange, gym, golfing etc. The CG has an excellent bathhouse, laundry, mail service, marina, and beach area; all within walking distance. Excellent bike or running trails. We found the staff to be busy, very busy, but courteous. The rotation to and from full hookup to dry camp seemed to be fair. The sites are situated close together-to close. Three hot spots for Wi-Fi are advertised: marina, laundry, and the club. I could literally be standing inside one of the above and could not get connected. If you need internet recommend the library. Tampa is a Metro area and recommend that you arrive or leave on a weekend or at the very least avoid heavy traffic times. Overall we enjoyed although crowded.

I stayed here for 3 days on my way to Key West. It is a large RV park catering mainly to snowbirds. The staff was very helpful. They have a LONG list of rules but that usually goes along with a military environment. The first thing I noticed was a MASSIVE amount of information they required at check-in, but the staff was nice when I didn't have pet medical records. Be advised that on longer stays they require a more elaborate registration of pets. The only downside I noticed was that MANY of the fellow campers had been staying for long periods of time and kind of have developed ownership and treat the staff as servants. Many people forget when they retire that they are not as "important" as they believe. Most were very nice, I just felt bad for how a few treated the staff. The facilities are great and MacDill has every base service one can imagine. There was a definite feel on base that the snowbirds had almost taken over. lol The sites were large and level full hook-ups and cable TV, wifi and internet is said to be available but I found it basically unusable. As with many base campgrounds the awesome amenities get little use as many seemed tied to their RV sites. The Sea Scape restaurant is a privately run facility and no one seems to know/understand their hours, other than an active duty base function it was closed during my stay. Some people complain of homesteading and this is for sure one of those places, as for me that doesn't bother me at all. I much prefer the facilities being used than possibly being shut down. Make a reservation for a long stay and you will be fine. I enjoyed my stay and plan to return for longer stays. Many retirees would be well served to remember they are a GUEST not an OWNER, but again I personally had no bad interactions with fellow RVers and most seemed quick with a smile and friendly greeting.

This campground is located on the very southern tip of the Tampa peninsula and MacDill AFB. We arrived after 1600 and checked in with the camp host - super easy, super nice. We had site 109. 108 - 113 are single row (no pull through - replacement water lines buried on back end). Loads of room in the front of the space. Easy and close access to the beach. Good WiFi, 50 power. I didn’t use the cable connection. $51 for the entire Labor Day weekend - can’t be beat. The beach has a covered pavilion and grills. Since it is on the bay there are no waves and there is sea grass about 5 yards off shore. Loads of kayaking and there is a marina.

Not sure why this place is so popular. Must be because it's in Florida. Fire ants have taken over the park, and after a meeting with the famcamp manager, he informed me it was just a fact of life at the base. {I bet the four star's don't have to take care of their own ants} And just to warn you, it's up to you to rid of them or live with them. Also, it's your responsibility to keep your space mowed, they will provide you with a mower. Are you having trouble figuring out just what they do for you with all the rent they collect, me to! It's not clean the bathrooms, they are the dirtiest I have ever seen. It's not provide you with power, {if you are in a 30amp site}. Our voltage was below a hundred all winter. Electrician who worked on it told me the 30 amp sites were all like that. They do plan a lot of outings, but not for your benefit, they are so pricey, no one can afford them, I guess that's so they can afford to pay all those connected to outdoor rec. Most of the famcamper's I talked to told me this is the way it is here. They keep promising updates, but nothing happens. Probably because they have a 200+ waiting list every year. Until we make a stand {and go elsewhere a year or two} and force them to close the place or fix it nothing will change. The base however is fantastic, great comm/bx, gym, golf, and all well taken care of. Wish they would treat the famcamp the same way.

First the good: Wonderful location. Tampa is a scenic city and MacDill is an incredibly beautiful military base. The famcamp is well kept, neat and clean. We had a water view site on a level concrete pad. Now the bad: When we checked in we had to provide our RV registration, proof of insurance for our trailer and our truck, and a shot record for our dog. Both my wife and I had to provide our full names, plus a separate next of kin. I have never had to answer such detailed questions at any other military RV park, and we have been to at least a dozen different ones in the last two years. I haven't had to answer so many personal questions since my last overseas deployment! Next we had to sign our lives away, saying we understood the many pages of ridiculously strict rules and regulations of the famcamp. These include a demerit system. Every violation is 3 points. If you amass 12 points you are evicted from the famcamp. Definitely not a dog friendly place. Dog rules are posted everywhere, in case you forgot the page of dog rules you had to sign upon arrival. Cats are not exempt, either. A neighbor told me he got chewed out when one of his cats briefly walked outside his trailer without a leash. All the rules and their threats of heavy handed enforcement made me flash back to bootcamp... but wait, there's more. Hopefully it was just the time of year we stayed here, but the insects were horrible. Bugs known as "lovebugs" were swarming everywhere. They don't bite but they are so thick they are a major annoyance. Much worse were the "no see 'ums," tiny biting insects that were everywhere at all hours of the day and night. They are so small they easily get inside your trailer and even torture you while you are inside. I had to cover myself in Off insect repellent just to go outside. I am still swatting at them as I write this review. Overall, the terrible insect situation coupled with the absurd emphasis on unnecessarily strict rules spoiled what should have been a great visit. We will not stay here again.