Hurlburt Field FamCamp

Hulburt had a nice Famcamp until someone got the bright idea of moving it. It is now in an open field in town off base in an unsecured area. It is simply a field with no trees or shade of any kind with concrete pads that a blind man must of poured. When it rains the parking pads turn into lakes due to no slope and a low spot in the middle of them. The location is terrible, on a highway which is always busy, and no amenities of any kind except a bathhouse. How anyone can think this is worth the money they charge is ridiculous.

We read the FamCamp description which stated first-come/first-serve and offered overflow camping if full. We spent three hours driving there, arriving early in hope for a FC/FS site. When I walked into the campground office the “attendant” was parked in a chair, feet on his desk, baseball cap and sunglasses, watching something on either the TV or computer screen. Without moving a muscle all he said “What kind I do for you?” I said, “I see the park is full; can we get into your overflow for one night?” He snapped, “This FamCamp is for active duty only.” When I asked why the FamCamp website makes no such stipulation and stated that clearly there are retirees camping here, he simply repeated “Active duty only.”. It wasn’t a complete loss; we were lucky to get away. The ‘FamCamp’ is nothing but a parking lot with grass planted around the concrete pads. It isn’t even on the base, but a half-mile away carved into some trees alongside the highway.

Sorry about the complaint, but how on earth in this day can they build a beautiful new campground from scratch and not include WIFI and CATV?

I have to respond to slmky's review. I think she has probably seen me with my dog. I have a Rot/Shepard mix that looks like a MWD (Military Working Dog) and walk him several times a day. slmky may have seen me in uniform (I'm active duty) and may have figured I was with Security Forces (SF). The SF folks come through a few times a week, but really need to increase their patrols on the weekends, esp. now that the weather is nice. Local folks from off the street have discovered that this is a great place to hang out and drink beer and party. They throw their empties out the window into the shrubs just off the paved paths/roads. There have even been folks that just pull in, park and pitch a tent on the Grace Brown trail. No military affiliation (I asked the SF folks about it). We're currently looking for another place to stay because things have really deteriorated here. Is there a correlation with the fact that the park will be closed soon? From what I'm told, they expect the contractors to take possession of the park this September. The new park near Commando Village will have an office...maybe they will care more if they're on-site...at least during the day. It'd be real nice if they had a camp host at the new place!

WOW has this place changed! It's got a great location and can really be a nice place...IF....BIG IF...management cared. Now I've got nothing against 'homesteaders', as long as they are considerate. There's a few rigs that have been here for a while that have really entrenched themselves. It's very apparent that they believe this is THEIR RV park and others are intruding. They leave their dogs tied up all day and in to the evening. There's a beagle (#18) that howls, barks or whines for hours. When this is mentioned to the folks at the office they say, "oh yeah, we'll talk to them". Well, I'm not sure IF they talked to them or not, but whatever they MAY have said made NO difference. The dog gets off his runner and chases the raccoons all over the park. Friends of the beagle owners, leave their bulldog tied up and it also gets off the runner. It runs all over the camp until some kind sole can catch it and return it to the correct site (#26) all without the owners having a clue. Forget about the published rules. No one enforces them. In addition to the 5th wheel, there are 3 cars, a cargo trailer AND a trailer with 2 jet skis. Destin Army Rec site is just down the road. Stay there and enjoy a place that is run right!I think with the talk of moving Hurlburt the management has just given up on it. Cryin' shame.....

While staying at Topsail Preserve State Park we drove over to Hurlburt to check out the new campground. No sign of any kind at entry from road but easy enough to see the RV's from the highway so you should not miss your turn. Manager outside so asked him about what looked like some additional sites going in and he said they are working on it. Asked if they had any plans to take a reservation and was told no because if they took reservations it would be full, I chuckled and said "it is full now without reservations and you let folks stay 90 days in the winter so folks who want a few days or a week or two cannot get in." The campground is not inviting and it looks very utilitarian so doubt we would stay here. The location is very convenient to the beaches and shopping and the base has a good commissary and exchange.

Spent a couple nights here to check out the new FamCamp. It's a pretty nice setup. I wish they would have made more RV spaces, but they did leave room to expand. Jim, the campground manager/host is doing a great job. VERY friendly, making us feel welcome. There were a few available sites when we arrived, but the campground got full quickly. Some sites were taken by long-term campers who renew their site every 90 days. A good location to stay, if you're in the area.

My Family and I have been here for several months. I have read over and over the comments posted below mine and just keeping coming back to a few words that just won't leave my mind--IF BIG IF--if Divisional Management cared. Yes, this is very true. I have bent over backwards trying to work with the Manager who hangs out most days and all day at the Marina (I have never never never seen him ride though this place, though FORCE vehicle do pass through leaving from hanging out by the water) and have even worked on an occasion or two with the Chief over ALL MWR Divisions on this base, but even my best efforts and patience have been to NO avail. I have concluded that all Registration is interested in at the Marina is your MONEY. There are 50 amp sites over here that have been broken since way way into last year and they are not even marked as so---thus an unexpected guess pulls in, gets all set up, just to learn that his 50 amp electric is broken. Site 24 is a perfect example of what I have talking about, as I help an older couple deal with their disgust as to what had happened to them. I repeatedly have asked management to come over, give ALL the sites a serious trimming of vegetation overgrowth, pick up ALL the trimmings that guests (and maybe just maybe Management) have cut themselves so they could get into the site without damaging their RV and yet the problem still exists. OH YES, Management will tell you they came over one day, did some trimming and picked up a little, but they DID NOT CARE about the quality of the job they did as they hit here, missed everywhere else and left. It was obvious that who came over that one day was clueless as to what needed and should be done. Year old trash is right where they and others have piled it and some sites still have branches hanging to the edge and over the pissy little pads they have put down. OH, and BTW, I don't thinking they would have come over and did what they did if the ICE reporting system hadn't contacted them. In summary, this Family Campground could be the show case for the Florida Gulf Coast if true, sincere and real caring existed. What a shame for things to be the way they are around here---give me your MONEY---and don't bug me about the conditions and lack of care and up keep on the place!!! Amenities at the Park are non-existent and the Bath House and Laundry--well that is a story within itself. It took me personally, calling all levels of management to get the security lights in the park operating (over 50% were out) and now the winds and tree branches are tearing them up again, but no one can see that, because they don't do a weekly inspection of any meaning on the place. I personally have tried to get something done and maybe just maybe if enough of those out there that read this and have been here speak up, rock the boat and get some Management changes made, we might just get somewhere, but for now it is business as usual.

A nice little famcamp location a couple of miles outside of Hurlburt Field. There is no gate and it is located just off a main road. No reservations accepted but you can call a day or 2 ahead to see if there might be availability. The sites are first come, first served. You must have your RV in the campsite before registering. No RV, no registration and someone else can take the spot.

The original family campground is now closed. The new facility on Martin Luther King Blvd is now open for business. The office is located at the new famcamp at GPS Coordinates: N 030.26.425', W 086.39.824'. Office hours of operation are Mon-Fri 0900-1500 hrs.

J.M. left this review using the Directory software: - Nice new campground, no trees, nice shower facility. Outside of the base but not hard to find.

I pulled my camper over here this past weekend and yet again I was disapointed. I've been coming here about 2 times a year on average for the last 10 years. This place has been steadily going down hill every year. I asked the girl at the front desk if this place was closing. She said "one day". I asked what that meant and she said the delay was due to budget constraints. Here's what I don't understand: I've camped at several different campgrounds over the years. In a non FamCamp park, the nightly fees cover the operating costs of maintaing the campground. At Hurlburt, the fees are very close to what I would pay at a non FamCamp. So why don't the fees pay for the upkeep of this park? It's because the fees go into the big NAF pot and the monies from the FamCamp are diverted to other NAF facilities such as the golf course. It's obvious to me the base commander doesn't camp. I wonder if he plays golf? The Hurlburt FamCamp is in one of the most desirable locations in the southeastern United States and our government just lets it go to pot. What a crying shame.

P.L. left this review using the Directory software: Not too bad a CG but overpriced for the amenities. Most sites need work, showers and laundry are not very clean. There is a trail for hiking and the narrow beach is readily accessible. Personnel at MWR were pretty friendly when we checked in. Lot of the sites need trees trimmed for bigger RVs.

At first we were impressed but then soon after we realized that for $20 a night it was not worth it. The bathrooms we GROSS. There was trash and broken lights on the road. The brush was very overgrown in places. Near the restrooms someone had thrown a roll of toilet paper all of over the brush and you could tell that it had been there for a while. Overall we did not enjoy it. Will not go back.

We took a ride over to Hurlburt Field and while there checked things out at the Famcamp. To me, it never changes. I'm not impressed with it at all. Maybe it's a good thing they are closing it and building a new one. I did talk to a couple of residents and they said they heard that the camp will close sometime in June. We then went out and checked the new Famcamp site. It's coming along but I don't think it will be ready for occupancy by June. They are still working on the bathhouse. The street lamps and utility posts are in and the sites are paved. There were too many construction vehicles in and I didn't drive all the way through. It looks like there is a middle row of pull-throughs with a row of back-ins on each side. It looks like it's going to be nice when completed. It is very close to the road and if they don't gate it there will be a lot of drive throughs.

Nice new facility. All sites are back in. No wifi or cable. No shade. No signage. Can be a real pain to find in the dark. Other than that this an excellent site. New cement pads are very level. Room to park tow vehicle on the pad.

It's such as shame that this CG is going to close, it is a hidden gem. I'm sure that if MWR paid more attention they would make more money. I know for sure that people came on the weekend and never paid. The bath house and laundry room were cleaned every day, and the garbage taken away twice a week. Other than those services, nothing was checked or maintained. I did like the fact that you picked your site and then registered with MWR. We also loved the nature trails, the large camping sites and the seclusion from other sites. I liked being off base and not having to go through a gate. It was nice being just across from the base and near good shopping as well. The new campground is next to Commando Village and not on base and not near water. It will also have 19 fewer pads and no trees. I do not know when it will be finished, I have taken pictures and submitted them to this website. We would come back if it was in operation.

Mixed review. The marina has it's good and not-so-good employees. No camp hosts, though there appears to be a site (#50) for one. We appreciate the location, but there's little to do in the campgrounds. There is a nature trail, but it's been neglected. Campgrounds are adjacent to the Santa Rosa Sound with plenty of access to the water for kayaks or fishing. It's less than 1-mile to the main gate and just over a mile to the shoppette/gas station which is open 24/7. Main BX/commissary is another mile or so around the flight line. Restrooms/showers/laundry are available, as well as a small pavilion but nothing fancy. There is still the one older Class-A that looks like it's a part of the park. I think the owner tried to start it to evacuate for TS Ida, but it sounded more like a howitzer! Sure got OUR attention! Obviously a smoker, as evidenced by the numerous butts outside the door. The campground info is old also. Weekly stay is $120, monthly $400. Rotation isn't a big deal so far 'cuz there are still plenty of open sites. Total of 50 sites with just over half with 50 amp service. There are frequent rounds by USAF security. I'm active duty so it's VERY convenient saying here and riding my bicycle to work. If you're sensitive to 'the sound of freedom' A.K.A. engine noise, you won't like it here. There are frequent end-of-the-runway engine runs and training missions involving live-fire of the AC-130 gunships on the range. Hope this helps a bit. Daily rate is now $20, weekly is $120 and monthly $400. Also, if you're coming from the East, do NOT miss the left turn off US-98 (at the flashing yellow lights). The next opportunity is over 1-mile down the road.

R.L. left this review using the Directory software: - Did not stay but while we were at Camp Robbins we drove to the other parks that were nearby. I'm glad you updated the directions. The old ones given from the back gate of Hurlburt Field weren't too helpful if you didn't know where the back gate was. The base looked interesting. We took gps readings at the camp entrance: 30.43951 -86.66591. Even though it's all new it didn't have any real attraction for us to want to stay there.