User reviews
9 February 2021
Overall rating
2.1
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
1.0
Amenities/Facilities
2.0
Value
3.0
Overall Experience
1.0
We visited Manatee Cove in February 2021 and it seems like the place is very poorly managed. I see what other users say about needing to be part of the 'in crowd', or being on the hosts' or managers' good side, to get a spot in the campground, but to me the problem is even deeper than that. Who in the world thinks it is a good idea in this day and age to manage a customer service operation like this without offering your customers the opportunity to make advance reservations? I mean who would go to a doctor or a dentist that didn't accept appointments made in advance? Who would risk their entire vacation plans on traveling an airline that didn't sell tickets in advance? In this age of constant connection with the internet, it has even become commonplace to make reservations or purchase reserved seat tickets for movies at the cinema. So why would Patrick make customers drive all the way out to this facility with only a hope and a prayer of getting a campsite? Online self-serve reservation systems like those used at hotels, airlines, state park campgrounds and national park campgrounds not only prevent the on-site host or manager from abusing their position and rigging the system to only serve their friends as has been alleged at this location in the past, but it also requires customers to pay via electronic means such as credit or debit cards which eliminates the high costs associated with collection, handling and auditing of cash. I am not fully retired, nor a snowbird, and usually can only get a few days off at a time from my job, so with an outdated operational model like the one employed at Manatee Cove prevents me from considering this location in the future. If I've only got 3-days off from work, do I want to spend it sitting in my camper in Chevron Park just hoping someone will call me into the FAMCAMP to occupy a campsite, or would I want to make advance reservations at a state or federal park campground and know that I can spend all three days relaxing and enjoying the area? @45 FSS - There is a lot of room for improvement here to alter your business and management model and offer increased customer service to your clients. Take a hard honest look at the management of this FAMCAMP and you will find better ways to operate this facility and improve the customer experience through advance reservations.
August 2021
Overall rating
3.2
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
2.0
Amenities/Facilities
2.0
Value
4.0
Overall Experience
3.0
This is ran as a Trailer Park not an RV park. Most have been here years and think they have an ownership to include the hosts. People watch when you come and go, talk to others about you and basically don't mind their own business. Leave for a few days with your RV on the site to go to doctors appts or a cruise and you will find hosts calling management stating that you are just storing your rig there. All of this shouldn't matter as the rent is paid but they are afraid there might not be a site with their snowbird friends arrive so they want you out. Base outdoor rec management will tell you if you don't like it - Leave. Mgmt will also tell you that you can leave for Thanksgiving or Christmas but don't leave for both or they will throw you out and rent your slot to someone else. These are slots paid in advance but doesn't matter to them.
Dec 2017. Jan 2018
Overall rating
2.6
Location
4.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
2.0
Amenities/Facilities
4.0
Value
2.0
Overall Experience
2.0
Management at this FC needs to be replaced! Worse of the worse. They have a double standard. I.e. Host named **** docked his brother's RV for storage in a full hook up spot. When asked by campers he gets a hard nose attitude. Rude. The two who work in the office should have been replaced years ago. Rude. Multi answers to same question. Seems take care of buddies and *&@% the rest. Upper management is even worse. She could care less. Don't even go to talk with her. Wasting your time. People need to go to the command, IG, JAG, etc. Once enough complaints are submitted, hopefully they will replace these clowns.
24 Feb 2021
Overall rating
1.6
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
1.0
Amenities/Facilities
1.0
Value
1.0
Overall Experience
1.0
Agree wholeheartedly with @Maine_Adventures! I worked all last summer as a campground manager / campground host for a US Forest Service campground in the Rocky Mountains. The campground was at 100% occupancy for the three summer months it was open, had 181 individual campsites and 4 group campsites, and my wife and I, plus one other couple, were able to manage the location completely on our own. Key to this was the US Forest Service's use of an online advance reservation service (recreation.gov) to manage all aspects of the campground and customer experience. These modern systems completely manage all of the reservations, payment processing and campsite assignments. All we had to do was call up a list each morning of which campers would be checking out that day and who would be checking in each day. So while some users below have pointed to mismanagement, abuse of power, or lack of personnel resources; it really boils down to a (poor) leadership decision to use an outdated first come first served approach to managing this FAMCAMP. An online reservation system solves all of those issues while providing a better customer experience by removing all inventory management and financial transaction/accounting responsibilities from the staff, thereby freeing them up to act in a hospitality role to welcome and assist campers during their stays.
Dec, 23,24,25, of 2018
Overall rating
2.2
Location
3.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
3.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
3.0
Overall Experience
1.0
My wife and I stayed at Manatee Cove for a few nights, just to get away. I don't think that there is a management problem, just a lack of personnel to do the job. You have absolutely no idea if you will get a spot. The park is full of snowbirds and homesteaders. When we arrived, we asked one homesteader where the host was, his reply was that there is none and the office is closed, park out there and in the morning they will come get you. Well, the office was not closed, but she was at lunch and returned at 1300 hrs., but the sign said that they were closed and go see the camp host. Well there is no camp host. What she should have did was put a sign on the door will be back after lunch. It was very confusing. I did get the last site, as she said, but I seen plenty of sites empty. Most of the sites are tight to get into, so it makes it like living in a mobile home park. They have very specific rules, no rugs over a certain size, no fires, no noises and so on. If you make any noise, break a rule the park homesteaders will be the first to turn you in. It like the park has a bunch of Geriatric patients living there. You come there to enjoy yourself and have fun but there is nothing to do. They do have a small dog area, which is Ok. But watch out for the Geriatric patients with there dogs. There is no real beach, just the edge of the water with stinks. We did meet some nice people that were very sociable, and seen things as we seen them. To be honest most of the older people there were rude, like we were invading and disturbing them. Maybe when they live in there RV they forget how to socialize themselves. All in the nutshell, if you want a place to park your RV and sleep at night it's cheep. If you want to enjoy yourself, have fun, it's not the place.
Nov 29th 2017
Overall rating
2.6
Location
4.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
3.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
2.0
Overall Experience
2.0
Need a place to store your Motor home with full hook ups? Arrived here the 29th of October due to the fact NASKW was closed. Thought this would be a good alternative till KW opened. Was lucky and got the last big rig site available, My travelling companions not so lucky, were turned away as nothing was available. After a week here and walking around the campground with my pets, noticed a particular campsite with a motor home parked, no slides out no sewer hooked up only water and electricity. RED FLAG ! Since my friends were turned away for no spaces available for big rigs I inquired at the camp office as to why this was. The camp host just happened to be in the office at that moment and when I asked how that could be and maybe they needed to do a health and welfare inspection to insure the occupants were OK, he immediately blurted out that site belonged to his brother, no further explanation ( who camps with no slide outs and no sewer hooked up, Gotta take a shower or wash dishes you would think. It just so happens I had a friend who was staying across the street from this site and knew the occupants from KeyWest. he said they were there when he arrived a week prior but left. and haven't been back since. A month went by still no activity. The camp host had parked his extra vehicle in front of the spot to make it appear there was someone staying there. Finally contacted the MWR director Ms Parish, and was told she wasn't and couldn't be concerned how people camp. Wrong answer. When told there had been no one there for the past month she basically called us both liars. Informed her was not buying that explanation and I would be filing an ICE report to the Commander. A week later Rig was out of camp ground but camp host is still in his position. Not what I expected from someone whose vehicle license plate reads 06RET would have expected a little more integrity from said individual. problems with the campground go unresolved, as I reported a fire ant problem with my site and that we were being bitten by the fire ants and could they contact the base CE to resolve. A week went by and I inquired again, showing them a picture of where they had occupied the ground at the entrance to my motor home, was told they were working on it. Would have taken care of myself but they have a strict rule about introducing chemicals to the ECO system. A month later still a problem, Took care of the entrance way myself. Was told no one else had complained by office,and they couldn't spray the whole camp ground, needed a list, Other camp host said they had a list, office said no they didn't Placed a note on bulletin board in laundry room for people to get on list if they were also having a problem, camp office personnel removed Management not responsive however Base facilities are great PX, Commissary, Clubs etc
Feb 14, 2015
Overall rating
2.2
Location
3.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
1.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
5.0
Overall Experience
1.0
We arrived on Saturday behind a active duty that had reservations and would be leaving Monday morning. Upon check in we were informed we would be in overflow slot number one and would move into a site on Monday morning. Ensured that there was quite a few active duty that would be leaving Monday and that we would be put in a slot. On Sunday we were informed we would have to leave because there would be no rotations on Monday due to the holiday. We, along with two other campers that were in overflow explained what we were told upon check in. We were told we would have to leave and was offered a list of campgrounds, which were full. I believe the hosts name was Tom, who explained that these were the rules. When we awoke on Monday, there was five of us in overflow, which is against the rules! When we went to dump the tanks prior to leaving, the active duty personnel that was ahead of us was leaving along with others. We didn't stay around but I would imagine that the two campers that were in overflow, one of which was in no way active duty (due to age) would check in with the host and be put in a slot. The three of us in overflow were treated very rudely and all of us should have been informed of this on Saturday when we checked in. No veteran should be treated this way aboard any military installation!!!!
June 24-July 1, 2022
Overall rating
4.9
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
5.0
Amenities/Facilities
5.0
Value
4.0
Overall Experience
5.0
We have a 45' toy hauler. If you're anywhere near this big, pull over in the pullout right before the RV park. There is a camp host right across the street. He was not on duty when we arrived, but was happy to help us. We also have a Jeep, so we took it up to the community center, where the other two camp hosts are and the on duty host checked us in. The sites on the backside of the park are tight. The host laughed at me when I said that, but for us (experienced, fulltime RVers for almost 7 years with a big rig), it looks tight. The sites are close together and the utilities and the picnic tables have barely 8 feet between them, some of the closest we've ever seen. The host made me sign a 3 page "insurance" pamphlet that "if I "broke anything, I'd have to pay to fix it" and proceeded to tell me stories, so yeah, the sites are tight and the twisty-turny roads would've definitely had us curb-checking had we driven through that area with our RV. Instead, we stayed in the front of the RV park in site 63, which was much more spacious with easier access roads, although I still had to be extremely careful backing in to avoid hitting the utilities or the decking. If you have more than one vehicle, you'll have to park one elsewhere. There's a park down the road during the summer, but the host said during the winter, thats not an option. Cell service (Verizon & AT&T) worked great, we never found wifi, and there's no info in the check-in material about wifi, so not sure if it's offered although the map shows a wifi symbol. Laundry rooms are sufficient and very reasonably priced at .75 each. You have to leave the base to go to the beach, it's only open sunrise to sunset, and the main gate, which is the closest, is rarely open after duty hours. You have to take the gate by the 404 by the BX & Commissary.
22-25 Jan 2021
Overall rating
3.9
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
4.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
3.0
Overall Experience
4.0
We spent the weekend at Patrick AFB. Around 10+ empty spaces everyday. No WiFi at each site. Restrooms were open, of which we did not use. We were at site #73 a back in at $24 per night. Surprised to find the host checks to see if you have your state vehicle registration/insurance/drivers license and ID-None of this was checked by Security Forces at the front gate except your DOD ID for entry. If you do not have the documents you will not be allowed entry. Overall quiet place with Exchange and Commissary. The host/staff really bent over to make sure your stay is a very pleasant one. Dump station closed, I believe to to Covid-19. Happy Travels!!
25 October 2019
Overall rating
3.4
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
3.0
Amenities/Facilities
4.0
Value
5.0
Overall Experience
2.0
Wonderful park that's unfortunately poorly managed. The front office doesn't know about the status of spots on the park. They assigned me to a spot that was already filled. The office staff, although not outright rude, is not helpful or friendly. Asking them questions feels like an imposition. Mail delivery is problematic. Although they insist that they get mail daily, they don't. A package delivered to the base post office on Thursday, still wasn't available on Saturday. The front office has problems that take away from an otherwise nice park.
August 2013
Overall rating
1.8
Location
4.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
1.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
1.0
Overall Experience
1.0
I called ahead from the Florida panhandle and told Rec Services I had a boat and I wanted to be sure there was a place for me to part my boat at the FamCamp before driving all the way out there. The gentleman I spoke to assured me there was, that he was the guy who worked at the FamCamp and that there would be no problem. Now this was very important to me because I had to make 2 trips from Panama City Beach, Florida as I had just purchased this boat. I brought my bumper pull trailer first, 440 miles, then went back and got my boat. When I return with the boat, I was told there was no where to park it at the FamCamp. I ended up putting it in the Lemon Lot on the base in order to have access to the boat, when I parked it near my RV to prepare it to go fishing the next day, my wife took the truck to the Pharmacy and I ended up with the base police at my RV site telling me I had to remove my boat immediately. It really turned into a cluster, they simply could not or would not understand that my wife had the truck and I could not move the boat. There were other people with there boats doing the exact same thing. I ended up with a Major down at my RV as I had gotten on the phone and called the Commanding Officer and anyone else who had a phone number and told them what had transpired. The women in charge of MWR had sent the Security Police down there, at 1 time I had 4 armed policemen outside my RV with their vehicles, lights going like I was a serious felon. I had just put my boat there a couple hours before to get it prepared to go fishing the next day. There was another boat parked on an RV pad a little further into the FamCamp, hooked to the water, parked on a RV pad, and hooked to RV power, while the guy cleaned his fish and no one said boo to him. I was more than a little upset with the whole experience I had at Patrick AFB. I will never go back....................
Mar 9 - 11, 2015
Overall rating
2.1
Location
4.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
1.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
3.0
Overall Experience
1.0
This is one of the times you really have a hard time not posting a review. Hopefully we just caught them on a bad day. We called three different times to make sure they had overflow spot for us. He said he had one or two, so we we drove our way there and arrived at 12:15. When we arrived the office was closed, and said they would reopen at 1:30. Wow, would have been nice to know that when we talked to the person running the office, he could have mentioned that to us. I called the offce number and they said the office is close 1:00 - 1:30 PM, for lunch and a mail run. We ran into some people, and they told us good luck, but one person took us to one of the camp host. I told her (site #30) that we just pulled in and the office was closed and could she help. Her anwser was you need to leave and come back. Really, just get in the unit and leave and come back??? She said she couldn't help me, she didnt have paper work for me to fill out to get a spot. She didn't know if they had any spots at all. The reason she didn't help she doesn't start working until 4:00 pm. The person running the office showed up around 1:00 pm, put the closed sign on the door until 1:30 pm. He finally opens the office only to tell me that he doesn't think he has any spots open, three people came in since we called at 11:15. He said, he will go check to make sure, but it will take another 30 mins. He returns and tells my wife he has 3 spots open. To say this guy is clueless to what is going on in this campground is an understatement, that or he is just lazy. Then he takes almost 30 minutes to get my wife log in and go to good so when can go to our spot. Total time from arrival to getting in our spot over 2 hours. When my wife presented her frequent camper program book to get stamped, he asked if we had ever been at the campground and if we already had our book stamped??? No, she told him three different times, then he said if he found a stamp from Patrick AFB, he would void our book, of course once he looked through the book he stamped it. Why there are people like him working in a job that requires working with customer's I have no ideas. If your a camp host and someone needs help, help them best you can. This is the 97th military campground we have visited, and this is the worst customer service ever. The Patrick AFB needs to change the way they run the campground, thats my advice. I don't like posting bad reviews, but sometimes you have to do it, so others will be informed. Johnny B.
August 2016
Overall rating
2.8
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
5.0
Amenities/Facilities
2.0
Value
1.0
Overall Experience
2.0
WOW what a shocker, the price increase is out of this world. We haven't got a cost of living raise in over 6 half years and the price has went from $17 to $30 dollars. They are putting the cost of their FamCamp upgrade all on the campers. I have been a camper to PAFB FamCamp since the year of 2002 to the present and this year they finally made a needed upgrade. What happen to the money collected all those years and no money was put back into the FamCamp. I have used many military campgrounds and this one has to be the highest of all military campgrounds. Was a survey of all military campgrounds conducted to get the overall average. I bet not. I have found that the average is around $21 a nite to include WiFi and cable TV which these site don't have. You can tell by looking at the new sites installed that a RVer was never consulted in the planning stage. The sites are very small and the sewer hook-up of the neighboring site is right next to the site's patio. Can you imagine setting outside of your camper having dinner with your family in the hot summer smelling sewage. I think before they open these sites that a health survey be conducted to determine that this is not a safety hazard. I feel these prices are just a cash cow for MWR at Patrick AFB to save face for their poor planning and mismanagement of this project because they haven't offered to camper a damn thing.
09 July 2021
Overall rating
5.0
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
5.0
Amenities/Facilities
5.0
Value
5.0
Overall Experience
5.0
Spent the weekend at the Patrick SFB FamCamp during the off season in July. Plenty of spaces available. Easy access onto base via the commercial entrance off Rt A1A. Greeted by the camp host named Tom who was extremely helpful in showing me where my spot was and offered this newbie great advice on setting up camp. Cash is not accepted, so I used a credit card. The full hookup campsite was spacious, clean and leveled with a gravel surface. The camp does not provide WiFi or cable television, but our HD antenna picked up 56 over the air channels very clearly. There is a hospitality rec area that provided internet access if needed. Patrick SFB is an active duty base with all available amenities such as base exchange, shoppette, commissary, base hospital, gas station and class 6. Great restaurants are in the area. Shore power was reliable and tested by a severe rain storm that passed though the area. This was a nice base RV park to spend a weekend.
September 2018
Overall rating
4.9
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
5.0
Amenities/Facilities
5.0
Value
4.0
Overall Experience
5.0
Nice military campground. We were in a 42' RV, and while the roads were a little tight, overall, the roads were good. Roads and camping pads were recently updated. Pads are level (some are gravel, some are concrete). Utilities were excellent (power was always "clean" and proper - good water- and convenient sewer hook-ups). This is a "First Come - First Serve" campground, so it is a little annoying that you cannot call and have them tell a spot is available, even when you are an hour away. Other than the lack of reservation policy, the campground is located on the Banana River, and next to the Airfield. The Base itself is small, but nice. The campground had a dog run, which was nice. The Campground also had a small store and an air-conditioned lounge. The lounge was open 24/7. The Base had some nice facilities. Right now, half of the lots are off line for construction. Should be completed by the 2018 winter rush. Only comment was that the monthly rate of $595 was not much better than the daily rate of $22/day. This is a little expensive for a military campground, but overall, a nice place. We will be back. We enjoyed our stay, and everyone was friendly and nice. It was a little challenging getting into the gate with an RV. Make sure you understand the process, and don't just show up at any of the gates (95% will not fit in the main gates). The campground is about a 10 minute drive to any gate, so getting on or off the base was always a little further.
May 28 - 31, 2018
Overall rating
4.9
Location
4.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
5.0
Amenities/Facilities
5.0
Value
5.0
Overall Experience
5.0
My wife and I stayed at Manatee Cove for a few nights. We arrived on Memorial Day, and we were surprised to find the office open. Registration was easy. You will have to show registration and proof of insurance for your RV and any other vehicles which you may have with you. You will also have to present proof of Rabies vaccination for any dogs if you have one. Since we arrived on a holiday, the Patrick truck gate was closed. You have to use this gate for RVs since there is no way to navigate the other gates with a longer vehicle. We called the security forces number, 321-494-2008, and we were told that someone would be there soon. Security forces were there before too long, and we were cleared to get on the base. You only have to use the truck gate to come on the base, but you can use the other gates when leaving. I asked about getting a river front site since I noticed that they were mostly empty when we drove in. I was told that they were currently closed for shore line renovation. We were given site 41 which was just across the street from the river front sites. The view was awesome. It appears that Patrick AFB was hit hard by hurricane Irma last year, and it caused shore erosion on the Banana River. It was good to see that they are working hard to restore the shore line. The campground is in my opinions divided into two different sections. The first section, which is where we were assigned, is made up of sites with gravel parking areas. This area has several trees which provide some shade. The second section look newer, and has cement parking pads, and are mostly pull through. Each section has it's own shower house/bathroom. Both shower houses look to be very well maintained. We enjoyed our stay, and will visit again.
December 2017
Overall rating
4.7
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
5.0
Amenities/Facilities
4.0
Value
4.0
Overall Experience
5.0
The no reservation policy has kept us away from this Famcamp in the past but we wanted to get out of Dodge for a few days over the holidays and took a chance. We were rewarded with our (only) three hour trip with one of two available sites. We loved our location (61?) as it had grass behind it and was not surrounded by pavement. The directions to get to the base with an rv are not clear. You must enter thru the commercial gate found on A1A and call security to have them open it if closed. If you are leaving via 404W, you may exit through the South Gate as it is a straight shot. Do not go through that gate otherwise. The east gate was closed while we were there, so do not know the status of the exit. We like the amenities on the base...exchange, commissary, gas station with package store, lovely golf course, marina...great place for a drink at sunset, easy kayak launching at Famcamp, nice community center with lots of regularly scheduled activities, clean, spacious showers, laundry room, fenced dog park, playground nearby with dog walk. Looks like they are still working on repairs from Irma damage but the site we were at had a new platform with pvc table and 4 cushioned chairs and new level crushed rock parking. Nice chairs on the Banana River side to relax, watch sunset or dolphins. They do not have cable or WiFi on the individual sites if that is something you want. Campers stay here a long time...up to 170 days! No wonder it is hard to get a site! We are short termers...like to move on after a few days. Fellow campers said the grounds were busier this year dt the closing of the Key West sites dt Irma. They evidently reopened on the 27th and we noticed an increase in campers leaving. Base is close to many activities. We visited Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and took their 7 mile drive...lots of gators, cranes and other birds. Take route 3 back to the base for some great views. Of course Kennedy Space Center is right there as well as a national seashore. Lots to do. We plan on going back hopefully for one of the rocket launches and will take the kayaks, golf clubs and bikes.
March 17-24, 2018
Overall rating
3.6
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
4.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
1.0
Overall Experience
4.0
Very nice well kept park. Over priced for what they offer. No WIFI and only one laundry room with 4 washers and 4 dryers. Most of the park has no trees our grass. Makes its very muddy when it rains. Has a nice recreation area. I just don't think there rates our good for a bunch of retired people.
March 31 - April 10th 2023
Overall rating
3.3
Location
5.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
3.0
Amenities/Facilities
3.0
Value
3.0
Overall Experience
3.0
Concur with the reviews regarding site layout, the sites are much too close together and poorly laid out. We are full timers and pride ourselves on being able to get into tight situations to camp but, this was ridiculous. We even opted for a pull through and found it very difficult to navigate and situate to ensure none of our slides hit the utilities. This left us no room for our TV. We also found the rules and restrictions at check-in to be a bit militant, even for a military installation. We are TX residents and do not receive a paper registration at tag renewal, all online now if you opt for paperless. We were told at check-in that PSFB won't accept a registration unless it's in paper form, ridiculous in 2023. Make sure you have a paper registration and all the information for your pets. Not one of our favorite family camps.
Oct 2019 - Feb 2020
Overall rating
4.0
Location
4.0
Cleanliness/Hospitality
4.0
Amenities/Facilities
4.0
Value
4.0
Overall Experience
4.0
We spent 4 months here over the 2019/2020 winter. Even coming in mid-October, it was a bit difficult getting a site for the long-term stay. There's a variety of sites from old to new, from small to huge. We ended up in a site that was small and very close to our neighbors. The park had a few activities planned. The base is quiet but has a decent Exchange and a large commissary. The hosts and office staff were friendly. Overall, a nice RV Park to spend the winter at (if you arrive early enough).
