Inflation prices: have you been shocked? Perhaps you are budget recovering from a recent PCS, or just in general an expensive year. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a break in the monotony for Spring Break. It does mean getting a little creative. This year, consider a staycation for spring break. Get out of your usual routine, stay somewhere budget-friendly, and explore your local area. Without the cost of travel, this may be the most affordable but still enjoyable spring break yet!

Where To Stay

Your Living Room

Here me out. Remember the days of making couch forts and begging to sleep in them overnight? Perhaps this is the time to resurrect that desire and build a couch fort! Push the couch aside and lay out blankets and pillows in the living room. Enjoy a “rented” movie from the library or stream something from the various streaming channels you already subscribe to. You don’t have to sleep downstairs, especially if your back will not thank you the next day, but the change in scenery is enough for a fun evening.

Local Base Options

Don’t forget options to stay on base. Military installations along the coast offer beach cottages, and for a fraction of the cost of a coastal hotel room. These typically book ahead, but it is worth calling for last-minute cancellations. Check out campgrounds specifically for the military in your area, or even on-base RV parks or Fam Camp. Staying local allows for cheaper travel and an opportunity to relax.

Where to Eat

It’s time to check out local options for yummy options. When you live in a town, it is more difficult to get out and explore, as the monotony of routine sets in. Take the opportunity of spring break to choose an option or two to order in. Make that picnic something new and exciting without the need to wash dishes! There is a fun break in that!

What to Do

1. Backyard Camping: Set up a tent, roll out sleeping bags, and create a cozy campsite right in your backyard. Spend the day hiking nearby trails or playing outdoor games, then roast marshmallows over a fire pit at night.
2. Movie Marathon: Choose a theme or series of movies you’ve been wanting to watch and have a movie marathon at home. Don’t forget the popcorn, movie snacks and comfy blankets!
3. Cooking or Baking Challenge: Enjoy a cooking or baking competition with friends and family. Choose a theme or specific dish, gather ingredients, and see who can create the most delicious masterpiece.
4. DIY Spa Day: Set up a DIY facial station, create homemade body scrubs, and unwind with soothing music and aromatherapy with an at home Spa.
5. Virtual Tours: Explore famous museums, landmarks, and attractions around the world through virtual tours. From the Louvre in Paris to the Great Wall of China, there are countless virtual experiences to enjoy from the comfort of your home – all without the expense of airfare, or having to take off your shoes through security.
6. Local Exploration: Discover hidden gems and attractions in your own city or town. Visit parks, gardens, museums, or historical sites you’ve never explored before.
7. Creative Workshops: Take advantage of online workshops or tutorials to learn a new skill or hobby, such as painting, photography, or crafting. Have you always wanted to crochet? This is your time to spend time to enjoy it.
8. Gardening Project: Spend time outdoors gardening and beautifying your outdoor space. Plant flowers, herbs, or vegetables, and enjoy watching them grow throughout the season.
9. Picnic in the Park: Pack a picnic basket with your favorite snacks and head to a nearby park for a leisurely day outdoors. Bring along books and a frisbee for outdoor fun and relaxation.
10. DIY Home Improvement: Tackle small home improvement projects or DIY crafts you’ve been putting off. Whether it’s painting a room, redecorating, or building furniture, Spring Break is the perfect time to spruce up your space.

No matter what you do at home for spring break, a spring break staycation can be fun and enjoyable.

Space A travel, also known as Military Airlift Command or MAC flights, are military flights that travel the globe. These flights are scheduled for the needs of the military – to move troops or move military families on their Permanent Change of Station (PCS) when moving to OCONUS locations including Hawaii. While these flights are at a significantly reduced cost, they also require some serious flexibility.

Where To Look

First thing first – where do you find Space A information? The first stop is the Air Mobility Command website.  The website provides the most up-to-date information on AMC travel. Many stateside bases that once had Space-A flights, have stopped post-2020. So while there may be a history of flying from places like MacDill Air Force Base, there have not been flights open to Space-A travel in the last three-plus years, so do not expect it to open anytime soon. While it is still listed on the AMC list, check with the specific passenger terminal for information.

Once confirmed that the terminal is open to Space-A travel, find their social media pages. This is often where the flight schedule is listed. The flight schedule will list the location the flight is going to and the number of open seats. For instance, a flight to Hickam AFB (Hawaii) may be leaving Kadena AB, Okinawa and have 60 seats available on a certain date. The priority for seats always goes to the active-duty military with military-assigned jobs. For instance, if a unit needs a last-minute flight to Hickam, they will get the seats before anyone else – even if they show up at the final boarding call – the flights are military-operated, after all.

Who Can Fly

In general, only service members, retirees, and their family members can fly. Each group is assigned a category of eligibility. The higher the category, the higher the likelihood of who will get a seat on the flight. National Guardsmen, reservists, and their families may be eligible when they are active or deployed.

The categories are as follows:

• Category I: Emergency leave unfunded travel
• Category II: Accompanied Environmental and Morale Leave
• Category III: Ordinary leave, relatives, house hunting permissive temporary duty, Medal of Honor holders and foreign military
• Category IV: Unaccompanied EML
• Category V: Permissive temporary duty (nonhouse hunting), students, dependents, post-deployment/mobilization respite absence and others

Category VI: Retired, dependents, reserve, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate, Civil Engineer Corps, veterans with a permanent service-connected disability rated as total, surviving spouses of service members who died in active duty, inactive duty training or annual training status, and retired military members

Benefits

The cost is generally free. There may be charges for baggage or food, but this terminal and flight dependent. With air travel costs soaring in recent years, free air travel is a huge budget saver. Patriot Express flights are flights planned for military moves, and generally have a nominal fee per ticket if being utilized for Space A travel.

The flights are much more relaxed than standard commercial flights. All the passengers on board are military service members and their families – their collective background is a great way for people to communicate and connect. On flights, kids spread blankets, play together, share snacks, and parents share their travel plans.

Be flexible

When using Space-A, your travel dates must be flexible. Take a wide amount of leave. If you are planning a week’s vacation, take two weeks off. Start the process to fly out early. Most Space-A flights are scheduled Mondays through Fridays. Do not plan on flight availability on drill weekends or school breaks, as higher category eligible groups will likely take all available seats,

One family shared that they left Japan for Hawaii on the first day they started to depart, but ended up buying commercial tickets as all the spots for return flights to Japan were taken by active duty members flying for an exercise.

Be location flexible as well. Make sure to watch the 72-hour flight schedule frequently to see where flight destinations are and consider alternatives. If you want to get to Spain, and a flight to Germany is available, consider the Germany flight and look into ground transportation from there to Spain.

Being flexible in flights means having flexible hotel stays for arrival at your destination. Military hotels typically have the most relaxed cancellation policy and can provide the most flexibility. Check the cancellation policy on car rentals, or plan to use Uber or cabs to maximize flexibility.

Sign Up Early

Sign up for travel early – as early as 60 days prior to desired travel date here. Input passenger information, category, departure terminal, desired destinations and leave dates. Signing up allows email and text notifications about the desired terminal or travel destinations.

Check-In Early

The day of the flight has arrived – check-in as early as possible – this can be 6 hours prior to the flight. Read all the terminal-specific guidance to know when and where to check-in. Each terminal page will also list baggage limits.

Be Prepared To Wait

Checking in early means long waits. Flight schedules change with staffing and weather, which can extend the wait time. Plan ahead with lots of snacks, games, and any entertainment that travels well.  Some AMC. Terminals have playgrounds on the grounds, which is great for those traveling with children.

Pack For Every Contingency

Flights get diverted for the needs of the military. This means packing for cold weather, beach weather, and everything in between. This allows for maximum flexibility. Flights themselves can get cold, so packing winter hats, blankets, and gloves in carry-on baggage is useful. Like any other flight, consider packing noise-cancelling headphones for everyone in your travel party.

Have you ever taken a Space-A trip? How was the trip?

When the holiday season comes around, the next question from well-meaning friends and family is, “Will you travel home this holiday?” For military personnel and their dependent families, it is a frustrating and difficult to answer question.

There are two main factors for travel – cost and time. While the holidays do tend to provide more capability for time off, operationally dependent, there is an increase in price for flights and train tickets during the holiday season. Driving by car may be more cost-efficient unless hotel stays are needed, plus it may take more time to drive “home.”

What is “home”?

When a military member leaves their home of record – while it is their home of record, is it really still their home? The military moves them around every 1-3 years, and the idea of home becomes where the military sends you. For military spouses who marry military members, that home is where you make it and not necessarily where you previously lived. Home, per Merriam-Webster, is defined as the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household or a place where one rests. For military members without a permanent residence, that place where one rests becomes more indicative of home. 

It’s a complicated question asking a military member to come home. That home location has changed. They have changed. Military life exposes people to different stressors than their civilian counterparts, which can alter personality. Whether enlisting for just a few years or in it for the long haul, military life changes us and what home is.

Is it worth it?

One frustrating fact of military life common among military families is being asked to travel “back home” to see family and various friends. However, these family members and/or friends do not share or express the same commitment to them. Every holiday season, there is increased stress as family members lay on the guilt to the military member to come home but may not have traveled to see them, ever. Why do military family members have to travel year after year? While more time off may be available for them, it increases stress and cost. Without an equal share in who is traveling and when it brings to light the question of how valuable the friendship and relationship is. If your family has not traveled to see you in five years as the single individual they are, and you and your family of four always have to see them, is that a relationship worth maintaining?

It is different when a family member cannot travel due to illness, cost, or ability, but it is worth analyzing the family dynamics before traveling – is it worth it?

Cost 

The financial cost is a significant factor. Holiday travel is expensive. Per Hopper, in 2022, the price of airline tickets at the holidays increased 43% from 2021 to 2022. That’s a big jump! If you have multiple family members, that cost adds up. While car travel may be more cost-effective, driving from Texas to see family in Massachusetts will take a few days or one long, miserable drive. Is that time cost worth it?

Savings

Space-A travel may be an option even within the country, but you need to be flexible on dates and return times and be prepared to book flights at full cost if your space-A flight isn’t available when you need to get home.

A Ticket Home program is a program providing coverage of tickets to new military members to visit home from their first duty station. This program only applies to the military and new military members—review eligibility criteria before applying.

The Operation Ride Home program from the ASYMCA offers holiday travel assistance for military members and their families. As expected, this program is popular and is donation-dependent on how many people and families it can aid.

Operation Home has made it a goal to help 100 soldiers in 2023, but it is all donation-based. The program supports single military members who meet eligibility criteria.

To travel or not to travel: that is the question.

This is a challenging one to answer. It is widely dependent on whether your family has the time off, the ability to spend that time, the cost, and if there is value added in visiting family for the holidays. The reality is that “home” is now where the military sends you, not necessarily where you came from.

Morale, Welfare, and Recreation – it is what MWR stands for. But what does it mean? Just that – programming to boost morale and welfare and provide recreation programming. MWR is just that for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.  The Marine Corps has Marine Corps Community Services in lieu of MWR. These programs are on military bases to provide and deliver high-quality recreation.

Parks and Recreation

PARC or Outdoor Recreation, depending on the military branch and base, offers a variety of camping and outdoor equipment for rental prices. The offerings range from stand-up paddleboards to 6-person tents. Check out the equipment you may want to purchase one day at an affordable rate.

Tickets

Want to check out the local aquarium or a museum? Check out the MWR or Information Ticket and Travel for tickets. Local businesses provide tickets to military bases at discounted prices so that many more military families can appreciate and enjoy that experience.   Larger companies like Disney and Universal Studios also offer Salute and Military Freedom passes, respectively, at dramatically lower prices for a longer period of time. Take advantage of it! Going on an adventure with friends or as a family builds resilience in that devoted time together.

Travel

Want to travel more with a little less stress? MWR plans and offers tours for one cost, usually with transportation included for ease. Especially in overseas regions, MWR offices offer programming to see the area and beyond. In Okinawa, trips to mainland Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong are offered, to name a few.  While living in Europe, travel from country to country without having to plan the route or tour. These tours include planned activities, meals, and transportation for one price and with less stress on you.

Movies

Do you check out the movie theater on your local military base? You should! The theaters receive current movies within two to three weeks of their release and sometimes even have early premieres. In 2022, Top Gun: Maverick and Devotion showed for free prior to the release dates to military families. Compare ticket prices, and you will likely find that the prices are much more affordable on post than off, and the food options are affordable and fun.

Lodging

MWR operates some recreational lodging, which provides an adorable getaway for military families. The options vary from military campgrounds to cottages on the beach to fancy hotels. All around the world, MWR operates lodging just for military and veterans and their families at affordable rates and amazing locations. Beyond the adorable lodging, there are other perks for checking out military lodging.

Fitness

Staying physically active and in shape are vital to military work and a healthy lifestyle. MWR Fitness centers have up-to-date equipment and are staffed with fitness experts to assist with creating the fitness program best for you. Aquatic, nutrition and intramural sports programs provide additional fitness programming. While the size of the gym and the numbers of them vary per base, check out your local fitness programs to see what is offered.

Make utilizing the MWR a priority this year, and it will be worth it.

Fall is the season of school restarting, normalizing schedules, preparing for Halloween and taking weekend trips. Military families can save money on lodging by staying on base lodging while getting out and adventuring through the fall colors. The perk of military lodging is that it is clean and affordable. Rates are based on rank, and some rooms include kitchenettes or full kitchens, allowing for meals to be prepared to save more money. As a member of the military, you can stay at any DOD-affiliated lodging across any of the services. There may be different rules for one service versus another, so be sure to call the location you are interested in to know how far in advance you can make reservations. Some of these locations are popular and may require advance registration. In some cases, it is first come, first serve for active duty, typically on the first of a month, one or two months prior to the booking month. In other cases, lodging make be reserved several months in advance.

East Coast

Why not check out the colors of fall while taking in the beauty of Maine’s coast in a converted lighthouse? Gull Harbor in Maine offers a unique way to see fall through the coastline.

Newport, Rhode Island, is a beautiful coastal city that was once home to the Vanderbilt family and is now the home to the Naval War College. Due to the influx of students in and out each year, there is a large and active Navy Lodge at Newport. Take advantage of checking out the wineries of the area while enjoying the fall colors and festivals of the Newport Mansions. If you are a fan of HBO’s The Gilded Age, this should be added to your fall adventure list.

If you have ever watched, When Harry Met Sally or You’ve Got Mail, you have seen New York in the fall. The hues of yellow and orange in the park as the main characters walk through the park are the perfect fall backdrop. Head to New York and stay at Staten Island’s Navy Lodge to stay near the city while taking advantage of the military lodging.

Speaking of movie buffs, Mystic Pizza fans can stay at a seaside Connecticut city in New London at the Navy Lodge. Check out the Submarine Museum, Mystic Seaport Museum, and Mystic Aquarium while enjoying the fall scenery that New England has to offer.

Annapolis, Maryland, is the home of the U.S. Naval Academy. The seaside university is a beautiful backdrop for fall. The Navy Lodge at Annapolis offers standard rooms, family suites, business class rooms, and accessible rooms for ease. Check out the local gardens at William Paca House & Gardens and Historic London Town and Gardens to see fall in all its glory. Walk around downtown Annapolis making sure to stop and grab some of the local crabs.

West Coast

Washington State has three spots for Navy Lodging. The unique setting of Whidbey Island allows for easy travel to see the San Juan Islands or Seattle, enjoying the scents and scenes of west coast fall.

Coastal California may bring images of surfers or beaches to mind, and that is true, but Monterey offers more than beaches. The coastal city is home to Navy Lodge Monterey as well as Hotel Del Monte (a Navy Getaway location).  In the fall, the temperatures are cooler, affording for adventuring and exploring. Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium or eat at The Sardine Factory to learn about and enjoy the local taste of the area.

Head to the mountains of Southern California at the Big Bear Resort operated by MCCS Miramar. One, two, and three bedrooms and ADA cabins with full kitchenettes allow for an escape from the heat and into the heart of the San Bernadino mountains.

Overseas

In Germany, the Eidelweiss Lodge and Resort nestled in the Alps surrounds you in fall foliage and color. The resort for DOD-affiliated individuals offers guest rooms and suites with views of the beautiful, expansive mountains, vacation cabins, or campgrounds. There are even dog-friendly cabins! This year they are holding an Oktoberfest in early October with a best trachten competition, beer fest games, and fresh beer from Ettal.

Other military hotel offerings in Germany include Wiesbaden Army Lodging, Vilseck Army Lodging,  Grafenwoehr Army Lodging, Hohenfels Army Lodging, Garmisch Army Lodging, Vogelweh Air Force Lodging or Ramstein Inns on Ramstein and Spangdahlem Air Force Lodging.  Within these hotels, there is a variety of room types, so be sure to research to measure expectations.

In Belgium, the Chievres Army Lodging is nearby to Belfry Tower, the Menin Gate, and Grote Markey.

In England, Royal Air Force Bases are host to US Air Force families. At RAF Mildenhall, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Croughton, and RAF Alconbury, Air Force Inns are available for lodging while sightseeing in the English countryside in the fall.

Wanting to check out what Italy has to offer in the fall? Vicenza Army Lodging at Ederle Inn has 133 guestrooms to accommodate guests.

Where will you go this year?

Are you feeling the hankering for some enjoyment with the Mouse or Princesses? Or perhaps you are feeling the desire to head to Batuu. If this is your goal for the year, there are Military Salute tickets on offer. The tickets are valid through December 16, 2022.

Heading to the park for 5 days? There are several options. Park hopper means you can go from park to park. This means for Disney World you can move from Epcot to Hollywood Studios to the Magic Kingdom to the Animal Kingdom with ease throughout the day at the time you desire. This means Disneyland hopping from Disney California Adventure to Disneyland and back again to your heart’s content. Park Hopper Plus means all that plus the water parks. There are two water parks at Walt Disney World – Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.  There is not a plus option for Disneyland.

Genie+ is now in place of Fast Pass or Max Pass. The Genie+ program is an add-on program allowing for purchase of Lightning Lane pass – aka a timed ticket to go to a ride allowing you to limit the ride wait.

The following ticket prices are for anyone age 3 and up. These are individual ticket prices.

Walt Disney World Military Salute Ticket Pricing

5 Day Military Salute Ticket

– With park Hopper option: $349 plus tax

– With Park Hopper Plus Option: $379 plus tax

– With Park Hopper Option and Genie+ service: $429 plus tax

– With Park Hopper Plus Option and Genie+ service: $454 plus tax

4 Day Military Salute Ticket

– With park Hopper option: $329 plus tax

– With Park Hopper Plus Option: $359 plus tax

– With Park Hopper Option and Genie+ service: $389 plus tax

– With Park Hopper Plus Option and Genie+ service: $419 plus tax

Walt Disneyland Military Salute Ticket Pricing

3 Day Military Salute Ticket

-With Park Hopper: $225

-With Park Hopper and Genie+: $285

4 Day Military Salute Ticket

-With Park Hopper: $260

-With Park Hopper and Genie+: $340

After purchasing your tickets, don’t forget to make park reservations via the Disney Park Pass system.

The only blackout dates at Disneyland tickets are for spring break, April 9-April 17, 2022 which have passed as of this writing.

There are no blackout dates for Disney World Salute tickets.

If you are looking to capture family photos, don’t forget Memory Maker at Walt Disney World. This package is specially priced at $98 for military. It includes all photos and videos from your vacation (for up to 30 days from the date of activation), including magic shots and rides that take souvenir photos. This

Don’t forget about the one base installation ticket office. These offices have the Military Salute tickets, and because they are sold on federal property are without tax. That saves a pretty penny or two.  Disneyland Military Salute tickets are only available through Military ticket offices on base and are not available for purchase at Disneyland.

According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry, there has been an increase in shipments of Recreational Vehicles (RVs) by 15% since 2020. Sales of camping equipment have increased by 31% in the United States since 2020. These numbers speak volumes -there is a greater desire to explore more of the great outdoors. Military families are not novices at “roughing it,” often going months without their household goods after moving overseas, or even across the country.  Did you know that there is an entire network of camping and RV parks for military families? Each campground has different eligibility requirements. Each campground has a different reservation system as well, some without advance reservations and some with advanced reservations with varying lead times. Make sure to look them up before you plan a trip.

Explore the North

The Great Pond Outdoor Recreation Area in Maine has 13 RV sites, 3 spaces for tents, 1 lodge that sleeps 8, 15 cabins that sleep 6, and 6 yurts. Prices range from $25 to $150 depending on the sleep site. The recreation center is closed November through April and pets are allowed on the campground. There is also a cottage with its associated lighthouses at Gull Harbor in Maine that make for a picturesque New England stay.

There are no military campgrounds in Connecticut or Delaware. There is an Air Force Inn at Dover Air Force Base, but make sure to check if there are restrictions on Space Available (recreational) travel.

Maryland is home to multiple military bases of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Andrews Air Force Base, and Patuxent River Naval Air Station, and each base has a recreation or camping ground. Annapolis is home to the United States Naval Academy, and Annapolis NS Campground with concrete sites for camping is nearby. There is also Camp Meade RV Park and Solomons Island Navy Recreation Center.

Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts has two campgrounds associated with it – Fourth Cliff Family Recreation Area and FAM camp with both RV sites and tent sites. The New Boast Air Force Station  Area Campground in New Hampshire has seasonal RV and tent sites.

New Jersey’s year-round campground at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has Willow Pond RV campground with RV sites.

West Point located in New York has two campground areas – Lake Frederick Recreation Area and Round Pond Campground – both offering season RV sites, Adirondacks, and tent sites. Fort Drum’s Remington Park also offers cabins in addition to the RV sites, Adirondacks, and tent sites

In Pennsylvania, the Tobyhanna Army Depot has Vacation and Business Villas year-round in the Coolbaugh Township.

Newport, Rhode Island is host to the Carr Point Campground with RV sites.

Stay in the South

Alabama has six campgrounds between Fort Rucker, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Coast Guard Group Mobile, and two other recreation areas. Because these campgrounds are in the south, they are open year-round and offer RV sites, tent sites, and cabins.

Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas has RV sites with hooks ups and tenting sites for rent – including monthly rentals for those on TDY orders. If you are driving through, Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center has an RV park.

Florida is another state with a bevy of military bases and campgrounds. The Keys have Sigsbee RV park with vocational rentals along with the RV and tent sites. Staying in the panhandle? The Naval Air Station Pensacola’s Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area has hook-ups at grass/dirt and concrete spaces in addition to tent platform, tent, and cabin spaces. Heading to Miami? Check out Marathon Recreation Cottages and RV Park with 4 cottages and 4 RV sites.

Georgia has 9 campgrounds with two in Lake Allatoona, as far south as Moody Air Force Bases’ Grassy Pond Recreation Area, as far east as Lotts Island Travel Camp at Hunter Army Airfield, and as far west at Fort Benning’s Uchee Creek Army Campground. No matter which roadway you are traveling through in Georgia, you can find a campground. Even better to have a variety of options if stationed locally and wanted to do a little local exploration.

Louisiana has five military campgrounds – two at Fort Polk, one at Barksdale Air Force Base, one at Belle Chasse, New Orleans, and Twin Lakes Recreation area at Beauregard, Louisiana. Fort Polk Toledo Bend Recreation Center and Twin Lakes Recreation area have mobile homes on-site in addition to tent sites.

Mississippi’s home to Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulport and Keesler Air Force Base which both have campgrounds. Lake Walker Campground has RV sites but no tent camping.

North Carolina has five military bases, and each has a campground. Fort Bragg has Smith Lake Army Travel Camp. MCAS Cherry Point has MWR Family Camping. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base has Fit. Fisher Air Force Recreation Area and FAM camp. Camp Lejeune has Onslow Beach Recreation Area. USCG Support Center, Elizabeth City has Weeksville campsites.

Charleston AFB and NWS have two campgrounds – Shady Oaks FAM Camp and Short Stay. Shaw AFB has two campgrounds with Wateree Recreation Area and Falcons Nest FAM Camp. Fort Jackson has Weston Lake Campground in their recreation area with RV, tent sites, and cabins.

Tennessee is home to Arnold AFB and its FAM Camp and NSA Mid-South’s Navy Lake Recreation Area. Between them, there are RV sites, tent sites, and cabins.

Virginia is no strange to camping options – from Fort A.P. Hill Recreation Facility and Fort Belvoir Travel Camp in the north to FCTCLANT Dam Neck in the southern portion of the state. In total, there are 11 campgrounds and RV parks.

MidWest

The U.S. Air Force Academy has two campgrounds – the Farish Recreation Campground and Peregrine Pines Family Camping. Also in Colorado, the Buckley Air Force Base has 40 RV sites with hookups and a laundry facility.

The Yellowstone Country Trailers at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho offers 10 RV site hookups and there are hardstand and tent sites at the Mountain Home Air Force Base Campground.

Illinois has campgrounds at Scott Air Force Base and at Naval Station Great Lakes. Indiana also has two military campgrounds- Camp Atterbury Campgrounds and Crane MWR campgrounds and cabins.  McConnell Air Force Base FAM camp in Kansas has RV sites with hook-ups. All year-camping is available at Fort Campbell Campground and Fort Knox-Camp Carlson Army Travel Campgrounds in Kentucky with family cabins, youth cabins, tent sites, RV sites, and picnic areas.

Camp Grayling Trailer Park at Camp Grayling, Michigan has over 50 RV sites and 10 tent sites for camping with boat launches, rentals, and access points.

Camp Ripley DeParcq Woods Campground in Minnesota is open for service members and their families with RV and tent sites.

Fort Leonard Wood’s Lake of the Ozarks Campground has fully furnished duplexes, cabins, and mobile homes for glamping to the max as well as RV and tent sites.

Malmstrom Air Force Base Campground and Timber Wolf Resort at Malmstrom AFB are open seasonally with RV and tent sites in Montana.

Offutt Air Force Base FAM Camp in Nebraska has RV sites with hookups.

North Dakota’s Grand Forks Air Force Base has RV and tent sites at their FAM Camp and Minot Air Force Base has RV sites at their FAM Camp.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has a FAM Camp on-site with RV and tent sites all year, but there is no available water hook-ups in the winter.

Oklahoma has FAM Camps at Tinker Air Force Base and Altus Air Force Base. McAlester Army Ammo Plant has Murphy’s Meadow Campground and Ft Sill has RV, tent, and cabins at Lake Elmer Thomas Campground. Blackhawk RV Park in the state has 12 RV sites with hook-ups.

South Dakota is home to Ellsworth AFB and their FAM Camp with lodge rooms and RV sites.

Texas is not without a lack of options. There are RV parks and campgrounds at Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, Fort Sam Houston, and Red River Army Depot. There are campgrounds on Brooks AFB, Goodfellow AFB, Lackland AFB, Laughlin AF, Sheppard AFB, and Randolph AFB. Then there are the recreation areas and campgrounds at NAS Corpus Christ and two at NAS Kingsville.

Utah’s Hill Air Force Base has two campgrounds and Dugway Proving Ground has an RV Park and Campground.

Wisconsin is home to Pine View Campground at Fort McCoy with year-round RV site and yurts/cabins/duplexes on offer.

Wyoming’s F.E. Warren AFB is home to FAM Camp with RV sites, tent sites, and one cabin.

Venture Out West

Arizona is home to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Fort Huachuca, and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in addition to the Gia Bend Campground. Each location offers varied lodging from hotels to RV sites to tents. On-base lodging has the perks of exchange and commissary for filling up on goodies at affordable prices. The Gila campground is a campground with basketball and tennis courts across from the campground and many amenities within the hotel but it is noteworthy to share that there are no showers on the campground itself.

California is a large state with a varied climate and has lodging available to military families as far south as El Centro Naval Air Facility Camp Ground and as far north as Beale Air Force Base campground. There are cabins on the ocean at Camp Pendleton and multiple hotel options in Monterey. If you are looking for a sunny spot in California to stay at for an affordable price, there are multiple options ranging from campground to RV sites to cabins to hotels.

Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base is home to Desert Eagle RV Park with year-round RV sites and tent sites, and RV sites are available at NAS Fallon Campground, but their restrooms are closed in the winter months.

New Mexico is home to Holloman Air Force Base and Kirtland Air Force base which both have FAM campgrounds. White Sands Missile Range -Volunteer Park Travel Campsite has year-round RV sites.

Oregon’s National Guard and Air National Guard have Camp Rilea Campground and Kingsley Field Campground respectively offering RV sites and tent sites year-round.

Washington has campgrounds at Fairchild AFB, McChord ABD, and Fairchild AFB. NAS Whidbey Island has Cliffside RV park with RV sites. NS Everett has Pacific Beach Resort, Grays Harbor CGS has Westport Recreation Park and Jim Cheek Naval Ration Station has Jim Creek Wilderness Recreation Area.

Beyond the Great 48

Seward Resort in Alaska is just that – a resort. Lodging facilities are open year-round while camping is weather permitting based on the season. The resort offers townhouses, a log cabin, and motel rooms for lodging in addition to RV pads, tent sites, and yurts. For those stationed or visiting Anchorage, For Richardson offers RV and camper sites in addition to cabins at the Black Spruce Travel Camp and the Upper Otter Lake Campgrounds has a log cabin in addition! Fort Wainwright, Eielson Air Force Base, and Elmendorf Air Force base have seasonal and self-contained camping throughout the year. At the base of the Chugach Mountains, Valdez Glacier campground has 94 standard campsites and 14 pull-through sites for the ultimate Alaska camping experience.

Going to Hawaii? There is military lodging in Honolulu at the Hale Koa. If camping is more your jam, then check out Kilauea Military Camp, the cottages and campsites at Kaneohe Bay, the recreation area at Hickam Air Force Base or Bellows Air Force base, or the beach cottages at Barking Sands. There are two more Recreation Areas – the Waianae Army Recreation Center and Barbers Point Recreation Area. The cottages at Kaneohe Bay offer coastal views along the beach, with the convenience of base comforts nearby but they do offer an isolated feeling of being on the other side of the airstrip.

Supplies

Don’t forget to check out what your military installation has to offer in way of renting or buying camping equipment. Renting equipment helps you try out bigger items like tents and coolers to see what will work well for your family and if it is worth the investment. Check with your Family Services per your military branch to see what they have to offer. When you are ready to buy, don’t forget about the military exchange system – both online and in-person – offering a variety of gear and when you buy on base there is the added savings of no tax!

Camping is a budget-friendly way to travel and explore your local area or save money while executing a military move.

Spring Break is coming soon, summer vacation is just around the corner and for some on the West Coast, ski week is coming. This means planning for potential vacation. While it is easy to head to the big-name destinations and spend thousands on a vacation, there are some military options that are often overlooked.

Grocery Availability

When staying on base or a military-connected campground, there is usually a military exchange or commissary nearby. This means filling up on groceries or necessities like diapers, wipes and snacks can be done conveniently.  There is no tax for on-base purchases, and it is much cheaper to prepare food in lodging rooms or at the campsite than it is to eat out every night. This is helpful when traveling with small children, and when you are traveling with little time to plan. Have a deployment that came up at short notice? Head to a local base for a vacation and buy what you need when you arrive.

Lodging

Military bases have their own lodging system. (Don’t tell us you forgot about our Top 10 Secret Military Vacation Spots article!) The hotel is usually the busiest when it is the height of the moving season, so summer isn’t usually the best time to get a reservation for a vacation. But if you are traveling in the off-season, or perhaps making a military base your destination for travel, check out the lodging on base. Most on-base Army hotels have their hotels listed on their IHG Army Hotel site. Lodging on Air Force Bases is offered through the Air Force Inns website. Lodging on Navy Bases can be found here. Recreation Lodging on Marine Corps bases can be found here and traditional lodging here. The added bonus with on-base lodging is that there is often have full-size washers and dryers, and sometimes temporary housing with full-size kitchens allowing for staying on top of laundry and preparing meals to both save time on the end of the vacation and money during the vacation.

Cabins

Many military bases offer unique lodging options such as cabins. For instance, Camp Pendleton in Southern California has two cabin areas – one in Del Mar at the south of the base and one on the northern part of the base at San Onofre. Both of these cabins are very popular, so it is recommended to go in person for reservations but for the less popular times you may be able to make reservations on the phone. Or maybe send a friend who is at the base to reserve for you. These beachside cabins are great for family-friendly beach vacations without the stress.

For those stationed in Okinawa, Okuma Resort is an exclusive resort for military and government employees right on the beach coast. The resort offers basic cabins for the rustic beach adventure with bunk beds, fridge, and microwave in the cabins – but bring sheets and be prepared to leave the cabin to use the restroom. Cabanas boasting bedrooms and bathrooms with beach views and easy access to the on-resort restaurant are also available. For larger parties or gatherings there are even available for groups of 10 or 18.

If the colonial period is your family’s jam, Cheatham Annex in Yorktown near the Historic Triangle in Virginia offers two, three, and five-bedroom cottages for military and DOD-affiliated families. There is even a two-bedroom pet-friendly cabin available.

Campgrounds

While some military bases also have campgrounds within them offering RV and tent sites, there are also campgrounds at other DOD Service Departments that offer unique amenities throughout the United States. There are very few states without a campground or RV site.

Big Bear Recreational Facility is maintained by the Marine Corps and offers cabin, campsites, and RV parking locations. Outside of lodging, there are bike paths, hiking trails, playgrounds, and equipment rentals. Check for updates on their website as the cabins are currently under renovation as of this writing.

Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area is on Federal land and managed jointly by the Air Force, Army National Guard, and Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU) offers North Carolina coastal cottages, lodge rooms, RV parking sites, and tent sites to eligible individuals.

Check out if your state has options here.

Armed Forces Recreation Centers

Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRCs) are resort hotels designed specifically to provide affordable vacations for military families – from active duty to retirees.  There are five resorts currently, with two within the United States. Shades of Green in Orlando, Florida, and Hale Koa Hotel at Fort DeRussy, Hawaii offer resort accommodations at affordable prices. Overseas, there is Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmish, Germany, Dragon Hill Lodge in Seoul, Korea, and New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.

Parks and Recreation

Check with your military installation’s Welfare and Recreation, Family Services, or Community Services to see what equipment you can rent to make your adventuring more comfortable, at affordable prices.  Need a paddleboard, tent, or sleeping bag? You are able to rent these items at a fraction of the price to own them allowing you to try out different items you may desire to purchase in the future.

ITT

Information Ticket and Travel, or ITT, is also called SATO Travel at some bases. Check with these locations to ask about discount tickets or packages for local campgrounds or vacations. While it may not be specifically military lodging, there may be more options to save money while on vacation.

Staycations are all the rage. They are perfect ways to test the travel waters with small children, allow for shorter travel distances, and can be more budget-friendly. As a military family, there is also the bonus of military lodging options to save money as well.