Review Detail

We stayed "our first and only time here" at this campground for 30 days 26 Mar-24 Apr 2014. The day we arrived the campground warden informed us that there would be nothing on the grass or any jacks put on the asphalt. We paid our months rent and set up. I had put up a 2' high by 4' sq. dog pen on the concrete pad to keep our dogs in while we got the camp set up. With in 1 hour, Diana knocked on our door and said we COULD NOT have the pen set up, ITS IN THE RULES, we took it down. We looked at the rules all 5 PAGES. We went to Kessler campground to see if they had a spot to move to. They had 1 spot. We went back to Shields to pack up and move. We found in the rules that once you pay for a spot you can not get a refund if you want to leave on your own accord. So we were stuck there. The park itself is well laid out, however the location leaves a lot to be desired. Road noise, reefer trailer yard across the road with the reefers running all night can be heard. With a hospital located close by, sirens can be heard often, now for the trains, with several spur tracks close to the camp, and the rails crossing city streets, the engineers must blow the whistle a lot and continuous. There is no shade trees and the sun can get brutal. The sprinklers come on in the night a few times a week soaking anything you may have out, and leaving a pond on the pad. There is an activity room for gatherings (a single car garage) there is a TV on the wall, a table and chairs, and lawn equipment stacked around inside. There is only 1 window that is in the walk in door. In the time we were there no one ever used the activity room. This park attracts people going to the casinos, most folks were gone most of the time. There are 2 dog parks located on the base, however they are 3.3 miles from the campground requiring a trip in a vehicle to get there and the dog parks are infested with fire ants. The area to walk your dogs in the campground is also loaded with fire ants. Edward who works in the park sometimes, is super. The base facilities are adequate. Kessler has a much larger commissary and exchange. Access to the beaches is super. The area east and west along the coast has small towns which are worth the visit. For first time visitors, I would suggest that they only pay for 1 or 2 nights to make sure you would like it there. We would have moved the next day, but paid for a month. The MWR Supervisors need to visit and talk with the people who stay there and get some ideas of ways to improve the campground. A better club house where people can gather, a dog park located in the campground, customer service people who know what customer service is. Maybe even some volunteer camp hosts after hours and weekends could spur get together with campers. Maybe a look at Pensacola NAS Oak Grove FamCamp for some great ideas.