Destin Army Recreation Area

Military Florida

Visited January 2011

Entrance sign for Destin Army Recreation Area

The Destin Army Rec Area is located on the northwest side of Destin on the shores of Choctawhatchee Bay. It's a farly small complex operated by the Fort Benning MWR office. Besides the RV park, the center also has motel efficiency units and cottages for rent. We found this a very pleasant, well-maintained and managed facility. Please note that use is resricted to military personnel and their guests only.

As you come up Benning Road from US-98, this is your first view of the Recreation Area. A gate provides security; once you are registered, you are given a pass-card which operates the gate as well as providing access to the bathhouse and laundry room. The office and community room is in the building behind the flagpole.

Greetings from

Destin Army Recreation Area

As you come up Benning Road from US-98, this is your first view of the Recreation Area. A gate provides security; once you are registered, you are given a pass-card which operates the gate as well as providing access to the bathhouse and laundry room. The office and community room is in the building behind the flagpole.

Ribbit! The WxToad

Around the campground

Knowing that we planned to arrive just before Christmas, we had made a reservation back in late October. Turns out it would not have been necessary - there were a number of empty sites available through the holidays. This year we were assigned site 21. They apparently let the computer assign sites upon arrival; you cannot reserve a particular site. The puzzling part is that when you arrive and ask if you could have site X which is empty, the answer is no.

Last year we had called about a week earlier to make a reservation. Upon arrival we were assigned to site 19, which we decided was one of the better ones. It was at the end of a row, so we had a neighbor on only one side. It was about the only site from which ne has even a slight view of the bay. There was an open pavilion right behind us, and the bathhouse was just past the pavilion. As we were hooking up, we discovered a problem with the 30 amp breaker - it had an intermittent connection. I went to the office, figuring they would move us, but instead, much to our delight, they loaned us a 50-to-30 amp adaptor cord, so we could stay where we were.

This overall view of the campground shows how nice and sunny it is. Some sites have a tree or two for shade. The sites are spread around a single loop road and are all back-in sites. There is a slight slope to the terrain making a number of sites somewhat out of level.

This is looking along the back of the loop, with sites18-13 on the left and 37-35 on the right.

Sites 26-19 are on the left, 45-38 to the right. Sites 26-19 are a little shorter than the others and are designated as trailer sites, although we were on 19 with our 26' motorhome. On our site, the utility post and sewer connection were even with the driver's door, so we had to pull forward into the road when it was time to dump the tanks.The campground really wasn't designed with big rig in mind - often to get a good-sized 5th-wheeler into its site, a neighbor or two will have to move their car or truck.

This part of the camp road is along the front fence of the property, with the road just behind the rigs on the right. Sites 1-12 are on the right and 27-34 on the left.

The bathhouse was quite modern, very clean and provides VERY hot showers. The near end of the building contains the laundry room. There are four washers and four dryers, $.75 per load, along with a large commerical washer and dryer, at $2.50 per load.

If you have a boat, bring it along and dock it at the marina. The marina is also home to a charter-fishing boat operation.

Watercraft such as kayaks, wave-runners, and fishing boats can be rented. In the background is one of the efficiency motel buildings. This picture was taken from the 200' fishing pier.

There are also several cottages which can be rented.

The swimming pool is located right at the edge of the bay.

Nearby campgrounds

Hurlburt FieldFL · 12 miles away

Sand Pond CampgroundFL · 37 miles away

Florala City ParkAL · 42 miles away

Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fort PickensFL · 47 miles away

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