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  • Blue Angels Navy Rec Area, FL

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    Blue Angel Recreation Center is located on the site of the former Bronson Field, a WW2 seaplane training facility. It's about 12 miles west of downtown Pensacola off Hwy 98, and about 6 miles west-northwest of NAS Pensacola There are two campgrounds at the Rec Center: Anchor Cove, older and a tad more primitive; and Battleship Row, a newer full-hookups area.

    850-453-9435/3798

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    Reservations are not accepted here, and it appears that although there's usually a wait to get into Battleship Row, there generally are sites available in Anchor Cove.

    Update: In 2014 Blue Angels Rec Area began accepting reservations.

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    That's where we ended up, on site 26.

    Date of visit: Mar 2010

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    As one enters the Anchor Cove CG, one sees sites 3-6 on the left. These are the only water-front sites.

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    Site 5 backs up to the bay.

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    A little further into the CG, sites 9-12 look across the road toward the water.

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    Sites 28-32 are on the second road in from the water.

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    Further back in the campground are some sites that are a little more sunny; these are sites 48-52.

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    There are several little, with emphasis on "little", cabins available for rent. I think our old truck camper was bigger than these things.

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    The bathhouse in Anchor Cove is nothing to write home about. It consists of two facing trailers - one for Women, the other for Men. They weren't in very good shape inside - rather run-down and shabby looking. On the plus side, it has hot showers.

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    Battleship Row is located at the south end of the former seaplane ramp and hangar area, with the front row of sites looking out across the ramp to Perdido Bay.

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    After two nights in the Anchor Cove campground, we were able to move to a delightful site in Battleship Row, site 8. We were in about the middle of the front row, facing the bay.

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    Roads and sites are all completely paved in the Battleship Row campground. Sites 30-32 are straight ahead as one enters the campground.

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    Sites 5-11 are the best sites, being in the trees at the edge of the old seaplane pad.

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    There's a perfect balance of shade and sun here. These are sites 1,2 and 4 (l) and 12-15 (r).

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    The big MH is on site 12, with the fiver on site 23.

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    The clean bathhouse provides hot showers and has a small laundry room ($1.00 per load). It's a little confusng at first, as the Men's and Ladies' rooms are off the laundry room.

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    One of two swimming beaches is located in front of the Anchor Cove campsites.

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    There's a very unique mini-golf course located near the marina. It has a military theme with holes dedicated to the verious services.

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    Located near Anchor Cove, the Marina has a variety of watercraft for rent: kayaks, Sailfish, sailboats, fishing boats and party pontoon boats.

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    Over in the back row of Anchor Row was this trailer in the process of being dissembled - not sure what happened to it. But it sure doesn't inspire confidence with that flimsy 2x2 construction. That easily explains why you all you see is a pile of splinters after one of these things is involved in a highway accident.

    Amenities

    Anchor Cove (grass/dirt): 83 sites W/E(15/30A) - $13-$15

    Battleship Row (concrete): 75 sites W/E(30/50A)/S - $20-$22

    Tent platform: 7 sites - $13-$15

    Tent: 7 sites - $7-$8

    Dump station available

    Showers, laundry

    Verizon Broadband Access (EVDO) service

    Coord: 30.385096 N, 87.416134 W

    Activities/Nearby Attractions

    Fishing/boating/swimming

    Naval Aviation Museum

    Gulf Shores National Seashore

     

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