Fort Story JEB RV Park

Let's start with the reason for our visit. We try to go places and do things with or grandchildren that allows them to have experiences that they will remember. The history associated with Ft Story meets those criteria. The two lighthouses alone were a memorable experience and climbing to the top of the old lighthouse was the icing on the cake. Not to mention the crucifix marking the location of the first landing of English settlers in 1607, the statue of Admiral de Grasse who was key to the victory at Yorktown that ended the American Revolution, and the use of the Fort for costal artillery starting with the War of 1812 and as a Nike missile battery during the Cold War. So, for the experience of staying at Ft Story, we give it an "A+". Being close to Halloween, we found out that there were several activities going on at the various base sponsored by MWR. On Friday evening we attended an outdoor movie night, The Nightmare Before Christmas, at the Ft Story campground and on Saturday evening we attended the Haunted Forest at nearby JEB Little Creek. The weather was beautiful and we had a wonderful weekend. The campground itself is in reasonably good condition, it could stand some attention to the landscaping, but most campgrounds can. The bathhouse, which is located at the far back of the campground was well light inside and well maintained as well as being clean. There is a laundry room at the back of the bathhouse that was also well maintained and clean. So why not all 5's? The bathhouse could definitely use a coat of paint and better lighting on the outside. The campsites are level and have picnic tables and fire rings and most of them are well kept. This brings us to a situation that we are encountering very often and not just in military campgrounds, people who are "living" in campgrounds, permanent campers. I do not have an issue with these "permanent campers" and if the base commander has approved it, who am I to question it. What concerns me is that all too many of these "permanent Camper" sites look more like a homeless encampment than a campsite. Not all of them are like that, but there are definitely enough to make you take notice. The ones that I am referring to are those that have personal belonging just strown around the site, using tree limbs to hang various items, basically garages and outdoor rooms made out of tarps stretched between trees, and vehicles parked in places that obviously never intended to be a campsite or a parking space. Would I stay at Ft Story again? Absolutely! I just wish that people would think about the image that they project and question why the campground management doesn't have guidelines for maintaining the appearance of camp sites by long term campers.

When we arrived it was a bit confusing. The check in for OD Rec has moved. It used to be at the entrance to the campground. Now it is about 1/2 a mile away and doesn't face the road that it has a street address. Nonetheless we found it and settled in. It must have been too straight forward and working to well. Our site with this time was #16 which is poorly graded and I had to go out and round up more jack pads from Walmart. There is only a small mini-mart on base (but it does have gas pumps). There was no internet, no cable and no-sewer connection, some of which we knew going in. There were plenty of over the air channels to choose from. The wash house is kind of far and shows it's age. The laundry is around the back of the building. This is kind of a basic campground, but if you know that going in it's still nice.

This is a great spot. Quiet wooded area. Bathhouse and laundry is in an older building but the facilities inside are updated, clean, and in great working order. The MWR office at Fort Story has been very helpful and accommodating. Each spot has water, power (30amp) for my spot, picnic table, fire ring and is well sized and with plenty of room between neighbors. The dump station is close by and easy to get to. WIFI service is not available at the sites, but there is a very close hotspot if you need it. We used the TV antenna for reception, and it worked good enough. Cell phone service (verizon) was good. There is a NEX gas station/minimart on board. The beach is a good 5 min walk. Overall the wife and I have had a great time here.

What a difference a month makes! We made our reservations on the DODLodging website based on the reviews here. The day before we arrived a lovely woman left a message on my phone providing my site number and a number I could call if we had any questions. We entered the base through Gate 6 and found the campground easily (there is one main road). Called the number provided and asked if we could occupy our site and then come down and check in. They were fine with that so we got the trailer unhorsed and plugged in and headed down to check in. All things MWR are in the One Stop building located at the end of Leyte Drive. Check in took 60 seconds and was basically an I.D. Check. The campground is perfectly described on the review below. We really liked it. Strangely, unlike that reviewer, we had no problem getting 2 bars of signal on our Verizon IPhones and 2 bars on our Sprint/T-Mobile MiFi. We did run the tv antenna up and got 56 channels of digital TV. Most, of course, were shopping/religious channels but all major networks and four channels of PBS. The washers in the boathouse have just been replaced and are free! Is it all pimped out like Sea Mist? Nope, but for $25 a night, a pretty sweet deal.

If you know anything about the Virginia Beach area, you would know that this is about as good a location as it gets. I mean, it will take you about seven minutes to get to the boardwalk. It is that close. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 1- The feel of the campground, especially its topography is exactly what you would find anywhere in the Virginia Beach area. There is basically no grass in the campground area because, well, you would normally not find grass in these area. 2- Sandspurs are everywhere and they are natural to the area. If you have pets, you will likely find yourself removing many of then from your pat during your stay. 3- The campground enjoys almost 100% shade which, let me tell you, is a beautiful thing during the summer months. The only problem with this comes about if you have Satellite Tv on your rig. You will not get a signal. 4- Cell phone signal is horrendous on the campground yet this is not a unique challenge here. If you stay at First Landing State Park, which borders Fort Story to the west, you will have the exact same challenge. Now to the Campground: Great campground and it is relatively well maintained. The checking building, which was logical and practically placed at the Campground entrance was moved about a mile and a half down the road. If you are arriving late, look at the board near the entrance where you will find a list of arrivals for that night along with your camp site assignment. WiFi exists, two options in fact, neither of which works. In talking to fellow campers that visit regularly, they do not remember a year or any time when the WiFi has worked. Don't count on having it. We have two 5G hotspots, one of which we regularly get speeds between 100-200Mbps (T-Mobile), could not get a signal, even though I place then in a telescopic antenna that is 35 feet high! The check-in building is a very nice facility with a pool table, board games, a library and 10-15 stations for gamers. While I am not a gamer, it was something that stood out as pretty darn cool. One of those stations was a virtual reality console along with a gigantic TV for people to watch what the player sees. If you are planning on riding a motorcycle... You know the deal, you are expected to wear all your safety gear which is a real drag. We stayed at Camp Lejeune in July for two weeks and that was not a requirement. Here it is, you've been warned! Lastly, it may have been a bad day to check-in, I really do not know but I have to say this: people that lack the skillset to handle interactions with the public should never be placed in positions where they must interact with customers, active military and veterans in this case. Let's just say that the check-in process is unlikely to win any customer service awards if what we experienced is the norm because it left a lot to de desired.

C.H. left this review using the Directory software: - This was our first time visiting Fort Story. Nice liittle base with some history attached: two lighthouses, First Landing site and memorial to the French admiral who defeated the British in 1781. The campround is on the old side with dirt sites covered with pine needles. Located in a pine grove, it is quite dark. We left the CG during the day and parked by the water behind the Harbormaster's office, where we had a good view of shipping traffic in and out of Norfolk and Chesapeake Bay. The bathhoouse is in a very old cement building, but the interior was bright and clean, with free hot showers. There is a dump station out by the office. The hexagonal office where one registers is just a few hundred yards east of the two lighthouse.

Stayed here for 5 days in a TT the last week of June. Generally speaking, it is a nice location with good size sites and plenty of trees providing shade. My comments are directed toward improvement of the campground section and not the rental cabins as they appear quite nice. I'd like to address a couple of points that visitors should be aware of and that I think could improve the CG with little cost or effort. Issue #1. Sewage hookups are not available on any of the rental sites. Additionally, there is no "Honey Wagon" service offered. It appeared to me that some campers were discharging grey water on the ground at the campsites instead of dragging their camper, or a sewage waste tank to the dump station when their tanks were full. Be aware that if you plan to use a towable waste tank, the folks that run this place installed several speed bumps on the only route from the campsites to the dump station. I don't recall a single one on the inbound side of the camping area, but there are several on the outbound side. Bottom line, they make towing sewage a real pain and present a hazard of rupture or other damage when towing a tank of sewage. The speed bumps appear to be made of hard rubber or plastic so the problem could be eliminated by cutting a 3' - 4' wide opening on the outbound side to facilitate vehicles towing sewage tanks as well as bicycles, etc.. As a side note, the only speeders I observed while in the CG, were CG employees driving Gator's and towing utility trailers. Issue #2. Recommend installation of a security camera and locks on the bathhouse entrance doors. Presently, there is a single entrance to a blind hallway at the front of the bathhouse building. This hallway provides direct and unfettered access to both the men's and women's bath facilities. As there is no restriction to access, or security within the CG, a push button combination lock or keycard entry system would not be a bad idea and provide at least some measure of security. Along with the installation of locks, it wouldn't hurt to add privacy louvers on the outside of the windows on the ladies side. These windows are directly exposed to anyone using the walkway ramp to the laundry room. A sign marking the laundry room entrance would also help instead of relying on word of mouth. This CG is in a good location and has plenty of potential. Despite fiscal limitations, it could be much better with minimal effort and cost.

Locations are nice wooded sites. Only a few large sites. Was not too busy while we were there. The military beach is nice at the entry point. The Cape Henry lighthouse is located there and open for tours. The MWR staff was very helpful giving advice on places to eat and things to do. There is a Rec Center open weekdays and a small shoppette. Otherwise Little Creek is only a few minutes down the road. At Little creek there is a movie theater, water park (great for kids), exchange and commissary.
Location is great. Plenty of restaurants nearby and only a few minutes from the boardwalk.

I stopped by to check on this campground because the location is a good one. It is under new management, and the young lady I talked to was very friendly and let me drive through. The check-in building has been renovated and there are improvements being made to the rest of the facilities. All the homesteaders have been evicted. There are now 5 used RVs and 4 mini-cabins for rent in addition to the 8 larger cabins. On this day...aside for the larger cabins...there was nobody in any of the RV spots! The place was deserted! My wife and I checked out the bathhouse...aside from looking like a WWII bunker, the place was relatively clean but the fixtures were old and need replacing. The ladies side smelled "old and musty" and received a grade of a "C-". The men's side didn't smell but received a grade of "C" for peeling paint. The campsites are back in the woods, so there really isn't a view from them. Some are tight in the trees and could be a challenge for rigs bigger than 30 feet. Some require a 90 degree turn. The location is great from a "things to do" standpoint. The beaches at Fort Story look out at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay so there are always large ships sailing by. Fishing is good there too! Virginia Beach is 10 minutes down the road. First Landing state park is next door. While we didn't camp here this time (we were down the road at Dam Neck Annex) we'll keep it on our list. I didn't rate it higher than 2 stars overall because we didn't stay.

A lousy campground for the money. The electricity was poor at best. If I had the coffee pot on and turned on the micro wave, my voltage went down to 100. A good way to burn up everything. The cites are not handicapped accessible nor are the toilet/shower facility which would not pass any inspection. The health issue is a major issue. For 4 people, we picked off 7 ticks during our stay. Regardless of its location, this wold be a good $5.00 a night park and not the 22 they charge. As an example, this place does not have full hook ups but on our way home we stayed at a private campground that had full hook ups, a swimming pool, a great pavilion, a ball field with grass, a paved basket ball court, cable TV and so on for $21.50 a night and it also was in a great location. It is time to shape this place up or ship it out.

This rv campground needs serious maintenance. I was parked in site 6 and there was dead brush piled next to it. There was a road roller almost blocking the entrance which made it difficult to back in. There was a backhoe parked next to the site and weeds were growing up around it. So it had been there for sometime. Weeds and vines covered the area around the site. The roads are narrow and filled with potholes. Evidently, management could care less since previous reviewers have made the same comment. The signs directing you to your site are brown with red letters which makes them hard to read. Trees are too close to the road which makes it difficult to pull a camper through the park. They need to have some removed to open it up some. Other reviewers have commented about the location and other amenities, so I am only reviewing the rv campground. Finally, the dump is on the wrong side when leaving, so you have to do a uturn in order to be able to dump. I have been a camp host at three different parks and this is the WORST rv park I have encountered. I will not return to this park.

All campsites are wooded with fire rings and picnic tables and are pet friendly. I had plenty of room for my 37' 5th Wheel with water and 50 amp service at my site. There is a waste dump site outside the campground. The roads are dirt with minor potholes. The bath house is old but serviceable and has a laundry in the back. I was here in July and the bathhouse was not air conditioned. There are log cabins throughout the campground. The location is in the woods behind sand dunes and relativity quite. The military swim beach is about 2 miles up the road and it was not crowded. There is also a beach to walk on (no swimming) that is pet friendly across from the AFEES Mini mall. The mini mall was under renovation and not well stocked. There are Lighthouses to see and you can climb one (take water). This is a Historical area, it is the site of the Jamestown settlers first landing (beginning of a nation). It is only a couple of miles from the Va Beach strip and the activities. We will be back and would recommend this to anyone looking for a "camping" site and not a parking lot. Because of BRAC, Ft Story is now part of the Joint Expedition Base Little Creek/ Ft Story and you have to follow Navy requirements for sponsoring guests on base.

As of April 1 spaces are $22. They seem to be clearing the spaces, however it is suited for small rv's, pop-up's and tents. Decent wash house no sewage hookups but a dump station open 0800-1700. Location is outstanding. If you want to "CAMP" you can't beat it. Nice cabins also. We were there over Easter weekend and only about half the spaces were taken.

Amazing value! The sites are plenty wide to accommodate my 30' trailer with slide out and my F150. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table and is wooded. Just a beautiful rustic feel campsite. The sites are far enough away from each other and with enough foliage in between that you can feel like you are really camping. If you are looking for an RV Resort (Clear cut sites with all drive thru spots) this is not it. This is camping. There are log cabins and tent camping available as well. The sites are set up that you can back your trailer right in. When you make the reservation let the attendant know if you have a large trailer and they will set you up with an easier access site... Endless things to do here; There is a touring light house and an historic Indian village that has period actors, and the Beach..ALL ON POST! If your looking for an RV resort (Clear cut trees and cablevision) this aint it. If your looking to go camping and have tons to do out doors, this is the place. friendly people, beautiful beaches, and lots of history to explore. Bath house Facilities are older so be prepared for that. They are not bad, just old. Way better than fighting the crowds on VA beach. I will be back.

First impressions are that this campground is much more suited for pop-ups, tents and small travel trailers. Road is dirt and tight, spaces will take some time to get backed into. Many of the hookups are near the front of the site which is difficult to get connected. On the positive side, this campground is close to the beach and although the base is pretty small it does have an exchange and bowling alley.

In contrast to the reviews that we read we found the campgrounds to be in much better condition than expected. We arrived at 10:30am and although they have a very strict noon check in and checkout policy they allowed us to check in early. We have a 2010 40' fifth wheel with 4 slides so we are cautious about scraping it up and having enough length and width. We were given site # 2 which was more than adequate, the one drawback is they only have 2 sites large enough to accommodate a big 5th wheel or Motor home. The road while not paved was wide enough for us to back in without having to do a lot of jockeying and there were no large pot holes to swallow us up. The foliage was trimmed so that we were able to get the 13'3" high coach in and bumped out without hitting foliage. The site was gravel, but very level. The site had 50 amp service and water, pump out is available near the registration building but there is no sewer on any sites. Satellite service was not available due to the foliage, cable was not available and local TV is very limited. That was not a problem for us as the area was beautiful and we spend very little time inside. There is a small PX, gas station and car wash on the base. The beaches are sandy and private. The lighthouses are spectacular and a walk to the top of the historic Cape Henry lighthouse is worth the $4.00 and the time. While lacking some amenities it is one of the nicest and prettiest military campgrounds we have stayed at.