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Sun and Fun Home Built Camping

Planecrazy232

Well Known Member
So today it's 1 week until departure to SNF and I have not seen nor can find anything about activities or setup at HBC. Will there be a tent, showers, food, etc?? Sorry if this has been hashed out before...
 
Not much talk about SNF. I guess it?s not a big draw for RV?s? I flew in last year and there were only a handfull in the home built parking area.
 
We will not be attending this year due to the lack of bathrooms and facilities (not to mention he long walk from HBC) that were lacking last year. Especially for the price you are paying just to pitch a tent. I think people are catching on.
 
SNF is GREAT! I've been the last 2 years and am planning another trip this year. To answer some of your questions:

1) Yes, HBC has a tent
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2) Food and Drinks. Yes! This is the best deal on the PLANET! The HBC hospitality ladies do an AMAZING job of providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for all of us. Beverages (Adult and non-adult) are also provided. Price = Make a donation when you leave to cover what you consumed. Also, you can have an Uber/Lyft pick you up nearby where HBC is to take you into Lakeland for some other food options.
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3) Shower Facilities. Last year they really upgraded. Showers are air conditioned and quite nice.
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SNF really rolls out the red carpet for us home-builders.
 
I'm not heading out this year, but the HBC area is one of the best things about SnF.
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Almost certainly the Smith family will have the tent set up with tables and seating. A kitty system pays for breakfast supplies and cold drinks etc. Catering for reasonably priced evening meals, cell phone charging and great cameraderie. It's at the far end of the site, but the shuttle buses run regularly most of the day.

Highly recommended. Go and make some new friends!
 
Weather

It all depends on the weather. I?ve gone a number of times and there has always been a lot of RV?s. Understandably last year there may not have been many. I tried to fly down on Wednesday and made it all the way to Moultrie, GA. There was a line of weather passing through at the state line even when I took off from Kentucky to head down. I just knew for sure that it would pass through by the time I got down there, but it did not. It was being fueled by the gulf and it just kept coming and it wasn?t going to clear up even by Thursday evening. We turned around and headed home. The year the tornado went through I was on my way down flying as high as I could 1500 ft until half way through Alabama then headed east, following behind the weather. We then spent the night in Moultrie, on to SnF the next morning. I?m planning to fly down Wednesday and leaving Saturday with my favorite stop at Cedar Key for lunch. I?m hoping the weather will cooperate.
 
with my favorite stop at Cedar Key for lunch

Is there a restaurant on field?

There isn't. The only cabbie in town is a lady who drives pilots from the airport for 30 years or so. She told us. :)

There is a nice eatery called Steamers but the wait time could be up to 30 min.

 
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I'm headed down to SnF this year and hope to catch up with some fellow RV pilots. Only a year into my build so it's a commercial flight for me but hopefully in future years I will flying myself down.
 
Have searched the S&F web and cannot find a reference to HB camping. Where might we find the info regarding HB camping? Thanks,
 
Have searched the S&F web and cannot find a reference to HB camping. Where might we find the info regarding HB camping? Thanks,

Just display the "HBC" sign when you land and you will be marshaled to the right location. A good chance that you'll then be immediately greeted and handed a cold beer!

The registration car will also be along fairly quickly to get you set up.
 
I have been attending SNF since 2000 and flying in since 2007.

HBC is the place to camp because of the hospitality of Mary Jane and her family. She improves HBC every year by leveraging HBCs increasing attendance to acquire better facilities for her campers. There is a bit of a walk to SNF "downtown" but it is a scenic walk and there are usually trams available.
My only gripe about SNF is the chain link fence eyesore at the taxiway which spoils the view of arrivals and departures for those of us who like to stand there and watch.

Anyway, this will be my 12th consecutive year flying in.

See you there!
 
Have searched the S&F web and cannot find a reference to HB camping. Where might we find the info regarding HB camping? Thanks,

https://www.flysnf.org/guest-services/maps/

Right hand side of the map, 1/3 of the way down, roughly under '2018.' Put HBC sign up when you land, park there, and they take care of the rest, so I understand.

I have flown to SNF twice, but never all the way in. Took the Arrow, once to KCRG where weather said stop, second time to KISM Jet Center for their park and drive special so we could get in and out easily.

This year, RV and pilot ready for enroute weather. If we have the promise of decent airshow weather between Tuesday and Friday, my wife (her first trip) and I will be testing the gucci airplane camping gear I have been acquiring over the last year or so in HBC, so we can experience some of the legendary hospitality. I might even let her fly the arrival procedure just for the entertainment value.

Hope to see some of you there!
 
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A word for the tri-gear clan....S&F has very long taxi routes to HBC, in particular if landing on 27R. Do all you can to save your brakes.
 
Wife and I went last year and HBC was the best part! Mary Jane made dinner every night and supplied everyone with beer and such from donations. Be sure to bring some warm camping gear cause we didn't and froze our a#$*s off a couple of nights when it dipped into the 30's!....Gee, whoever though it would get that cold in FLORIDA!
 
Mary Jane told me she was retiring from being the host but I believe her daughter in law is taking over.
 
Greg,
Yes they will.

For those that have paid attention. The best part of the SNF HBC is that you do not need to load the plane with beer, ice, water and other heavy stuff for your trip down.
It is all there for you in HBC. Mary Jane buys the stuff and keeps it on ice. Well worth a large donation.
I love that part of SNF.
I will probably stop in for Wednesday night.
 
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