Recreational opportunities, retreats
Birdies for the Brave (PGA Tour & Champions Tour events)
Birdies for the Brave offers complimentary admission for active, retired, and Reserve military along with their dependents at select PGA TOUR & Champions Tour events. Many tournaments also offer discounted admission for Veterans.
BNB for Vets (Veterans Day Bed & Breakfasts)
B&Bs and Inns are providing free rooms on Wednesday, November 10, in observance of Veterans Day, November 11, to honor servicemen and women currently serving or who have previously served their country. The program was started in 2009 by the West Virginia B&B Association (formerly called MABB) and this year has expanded to include over 40 states and provinces and more than 300 Inns.
Click here to see properties that are participating in the program.
BOASTY - Boaters of America Say Thank You
Boaters of America say thank you to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces both active and retired... by taking them boating! If you are a veteran and would like to sign up for a free boat ride you have come to the right place!
Coming Home Project - California
The Coming Home Project offers free, confidential group support and stress management retreats for OIF and OEF veterans, service members and their families and professional service providers.
A multidisciplinary team of veterans, family members, psychotherapists and interfaith leaders, we are devoted to providing innovative, compassionate care to address the mental, emotional, spiritual and relationship problems veterans and service members face.
Compass Retreat Center (Loveland, Ohio)
Our mission is to provide a supportive setting for National Guard Members, Reservists and their families following deployment with emphasis on renewing relationships and strengthening family bonds.
Disabled Veterans Rest Camp (Washington County, Minnesota)
The Disabled Veterans Rest Camp provides facilities and opportunities for recreation, rest, and well being for all women and men who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, along with their families. The campground is open to all military personnel in good standing: Active duty, Reservists/Guard, veterans, disabled, retirees, families and friends.
English River Outfitters (Washington County, IA, adjacent Sockum Ridge)
English River Outfitters is a veterans resort "Designed by Veterans for Veterans." We are a resort that will give a memorable outdoor recreation experience for the disabled veteran, veterans, their families, friends and supporters: It recognizes what our veterans have contributed to and sacrificed for our nation.
It is our goal at English River Outfitters Resort to offer all of our veterans, past, present and future; a solitude outdoor recreational resort at no cost to them where they can camp, fish, hunt, hike and enjoy a campfire in an enjoyable relaxing atmosphere. We provide a safe outdoor experience with other veterans to help promote healing and closure and where they can realize their strengths and independence.
English River Outfitters will offer veterans:
- Camaraderie
- Hunting: Deer, Turkey, Pheasant, Ducks and Geese
- Fishing (Stocked Pond)
- Dinners/Bar-B-Q’s
- Week end get-a-ways
F.I.S.H. Fishermen in Support of Heroes
F.I.S.H. was organized as a way to show appreciation to our military service members for the job they do protecting our country. While we may not be able to show our full appreciation for the sacrifices they make, we have combined our passion for fishing and our admiration for our military folks.
Our primary focus is on the Wounded Warriors who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan to Camp LeJeune and Fort Bragg to recover from their injuries. We organize trips to take them fishing. We use private boats, charter boats, ocean piers and other venues to take these folks fishing. We provide all the gear, licenses, food, drinks and bait. We even bring along plenty of volunteers to help bait hooks, demonstrate techniques, clean fish, and other chores as needed.
Fishing for Freedom - June 4-5, 2011 (Quincy, Illinois)
The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) will soon be entering it's 10th year and our troops have served on multiple combat deployments. The stresses of combat and high operational tempo have strained our military and their families to no end. We have seen and heard the stories of these heroes as many have returned home with horrific physical injuries, but a tremendous psychological toll is also being paid. Even though several new Department of Defense and Veterans Administration initiatives have attempted to de-stigmatize and address all aspects of mental health, suicide rates are alarmingly high across all services and within our transitioned GWOT veteran population. There is more we can do to help these veterans deal with the baggage of combat and get back to some resemblance of their normal lives.
By their very nature, outdoor recreational activities are extremely therapeutic and have been shown through recent examples to make a difference in our returning warrior’s lives. Although angling is only one of those outdoor activities, it is one that can help our returning heroes escape the hardships of combat deployments and begin the process of assimilation back into to everyday life.
Inspired by the Army Bass Anglers, and fishing guides to take wounded warriors and GWOT veterans out for a day of tournament bass fishing. With assistance from a network of bass anglers throughout the region and caring local and corporate sponsors, the Bi-State Basser's Bass Club will be hosting their 1st annual Fishing For Freedom event on 4-5 June 2011 at the Quincy IL fishing on the mighty Mississippi River.
Fishing for Freedom - October 8th & 9th, 2011 (Truman Lake, Missouri)
American Warriors, we would like to invite you out for a weekend of camaraderie and outdoor recreation. Fishing for Freedom is a celebration of the freedoms we love with those who provide them for us. It is an opportunity for you to spend a day on the lake with some of the best bass anglers in the country. Fishing for Freedom brings together warriors with volunteers boaters for a day of tournament bass fishing in a relaxed fun filled celebration of the outdoors. This event is made possible by volunteers and paid for by local and corporate sponsors and private donations. All warrior participants will receive a pack of tackle donated by our sponsors and top finishers will receive trophies for their accomplishments. Dinner Saturday night, Breakfast Sunday morning, and BBQ after the weigh-in. Lodging for Saturday and Sunday nights (Oct 8-9) will also be provided at Hickory Hollow and Truman Lodge.
Freedom Hunters
Saluting the noble work of our courageous men and women of the Armed Forces is our mission. Freedom Hunters would like to reflect the outdoor community's appreciation to the troops by taking select active duty and combat veterans on outdoor adventures. With help from conservation groups, outfitters, corporations and land owners, Freedom Hunters will honor individuals from all branches of the Military. It is with immense pride and enthusiasm that Freedom Hunters will carry on the American tradition of hunting and fishing with active military personnel across the United States.
Long deployments away from the fields and streams can be hard on those that love our tradition of hunting and fishing. Some servicemen can miss several seasons between training before the deployment and the actual deployment. In an effort to boost moral, we select a few individuals who are currently deployed to go on dream adventures when they return home.
Here's to the Heroes - Sea World, Busch Gardens, Sesame Place free admission
We are proud to salute the men and women of our armed forces and their families. Throughout 2011, members of the military and as many as three direct dependents may enter SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place parks with a single-day complimentary admission.
For your service and sacrifice, we thank you.
Heroes and Horses - Soldiers' Angels (Bozeman, MT)
Heroes & Horses is open to any recent American combat veteran who loves and could benefit from the breathtaking beauty and unique demands of Montana's real ranch country and who craves the sense of accomplishment gained by mastering true horsemanship and skills in the challenging backcountry of America's majestic Rocky Mountains. A seven-day working horse ranch experience is available for a wide-range of gutsy veterans at the Mantle Ranch, offering an opportunity to learn--through intensive instruction and interaction with fellow combat veterans--how to ride, pack, and orchestrate a mountain trip, as well as a variety of related equine and back-country activities on one of the most spectacular working horse ranches in the West.
Heroes & Horses is designed to provide a challenging, educational, and goal-oriented experience for war veterans who can benefit from the resulting knowledge, camaraderie, and skills. Utilizing the equine expertise of the Mantles and Whites, the beauty and reality of the ranch and its 400 horses and working ranch facilities, the location in spectacular Big Sky country and the sheer challenge, Heroes & Horses empowers candidates to enjoy life, the great outdoors and horses. It influences them to become creative both recreationally and entrepreneurially.
Honor Them Foundation
The Honor Them Foundation utilizes vacant timeshares and cancelled or unbooked cruises to send combat veterans and their families to five-star resorts or on cruises at no charge to them.
Horses 4 Heroes
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Las Vegas, NV, Horses4Heroes is building a nationwide network of family-friendly, kid-friendly horseback riding facilities and equine-related service providers that support our mission to make horseback riding affordable for, and accessible to the families of the heroes in our communities including, but not limited to: military personnel (active duty and veterans), law enforcement officers, firefighters/EMTs, critical care and hospice nurses, special needs school teachers and families who are struggling with serious, chronic illnesses and/or disabilities.
House in the Woods, Inc. (Maine)
A free, outdoor self-help program which remains flexible to the needs of those whom we serve. The only expense to participants is their transportation to Lee, Maine. Using the recreational, therapeutic, and educational properties of Maine’s great wilderness and outdoor heritage, we form short-term retreats for participants to meet others with common military-related challenges and experiences. Activities are led by licensed Maine guides and staffed with caring volunteers and assistance from the local VA Center and health professionals from the community upon request. Maine is a four season climate, so activities will be dependent on weather and availability.
Hunters Helping Soldiers
The mission of Hunters Helping Soldiers is to provide a means to enhance physical and emotional healing through comradery during hunting and fishing trips as well as mentorship to help ease the transition from military life to civilian life and help families of returning, wounded, and mortally wounded soldiers cope with the challenges they face.
Lone Star Retreat (October 28-30, 2011 - New Braunfels, Texas)
The Lone Star Retreat is specifically designed for female veterans, women in military service, and women serving beside the uniform. More than a personal development workshop, the Lone Star Retreat is a life-changing experience that incorporates specific tools to empower and encourage personal development, focus for a bright future, and a joyful, visionary life.
Who is this for? ALL women who have served or are serving our country. Veterans, Active Duty, Reserves, Guard; Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines; IN the uniform-you were/are the service member – BESIDE the uniform- you are the woman who stood beside and supported the military person, wives, mothers, partners, sisters, daughters….if you have a direct family member who serves/served, you also serve our country and we want to honor that sacrifice and commitment!
National Parks - Free entrance days 2012
America's Best Idea – the national parks – gets even better with several fee-free days at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees. Mark your calendar for these fee-free days in 2012:
- January 14-16 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday weekend)
- April 21-29 (National Park Week)
- June 9 (Get Outdoors Day)
- September 29 (National Public Lands Day)
- November 10-12 (Veterans Day weekend)
Here’s a tip – many of your 397 national parks NEVER charge an entrance fee.
Operation Jersey Shore Vacation
Operation Jersey Shore Vacation is an organization whose purpose is to unite deserving soldiers who have just recently returned from or are about to embark on deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan on a free vacation with their families at the Jersey Shore.
Operation Oasis at Sandy Cove (Maryland)
Sandy Cove Ministries has created Operation Oasis as a way to say thank you for the sacrifices made by our military. Our desire is that Sandy Cove would be an "oasis" for moms and dads and boys and girls – a place to rest and reconnect with one another after deployment.
Any service man or woman, including those in the Reserve and National Guard, returning home from deployment in support of OIF or OEF can come to Sandy Cove with their immediate family for FREE! This includes comfortable accommodations in the Chesapeake Lodge or Pioneer Campground cabins, all meals, recreation and program if scheduled. 5-nights for a family of four would normally cost up to $2100, but through generous donations, Sandy Cove is able to offer this as a FREE gift to military families to help you bond together and relax in a Christian atmosphere.
Operation Open Arms (SW Florida, Eastern Maryland)
Operation Open Arms is a nationally acclaimed military outreach program. Founded in 2005, OOA has a very simple mission statement. "To provide US Servicemen/women visiting SW FL or the Eastern Shore of Maryland every conceivable benefit during their two week combat leave or return from any foreign duty station." Operation Open Arms depends on tax deductible donations as to provide extraordinary benefits such as free limo service, lodging, restaurants, fishing charters, golf, tennis, bowling, kayaking, biking, emergency dental care, and a cutting edge approach for the treatment of PTSD.
Operation Open Arms is self administrating. There is no paid staff or volunteers to assist you. Making a reservation or appointment within OOA is no different than making arrangements within the military. All Operation Open Arms sponsors will require a DA-31 and valid military ID prior to hotel stays, golf, fishing charters, or any other benefits. All OOA participants will be as punctual and cooperative as your days in basic training.
Operation Purple Family Retreats - National Military Family Assoc. Family Retreats
Operation Purple® Family Retreats are designed to allow families to reconnect after experiencing the stresses surrounding a deployment. They are a great opportunity to spend time outdoors, try new things, make friends, and enjoy quality time together as a family. These four day retreats take place in beautiful National Parks and are led by experienced outdoor educators.
Operation R&R - (South Carolina)
Reconnect after deployment on Hilton Head Island at little or no cost
Operation R&R is a non-profit organization designed to provide our service men and women an opportunity to reconnect with their spouses and children upon their return from Iraq or Afghanistan. Property owners, represented by many property management companies, are donating their homes and villas on Hilton Head Island, SC for this purpose. All of this is to ensure that our military families have a chance to spend some time away from their everyday lives to strengthen relationships that have been strained due to long separations and extreme circumstances.
Operation Vacation (Colorado, Texas)
Operation Vacation is a grassroots, nonprofit organization based in Glenwood Springs whose purpose is to reunite deserving soldiers with their families on free vacations in the Roaring Fork Valley and Grand County in Colorado and Dallas and Austin in Texas. Operation Vacation, funded entirely by private and corporate donations, also seeks to promote support and sponsorship of the organization in the communities it serves. Operation Vacation is committed to carrying out missions of gratitude by deploying our troops for all expenses-paid weekend getaways, allowing them quality family time and peace and freedom they put their lives on the line for everyday.
Operation Welcome Homes
Started as a pilot program in Door County, Operation Welcome Homes has given free vacations to retired Iraq and Afghanistan vets and their families from all across America.
Outward Bound
Adventure and challenge, solitude, reflection, and renewal, the wilderness has always symbolized a new beginning - a place for discovery and fulfilling adventure. The Outward Bound program for veterans provides an opportunity for camaraderie and has proven to be a powerful tool helping veterans readjust after leaving the combat zone.
Our newest programs offer numerous wilderness adventures exclusively for war veterans, and are fully funded for all participants, to include their roundtrip stateside travel costs between home and the excursion site. Our goals include helping participating veterans build a supportive community with other war veterans; facilitating discussions on readjustment and transition challenges; and re-energizing and reinvigorating our veterans' spirits with adventures and challenges in the beautiful outdoors.
Project Sanctuary
Project Sanctuary is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide therapeutic, curative, supportive and recreational activities to veterans, active military personnel, their spouses and children in a leisure environment. We are dedicated to providing an environment by where individuals and their families who have been affected by their service in the military may spend both leisure and structured time with their families and fellow service personnel in an effort to diminish the wearisome impact of returning home after a considerable period away while serving the interests of the country.
Purple Heart Ranch (Sterling City, TX)
Military Warriors Hero Support Foundation
Purple Heart Ranch is open exclusively to combat wounded heroes and to Gold Star families. The ranch is also open to children of combat wounded heroes and those who have a parent currently deployed to a combat zone. Both the families of the wounded heroes and the parents of the children are encouraged to come and enjoy the experience with the hunters. There is fishing available at both properties and many other activities for the families. Both ranches are rich in history and are littered with Native American artifacts, especially arrow heads.
RnR Oasis
Our mission at RnR Oasis is to assist disabled and wounded U.S. combat veterans in returning to as normal a life as possible, in the least amount of time. It has been our experience that healing and closure takes place around a campfire. Combat brothers and sisters, helping each other on the road to recovery.
RnR Oasis provides a safe camping experience with other Veterans to maximize the environment that promotes healing and closure. To that end, RnR Oasis currently rents or leases campgrounds, provides all gear and equipment, food and even fire wood for up to 50 veterans at a time. There is no cost to the Veteran in this program.
Salute to Soldiers
We know that the cost of freedom is not free - but as you return home, the cost of your hotel room is! Thank you for your service - now enjoy some well-deserved R&R on us. Any service member that is currently serving or has served since the program was launched in September, 2010, is eligible to receive a couple vouchers.
Take a Soldier Fishing
We assist communities at large, by offering them the ability to show their support for the troops by sponsoring our Take A Soldier Fishing program. This allows service members to see just how much they are appreciated. For those that serve to support our fishing program, it gives the individual the ability to see how their support makes a profound difference in a service member or veterans life by providing a safe and positive outdoor experience.
We strive to show that there are people out there that care, and want to help. By providing these events, we have found they give the soldiers something to look forward to. We have also found that soldiers have also changed their outlook on life - the way they feel about wearing their uniform and a new sense of hope.
Tents for Troops
As a very small way of saying "Thank You" for all of the hard work and sacrifices men and women in the military make, campgrounds and RV parks around the nation would like to offer free camping for active military. Please visit our Camp Locations page to find a participating park near where you wish to spend some R & R. Active military will be required to present active military I.D. at the time of check in. The offer is for active military and members of their immediate family only. Please call the park directly for reservations. Reservations are required.
Can't find a site where you want to visit? The best way to help promote the growth of Tents For Troops is word-of-mouth. Recommend the site to any active military you know. If you personally know an RV park/resort or campground that may be interested in joining, please get them in contact with us (or us with them)! We hope to have multiple places to stay per state as soon as possible - and that can be made much more possible with your help. Help us get the word out! Please be courteous to our member parks. If you enjoy your stay, consider blogging about it, posting an online review, and telling friends or family members about the program. And remember to tell the staff at the campground that you appreciate your stay!
Texas Veteran Project (Texas)
The following B&B's, Guest Cottages, Inns, and Hotels from Fayetteville and other communities within Central Texas have joined together to support returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their spouses by donating 1 or 2 night stays at their establishments. Each proprietor is thankful for veterans' service to our country and feels honored to recognize the sacrifices of their time, talents, and in many cases, health.
The Cove (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association - Asheville, NC)
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is proud of you and other brave men and women in uniform, and we appreciate your service to our country. To show our thanks, we are pleased to offer full scholarships for active-duty military personnel and their spouses to attend a seminar at The Cove, located in Asheville, N.C.
Come renew your spirit through encouragement and sound biblical teaching from respected Christian speakers. You will also enjoy the quiet seclusion of our mountain retreat, complete with winding trails, relaxing rooms, and celebrated cuisine. Most importantly, you will have plenty of time and space to be alone with God.
The Rucksack: Rewards for Vets
Where IAVA member veterans get access to exclusive tickets, giveaways and more. Signing up is free and easy. Open to all confirmed veterans of Iraq (OIF) and Afghanistan (OEF).
Veterans Expeditions
Offers national, local and regional expeditions for military veterans.
We will connect and challenge veteran teams in the outdoors and tell the stories of our teams to the broader veteran and non-veteran community to increase understanding of the military veteran experience.
Success in the outdoors is never guaranteed, but if one never gets to the base of the trail and takes the first step, one never knows what might be possible. By preparing and taking veterans on outdoor expeditionary challenges Veterans Expeditions will prove to those participating and observing, that military veterans, regardless of any existing or perceived mental or physical disability are capable of contributing to a team’s greater strength and accomplishing a difficult mission.
Veteran Tickets Foundation
Our mission is to give without prejudice FREE tickets to all veterans, active duty military and their families as a way of saying Thank You! We team up with major sports teams, leagues, promoters, organizations, venues and everyday ticket holders to provide free and discounted tickets to the more than 26 million veterans and active duty military in the United States.
Warrior Vacations (Amelia Island, Florida)
Warrior Vacations give military families a chance to reunite upon their return from a one year or longer deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Imagine having the opportunity to become reacquainted with your spouse and children while on a FREE vacation. Property owners have donated rooms, homes and condominiums where these families find themselves surrounded by a Victorian seaport village, breathtaking views of the inter-coastal waterway and 13 miles of white sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean on lovely Amelia Island, Florida.
Wild Rivers on the Fly (New Mexico)
Fly fishing trips in New Mexico - returning veterans fish free!
Copyright Benita Koeman 2008 - 2012
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Recreation opportunities for military personnel and their families
