If you’re in search of unique waterfront stays on your next vacation, the U.S. Coast Guard has you covered! From converted lighthouses on the Great Lakes to modern cottages in New England, Coast Guard Morale, Welfare, & Recreation (MWR) lodging offers something for everyone.
Guest contributor Julie Chickery highlights nine Coast Guard stations with fantastic affordable options for your next getaway!
Visit the facilities’ respective websites (linked within each description) for pricing, availability, and reservation policies. Patrons authorized to use Coast Guard MWR services encompass a broad community, from active duty personnel and their families to retired military members, eligible veterans, and surviving spouses. Contact the facilities directly to confirm eligibility.
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1. Kodiak Guest House (Alaska)
If you’re planning a trip to Alaska, don’t miss the opportunity to visit Kodiak. This large island off the southern coast of Alaska is known for its world-class fishing and wildlife viewing. In fact, it’s home to the Kodiak bear and king crab.
The MWR boathouse offers boat rentals so you can catch a meal of Pacific halibut, salmon, or crab in the surrounding waters. When you return with your day’s catch, the pier has a crab cooker and fish cleaning station.
With 38 guest rooms and six suites, the Kodiak Guest House is the perfect base for your Alaskan island adventure. Each floor offers a guest lounge, a fully equipped kitchen, and free laundry facilities.
If you’re looking for something with all the comforts of home, MWR also offers multiplex units with 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments that include a living room, dining room, and kitchen. One of the rooms in 2- and 3-bedroom units has two twin beds, all other rooms have one double bed.
2. Lake Tahoe A-Frames (California)
Looking for a tranquil getaway on the largest alpine lake in North America? The Coast Guard Station at Lake Tahoe features four cozy A-frame cabins designed to make you feel right at home.
With two 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom units (one queen bed, two bunk beds) and two 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom units (one queen bed, two bunk beds, and a pull-out sofa), they provide a welcome respite, whether you’re planning a romantic escape or a family outing. The cabins come with well-appointed kitchens, DIRECTV Satellite service, and Wi-Fi.
There are no other amenities at this site, but you can’t beat the location–only 300 yards from Lake Tahoe!
Don’t forget to bring your bike or hiking shoes to enjoy the sights on land. The area is home to numerous multi-use trails through the surrounding meadows and pine forests. If you’re up for a challenge, head up the Tahoe Rim Trail to Twin Crags for a bird’s eye view of the lake.
3. Hillsboro Cottages (Florida)
Imagine waking to the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore. With the Atlantic Ocean just steps away, you can take your morning coffee to the beach to watch the sunrise.
Located in the Hillsboro Inlet between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, these historic cottages combine rustic charm and modern comforts with a splendid location.
Sitting under the shadow of the historic Hillsboro Lighthouse, two cottages have three bedrooms with two queen and three twin beds. The third option, the 1-bedroom Inlet Bungalow, has a single queen bed with a pullout sofa bed in the living room. All cottages have kitchens stocked with appliances and utensils, as well as a charcoal grill.
The cottages offer a respite from the crowded tourist areas. Enjoy private access to the beach on the Atlantic Ocean or the inlet’s shores. Sit and watch boats come and go from the Lighthouse Point or head to the docks under the Hillsboro Inlet Bridge to fish for mangrove snapper, snook, and tarpon.
4. Base Cape Cod MWR Lodging (Massachusetts)
Conveniently located on the Coast Guard side of Joint Base Cape Cod, this spacious 3-bedroom home is ideal for families. The master bedroom features a queen-size bed and a private ensuite bathroom. The second bedroom includes a full-size bed, while the third has two sets of bunk beds.
The home boasts a large living room, dining room, and full kitchen with cookware and utensils. Laundry facilities are available at the Wings Inn, the regular base lodging facility less than a mile away.
This is a terrific option in a pricey tourist destination known for its expansive history, quaint towns, fishing, and boating. Considered a prime sailing location on the East Coast, you’ll see many sailboats in Buzzards Bay. From October to May, you can also see migrating Harbor seals frolicking on the rocks.
This Coast Guard station also offers three-bedroom duplex townhome rentals on Nantucket Island. Within a mile of the ferry, each unit has one queen, double, and a pair of twin beds. Peak season, June 1 – September 30, is only available for weekly rentals.
5. Pt. Betsie Cottage (Michigan)
The 2-bedroom, 1-bath Pt. Betsie Cottage sits 200 yards from Lake Michigan. The bedroom has one queen bed and a set of bunk beds. The kitchen has all the basics, but guests must supply towels and linens.
This cottage offers a true escape: there is no landline phone, no Wi-Fi, and cell reception is spotty.
Enjoy breathtaking lake views from your private deck, or stroll down to the shoreline for a closer look. The rolling dunes surrounding the house are part of the world’s most extensive freshwater dune system. Embark on the 1.2-mile Zetterberg Preserve trail, which winds through a mix of open dunes, shoreline, and wooded areas.
You can also enjoy a tour of the privately managed lighthouse from May through October. Just under an hour from Traverse City and the main attractions of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the cottage is a great place to stay while touring the local area.
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6. Cape May Guest Quarters and Cottages (New Jersey)
Training Center Cape May—the sole entry point for all enlisted Coast Guard personnel—offers a variety of accommodations for visitors.
- Cottages: Six fully furnished, 2-bedroom cottages (one queen, two twin beds), each with a living room, kitchen with cookware and dishes, and full bathroom. Two of these cottages are pet-friendly.
- Guest Quarters: This building is adjacent to a small playground, gazebo, and picnic area with a grill. It offers three hotel-style rooms with full bathrooms: two with two queen beds and one with a single queen bed.
- RV Park: The newly built RV Park offers 12 full-hookup sites (water, power, and sewer) and can accommodate RVs up to 60 feet.
Guests also enjoy private beach access and free parking, making it easy to relax without traveling into the busy tourist parts of town.
If you’d like to explore, Cape May’s downtown and historic district is just a 15-minute drive away. Stroll through the National Historic Landmark-designated area, where beautiful late-Victorian architecture transports you back in time. Then, visit the Washington Street Mall, a charming three-block outdoor shopping and dining destination.
7. Elizabeth City Recreational Lodging (North Carolina)
Located on the Pasquotank River in the heart of northeastern North Carolina, Coast Guard Station Elizabeth City has a beautiful campground with river views. In addition to 14 full hook-up (water, power, and sewer) RV sites, the campground offers three 1-bedroom cabins with screened porches and four 3-bedroom mobile homes.
The recreation area includes access to two playgrounds, a fitness trail, a boat ramp, and a small, sandy beach with covered gazebos and picnic tables.
The base is ideally situated for day trips. About 30 minutes drive away is Dismal Swamp State Park, the gateway to the Great Dismal Swamp, the largest remaining swamp in the eastern United States.
This distinctive ecosystem is also home to a rich history dating back to George Washington, the Underground Railroad, and Prohibition.
Just over an hour away is Kitty Hawk, one of the most popular beaches in the Outer Banks. Beyond traditional beach activities, this area is famous for the Wright Brothers National Memorial, honoring the birthplace of powered flight.
8. Borinquen Guest Houses (Puerto Rico)
USCG Base Borinquen, perched on the Puerto Rico’s west coast, about 2 hours from San Juan, boasts 18 3-bedroom and two 4-bedroom rental homes. The rooms vary in configuration with double and twin beds but are designed to sleep 6 to 8 guests, respectively.
Each guest house has one full bathroom, a kitchen with basic utensils, and a spacious living room. For solo travelers and couples, the base provides the opportunity to stay in one of two 1-bedroom apartments on the grounds of the historic lighthouse, where you can enjoy ocean views from Aguadilla Cliff.
Guests have access to the MWR recreational gear locker, stocked with bicycles, kayaks, snorkel gear, beach umbrellas, ice chests, and more, ensuring a well-equipped island adventure.
Beyond the area’s stunning beaches, visitors can explore the ruins of the 1889 lighthouse and admire the city’s vibrant painted houses, adorned with bold murals and artistic designs.
9. USCG Rawley Point Lighthouse (Wisconsin)
The Rawley Point Lighthouse offers guests a unique experience staying in the historic lighthouse keeper’s quarters.
This building has been converted into a multiplex with three private apartments, each featuring a kitchen stocked with dishes, utensils, and essentials, as well as a living room with a pull-out sofa. Guests must bring their own linens and towels, but you can’t beat the chance to stay right on the shores of Lake Michigan with no neighbors for miles.
- Unit A, the two-story end unit, has four bedrooms (three queen beds, twin bunk beds), a full bathroom, and a powder room.
- Unit B (downstairs) and Unit C (upstairs) have two bedrooms (queen bed, two twin bunk beds) and one bathroom.
Check-in takes place at Coast Guard Station Sheboygan, and the lighthouse itself is located a few miles away within the 3,000-acre Point Beach State Forest. Visitors can explore six miles of pristine Lake Michigan shoreline or take advantage of the scenic hiking and biking trails.
For added convenience, the campground lodge operates a seasonal concession, offering limited grocery and camping supplies, a Friday night fish fry, and weekend breakfasts.
USCG Sector Lake Michigan also has a lighthouse property in Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Ready to Use Your Benefits to Stay in Coast Guard MWR Lodging?
These Coast Guard recreational lodging sites aren’t your typical vacation rentals—they offer an experience full of history, tranquility, and fun. Whether exploring a historic lighthouse or enjoying family time at a cottage on the beach, you’re in for a trip that every military family can treasure.
Looking for more places to use your military benefits for a getaway? Learn about recreational lodging operated by the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force!
If you’ve stayed at a Coast Guard MWR facility, tell us about it in the comments!
Author Bio: Julie Chickery is a travel writer with a passion for exploration. She caught the travel bug while serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. After retirement, Julie and her husband, Sean, lived in their fifth-wheel RV for six years before settling down near their grandchildren. She shares travel tips and itineraries for epic road trips on her blog, Chickery’s Travels.
The appearance of U.S. Coast Guard visual information does not imply or constitute endorsement.
Excellently done! Thank you for the outstanding suggestions on travel opportunities within the USCG MWR.
Thanks for reading!
I just wonder if Texas on the gulf have any CG lodging facilities or any other parts of the southern states .
No, they don’t have anything in Texas or Gulf Coast areas.
Thank you.
cool article, Have you stayed at all these?
No. For all of these MWR articles, if the writer did not personally stay at the facility, the write-up was based on research.
I have stayed at Kodiak guest house several times. Great place, and convenient to town; although havng rental car is recommended. Having been stationed there and lived there for 15 years, I always look forward to getting back every couple of years to visit friends still there. I do recommend reserving early, in Feb. for summer visits, as retirees are low on the list and summer time is transfer time, and active duty transfer personnel always take priority, so it could be slim pickens. But good luck!
Great feedback. Thank you!