Fort Hood, Texas - Polaroids on Post
If you just got some news that you will be PCS’ing to good ole Fort Hood in Texas- this snapshot will give you some ideas of things you can expect when stationed there, what the weather is like, things to add to your duty station bucket list, and more! If you have ANY questions about this duty station after reading through the blog post, Michaela is your girl! She’s been stationed there for three years but were also previously stationed at Hood as well! It kind of feels like home at this point! You can find her on Instagram at @michaelakcook, watch her TikToks here, and check out her awesome YouTube channel here where she posts day-in-the-life videos about being a military wife. I really love Michaela’s content because she is REAL and honest. Check her out!
Fort Hood Texas Duty Station Snapsho
Essential Info!
What is one thing you wish you knew about this duty station before you moved?
On post housing is not the best so if you are in a position to, I would recommend purchasing a home. Being the largest US military installation in the world, people are always looking to rent or buy so you wouldn't have a problem eventually renting or selling. Also, Fort Hood is a high training/deploy duty station so depending on the unit your spouse is in they may be in the field a lot or deploying.
What were your first impressions of this duty station? How did it change over time?
The first time we lived here was my first duty station with my husband, so it was exciting! We lived in an apartment the off post, so I didn't have as much of a "military life" experience like I do now. We're living on post this time around, so we do deal with the occasional traffic getting on and off post during certain times and the background explosion noises if infantry is in the field, but you get used to it. I will say this duty station can be really convenient because the town surrounding it has lots of stores and restaurants, so you don't have to do a lot of traveling for your basic needs.
What should a newcomer know about the installation itself?
Fort Hood itself is giant. It's the largest US military installation in the world. It can take 30-45 minutes to drive all the way across it! Like I said it's a high training/deploy duty station so there may be a chance your spouse is gone a lot or working long hours. A lot of people will say negative things about this post because of the housing situation, crime, etc. and yes while there are some negative and tragic things that have happened here but sometimes you just have to make the best of it. But for reals there is a reason they call this place the black hole because most people retire here and never leave or end up coming back like us lol!
What was the weather like here?
The weather here in my opinion is great! It's pleasantly warm throughout the year minus the random cold fronts in January/February. You'll want to look out for extreme heat towards the end of summer into fall. July through September even October can have some extreme heat waves. Those days even stepping outside for a second will feel like your skin might catch on fire so it's best to stay inside and enjoy the A/C if you can!
What Facebook pages/bloggers should someone new to this area follow or join to stay informed?
For military related info the wives' pages on Facebook are always helpful.
III Corps and Fort Hood — good for official military info.
@mycurlyadventures She's not a military spouse but she's a Texas blogger and shares tons of things to do around the state!
Things to Do…
Date night ideas?
The only thing to really do in the surrounding area is dinner and a movie unless you want to drive to Austin for good night life! Our favorite places to eat are Little Tokyo, I Love Sushi, Brick & Forge Taproom, and Pluckers Wing Bar. Cinergy Movie Theater in Copperas Cove is great plus they have axe throwing!
Where is the best place for coffee?
My favorite is Black Rifle Coffee Co. It's veteran owned and they just opened in Harker Heights!
Any other restaurants we should know about?
Torchy's Tacos! It's about an hour away in Waco but they're all over the state. My favorite is the baja shrimp and the green chile pork tacos!
Where is your go-to spot for brunch?
Miller’s Smokehouse BBQ
Jimmy's Egg is popular for breakfast. Our favorite place is Millers Smokehouse BBQ in Belton. It's more of a lunch option for us but it's hands down the best authentic BBQ place we've tried. You'll want to get there early especially on the weekends because once they're out of meat for the day that's it! Our favorite thing to order is brisket, pulled pork, a side of mac n cheese, green beans, and honey butter corn bread! Don't forget to try their hand-crafted soda!
Top 5 things to do at this duty station that any milso should add to their duty station bucket list while stationed here!
Dana Peak Park hike!
1. There's a museum on post where you can walk around and look at the different military vehicles/planes/helicopters/tanks etc. over the years.
2. During the 4th of July there's always an event held at Hood Stadium where they bring in a fairly well-known musician and host a free concert followed by a firework show!
3. Dana peak park has a decent hike. If you climb to the top of the butte there's a pretty view over the lake!
4. Temple Lake Park or BLORA (Belton Lake) is fun to go to during the warm months. People will often times go boating or jet ski.
Most other things you'll have to do a little bit of driving to a major city! Texas is a big state so driving is inevitable!
Are there any surrounding big cities you took weekend trips to?
1. Waco- Magnolia Market is a must if you love Chip and Joanna Gaines. Don't forget to try their restaurant Magnolia table for breakfast! When you're at the Silos I recommend trying at least once cupcake from the bakery and getting the Lavendar lemonade!
Enchant Texas!
2. Austin- There's tons of things to do in Austin but visiting the state capital is always a good one. If you enjoy the night life bar scene, check out Rainey St. The entire street is a bunch of houses converted into unique bars with different themes!
3. San Antonio- The culture and food is amazing! If you can I recommend staying at a hotel on the Riverwalk. Also check out the Alamo it's right down the street. There's also a Six Flags and Sea World!
4. Fredericksburg- A cute little German town with lots of history, shops, and restaurants! If you're into wine or want to plan a little romantic getaway there are tons of vineyard/wineries in the area.
5. Dallas (area)- During Christmas time there is lots of things to do! We went to Enchant this year which is a Christmas event where you can ice skate, check out lots of local vendors, and walk through an interactive light maze! Grapevine, about 25 minutes away which is called the "Christmas Capital of Texas" goes all out during the holiday season and even has their own polar express! If you're an adrenaline junkie there's also a Six Flags in Arlington that has a water park too!
Any ideas for people who have kiddos or families? What are some activities they can do, parks they can visit, etc?
We currently do not have children, so I don't have a lot to say but there's lots of parks on and off post. Lions Club Park off post is great! There's lots of playgrounds and they even have one for children with special needs! Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Belton Lake are great for families to go to during the warmer months. If you want to find a meet up event whether you have children or not the Facebook page Fort Hood Ladies Meet Up is great!