At the Centennial Campground, you will find a hidden gem, the Pena Park Market. With a small community of Hmong living in Anchorage, there is a farmers market here that meets every weekend (but only during the summer) that sell cooked food and home grown produce. Not realizing that there was a Hmong farmers market that meets here, my husband and I just happened to see it when we were driving Glenn Highway and decided to exit and check it out. We arrived on a Saturday late morning in August, around 11:35 am. We were able to find parking and browsed all the vendor tables with our little girl dog. Some of the food items (that seems to be commonly sold at most of the vendor tables) include pork belly, naab vaam (sweetened coconut dessert drink that consist of tapioca pearls, cendol, and other toppings mixed in that is very colorful), papaya salad, spring rolls, sticky rice and various skewers of meat. After looking at all the vendors that were selling food, we ended up just deciding to choose the very last one we saw and purchased: Naab vaam, $5- Both my husband and I enjoyed this drink and thought the price was fair. Chicken Rice Noodle Soup, $5- Because it was quite windy on the day we came and also raining (August is quite a wet month here in Anchorage), we ended up deciding to purchase this nice and hot soup. This reminded me of congee, even though this is made with noodle instead of rice (it had the same taste as congee). This was served in a tall styrofoam cup which was a good size for the 2 of us. Spring Rolls, $6- This came in an order of 3 (and was the same price as other vendors). The spring rolls we picked up were made with imitation crab, some kind of pork (which I think is that Vietnamese pork loaf that I have had in other spring rolls back at home), slices of cucumber and rice noodle. Honestly, I thought these rolls were okay but probably would not pick this filling again. ------------------------------ (Total= $16) The vendor we purchased from had an option to pay either by cash or by Venmo. I paid via Venmo (I did see that some of the other vendor tables had a "Cash Only" sign, just so you know if you come by). Unfortunately this Hmong farmers market is done for the season (check out https://www.facebook.com/PenaParkMarket/ for updates) but highly recommend checking it out next summer for those that live in this area. Overall, we had a great experience and would come back if we lived here. read more

For $25, we were expecting nice accommodations and clean bathrooms. Instead, we were met with ridiculously overgrown camping areas, a noisy highway all night long, and only one working bathroom (which was not clean or nice btw). We arrived after 10pm, so there was no one in the front office. But there's a code on the bathroom that was not mentioned to us on the phone or in our online reservation pass. So we had to wait patiently outside until a kind soul came along and would share the code with us. Would not recommend this place. It's not even close to downtown like it claims. I'd suggest a nice campsite slightly out of town, if you're gonna drive 20 minutes anyway. read more

This is a beautiful campground, much better than the other three in town which are basically parking lots. It is located in Centennial Park on the edge of Anchorage but still is only about 5- 15 minutes from everything. It is open from end of May thru August. There are a few drawbacks, they only have about 16 sites that are pull thru and have electricity. The rest are dry camping. The spots are large and double wide with trees in between. Every spot has a picnic table and fire pit, although certain times throughout the year they do not allow fires. They had some bear activity while we were here so all the spots in the back were closed off. Also during June and July the cottonwood trees are releasing a lot of cotton and it is everywhere. As far as amenities go, they have public showers, restrooms, a dump site and potable water. All in good shape. They do not have a laundromat on site but there is a great laundromat 2 blocks away with loads of washers both reg, triple, and mega. A little on the expensive side but very fast! In spite of the drawbacks, it is still the best place in town. If you need full hookups then go to one of the other RV parks and suffer thru the tight spaces. read more

The person running the place raises voice to women but talks normal to men. The bathrooms are super disgusting. Floors not swept or mopped at all. Shower stalls filled with so much hair dirt leaves it blocks drains. Park is super empty. Guy running place tells women to get spots online but helps men register in person. Mens bathroom is worse than women's. I compared pics with husband. We will not be back. Public outhouses off side of road at knick river access and other outhouses are far cleaner. Omfg bring shower shoes a bathrobe to get to a stall to get dressed if you are brave enough to shower. I'm unsure what this person does other than drive around on that atv all day. It's sure not working. read more

My family enjoyed our weekend in the Centennial Campground. The long trails and hills are perfect for morning walk. We watched mama bears and her three babies enjoying the hills. In the morning, we loved to watch squirrels gathere their pine nuts and acorns. And the beautiful birds play and eat worms. We walked and enjoyed the salmon berries around the campground. I slept good, because of the security guards who work 24/7 and the friendly staff who is on top of safety and cleanliness of the campground. Bathroom is well kept. I will definitely used this campground for more alaskans experience. read more

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Showers/bathrooms are disgusting. There is no laundry facility. The forested site is very pretty. Some sites have electricity only. There is a dump station and potable water fill but no water or sewer dump in the sites. read more

Overall, this campsite is not too bad of a stop if you decide to camp in Anchorage. Its located a little out of the town, and has a lot of trees and greenery, which is nice. The campsite itself is not too shabby, with the only major problem being the showers in my case. They have two bathrooms, and one of them is quite disgusting. During our visit, there were saws and hammers on the ground, all rusted. The showers were not very nice either. They are only separated by brick walls about 5 feet tall and can easily be seen over, giving you no privacy when taking your shower. There is also no place to put your clothes when you are taking your shower, which forces you to put all of your belongings over the curtain in order to keep them dry and out of the muck. In short, the bathroom looks like something for the Saw Movie, but the other one is nicer, so you will be able to tell which one is which. Showers are free! (Thank god!) Good things; good wifi, nice spaced out sites, lots of trees, easy access to Anchorage/ airport, not too noisy, little playground for children. They also have a potable water station. Sites 1-21 have electricity and cost 35. The rest of the sites cost 25. Keep an eye out for suspicious figures in the park. There are some interesting folks walking around and you probably wouldn't want to leave any valuables in your RV if you are leaving. read more

The showers were disgusting! Due to COVID-19 you had to schedule to use the showers. But they clearly do not clean between uses.

Seems like a decent place to camp considering there's NO place else around. Only trouble is this place is and seems to always be a breeding ground for shady Drive in characters that are trying to find a secluded place to "make their deals" and leave. Not too many campers around when we need a place to stop while heading back up to Fairbanks. Which isn't good considering most vehicles in the park are suspicious cars. I think the owners need to supervise more and stay at the building watching their visitors coming in and out better. I think from now on we will just use a pullover on the way. Safer if you ask me. read more

July 2013 thought Centennial Park CG would be convenient while visiting Anchorage, AK. The park Host was very kind, pleasant & helpful but that is where it ends. This park is so run down, it needs a total restoration job! Sites are grossly uneven. Water and electric appear in need of repair and unsafe. The restrooms should be closed. I did not feel comfortable staying due to the poor condition and camping style of people in the other sites. RV camping in our Roadtrek from FL. read more

For an urban campground, this place is A-OK in my book. I didn't even know it existed until I was invited to a function there. What a nice slice of wilderness in the city. read more

There are four RV parks in Anchorage. They are all meh. Sad, considering a nice park in Anchorage would really go over well. I guess land cost and municipal headaches keep a nice park from being developed here. I'll start with the Cons, since really that's what matters most in a review: Cons: 1) does not have full hook-ups. You get electric-only, at select sites (30 and 50 amp available). Rest of the sites are boondocking only. If you want fresh water or need to dump, there IS a dump station here with potable water. When you arrive in the park, swing thru the dump station and fill up with fresh water before you park. Sucks to set up the trailer, then realize you didn't get water first. 2) Showers can be a little scary. I often feel the need to keep my clothes really close when I'm in the shower. I carry a concealed firearm when I'm in public, but there's no safe place to set it down while showering. There was a homeless person sleeping in one of the shower stalls one night. Anchorage does have a significant homeless problem and many public places in the Anchorage area are affected, not just this park. Shower curtains get torn easily - I've camped here when curtains were new, and I've camped when they've been torn to nearly useless. City needs to invest in better curtains, or better yet build stall doors. And install more hooks to hang clothes while showering - there are no benches, just the floor to set stuff on. Toilets can get nasty if maintenance hasn't been around in a while - women are just as nasty as men. Nuff said about that. Glad I have a toilet in my RV. 3) A few sketchy people around, some tent camping, some just walking thru. Lock up your stuff. Don't store anything under your RV and think it'll stay put. Keep propane cover installed, bikes locked, or better yet, put bikes and generator inside when you leave. For the record I have NOT had anything stolen when I've stayed at this park - theft is a city wide problem, not just a park problem. Bikes especially, but generators, tools, gas cans... Anything that can be sold on Craigslist or pawned is at risk. 4) there is significant traffic noise from the highway. Not that big a deal if you are in an RV, but I have tent-camped here before and the traffic noise was hard to bear. During the day, you will sometimes hear the jets from the military base nearby, but it doesn't bother me - sound of freedom, baby! 5) Wireless is rather weak - it disconnects a lot, and you have to log back in frequently. I personally don't care, but if you are looking to stream videos, etc. over wifi, then you're out of luck. 5) the road to the park is rough. Go slow. Once you're in the park, it's not as bad. 6) only open a few months out of the year (sometime in May thru September, not sure if full month of September). Pros: 1) in the trees, not a barren gravel parking lot like the others. Looks more like a true camping environment instead of a storage lot like the other places. Squirrels running around, birds chirping. Watch for bears (I have yet to see one). 2) the parking spots have been updated - nice level gravel. Wide spots. Easy to back in/out. I barely had to level my trailer. And not stacked right next to each other like sardines - there is a respectful distance between spots. 3) location. On the edge of town, but right down the road from major grocery stores, restaurants, Bass Pro Shop, Lowes, JBER, etc. Easy to get a large RV in and out off of the highway. 4) Showers have plenty of hot water, last a long time when you push the button, and are free to paid guests. 5) park employees are very nice and accommodating. They really try to keep the grounds in good condition. I know they are limited in what they can do, as are most city employees. 6) can get about 15 channels with regular antenna. CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX (not FoxNews, regular Fox), MeTV, 360North, Create, CW, Ion, Telemundo, TBN, others. 7) it's better than the other three RV parks. Anchorage has a shortage of RV parks. This park is the best available in Anchorage in my opinion. No way am I staying at the other ones unless I have to. Golden Nugget might be okay, especially with its full hook-ups, but more expensive, gravel parking lot, close quarters, and bad reviews about neighborhood. About me: 25' travel trailer. Come to Anchorage to work. Have stayed at this park about five times, a week or 2-weeks at a time. Will stay here again. read more

We have been coming to Centennial Park for years and this is a great option for camping in Anchorage. An electric site runs $35 and a non electric site runs $25 which is a very good value inside the municipality. The location is wooded with numerous spruce trees and abundant wildlife. In fact, we saw a mother moose and two calves walk right in front of our motor home this morning. A few minutes later, my wife saw a fox. Every year we typically will see bears, and the staff has indicated that a bear cub has been making a daily appearance. The campground is making great strides with respect to upkeep and cleanliness. The curtious staff is enforcing rules resulting in a more respectable clientele. In previous years, the campground used to attract a number of homeless people using the campground as their domicile. At least on this occasion, we saw none of that. We find the location to be a positive factor. There are restaurants, movie theaters and shopping in close proximity while at the same time having a wilderness feel. Also, being right off the Glenn Highway makes it convenient while heading to other Alaska destinations. The downside to the location is the presence of road noise due to proximity to the highway. Staying at the back side of the park does reduce the noise somewhat. We did not give the park 5 stars for two reasons. First, as noted earlier, the road noise detracts from the tranquil setting. Second, although the cleanliness of the bathrooms has improved significantly over previous years, they are old and the design makes it difficult to keep clean. While our preference, typically, is to stay in the beautiful Alaska state parks, Centennial Park is a great option inside Anchorage. read more

Ok, this isn't the Ritz but for $25 a night you get what you pay for. I drove from Colorado to Anchorage car camping the entire way and was very happy to find and affordable place to stay with hot showers. I found the campgrounds clean and quiet. There are some uneven sites, some were flooded after days of rain, but drive around and you'll find one that suites your needs. I did get the sense that there were some homeless campers but so what. Nobody's staggering around with brown bags begging for change, most appear to be working families or older adults down on their luck. It's in the city, what do you expect! The park manager makes serveral passes through the park and is a noticeable presence. The showers could use a facelift, pant is peeling, but they are clean and the water is hot. On a tight budget it is great!! read more