Washington DC Campground

Hi Guys

We are staying at the Washington DC KOA at the moment.

The CG is around 35 miles from The White House etc.

We were originally booked on their Day Tour costing $60 each, but found we were the only 2 booked and they needed 4 to go, so it was cancelled.

This turned out to be a good thing as we then had a choice of taking their shuttle bus to/from the Metro/Underground Station or driving there ourselves.

The cost of their shuttle was only $5 each return but you had to be back at the station by 4:30pm which was a bit of a constraint.

So, we drove the 17 miles to the station and parked the car for free (at weekends).

Once we managed to work out the automated ticket system, we purchased return tickets to the station at the Smithsonian Institute for $4.70 return each.

The journey was just 25 minutes and we found ourselves in the Mall area with a view to the Capitol Building.

We chose to book the Tourmobile which cost $20 each for the day (2 day passes are just $30) which allow you to jump on/off at 21 stops around the Capitol.

We had an excellent day visiting Arlington, The White House, State Capitol and others.

The total cost for our "tour" was just $24.75 each - a bargain !!

A side note on New York :- given that the CGs are so far outside New York, this KOA at Washington may prove a better base camp as you can get the train to New York from the same station which serves the Washington DC area - it might be worth looking into as you cant see New York from inside a tour minibus.

Anyway - Washington DC was a great place to visit today - we could should have allocated a week here, but there you go.

Paul

UK-RV said:

...we could should have allocated a week here, but there you go.

Click to expand...

Paul, I keep telling you that you're racing around North America and not stopping to smell the roses.

Tom said:

Paul, I keep telling you that you're racing around North America and not stopping to smell the roses.

Click to expand...

Tom:

Paul spends a day in DC and we spend five in Pigeon Forge. ;D ;D

Tom

The problem we have is that we chose a certain number of "must see" places for our trip - and they happen to be spread out just about everywhere.

Of course, we then have people saying "you really must visit x, y or z".

As an example, we were booked for the Calgary Stampede in mid-July and Vegas for mid-October, with "must see" stops in Niagara Falls, New York and Washington so it soon becomes apparent that 3 months isnt a lot of time to cover all of these (with a 1000 mile detour to Fleetwood in Indiana forced upon us half-way thru).

At least we are getting a sampler of each area and we can plan to revisit on future trips, whether by RV or plane/hotel.

We are still only averaging 100 miles of RV travel per day of our tour (7 months and 21,000 miles so far) - I bet that is very low compared to what a lot of people would attempt during their annual vacation in the USA ?

Paul

UK-RV said:

We are still only averaging 100 miles of RV travel per day of our tour (7 months and 21,000 miles so far) - I bet that is very low compared to what a lot of people would attempt during their annual vacation in the USA ?

Click to expand...

Paul

We were on the road 4 months this summer with the most distant point being Newfoundland. We traveled 10,000 miles and averaged a bit over 80 miles per day. And we feel that we are on the high side of most of the Forumites we know.

Cherry Hill is the best place to stay, just outside the DC Beltway.  Not many CGs convenient to DC, but that one is terrific.

I agree that cherry hill is a nice CG.? However a bit too much highway noise for me.? I'm finding that's one of my quests, to make sure a campground is off the beaten path enough to not hear Highway noise.? I actually have gotten highway noise 3 times this year.? very frustrating.? I'm now going to go on Google Earth and see the actual proximity of highways.?
3 highway noise campgrounds ---- Cherry Hill Washington D.C..? ?Normandy Farms Mass, and Lake George Escape NY.? All have been exceptionally nice campgrounds just too close to the highway for my liking.

rubysamm said:

I agree that cherry hill is a nice CG.  However a bit too much highway noise for me.  I'm finding that's one of my quests, to make sure a campground is off the beaten path enough to not hear Highway noise.  I actually have gotten highway noise 3 times this year.  very frustrating.  I'm now going to go on Google Earth and see the actual proximity of highways. 
3 highway noise campgrounds ---- Cherry Hill Washington D.C..  Normandy Farms Mass, and Lake George Escape NY.  All have been exceptionally nice campgrounds just too close to the highway for my liking.

Click to expand...

Don't stay at Leisure Lakes in Joliet. 8) 8)

Located at the intersection of I-80 and I-55 which has to be one of the busiest interstate intersections in the country. However it is one of the better CG's in the SW Chicago area for PA members.

If highway noise at Cherry Hill is a problem, they have a huge park and plenty of spaces where noise is not a problem.  It is only the extreme south side that is near the Beltway.

Take a look at Bull Run Regional Park.

Inside the beltway.

We looked at all five campgrounds between DC & Warrenton and this is the best.

Electric Only.

Smoky said:

Cherry Hill is the best place to stay, just outside the DC Beltway.  Not many CGs convenient to DC, but that one is terrific.

Click to expand...

Smoky,

I agree Cherry Hill is the best place to stay if you want to tour DC. It's close to the Metro, which is the ONLY way to see DC, and easy to access. Our son lives 40 miles south of DC but I wouild choose Cherry Hill if I wanted to spend a lot of time in DC. The trip from his home to the nearest Metro stop is horrendous!!!!!

BernieD said:

We were on the road 4 months this summer with the most distant point being Newfoundland.

Click to expand...

How was the time spent in Newfoundland?? I used to fly Coast Guard Intl Ice Patrol missions out of St Johns for weeks at time and have always wanted to go back.? We are hoping to do that next summer and was wondering how it was to see it in an RV.

Don

don jensen said:

How was the time spent in Newfoundland?  I used to fly Coast Guard Intl Ice Patrol missions out of St Johns for weeks at time and have always wanted to go back.  We are hoping to do that next summer and was wondering how it was to see it in an RV.

Click to expand...

Don

We were there about 3 weeks traveling from Port au Basque to St. Johns and back. Lots of beauty, different food, very warm and cordial people. We're looking to the return trip.

can anyone tel me how to find Cherry Hill CG. I will be heading that way in a week or so from Mass.
also, any suggestions on a route ?  I am presently at Wumpatuck state CG south of Boston. Thanks

If you are coming from Mass, I suspect you will be on I95 by the time you get to the Wash DC area.  When you reach the Washington Beltway (I95) take the exit designated for Richmond VA which will take you east.  The next exit on the Beltway (495) is Route 1 College Park.  Take the exit south towards College Park.  You will just go a short distance, a few hundred yards, and then make a right at the next traffic light.  That is Cherry Hill road.  After you make the right hand turn on to Cherry Hill road, it will take you back and around over the beltway (on a bridge).  Then keep looking to your left and you will see the entrance to Cherry Hill RV Park on your left.

I admit it is kind of weird, crossing to the south of the Beltway, and then going over it again to the North on a Bridge, but that is the simplest way to reach it.