The DW and I are planning a trip to Washington, DC and NYC for next summer. I'm looking for the best parks located nearby. We'll be arriving mid-July. Thanks!

The standard answer for NYC is usually Liberty RV park in NJ. It is really just parking with hookups but it is VERY convenient to Manhattan. There are some RV parks north of NYC in Westchester, Orange, and Ulster counties but they are quite a hike into the city. For DC I like the Washington, D.C. KOA in Millersville, MD. It has your choice of small wooded sites up to open pull-thru sites. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They also have a shuttle into D.C.

Cherrystone near DC gets a lot of fans, and Pohick Bay County Park is also nice. Both will require reservations for July.

For d.c. i would use Cherry Hill in college park,md. Easy access to the metro. The bus line goes into the park, you take to the college station metro stop. You can even get to the greenbelt metro station pretty easy.

As mentioned, the spots at Liberty Harbor RV Park are nothing more than an area the property owner fenced off from a huge communter parking spot in Jersey City, NJ and put in water and 30 amp electric. No sewer site, but there is a dump station. And there is a bath house that is shared with the marina folks. (My rigs in the background)It's all about location. There is a water taxi that picks up commuters heading for Wall street. Nothing like coming back from shelping around NYC and being 100 yards from your RV. There is a PATH train (subway) station about 5 blocks away that takes you to the World Trade Center, or to 34th street where you pick up the NYC subway. There are some nice restaurants in Jersey City. Staying at the outlying CGs will eat up an hour or two of visiting time each way. For your first trip to DC, your best bet is Cherry Hill Park in College Park.,MD. It is very popular with the pilgrims. It is located near the WMATA Metro (subway) system. A city bus that can take you to the Metro station has a stop right at the front gate, or you can drive and park in the surface lots or parking garages. t There are several restaurants in the area. There is a grocery store right up the street. The staff is very knowledgeable about DC and where to go and how to get there. It has a well stocked store.Here is a list of other CGs in the area. (clicky)

there is a small campground on the Chesapeake bay just North of Baltimore off I-95. bumpy

Best RV parks near Washington, D.C. and New York City?

NoVa_RT
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014
I haven't stayed at Cherry Hill, but as long-time Washington, DC area resident, I can vouch for the importance of having access to public transportation. Even if you have a toad, you probably don't want to drive into DC. You'll pay ~ $15 to park (not that close to the Mall) and endure heavy and possibly confusing traffic. Cherry Hill's advantage is that it is a quick bus trip to the METRO station. Most other area campgrounds don't have that, and if you're driving to METRO, you better get a real early start because the commuters fill the parking lots pretty early. That said, there may be a new option for anyone that wants to stay on the Virginia side. The Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station on the newly opened Silver Line METRO extension appears to be within walking distance of Lake Fairfax Park. I think it requires a shortcut through the woods - not sure how good the path is or whether there are any busses, but the Park Office could probably supply that info. Might be worth considering if you have a reason to be in Virginia, otherwise I'd stick with Cherry Hill.
D___M
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014
Bumpyroad wrote:
Crowe wrote:
traffic is an issue getting to Cherry Hill.

Depends on your timing. I highly recommend this campground as you can avoid the DC traffic once you get there. They have tours that go in plus transportation to the Metro.

I would expect that the timing would be during the hours that the office is open, and the only time that traffic would not be an issue would be a 3:00 a.m.
bumpy

C'mon Bump. You guys have the west side of 495 at Tyson's corner and you are going to bash Maryland? :R :)

I work across the street from CHerry Hill and most of the times traffic on 95 moves out smartly between 9:00 and 3:00.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014
Crowe wrote:
traffic is an issue getting to Cherry Hill.

Depends on your timing. I highly recommend this campground as you can avoid the DC traffic once you get there. They have tours that go in plus transportation to the Metro.

I would expect that the timing would be during the hours that the office is open, and the only time that traffic would not be an issue would be a 3:00 a.m.
bumpy
Crowe
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014
traffic is an issue getting to Cherry Hill.

Depends on your timing. I highly recommend this campground as you can avoid the DC traffic once you get there. They have tours that go in plus transportation to the Metro.
Lantley
Nomad
Oct 01, 2014
Army11Bravo wrote:
A year ago we stayed at the Washington, D.C. KOA in Millersville, MD for a week. It's nicely wooded, has great staff with good accommodations. The only negative is the 30-45 minute drive to get into the heart of D.C. each day.

Besides having breed restrictions for dogs the Millersville KOA is not a bad place. However if you are in town to tour D.C. Cherry Hill is a much closer more convenient location.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014
dblr wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
there is a small campground on the Chesapeake bay just North of Baltimore off I-95.
bumpy

Are you talking about Bar Harbor? If so that would be a good hike to D.C. but from what I heard the view of the bay would be worth it just for that.

yep that's the one. If I was sightseeing in D.C. I would spend a night or so at cherry hill, then if I was moving NE I would hit Bar Harbor.
bumpy
Army11Bravo
Explorer II
Oct 01, 2014
A year ago we stayed at the Washington, D.C. KOA in Millersville, MD for a week. It's nicely wooded, has great staff with good accommodations. The only negative is the 30-45 minute drive to get into the heart of D.C. each day.
dblr
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014
Bumpyroad wrote:
there is a small campground on the Chesapeake bay just North of Baltimore off I-95.
bumpy

Are you talking about Bar Harbor? If so that would be a good hike to D.C. but from what I heard the view of the bay would be worth it just for that.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Sep 30, 2014
traffic is an issue getting to Cherry Hill.
bumpy
NCWriter
Explorer
Sep 30, 2014
Lantley wrote:
Traffic is not an issue. There is public transportation available at Cherry Hill.

Agree. The bus stop is inside the canpground entrance. Not that big a deal to drive toad to a Metro Station and park, either, as some people do.

On a weekend, we drove our Class B van around College Park and Arlington to visit friends & family, and into DC to visit our old Capitol Hill neighborhood. Then on to the Pentagon Memorial. No problems parking. You just have to pay attention to signs.