Driving through D.C.

[Carvhors]

We'll be pulling a 19' Coleman 17FQ through D.C. to drop off our daughters at a hotel where they'll be attending a wedding for a weekend. My wife and I will continue on out of D.C. for a few hours to camp for the weekend, before returning to pick them up and head back home to Ohio. We don't plan on any layover in D.C., just "stop, and get out/in...quickly!"

Have any of you pulled a camper through D.C., or am I just asking for trouble, and should I make alternative plans/routes?

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Carvhors]

Thank you to everyone for all of your great input and feedback. Many of them gave me a chuckle! I've gotten more details of the actual hotel and it turns out that it's the Sheraton in Old Village Alexandria. So, I went have to venture into downtown, and Alexandria appears to be much less intimidating. I'll still be doing a drive-by and "get out" in front of the hotel instead of parking, but at least it's not nearly as crazy as downtown.

Thanks again for all of you taking the time to respond!

[Veebyes]

Driven in DC without trailer, yes. Driven around DC with trailer, quite a few times.

It is a big city full of arrogant impatient drivers. If big city driving does not bother you, by all means drop off the trailer at a CG & go for it. There is an inexpensive decent & relatively quiet CG outside of the beltway in Reston. It is a short drive from the Metro station with parking.

[RGar974417]

I did it once but not by choice. Our GPS took us through by mistake. We realized we were in the wrong lane and even though I had my turn signal on,no one would let us over. We eventually saw signs for 95 and got out of there but I would not recommend it. Get a campsite and then drop your daughter off.

[janstey58]

Interstates in DC are suicidal! And DC has the worst, rudest drivers I have ever encountered. Give yourself 5 miles distance to work into the lane you need, as it will take that long to have one driver let you change lanes. Awful!!

[Busskipper]

Carvhors wrote:
We'll be pulling a 19' Coleman 17FQ through D.C. to drop off our daughters at a hotel where they'll be attending a wedding for a weekend. My wife and I will continue on out of D.C. for a few hours to camp for the weekend, before returning to pick them up and head back home to Ohio. We don't plan on any layover in D.C., just "stop, and get out/in...quickly!"

Have any of you pulled a camper through D.C., or am I just asking for trouble, and should I make alternative plans/routes?

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

First - it just depends on your comfort level - I have Driven My Coach and many others in DC - But I live here and it is really not an Issue.

Give us more info and Maybe we can be more specific - for just smarts and ease of driving I'd select the CG and leave the trailer before going into Town - then when you are ready to leave and are hooked up, to pick the girls up, it is not totally unfamiliar to you.

It's just a city with some tight streets ......so being slightly familiar will help.

Best of Luck,

[Johno02]

Don't .

[Crowe]

Don't know the age of daughters but I would go to Cherry Hill and put them on the metro there.

X2. I speak from experience. I'm a Boston driver but anything bigger than a standard car in DC is borderline suicidal!

[bgum]

Which hotel where. What day of week and time of day arrival and what day of week and time departure day. We lived and worked there for four years. Wife worked on Capitol Hill and I worked at American University. Straight through the city. Just be aware that you won't park and you won't stop very long no matter what day or time. Don't attempt it at any time near rush hour. Have a full tank of fuel. Good luck. We pulled a Scotty camper from American U several times to various camping spots. Don't really recall but most likely out Friday in late Sunday or early Monday. Don't know the age of daughters but I would go to Cherry Hill and put them on the metro there.

[2chiefsRus]

Dave in TN wrote:
The DC Metro system is reliable, affordable, generally safe and easy to navigate. Unless your daughters are younger than I'm assuming, I'd consider dropping them at the Greenbelt Metro station which is just off the beltway on the north side of the city and let them Metro in. Many hotels in the city are a quick walk from a Metro station. If not, Uber is an option.

Good Advice. Find a metro station near your route and use the kiss and ride lane to drop your daughters off. No parking required.

[Dave_in_TN]

The DC Metro system is reliable, affordable, generally safe and easy to navigate. Unless your daughters are younger than I'm assuming, I'd consider dropping them at the Greenbelt Metro station which is just off the beltway on the north side of the city and let them Metro in. Many hotels in the city are a quick walk from a Metro station. If not, Uber is an option.

[Up_DownDeCoast]

As with any large city there is lots of traffic and congestion. That said, tractor trailors, large trucks, and buses go through city streets all the time. As long as you are comfortable and confident you can drive your rig in traffic you should have no problem navigating through DC. You said you are doing a pickup/drop off and not expecting to park. Be sure to keep that in mind as it would be difficult if not impossible to find parking.

[agesilaus]

Just don't, can't comment on alternate routes but most people camp outside DC and use metro to get in. Not applicable to your case but you really don't want to drive in there. We drove on the ring road w/o our RV to get to the Smithsonian Space Museum by the airport and it was a real lesson.