Campground Roundup for Washington, DC

[ependydad]

I often see questions about visiting Washington, DC. The most recommended is Cherry Hill, which is a great park and great location. There are other options in the area, though.

I tried to write-up a "campground roundup" of the various options with a tidbit about each.

http://www.learntorv.com/2014/03/camping-near-washington-dc.html

Any thoughts on any of these?

[D___M]

1775 wrote:

ependydad wrote:

1775 wrote:
Thanks for the write up. We are looking for a campground near D.C. within a reasonable distance (don't mind driving a distance) to a metro station that we can park our Class B at and leave it safely for the day. We were warned by Cherry Hill not to do this at the Metro parking lots near to them - we would "not find the Class B there when we returned and if we did it would have been broken into". For personal reasons we can't ride on a bus so shuttles are out. Parking garages are out because of height clearance. We would love to go to D.C. - have yet to find a solution to safe parking for the metro to get into DC.

What about hiring a taxi? They'll pick you up at the front of Cherry Hill and can either drop you at the metro for a few bucks (right up front) or take you the whole way into the city.

Sorry it took a while to get back to this - cars, buses all the same. The RV driver gets car sick. Trains are fine. Motor vehicles are not.

Given all of your limitations, it looks like you are out of luck for DC. You have been given all of the options.

The Greenbelt Metro Station is 5 miles from Cherry Hill, and the College Park Station is 4 miles away. Your RV driver can't deal with that?

[1775]

ependydad wrote:

1775 wrote:
Thanks for the write up. We are looking for a campground near D.C. within a reasonable distance (don't mind driving a distance) to a metro station that we can park our Class B at and leave it safely for the day. We were warned by Cherry Hill not to do this at the Metro parking lots near to them - we would "not find the Class B there when we returned and if we did it would have been broken into". For personal reasons we can't ride on a bus so shuttles are out. Parking garages are out because of height clearance. We would love to go to D.C. - have yet to find a solution to safe parking for the metro to get into DC.

What about hiring a taxi? They'll pick you up at the front of Cherry Hill and can either drop you at the metro for a few bucks (right up front) or take you the whole way into the city.

Sorry it took a while to get back to this - cars, buses all the same. The RV driver gets car sick. Trains are fine. Motor vehicles are not.

[ependydad]

1775 wrote:
Thanks for the write up. We are looking for a campground near D.C. within a reasonable distance (don't mind driving a distance) to a metro station that we can park our Class B at and leave it safely for the day. We were warned by Cherry Hill not to do this at the Metro parking lots near to them - we would "not find the Class B there when we returned and if we did it would have been broken into". For personal reasons we can't ride on a bus so shuttles are out. Parking garages are out because of height clearance. We would love to go to D.C. - have yet to find a solution to safe parking for the metro to get into DC.

What about hiring a taxi? They'll pick you up at the front of Cherry Hill and can either drop you at the metro for a few bucks (right up front) or take you the whole way into the city.

[1775]

Thanks for the write up. We are looking for a campground near D.C. within a reasonable distance (don't mind driving a distance) to a metro station that we can park our Class B at and leave it safely for the day. We were warned by Cherry Hill not to do this at the Metro parking lots near to them - we would "not find the Class B there when we returned and if we did it would have been broken into". For personal reasons we can't ride on a bus so shuttles are out. Parking garages are out because of height clearance. We would love to go to D.C. - have yet to find a solution to safe parking for the metro to get into DC.

[D___M]

ependydad wrote:
Thanks for the input. I wholly agree that the Baltimore campgrounds aren't ideal, but if you're trying to double-up on trips visiting both areas, it could work out. I did caveat that in the write up.

I'll look at the other links and see what I can add to it. I also heard that military can stay at Ft. Belvoir, is it?

IMHO Ft. Belvoir is kind of far out to be considered. Joint Base Andrews at Andrews AFB and Camp Meade at Fort Meade would the preferred locals for traveling in to DC.

When we could use the rods in Ft Meade as a shortcut from RT 198 to 175, I checked out Camp Meade. While it was nothing special, it was well cared for and you had access to the golf courses (2) and PX and other "stuff". Meade was a place where a lot of big brass came so they kept it squared away.

Ever since the Fort was decommissioned, the NSA has built new facilities on the golf courses, the airport is closed, as is the "O" club (went to wedding there once). But I see RVs going in and out once and a while

Military Campgrounds - MD

[Lantley]

ependydad wrote:
Thanks for the input. I wholly agree that the Baltimore campgrounds aren't ideal, but if you're trying to double-up on trips visiting both areas, it could work out. I did caveat that in the write up.

I'll look at the other links and see what I can add to it. I also heard that military can stay at Ft. Belvoir, is it?

Yes FT. Belvoir is correct not sure if they have a CG. Does Andrews AFB have a CG as well?

[obgraham]

I too liked Lake Fairfax Park, in Reston. It was handier to the parts of DC we went to, like Alexandria, and also the Air and Space at Dulles.
Very well run park, an oasis of quiet in a very busy part of the country.
And getting in and out of the metro DC area was easy for us. (No beltway!)

[magnusfide]

John S. wrote:
Good writeup. I was the family they helped at Capitol KOA. It is great to visit Baltimore and Annapolis and yet still hit DC. If you only want to do DC I love bull run. I would rather drive n and park and with three people in the Carr truck you can use HOV all the way in and out.

Agree about Capitol KOA. Great owner/manager and staff. Sites on the small side but with all the off campus stuff you're hardly ever at the cg but when you are, the facilities are clean and nice.

[John_S_]

Good writeup. I was the family they helped at Capitol KOA. It is great to visit Baltimore and Annapolis and yet still hit DC. If you only want to do DC I love bull run. I would rather drive n and park and with three people in the Carr truck you can use HOV all the way in and out.

[agb2529]

4monkeys wrote:
We stayed at Bull Run and drove all the way into DC and parked at Ronald Reagan garage every day. Worked fine for us. With 4 kids, Metro added up fast.

A big +1 on the Reagan garage. Did the Metro the first day from Lake Fairfax and quickly realized it wasn't any faster than driving (might have been longer!) and cost twice as much with 5 of us. The garage is super convenient to the Mall and has a very nice food court in the basement, great for a nice breakfast before you hit the sights.

[ependydad]

Thanks for the input. I wholly agree that the Baltimore campgrounds aren't ideal, but if you're trying to double-up on trips visiting both areas, it could work out. I did caveat that in the write up.

I'll look at the other links and see what I can add to it. I also heard that military can stay at Ft. Belvoir, is it?

[4monkeys]

We drove by Prince William Forest that had a campground, when we were south of DC visiting the Marine museum & Washington's home...didn't go into the campground though.

[4monkeys]

We stayed at Bull Run and drove all the way into DC and parked at Ronald Reagan garage every day. Worked fine for us. With 4 kids, Metro added up fast.
We rented a cabin at Bull Run, that was before we had our RV and we went during colder weather and didn't want to tent.

[agb2529]

One other good one in the area is Lake Fairfax, a county park out in Reston VA.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lakefairfax/fairfaxcamp/

A bit farther away but very nice facilities, also convenient to the new Air & Space museum next to Dulles.