First time doing this. We are leaving 2014 for a fall east coast trip from Alabama and goal is Maine for 3 weeks....I first need top rv parks that will be close enough to drive around for the children to have some educational experiences..(will be taking extra vehicle).We have middle school aged children and want them to be able to have this experience.I am guessing 4 days per location so looking for 4-5 best places to visit!

Search this forum for `Boston'. Well worth the day tour of that great city. Stay at Normandy Farms.

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Cherry Hill RV Resort outside of Washington DC in College Park, Md. It can be used as a base of operations for the Smithsonian museums and the capital, as well as the national zoo! I believe there is mass transit to the DC attractions very close to the RV Park. There are also numerous Civil War sites in the area (The whole Richmond area, Gettysburg, Antietam, Bull Runs, etc). Could even take a day trip to Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown Va. You could also go to the Inner Harbor area in Baltimore. So much history to visit! Might want to give the area at least 6 days!! Could check www.rvparkreviews.com for good campers' opinions of campgrounds in the areas you are thinking about visiting.

The only place to hook up your RV (full hookups) in the New York City area is Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City, NJ. It is not a campground. It is a vacant lot, macadam, that has hookups. It is within a block of a ferry/commuter system that will take you directly to NYC. No amenities, nothing to do there, but it is definitely convenient if you want to visit NYC. Land is so valuable in this area that none can be "wasted" on a campground!

Philadelphia, seems the only city not listed above. There is a campground in Jersey that will be very convenient to public transportation. Use the public transportation system in each large city, you can see everything for less and avoid trying to find a place to park much less drive in the mess.

taking the family east coast | Good Sam Community

Itching2go
Explorer II
Oct 23, 2013
Merrykalia wrote:
noe-place wrote:
I disagree with the advice against walking. From Cherry Hill you can take the bus to the train station which will drop you right at the Mall and from there the most interesting parts of the city are an easy hike.

I agree with this advice....there is no way you can see all the things to see in downtown DC (Smithsonian, the mall, the monuments) without walking. If you walk from one end to the other, it will take most of the day if you stop and see all there is along the route.

Agree that Cherry Hill is by far the best place to stay if you are looking to spend time in DC. As for walking, you do have the option to rent bicycles on/near the mall. One of those 'pick up at one location, park/swap/leave at another similar to what they have in Boston. Really nice option.
Flintstones
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
I would hug the coast on the way north and do Holiday Travel Park Virginia Beach (bike riding to VA Beach is quick, easy, and fun). Head up to Ocean City, Maryland to Frontiertown and visit Assateague Island, (campfire on beach at night is fun), take ferry from Lewes Deleware to Cape May and land there for a night, then Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City to visit NYC. (Newburgh KOA to far north). Go to Normandy Farms in Foxboro, MA and visit Cape Cod or Boston. Then go to the Maine and visit Acadia National Park.

On way home I would head into New Hampshire, then Vermont, to Lake George, New York. Head down into Pennsylvania to Pocono's (Otter Lake Camp Resort is good) or Gettysburg (Drummer Boy is good) or Lancaster Amish Country (Lake In Wood Camp Resort is good). Stay inland on I-81 into western Virginia as the drive thru the Blue Ridge Mountains is excellent for views. Plenty of campgrounds in the area and check out Luray Caverns enroute.

Another idea mentioned here is Cherry Hill Park in the D.C. area, it's excellent for touring our nations's capital.
Merrykalia
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
noe-place wrote:
I disagree with the advice against walking. From Cherry Hill you can take the bus to the train station which will drop you right at the Mall and from there the most interesting parts of the city are an easy hike.

I agree with this advice....there is no way you can see all the things to see in downtown DC (Smithsonian, the mall, the monuments) without walking. If you walk from one end to the other, it will take most of the day if you stop and see all there is along the route.
noe-place
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
I disagree with the advice against walking. From Cherry Hill you can take the bus to the train station which will drop you right at the Mall and from there the most interesting parts of the city are an easy hike.
schlep1967
Nomad
Oct 21, 2013
Just south of DC off the Triangle/Quantico exit is the Marine Corps Museum. Free admission and lots of great history. http://www.usmcmuseum.org/ They have a large parking lot.
weathershak
Explorer
Oct 21, 2013
On the way up to the Maine coast please stop atMystic Seaport Maritime Museum...A must see the kids will enjoy also

Then seeMystic Aquarium

Right off of Rt 95 and worth a 2-3 day stop.
sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Oct 21, 2013
Washington DC - Cherry Hill Park. 3-4 days at least. Don't miss the aviation museum extension at the airport.
Harper's Ferry WV - KOA (1 day)
Gettysburg PA - Drummer Boy Campground. (1 day)
New York City - Newburgh NY KOA - they have a bus tour into the city or you can park your car at Beacon NY train station and take the train (about an hour) into the city. (1 day)
Maine - The Narrows Too RV Resort in Bar Harbor. Free shuttle into Acadia Park.
1775
Explorer
Oct 21, 2013
Since you are planning this trip for the Fall you better make it for early Fall. Many campgrounds in the northeast will close on Columbus Day for the season. Some stay open until the end of October. The more north you go the earlier they will close for the season. South of Maryland you will find more that will be open.
Passin_Thru
Explorer
Oct 21, 2013
Poor kids! Take them to Virginia Beach for a vacation next time LOL> you should go out to the Udvar HAzy Air and Space at Dulles Airport. Parking is $15 but museum is free. Worth about 5 hr visit. For downtown DC take one of the tour busses and save your legs as it can be a 20 mile hike in HOT weather. Yeah, Cherry Hill is the best as the other one is on I 95 S and a bear to commute.
noe-place
Explorer
Oct 21, 2013
We stayed at Minuteman and visited THREE different states based out of there very easily. It's close to a lot of really great places to visit.