Is it busy in D.C. Memorial week?

[73guna]

I might plan a trip to D.C. next Memorial day week but Im concerned that it will be crazy busy.
Anyone know what Tuesday through Friday after Memorial day in D.C. will be like?
Wanting to avoid lines to museums.

[spoon059]

Bummer to hear. Hopefully you have another trip planned instead. If you get the chance, make it to DC eventually. Lots of nice things to see and do!

[73guna]

Well after talking it over with the Misses, the D.C. trip is a no go.
All the advice is appreciated and will be used at a later date.
Thanks all...

[spoon059]

Beerboy wrote:
As mentioned, there are a number of parks less expensive than Cherry Hill. One rarely mentioned is Little Bennett near Clarksburg, MD. You'll want to make reservations because of the holiday anywhere you stay. It's a 15-30 minute drive to the Shady Grove Metro station and parking garage and you can then take the Metro to get into DC.

That's a good option, just be advised that 270 is a nightmare SB in the morning and NB in the afternoon. Between 6:30 and 9:30 expect heavy traffic and slow traffic southbound. Between 3:30 and 7:00 expect heavy traffic northbound.

Another option to consider is Patapsco State Park. Beautiful park up Rt 29 by Rt 70. That allows you Rt 29, Interstate 95 or the B/W Parkway as a north/south corridor. You would have a further driver to a Metro station, but a much shorter and cheaper Metro trip. Coming down 29 you would likely use the Silver Spring station on the Red line, just outside DC. Coming down 95 or the B/W you would likely use the College Park station on the Green line.

[blownstang01]

We had the opposite experience than many. Stayed at Cherry Hill on Independence weekend one year, the 4th was a Saturday. The crowds and traffic were very manageable in my opinion. As a matter of fact we expected it to be swamped, and was actually quite a pleasant trip. Obviously I'm not talking Memorial day as the OP. We speculated that because the 4th was on a Saturday that a lot of the people that actually work and stay in the city went away for the long weekend. Anyway, I would give it a shot, had a blast when we were there.

[Beerboy]

As mentioned, there are a number of parks less expensive than Cherry Hill. One rarely mentioned is Little Bennett near Clarksburg, MD. You'll want to make reservations because of the holiday anywhere you stay. It's a 15-30 minute drive to the Shady Grove Metro station and parking garage and you can then take the Metro to get into DC. I would advise against driving into the city. Parking can be a nightmare and rush hour(s) driving ain't much fun either. DC does not construct public parking garages.

Someone mentioned Harpers Ferry, WV (also Brunswick, MD). Yes, you can take the MARC commuter train in. Just be aware of its schedule. It has limited trains and hours but if they work for your needs, it's a good idea.

The Mall and the museums are always crowded around holidays. You're starting to get into the time for school trips so there may be school groups at the major museums during the week. My advice is to go in the morning when they open and plan other non-museum activities during the peak time. Don't know how busy the Museum of the Bible is, though my guess is that it is not yet on the radar of many because it is new so it is one I wouldn't worry about being too crowded.

Enjoy your trip

[temccarthy1]

73guna wrote:
I might plan a trip to D.C. next Memorial day week but Im concerned that it will be crazy busy.
Anyone know what Tuesday through Friday after Memorial day in D.C. will be like?
Wanting to avoid lines to museums.

Having been to DC many times, Tues-Fri of Memorial Day week is the SMART move! The majority of tourists will clear out after Monday!

[DrewE]

Besides Cherry Hill (which is, by all accounts, a very nice campground and convenient to mass transit), there are a couple of other less expensive campground options to consider. The least expensive is probably Greenbelt National Park, which is not far from Cherry Hill. It's $16 per night, if it hasn't gone up since I stayed there a year and a bit ago, and is about a half hour to forty-five minute walk to the College Park metro station from the campground. This is typical national park camping: no hookups, but you have a picnic table and a fire ring and a shower house in the vicinity.

Another option is Lake Fairfax (county) park, which is within walking distance of the Wiehle-Reston East metro station. They offer electric hookups.

There are a great many museums to seen in DC beyond the Museum of the Bible (which, from what little I've heard of it, sounds quite interesting). Since that's a new museum, it may well be more crowded than it otherwise would be. I rather enjoyed the free docent-led tour of the National Building Museum, somewhat more so than the pay exhibits there. I also very much enjoyed the Air and Space museum extension at the Dulles Airport (which is an enormous extension--a full day to be sure). Getting to the airport with public transit requires taking a bus, at least for a few more years until the Metro extension there may be completed.

[Merrykalia]

I'll throw my thoughts into the mix, also. We live about 6-7 hours from the DC area - on the other end of the state.

We try to go about every other year to take our daughters. We can go and stay for a week and sight-see and visit museums, zoos, monuments, etc. and the only costs are what we eat and our campsite. Most all the "entertainment" is free, or, I guess, I have previously paid for it with my taxes!

We have been there for most all holidays, including Independence Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day (that was my favorite), Christmas and the New Years week. As long as the Senate/Congress are not in session, it's much easier to get around the area. Use the METRO exclusively. It won't take you more than a few hours to get the feel of it and most of the METRO police that will be in the main terminals are great to help you and explain the system to you. They will tell you about what times to take trains and when to avoid them - which train will get you closest to what you want to see, etc.

We stayed at Cherry Hill the one time that we camped. We have also stayed in some out-lying campgrounds and drove to the METRO stations to take the train into the city. Both were okay and I can't really recommend one over the other.

ON EDIT: I just googled to see where the museum was and it is right at the Federal Triangle Metro Center, so you should have very little walking to do from the METRO and it's rally close to The Mall to see many/most of the monuments.

[Lynnmor]

Cherry Hill is the closest to the Metro. Public transportation is available right from the campground, but you might want to drive a short distance to the train. Ask at the desk for options.

Another option is to select a campground as far west as Harpers Ferry and take the train from there. It would be a long day but would get you camping out of the crazy city altogether.

[DutchmenSport]

Yes, Metro trains are the best way to get around. You really do not want to drive into DC and then try to find somewhere to park. You'll experience a nightmare. Even, 30 years ago, the Washington DC metro system was one of the absolute best in the world, as far as I'm concerned! They connect you to anywhere within reasonable walking distance to just about everything.

[73guna]

Thanks all for the replies.
Without going into too much detail as why I might be there, my main intent is to see the new Museum of the Bible and maybe another museum, depending on crowds.
Im not much into big cities and crowds so D.C. will be a tough pill to swallow.
I noticed through a search on here that the metro stops in a campground (Cherry Hill?)in D.C. so that would be a must rather then driving my truck around town.

[Farmboy666]

Been to DC lots of times and best trip was in February. Air was clean and crisp, no lines, no people, no heat. Hit Old Ebbetts every afternoon about 3 for a warm up cocktail.

[mdcamping]

Maybe apples & oranges, we stayed 4 days going into columbus days weekend. Was busy but nothing over the top.

Mike

[spoon059]

Tuesday thru Friday AFTER Memorial Day likely won't be much worse than any other week. I live right outside DC and my job takes me into DC on occasion. Driving in DC always stinks. Holidays are a little worse, but rarely is traffic ever considered "better".

I think Memorial Day week is a pretty decent time to go. Its late enough in the spring that hopefully it won't be raining, but not quite summer so it won't be humid and miserably hot.

I would encourage you to take Metro if possible, just to save time trying to find parking. Parking can be a crapshoot, especially near the memorials. It is a great experience to visit though, so I hope you get to come enjoy the sights!