Looking for Washington DC camp area - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Looking for Washington DC camp area

imouttahere · RV-Dreams Community Member

Well, the house & everything in it is up for sale. Our first trip will be up through FL to SC for a visit, then on to NC for a visit, & then a stopover outside of Washington DC for a week or so before moving on to PA. Will also include Luray caverns west of DC also.

The questions is, what would be the least expensive place outside of DC to stay in for a week or so. We'll have electric from solar & plan to be up there in April so we probably won't need to run the a/c & can probably stay off the electric grid. Not critical though. Just looking for something less than $30 a night if possible.

Almost forgot: the rig will most likely be a 38" something or other (looking at a couple of different 5er's). Would that unit be able to go up the skyline drive in that area (W Virginia) - I think it's near the north end.

Thanks in advance

gd

Old Snipe · RV-Dreams Family Member

I don't think there are any places in the DC area for $30 a night, we lived in the area for 14 years and considered ourselves lucky to find a campground in the $38-45 range.

Your best bet is the National Park Travel Trailer Villiage south of DC in Dumfires, VA or Bull Run Regional Park in Manassas, VA about 35 mile east of DC.

A highly recommended CG is Cherry Hill CG, just north of DC, close to a metro stop so you don't need to use a car to get around the city. It is pretty expensive, much higher than your budgeting.

DC is a great place to visit and is worth the higher campground costs.

Good Luck!

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

Paul D.: Bull Run is on the west side of DC and can be accessed of I-495 and Hwy 50.

Gary · RV-Dreams Family Member

As for taking a large RV on Skyline Drive, I wouldn't recommend it. I drove part of it last autumn and it's pretty tight for a car. Couldn't imagine doing it with an RV.

We didn't drive the whole route. We came in from the Rockfish Gap entrance off of I-64, near Waynesboro, VA. Not sure how the northern end off of I-66 would be.

imouttahere · RV-Dreams Community Member

Gary wrote:
As for taking a large RV on Skyline Drive, I wouldn't recommend it. I drove part of it last autumn and it's pretty tight for a car. Couldn't imagine doing it with an RV.

We didn't drive the whole route. We came in from the Rockfish Gap entrance off of I-64, near Waynesboro, VA. Not sure how the northern end off of I-66 would be.

Now that you mention it, I do remember the road on that part of the drive. We went camping down that route in early Oct. when I was a kid. Narrow & 35 mph all the way. Sounds like a day trip in the tv. Thanks.

imouttahere · RV-Dreams Community Member

Technomadia wrote:
Some friends of ours just passed through the DC area, and did a post with a bunch of the more affordable options...

http://www.cheddaryeti.com/2012/06/12/urban-camping-washington-dc-found-art-rv-parking/

They found some great options ranging from $16 - 32/night.

- Cherie

-- Edited by Technomadia on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 11:14:35 PM

That's ironic. Just after I posted I was looking around the Washington area on the streets & trips program with the mega file downloaded from the discover forum & found the Greenbelt park at $16 a night. Has water & dump, which should be all we need, and it's only about 1.5 mi from the metro. Doesn't get any better than that. Has some pull through sites also (not that I need that, but it says that they take larger RV's). Enjoyed the yeti site also - had some interesting areas to visit in DC. Thanks.

gd

Old Snipe · RV-Dreams Family Member

PIEERE wrote:
Paul D.: Bull Run is on the west side of DC and can be accessed of I-495 and Hwy 50.

Actually, you are better off taking Rt 66 from the I-495 Beltway (instead of Rt 50) and follow the signs to Rt 29 and then to the park. Much faster.

Bull Run is about 35 miles west of DC, there are two Metro stops off Rt 66 East so you don't have to take a car into the city.

Bull Run was our nearest campground when we lived in VA and we actually stored our motorhome there. It was just 9 miles from our home and we spent many happy times there. They even have a great pool/waterpark there for the kids.

Best Regards!

imouttahere · RV-Dreams Community Member

Old Snipe wrote:
PIEERE wrote:
Paul D.: Bull Run is on the west side of DC and can be accessed of I-495 and Hwy 50.
Actually, you are better off taking Rt 66 from the I-495 Beltway (instead of Rt 50) and follow the signs to Rt 29 and then to the park. Much faster.
Bull Run is about 35 miles west of DC, there are two Metro stops off Rt 66 East so you don't have to take a car into the city.
Bull Run was our nearest campground when we lived in VA and we actually stored our motorhome there. It was just 9 miles from our home and we spent many happy times there. They even have a great pool/waterpark there for the kids.
Best Regards!

Thanks for the Bull Run info Paul, and the directions, Pieere. I'll check out the area. As I recall that's just south of Luray Caverns... Sounds like you liked it.

gd

Old Snipe · RV-Dreams Family Member

We sure did like it, it is a nicely, wooded CG and we'd enjoy our weekends there, seemed like we were a million miles away from our working, high pressure jobs. We always came home refreshed.

One tip, they have a late check out, which we'd always take. For $10 you could stay past the 11 am checkout until 7 pm. It felt like we got another whole day in. :c)

Best Regards!

imouttahere · RV-Dreams Community Member

Old Snipe wrote:
We sure did like it, it is a nicely, wooded CG and we'd enjoy our weekends there, seemed like we were a million miles away from our working, high pressure jobs. We always came home refreshed.
One tip, they have a late check out, which we'd always take. For $10 you could stay past the 11 am checkout until 7 pm. It felt like we got another whole day in. :c)
Best Regards!

I saw the late check out fee. Your right - for $10 it would seem like you get another day. We'll probably stay there for a few days & then go to Green Belt just N of DC for a week or two & do the Washington tourist thing.