Community Forums

jonohio · 06-02-2014, 08:38 AM

I have been wanting to take the family and go to the museum on Dulles and other museums/monuments around dc for a long time.

Is this kind of trip able to be done in an Rv? Anyone have any recommendations on where to stay or what we should be sure to see?

I see this trip happening later in the summer, probably late July or mid August.

-Jonathon

itgeekgal · 06-02-2014, 09:19 AM

Cherry Hill RV Park is the best place to stay when visiting DC. You can catch a bus right from the park to the subway station & it's easily accessible from the freeway.

**CLIFFTALL** · 06-02-2014, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itgeekgal

Cherry Hill RV Park is the best place to stay when visiting DC. You can catch a bus right from the park to the subway station & it's easily accessible from the freeway.

X2. Great place to stay while touring the Capitol.

George Schweikle · 06-02-2014, 10:56 AM

A wonderful museum. My memory from a visit several years ago is, if you want to see the Imax movie, get your tickets as soon as possible after the museum door opens in the morning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonohio

I have been wanting to take the family and go to the museum on Dulles and other museums/monuments around dc for a long time.

Is this kind of trip able to be done in an Rv? Anyone have any recommendations on where to stay or what we should be sure to see?

I see this trip happening later in the summer, probably late July or mid August.

-Jonathon

Burgy · 06-02-2014, 11:04 AM

We stayed here:
HOME PAGE

20 minutes to the metro station, then 20-30 minutes on the metro to DC.

Plenty of grocery stores and other place near by.

About 20 minutes to the:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | National Air and Space Museum

I could have spent 2 days there!

GaryKD · 06-02-2014, 11:16 AM

Hi jonohio,
The DC area is a great place to visit. Consider going to your Senator or Congressman's web site and get tickets for the government buildings where access is controlled by tickets from Congress. Do it now, the tickets are limited and go quickly.

Choose the Smithsonian buildings that will appeal to the ages of your kids.

The Washington Monument and Treasury (where they print money) have, in the past, required one to stand in line (early in the morning) and get tickets for a specific time for that day. Mom and dad may consider splitting up so both lines can be attended to and tickets can be received for the same day.

There is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of walking. Everybody wears a hat and has a water bottle.

Like posted earlier, Cherry Hill, in Maryland, is the place to stay. The front desk is well versed on how to guide your transportation needs. The only place you will need your towed car is for Arlington National Cemetery and the Air and Space Museum out by Dulles Airport.

jonohio · 06-02-2014, 05:25 PM

Awesome guys! Thank you for the great info. My nephews are 8 and 9 and my little boy is 10 months (quite a range here....)

- Jonathon

mikebreeze · 06-02-2014, 06:19 PM

There is no Metro to the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum near Dulles Airport, VA yet. And when the subway does open in the next 5-10 years you won't be able to get directly to the museum from the airport. You have to drive out from DC on I66->VA267->VA28 to get there. The parking is $15 and I believe that they can accommodate RV's. The museum is free but the IMAX movies cost extra. You can take a cab from the airport to the museum. I live about 25 miles from the museum. It's worth the trip.

halfwright · 06-02-2014, 06:36 PM

Greenbelt national Park
Greenbelt Park (U.S. National Park Service)

is a nice park. No hookups, but water and dump on site. To me $16 beats $65 and Keep On Adding. Mile and a half walk to Cpllege Park Metro and a 4 mile drive to Greenbalt station metro. We left there last week.

smiller · 06-02-2014, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikebreeze

The parking is $15 and I believe that they can accommodate RV's.

Giant parking lot, can easily accommodate RVs.

Santara · 06-02-2014, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

X2. Great place to stay while touring the Capitol.

X3 the only place to stay so easy to get downtown

777 Driver · 06-02-2014, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonohio

I have been wanting to take the family and go to the museum on Dulles and other museums/monuments around dc for a long time.

Is this kind of trip able to be done in an Rv? Anyone have any recommendations on where to stay or what we should be sure to see?

Hi Jonathon,

The Udvar Hazy Center is well worth the visit, if you have any interest in aviation.

There is a Northern Virginia Regional Park (Bull Run) that's about 11 miles from the Udvar Hazy Center. Here's a link to the park's website: Bull Run - Main Page

They have campsites that have electric (can't remember if it's 50amp). Many are pull-through, though some will present a challenge with leveling, particularly if you're LONG.

Public transportation to Udvar Hazy is difficult (basically, taxi only). Their parking lot is HUGE and there would be no problem parking an RV. $15 for parking; admission to the facility is free. As previously suggested, if you want to watch the IMAX movies, stop there and get your ticket(s) when you enter the museum.

Oh, although Bull Run is very convenient to Udvar Hazy, it is NOT the most convenient (public transportation from Cherry Hill is much, much better) for the other DC attractions.

Take care,
Stu

Air Baron · 06-03-2014, 01:02 PM

We stayed at Cherry Hill in the fall of 2012. Go to their orientation and get all the good advice about transportation, the museums and where to eat in the Capitol area...like the employee cafeterias in most of the federal buildings. You have a right to eat there. We had good low-cost lunches in the Dept of Agriculture and the Supreme Court.

I thought the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on the mall was over-crowded and a bit worn looking. The National A & S Museum hangar out at Dulles blew my mind...I could have spent days in there. They also have very good flight simulators if anyone is looking for a thrill. If my memory serves me, it is about a 40 mile trip from Cherry Hill to Dulles and involves a toll. If you do not have a towed vehicle, their parking lots are huge...and quite empty. I was surprised how few people were inside the museum.

RKNOLA · 06-03-2014, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi jonohio,
The DC area is a great place to visit. Consider going to your Senator or Congressman's web site and get tickets for the government buildings where access is controlled by tickets from Congress. Do it now, the tickets are limited and go quickly.

Choose the Smithsonian buildings that will appeal to the ages of your kids.

The Washington Monument and Treasury (where they print money) have, in the past, required one to stand in line (early in the morning) and get tickets for a specific time for that day. Mom and dad may consider splitting up so both lines can be attended to and tickets can be received for the same day.

There is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of walking. Everybody wears a hat and has a water bottle.

Like posted earlier, Cherry Hill, in Maryland, is the place to stay. The front desk is well versed on how to guide your transportation needs. The only place you will need your towed car is for Arlington National Cemetery and the Air and Space Museum out by Dulles Airport.

This is great info! Thank You!! Were are planning to go in December/January and we were told Cherry Hill is a great option.
On the trip advisor site it mentioned that parking is very limited at Arrligton National Cemetery. Do you know if there are ways to get there from Cherry Hill other than driving our own car? Like a "Tour Bus" type of company close to the campground?
Again, thanks for all the great info!