Swampy summer heat getting to be too much for you? We understand. It might be time to take a vacation from bustling capitol life and head out for a few days to enjoy nature. What better way to get in touch with your roots than visiting an RV campsite? Luckily, there are tons of great options in and around the beltway. Here are our favorites.
Since D.C. doesn’t have an RV park of its own in the city proper, this spot is the closest one along the Beltway: Welcome to Cherry Hill Park in College Park, Maryland. Cherry Hill offers shuttles multiple times throughout the day to come and go from the center of D.C., so you can easily get to and from the capitol. The park offers two swimming pools, a sauna, hot tub, 400 campsites, laundry rooms, and more. Cherry Hill has accrued a fair number of accolades, including a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor and has been rated “A” from GuestRated seven times. For a camping experience that isn’t too far from home but still offers an escape, Cherry Hill would be one of my absolute go-tos.
Whereas Cherry Hill is 12 miles north of D.C., Bull Run is just over 30 miles south. The main park is open all year for picnicking, hiking, and family camping, with group camping open from Jan. 1 through Nov. 5. The entire park is situated on over 1,500 acres, and includes a water park, picnic areas, campgrounds, cottages, hiking trails, and much more. Family camping offers electrical and non-electrical RV hook-up sites with various amp availability and water access. Check the website for full details.
Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, Virginia, is another close-by campsite, about 21 miles northwest of Washington. One hundred and thirty six campsites are available, with 54 offering electrical hook-ups. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, grill, shaded areas, and easy access to water, bathhouse, hot showers, and toilets. Keep in mind that it is best to reserve a space, as the campsites can fill up quickly, especially during peak season. Rates differ based on occupancy, day of the week, and whether or not you’re a Fairfax resident.
KOA is one of the more trusted campsite franchises in the country, with each location offering a certain level of excellence that is hard to match. The Capitol KOA provides shuttle service from the campground to the capitol, as well as group sightseeing tours. If you are leaving the capitol for a few days, then you’ll feel as far away from home as you could be on the 50 acres of rolling countryside. Choose from RV sites, shaded tent sites, camping cabins, deluxe cabins, and group areas. Enjoy bike rentals, Wi-Fi, the dog park, and paid access to firewood and propane.
Adventure Bound Camping Resort, formerly known as Duncan’s, has a range of full hook-up and primitive campsites. Located only 15 miles outside of Washington, families can enjoy a weekend away. Take advantage of Adventure Bound’s swimming pool, volley ball area, shuffleboard, inflatable fun zone, giant board games, and much more. Bring the dog for a nature walk or half hour in the dog park. Pricing is dependent on length of stay.
