Washington, D.C., Cherry Hill Park, May 5-12, 2016
On our drive into DC, from Warrenton, VA, we stopped by the Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport. It was my first time visiting and I was amazed by the number of aircraft on display in the hangar. We took the free 2-hour tour. It was very informative. I’d highly recommend it. Parking was very easy, as they have a huge lot for busses. We were able to pull right in and leave the vehicle attached.
After our tour we headed over to the campground; Cherry Hill Park (https://www.cherryhillpark.com/). We chose Cherry Hill because it is the closest campground to Washington, DC and rated quite high. It is also close by to Charlie’s nieces, whom we planned on visiting. This was our first commercial campground experience. All previous stays were in US Army Corp of Engr campgrounds, a private motorcoach community or boondocking.
The campsites were very close together, offering little privacy, but for being in a prime city location we expected that. The weather was dreary and cold all week so we never sat outside, and therefore, the proximity to our neighbor did not bother us. The campground offered transportation over to the metro, but we chose to drive ourselves so that we would not be constrained by the campground’s schedule. The campground has a very nice cafe, laundromat, pool, playground and game room. I can see why this would be a very popular campground for families.
While Charlie and I have both been to Washington, DC numerous times, this was the first time that we were free to do as we pleased for an entire week. We toured the city during the day and then met up with friends and family for dinners. It was great spending quality time with so many people that we don’t often get a chance to see.
On my previous trip to DC the Washington Monument was closed for reconstruction, to address some damage that had occurred during an earthquake. During this visit I was happy to find it open. Charlie and I got to the city early and were able to grab some tickets for a morning tour. The clouds rolled in right before our slotted tour time so the views were not spectacular, but they were still pretty good. In addition to the view I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of the original stones which were used to build the monument. You get to see these on the elevator ride down. They slow the elevator down and turn on exterior lights. You can then catch glimpses of the stones through the glass door. I was able to snap pictures of a few of them.
Another neat tour we took was of the Postal Museum. It is pretty interesting to learn the history of how mail delivery began, and how it evolved over time.
In addition to touring the city, we visited Arlington National Cemetery. It was our first visit there. It was very sombering to see so many gravesites of those that have served in our military to protect our country’s freedom.
We also visited the Naval Academy in Annapolis. We took our own personal tour of the grounds and then strolled through downtown Annapolis. We then headed across the bridge for lunch at ‘Boatyard Bar & Grill’. They were noted as having the best Crab Cakes. Charlie got those and was quite pleased.
All-in-all we had a fantastic time in DC. There is so much to see. I look forward to returning. When I do return I plan on finding a way to get into the research area of the Library of Congress. I absolutely love that building.