ARmy Rumour SErvice

Have done a few RV holidays in the US but all on the west coast. Always hired the RV from El Monte and experienced great service. Top tip - always budget for the additional cost required to reduce your excess to zero. If you have an accident, and you don't have this, it can prove to be mightily expensive. In addition, always go for a larger vehicle than you think you need - your holiday will be that much more enjoyable. Finally, stay in state parks etc if you get the chance - far more enjoyable than commercial campgrounds.

A recommended itinerary from El Monte, which may suit your needs, is at the link below.

http://www.elmonterv.co.uk/usatravel...very_uk_lr.pdf

Thanks - but linky no worky!

Originally Posted by Bubbles_Barker

Thanks - but linky no worky!

It comes up blank to start with - needs a few seconds to download!

Top Advice.....



Don't set the cruise control to 50mph, then head astern to sit down with the others for your lunch.

Not the US but I had a great time in Canada. I always use Trailfinders.

If you hear banjos... run/drive.

If you can work it in drive down to Charlottesville, Virginia, and visit Jefferson's place at Montecello. Then drive up 'Skyline Drive' to Front Royal which is just a nice drive and drops you into horse country near Winchester. You can then head up through the battlefields towards and over Harper's Ferry (worth a stop) and on to Antietam and Gettysburg. Standing in tip of the Triangle looking back down the line of Pickett's charge is humbling, then look south to Little Round Top to understand why the CSA were so desperate to take it, place cannon up there and unpick the Union defence.

Bull Run/ Manassas is an easy run from DC and worth a walk round the battlefield.

Annapolis is OK and there are some great crab shacks across the bay, Cantlers comes to mind and there may well be a Blue Grass festival on, or just some old guys getting together.

Originally Posted by Bubbles_Barker

I'm intending to take Mrs Bubbles and the Bubblettes to the USA in July for a motorhome holiday for about 10 days starting and finishing in Washington DC. I'm thinking of doing the standard DC stuff (Arlington, Lincoln Memorial, White House etc) and then Delaware, followed by Cape Hatteras, then West towards Shenandoah Valley, ending up with Gettysburg and back to Dulles. I've searched online but can't find any bespoke itineraries to copy.

Are there any Arrsers out there who have done something similar? Any advice as to best campgrounds or motorhome providers?

Originally Posted by Bubbles_Barker

I'm intending to take Mrs Bubbles and the Bubblettes to the USA in July for a motorhome holiday for about 10 days starting and finishing in Washington DC. I'm thinking of doing the standard DC stuff (Arlington, Lincoln Memorial, White House etc) and then Delaware, followed by Cape Hatteras, then West towards Shenandoah Valley, ending up with Gettysburg and back to Dulles. I've searched online but can't find any bespoke itineraries to copy.

Are there any Arrsers out there who have done something similar? Any advice as to best campgrounds or motorhome providers?

B_B, I can't advise on RV providers or campgrounds, but I did a very similar fly drive holiday some ten years ago with an old university buddy of mine (we got back to Blighty 48 hours before 9/11). From memory, our itinerary was as follows:

Day 1 Arrive IAD, collect hire car, drive into DC stay at midtown hotel, go for dinner and a couple of beers in Georgetown

Day 2 Explore DC in morning, drive to Philadelphia, stay in downtown hotel

Day 3 Explore Philadelphia, drive to Annapolis, stay in B&B (run by ex-USAF guy previously based at RAF Chicksands)

Day 4 Explore Annapolis, visit USNA (very interesting guided tour), stay in B&B again

Day 5 Leave Annapolis, drive across water to Chespeake Peninsula, take Bellvue to Oxford ferry (good fun), spend afternoon in Cambridge, stay overnight in Salisbury

Day 6 Explore Salisbury (morning), drive to Exmore (stay overnight in motel - go to tailgate party, tap off with two fat chicks (one each) and eat Maryland bearded clam (as alluded to in previous post)

Day 7 Drive across Bay Bridge-Tunnel (awe-inspiring), spend afternoon and night in Virgina Beach, go swimming in sea, avoid fatal shark attack (seriously, young lad - Russian IIRC - killed by shark around that time)

Day 8 Visit Norfolk (a bigger version of Pompey and Guzz) in morning, afternoon at (Colonial) Jamestown - kids will enjoy this, drive to Richmond, stay overnight

Day 9 Explore Richmond (morning), visit Monticello (afternoon - thoroughly recommended), drive to Charlottesville (get drunk, get picked up by two female cops, get given lift back to motel)

Day 10 Explore Charlottesville (home of UVA - my mucker had friends there), go to football game, get pleasantly pissed and go out with the two female cops - now off-duty

Day 11 Leave Charlottesville (reluctantly), drive Skyline Drive (really, really good - loads of wildlife), visit Antietam (afternoon), drive to Hagerstown (stay overnight), go out with two college girls, you can guess the rest

Day 12 Leave Hagerstown (move along there, nothing to see here), spend day at Gettysburg (first rate - also recommend visiting Eisenhower's farm, realy, really good), drive to Frederick, stay overnight (very nice)

Day 13 Explore Frederick (morning), spend afternoon at Harpers Ferry (very interesting), drive to DC, stay in Crystal City hotel, night out in Georgetown

Day 14 Day in DC - see sights (recommend Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, Korea and Vietnam Memorials, Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument, White House and Capitol

Day 15 Day in DC - National Air & Space Museum (outstanding)

Day 16 Explore Arlington and Alexandria incluing USMC Memorial

Day 17 Local sightseeing (Mount Vernon) and shopping (Crytsal City Mall)

Day 18 Final morning in DC (Tidal Basin), fly home from IAD

Hope that this helps,

H_M.