Cherry Hill Park Review — College Park, MD

The Full Review

Cherry Hill Park is the campground that made us rethink what urban camping could be. We have stayed at parks near cities before, but this is the first one where we genuinely used the campground as a base camp for a major metro area and never felt like we were compromising on the camping experience.

The park sits in College Park, Maryland, about 15 miles from the National Mall. A Metrobus stop at the front gate connects you to the Metro system, which means you can do the Smithsonian, the monuments, and the Capitol without ever driving into DC traffic. For a family of five in a Class A motorhome, that is a game changer.

Site & Setup 12/20

Sites are closer together than you would want for a park at this price point. Our pull-through was adequate for the rig but tight on the sides. The pads are a mix of gravel and concrete, mostly level. Hookups are reliable and well-maintained. The 50-amp service was clean and consistent. Water pressure was strong. Shade varies by section. Some loops have beautiful mature trees while others are more exposed.

The trade-off for tight sites is that the park packs in a tremendous amount of amenities per acre. It is a space-efficient design that prioritizes common areas over site size.

Connectivity 20/20

Connectivity is where Cherry Hill earns a perfect score. Free Wi-Fi throughout the park that actually works. We clocked consistent speeds suitable for streaming and video calls. T-Mobile had five bars of 5G. Starlink was unnecessary. Cable TV is included at every site with 60-plus channels. I worked remotely for four of our five days with zero connectivity issues. This is the most connected campground we have ever stayed at, period.

Offspring & Family 15/15

The pool complex is resort-caliber. A large heated pool, a separate kiddie pool with splash features, a waterslide, and a hot tub. The playground is modern, well-maintained, and shaded. There is a game room, a cinema room that shows movies nightly, a bounce house, and organized activities that actually draw participation. Our kids made friends within an hour of arrival. The bike path through the property is well-maintained and connects to external trails.

Safety is excellent. Gated entrance, security patrols, well-lit paths, and strict quiet hours. This felt like the safest campground we have stayed at with kids.

Unity & Community 8/10

The community is diverse and friendly. International visitors mix with American road-trippers. The staff is professional and proactive. When our electric pedestal tripped, maintenance was at our site within 15 minutes. The activity calendar is packed, movie nights, craft hours, ice cream socials, and themed weekends. For a park this close to a major city, the sense of campground community is remarkably strong.

Territory & Location 15/15

The location is unmatched. Metrobus route C29 stops at the park entrance and takes you to the College Park Metro station in about 10 minutes. From there, the entire DC Metro system is yours. We visited the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Capitol over four days without moving the RV once. Giant supermarket is 2 miles away. There are dozens of restaurants within 5 miles.

For families with kids, the Smithsonian museums alone justify a multi-day stay. They are free, world-class, and endlessly entertaining. Lily spent three hours in the Natural History Museum and said she could have stayed three more.

Essentials & Facilities 10/10

Cherry Hill sets the standard. The bathhouses are immaculate, recently renovated with modern fixtures, strong hot water, and individual shower stalls. The laundry facility is large, well-maintained, and reasonably priced. There is a full-service camp store, a cafe, and even a shuttle service for guests. Everything works, everything is clean, and everything is maintained to a standard that most parks do not even aspire to.

Dollars & Value 6/10

Here is the catch: Cherry Hill is expensive. We paid $95 per night for a premium pull-through in August, and that is not even peak pricing. For five nights, it was a significant line item in our travel budget. But here is the math that makes it work: zero parking fees downtown (Metrobus), zero museum admission (Smithsonian is free), and zero driving stress. When we calculated what we saved by not driving into DC and parking, the premium felt more justifiable. Booking is easy through their website with clear pricing.

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