Anonymous
Post 02/25/2025 08:32     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Anonymous wrote:Why are people mentioning national parks when OP stated no national parks?


Because DCuM!!!
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2025 11:23     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Anonymous wrote:Having camped at both Mammoth Cave and Acadia NP campgrounds, I’d probably stay away from Acadia this summer. Find a cheap family hotel or private campground nearby and enjoy hiking in Acadia and wandering around Bar Harbor. I say this because even fully staffed Acadia was the most crowded NP campground I’ve ever been to. I know others get more visitors annually, but in terms of area, we were really packed in like sardines. Long waits for the bathroom. Unpleasant showers. (And I’m I lifelong camper.) I’d hate to see that place understaffed. We met up there with cousins who had chosen to stay at a motel and I was so jealous.

Mammoth Cave camping was more spread out and more pleasant. It might not be as impacted by any understaffing. We actually split our time in Cave City between camping 2 nights and 2 nights at a motel 6. The motel was only slightly more expensive than camping and totally fine—I’d definitely stay there again. We enjoyed 2 tours of the caves, hiking in the park, going kayaking on the Green River, doing tasting on the Bourbon Trail, visiting Lincoln’s cabin, and spending a few hours in Bardstown. Everything was cheap there. (Also, everyone seemed to smoke there—it was kind of alarming). It was a great trip.

I agree with others that WV has great state parks. Blackwater Falls is really beautiful. Maryland has awesome state parks—and I find their reservation system so easy and their campgrounds really well maintained. Gunpowder Falls, Swallow Falls, Deep Creek are probably my favorites. In VA the relatively new Shenandoah River State Park has campsites right on the River. There are good hikes and kayaking outfitters nearby and you can pop over to Luray Caverns. We stayed there and then went down to Roanoke and stayed in the Explore Park then went on to a private campground near the Great Smokies. Great cheap road trip. Definitely check out the Hipcamp app for private campgrounds.

Agree about the massive crowds at Acadia. We didn't even attempt to camp there & hotels were too far beyond the budget. If sort of roughing it, in a really nice woods environment is appealing, (no plumbing in cabins- showers & toilet a walk away) - Quietside Campground in Southwest Harbor worked for us. It really was quiet and there was decent space between the cabins. https://www.campingnearacadia.com/about-us

Can also recommend a lobster food truck not too far from the campground. https://www.archieslobster.com/
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2025 10:56     Subject: Re:Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Michigan !
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2025 10:56     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Why are people mentioning national parks when OP stated no national parks?
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2025 10:53     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the border of Canada. New England might be nice, but what if there’s a hot war with Canada? What then?


I would hope the terrifyingly efficient armed forces of Canada capture me and force me to assimilate by making me eat waffles drenched in maple syrup and watch endless hockey games. Please, Canada, take me!
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2025 10:47     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Anonymous wrote:Ugh just stay home then. I've never witnessed someone stress so much over vacation planning.

Are you 12 and daddy is rich?
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 11:51     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Having camped at both Mammoth Cave and Acadia NP campgrounds, I’d probably stay away from Acadia this summer. Find a cheap family hotel or private campground nearby and enjoy hiking in Acadia and wandering around Bar Harbor. I say this because even fully staffed Acadia was the most crowded NP campground I’ve ever been to. I know others get more visitors annually, but in terms of area, we were really packed in like sardines. Long waits for the bathroom. Unpleasant showers. (And I’m I lifelong camper.) I’d hate to see that place understaffed. We met up there with cousins who had chosen to stay at a motel and I was so jealous.

Mammoth Cave camping was more spread out and more pleasant. It might not be as impacted by any understaffing. We actually split our time in Cave City between camping 2 nights and 2 nights at a motel 6. The motel was only slightly more expensive than camping and totally fine—I’d definitely stay there again. We enjoyed 2 tours of the caves, hiking in the park, going kayaking on the Green River, doing tasting on the Bourbon Trail, visiting Lincoln’s cabin, and spending a few hours in Bardstown. Everything was cheap there. (Also, everyone seemed to smoke there—it was kind of alarming). It was a great trip.

I agree with others that WV has great state parks. Blackwater Falls is really beautiful. Maryland has awesome state parks—and I find their reservation system so easy and their campgrounds really well maintained. Gunpowder Falls, Swallow Falls, Deep Creek are probably my favorites. In VA the relatively new Shenandoah River State Park has campsites right on the River. There are good hikes and kayaking outfitters nearby and you can pop over to Luray Caverns. We stayed there and then went down to Roanoke and stayed in the Explore Park then went on to a private campground near the Great Smokies. Great cheap road trip. Definitely check out the Hipcamp app for private campgrounds.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 11:10     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the border of Canada. New England might be nice, but what if there’s a hot war with Canada? What then?


Are you ten years old?
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2025 19:51     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Stay away from the border of Canada. New England might be nice, but what if there’s a hot war with Canada? What then?
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2025 19:36     Subject: Re:Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please

Anonymous wrote:
Ugh just stay home then. I've never witnessed someone stress so much over vacation planning.


Agreed. So much stress about these national park trips on this forum. It will be fine, just go


We went to Chincoteague when the government was closed and we could not get to the national park (Assateague). It was very disappointing so I understand the OP's concern. You don't know if it will be "fine". If a budget gets passed it will probably be fine, but if it's another CR and you are on your trip when the CR expires, you could be out of luck.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2025 10:37     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Go to Canada.

You can drive to Canada in one day from the dc metro area. Do a mix of cities and outdoorsy stuff.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2025 10:10     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
If you want to stay local, Shenandoah River State Park is lovely. You can go canoeing on the river and camp at the state park.
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2025 17:29     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
A little bit further but think about driving to Canada. They also have parks and cabins and cool places to visit.
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2025 17:06     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard good things about Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio


Hocking Hills is very cool. It has a lot of rock formations and is visually striking.
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2025 17:03     Subject: Cheap (non-National Park) travel recs for this summer, please
^ I overlooked the first poster who mentioned the White Mountains. Agreed, that whole region would be great