Campground Spotlight
Cherry Hill Park, College Park, Maryland
Cherry Hill Park makes a great base for RVers touring Washington, D.C., during cherry blossom season or anytime.
Each year around late March to early April, the blossoms of thousands of Japanese cherry trees decorate Washington, D.C. It signals the start of the tourist season, and more visits to Cherry Hill Park, a campground in College Park, Maryland.
Cherry Hill is the closest RV park to Washington, D.C., and specializes in giving guests a great D.C. touring experience. Evelyn Townsend, marketing director for Cherry Hill, said, “We really guide the guests through.” That can mean consulting with travelers individually or even collectively in a sight-seeing class, explaining what to see and how to get there. For instance, to get to Washington from the RV park, drive or take a bus from Cherry Hill to the Metro (rapid transit system) station — this takes only a few minutes. From there, it’s a smooth 25-minute ride into the heart of town. You can even buy your Metro ticket right at the campground.
If you want to take a bus tour in town, Cherry Hill staff can help you choose a Gray Line trip. Or, take a Cherry Hill Park tour. The latter run in season only, and buses depart right from the campground. The park’s website gives a complete look at the tours offered, as well as a mind-boggling list of tourist sites in Washington and in Maryland.
The park itself has hundreds of RV sites, all with full hookups. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, two pools, a campground shuttle, a café, golf cart rentals, a sauna, a dog park and dog run, and even dog-walking services. Kids and families can partake of tractor rides, summer movie nights, playgrounds, gem mining, and miniature golf.
All in all, as they say at Cherry Hill Park, RVers can “have a monumental experience!”
Details
Cherry Hill Park, C4449
9800 Cherry Hill Road
College Park, MD 20740
(301) 937-7116
Email: info@cherryhillpark.com
App File
Downhill Skiing
Before you head down the slopes, you might want to download an app or two.
Liftopia: Users can search for and reserve discount lift tickets, ski/snowboard lessons, and equipment rental at more than 200 ski resorts. Your phone’s GPS pinpoints nearby ski areas and deals. You’ll also find information about ski resort amenities, snow conditions, and terrain, as well as location-based driving directions and resort photos. www.liftopia.com. Free for iOS and Android.
OnTheSnow Ski & Snow Report: Weather and snow reports from more than 2,000 ski areas are available. The “My Resorts” screen stores, tracks, and compares your favorite ski resorts. Other features include live webcams and powder alerts that notify you when your favorite resorts receive new snow. Users can peruse ski reports and photos from fellow skiers. Nearby ski areas are located via GPS. www.onthesnow.com. Free for iOS and Android.
Just For Fun
A Heart-Shaped Q&A
It’s that time of year when you can tell someone “I love you” without saying a thing. Thank you, candy hearts! Here are some questions and answers you can use to start a conversation with your Valentine — or someone who might become one.
Q: How were candy conversation hearts invented?
A: It all started with a druggist. Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase wanted to make lozenges for sore throats or bad breath. But the process was painstaking. In 1847 he invented a machine that could cut the doughy lozenge material, and he soon realized that candy could be made with it, too. And so the New England Confectionery Company (Necco) was born.
Q: Which came first, the message or the heart?
A: The message. A sibling rivalry between Oliver and his brother Daniel may be the cause of this next development. Or, it could be Daniel wanted to capitalize on the popularity of Valentine’s Day cards. Either way, by 1866, Daniel figured out how to print romantic messages on the candies using vegetable dye.
Q: What did the candy say at that time?
A: Quite a bit more. The candy was larger than today’s hearts and had longer phrases that reflected the times. Among the sayings were “Married in white, you have chosen right,” and “How long shall I have to wait? Please be considerate.”
Q: When did the heart shape show up?
A: In 1902. As with the other candy, early hearts were larger and held longer phrases, such as “I’ll see you home” and “Are you taken?” Today’s candy hearts are an ever-changing story of the times. Some mention texting and emailing, but classic phrases such as “Be mine” and “Kiss me” still make the cut.
Proof, of course, that love is timeless.
Travel
Florida’s Little White House
The Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West, Florida, is steeped in presidential history.
Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, spent 175 days of his presidency conducting the nation’s business in a house in Key West, Florida. During President Truman’s time in what is now known as the Harry S. Truman Little White House, he faced critical decisions involving the rebuilding of Europe after World War II; the Truman Doctrine, which changed U.S. foreign policy; the pursuit of peace in the Middle East; and Civil Rights.
Originally part of a naval station, the 8,700-square-foot house not only hosted President Truman for the 11 working vacations that made up those 175 days between 1946 and 1952, it also has been used by five other U.S. presidents.
The first was William Howard Taft in December 1912. President and Mrs. Eisenhower stayed there for a couple of weeks while the president was recovering from a heart attack at the end of 1955 and beginning of 1956. John F. Kennedy hosted British Prime Minister Harold McMillan there in March 1961 and returned in November 1962. Former President Jimmy Carter visited with his family in December 1996 and again in December 2007. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, spent a relaxing weekend there in January 2005.
Today, the house contains 80 to 90 percent of the original Truman artifacts. It is owned by the state of Florida and held in a trust as a public museum, the state’s only presidential museum. The Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation is a nonprofit organization that exists to preserve the Truman Little White House and share the history of the American presidency.
For more information, visit www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com or call (305) 294-9911.
Pets
RVing Safely With Cats
Jackie Holt’s cat, Benji, enjoys Family RVing magazine.
RV travel may be the purrfect way to keep your cat happy. The view can change by the minute as you roam. And you can experience the gentle, silly, and loving companionship of your feline.
The following cat travel tips come from RVers; some are useful to dog owners as well.
Safe Inside. A cat’s disposition will determine how well it travels. Some may want to stay inside the RV, close to you and near familiar blankets, toys, food, and litter box. Kitties new to RVing may need time (and some hiding places) to adjust. Give them their space.
Place the litter box in a comfortable spot for your pet, where, preferably, it doesn’t have to be moved daily. Avoid locating it near a drain, because cat litter should never enter an RV sanitary system. If the box must be placed in the shower or bath area, make sure litter cannot fall into the holding tank.
Do you have slideouts? Always secure your cat before opening or closing them. When you’re driving, consider having your cat travel in a hard-sided crate.
Bring along a feline first-aid kit, copies of your cat’s veterinary and vaccine records, and any medications.
When your cat is alone in the RV, keep the temperature comfortable. Leave plenty of water, and consider setting up a small monitoring camera.
Safe Outside. Many felines enjoy fresh air. Some RVers modify their vehicles with window platforms and more for this purpose. To prevent your cat from sneaking out, secure all windows and other possible exits.
Have your cat microchipped in case it does escape. If it is found, your contact information will be also. A collar and tag can be helpful, but cats can wriggle out of collars.
If you think your cat would enjoy the outdoors, purchase an enclosure with a bottom, to prevent grass eating or squeezing out beneath the sides.
What about a walk? Take time for your cat to become confident outdoors wearing a harness and leash. A figure-8-style harness is recommended, as it is more difficult for the cat to remove if it panics. Conversely, consider a breakaway collar, in case it needs to get out of a bad situation.
When your kitty is outside, make sure you’re nearby and on the alert for other animals. A rabbit or bird may prompt some inappropriate stalking. Or, another camper’s dog may show up without a proper introduction. Stay close, and you and your cat will have fun — no matter who or what appears!