<p>We will be visiting in April but will not have a car. The hotel on campus is a bit expensive. Is there somewhere decent within walking distance. It appears that there is a Best Western, Clarion, HJ and Comfort Inn somewhat close. Would you recommend any of these??
Thanks</p>
<p>Those hotels are close, but not so sure you’d call them walking distance - I know I wouldn’t. Call them and ask if they offer transportation to campus. My personal preference is the Hampton Inn but it is further down Rt 1 than the ones you mentioned.</p>
<p>Do we need to rent a car? We are from the west coast and are not familiar with College Park but thought we could do the metro from DCA. I am very open to suggestions. I just looked at a map and the hotels appeared to be across the street. Are there hotels where you can walk to the campus?</p>
<p>In these cases, “across the street” means only a couple (or so) of miles up Rte. 1.</p>
<p>Navigating College Park and nearby environs is pretty easy. But getting from Reagan National to College Park isn’t.</p>
<p>If you could pick up a rental once you get to College Park, that’d be easiest for you.</p>
<p>The closest one I’d stay in is the Comfort Suites in downtown College Park. It would be maybe a 15-20 minute walk to the Stamp. Request to stay in the tower, however.</p>
<p>Having had 2 girls at UMD (2nd one is now a senior), I have frequently been on this board telling people that given a good dose of common sense and some “street smarts”, I do not consider College Park to be dangerous. That said, Rt 1 around College Park is not picturesque (though they are working on it). Think college bars, a few sketchy strip malls, laundromats, liquor stores, etc. Some of the motels along Rt. 1 are OK, some are pretty grungy. (That’s why I’d recommend the “tower”). If you are just coming for a day or 2 (B/K interview?), you’ll be OK, but personally I’d rent a car…I just like to have more freedom. If you have a car, you can drive over to Silver Spring, or into DC to see the sights. Good luck!</p>
<p>Notjoe, my kids always preferred to fly into Reagan than Dulles…more straightforward on the metro. We usually use Baltimore, tho, because the airfares are usually cheaper for us to go through there. If you’re going to get a rental car, I’d go ahead and do it at the airport.</p>
<p>I hate driving to/from Reagan. I understand not wanting to drive from Dulles. It’s very far. But it’s a straightforward trip. My preference is also BWI. Not too far, straight shot.</p>
<p>My parents always stay in DC and take the train to CP , it’s just what they do, because they fly and they don’t like to be in CP without a car.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your input, it makes me think I may need to alter this trip. I haven’t bought the plane ticket yet since they have been going up the past week so I am still flexible.</p>
<p>I had us flying into National because I thought that would be the easiest by just getting on the metro, take the shuttle to campus and walk “across” the street to our hotel. Doesn’t sound like a good plan.</p>
<p>Seems like the recommendation is to fly into Baltimore, rent a car and drive to College Park. Stay somewhere decent (other cc thread) and drive to the campus.</p>
<p>It is so much harder to plan travel when you don’t know where you are going :)</p>