<p>I know, I know, there are thousands, that’s why I need help! I don’t know the DC-Balt area AT ALL. We’ll be driving from upstate NY at the end of June, and I’d like to find a basic, inexpensive hotel/motel midway between UMD and Johns Hopkins. We are planning one day at UMD and one day for Peabody/JHU. There is no extra time for sightseeing in the schedule this trip, so no need to be near attractions. I’d rather stay two nights in the same spot, figuring a little less wear and tear. Then we’re heading back up to Philadelphia for two days on the way back home.</p>
<p>There is a Best Western in Elkridge, MD, just off of Rte 100 and Rte 1. Staying there would place you about 30 - 35 minutes from College Park (traffic dependent) and about 20 minutes from Peabody. We live about 3 miles from there and used to go to both college places often.</p>
<p>BTW, there is an exit for Rte100 on I-95 and Rte 1 basically run parallel to 95.</p>
<p>Also, we used to live in the Rochester, NY area. If that’s close to where you are driving from, we can perhaps help with more specific directions.</p>
<p>thanks, this helps a lot with getting started. So many other, more crucial details to pin down that this was NOT where I wanted to get bogged down. (BandW: we’re in the Albany area, but I’m from NJ originally, so can manage the getting there part; it’s navigating the terra incognita of DC/Balt that has me intimidated LOL)</p>
<p>I live in Baltimore and BandW’s suggestion is a good one – something along 95. DC rush hour traffic is pretty bad so try to set your College Park visit to avoid it. Baltimore rush hour along 95 isn’t bad.</p>
<p>Contrarian opinion: if it were me, I’d rather stay very near one of the campuses. Get more time to get a feel of the area, eat in spots around campus more often, etc. I can’t do a specific recommendation, as we stay with a close friend when we visit DS at Hopkins, and with family when we’re in the DC area/College Park. But that’s how I would do it, rather than be in “neither” place.</p>
<p>Since it’s only about a 30-minute drive between the two places (maybe 45 with traffic), there’s no particular reason to stay “in between” them. I agree with jmmom that you should soak in the local color at one or the other school.</p>
<p>We stayed in Columbia also when we needed to drop D off at Hopkins for a summer program. It is a nice area and maybe about 15 minutes to JHU with no traffic. (I’m not sure how far it is to College Park.) But we stayed at a regular Hilton. It was nice and we had a small two-room suite with a pullout sofa.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the additional tips and I am now reconsidering the plan, based on jmmom and JHS. My original focus was to avoid changing hotels from College Park to Baltimore. But thinking it through a little more, as you observe, that doesn’t mean I have to split the difference, geographically. I think I’ll try to find something near College Park and then drive to Baltimore; we’re then heading to Philadephia once we’re done at Peabody. Unless one of these schools drops off the list, we’ll be back to visit both again for auditions next winter and the auditions will probably be on completely different timetables, so there will be more time for soaking in atmosphere and exploring each place at that point as well.</p>
<p>There is a hotel right on campus at UMCP (the northern end) and it was quite nice during the summer, when we stayed there. (During the school year, others have noticed that kids are dormed in there.) I recommend it:</p>