Five Spots for a Weekend in the Great Outdoors -- Car Optional

Activities abound for campers at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, including fishing and spending time at the water park. (By Don Sweeney -- Fairfax County Park Authority)

Cost?$25 to $42 per site per night.

What else do I need to know? The campground is about a mile from the entrance, so if you are coming by bus, the first thing you will see is the water park. The sites fill up early, so try to register two to three weeks in advance. Call 703-471-5415 (general information) or 703-757-9242 (campsite reservations), or visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.g ov/parks/lakefairfax.

Little Bennett Regional Park

23701 Frederick Rd., Clarksburg

Why should I go? With 20 miles of trails on 3,700 acres, Little Bennett is t he largest park in Montgomery County. For the urbanite who always has to be doing something, its activity center and camp store loan out soccer balls, Frisbees and more. Plus there are orienteering courses and plenty of historic sites.

For beginning campers, the park offers something extra: You can rent a tent, lantern, stove and two camp chairs ($25 a night for a minimum of two nights). The best part? The park sets everything up for you.

"We have had anything from new, young families who have young children who don't have equipment" to campers who just don't want to pull out their gear, campground manager Rosemary Nichols says.

Another reason to visit: the $2 root beer floats for those staying at the camp on Saturday nights.

How far is it from Washington? About 30 miles.

How do I get there? Take Metro's Red Line to Medical Center, and transfer to Ride On Bus 70 toward Milestone Center. At the Milestone Center Park and Ride, take Ride On Bus 75 toward the Urbana Park and Ride. Get off at Frederick and Camping Ridge roads, about a third of a mile from the park entrance.

Cost?$21 per night for tent sites. $25 for gear rental.

What else do I need to know? Call 301-972-9222 or visit http://www.mcparkandplanning.org/parks.

Watkins Regional Park

301 Watkins Park Dr., Upper Marlboro