According to The Washington Post on June 17, President Donald Trump did not go to one of his own resorts this weekend. Instead, he went to Camp David. This is his very first visit after being in office for five months. He traveled to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida many times, and recently he has been going to Bedminster, New Jersey.
The Trump family left the White House on Saturday morning. Along with the president was his wife Melania and their 11-year-old son Barron -- and Melania's parents. They moved into the White House last Sunday.
It has not been revealed why Trump decided to visit Camp David this weekend. According to the Camp David blog, the president intends to spend Saturday night in the Aspen Lodge and will return to the White House on Sunday.
About Camp David
Camp David has been a frequent destination for past presidents and their families. The government-owned retreat is located in the secluded wooded hills of Maryland's Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont, Maryland -- about 62 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
Before he became president, Trump described Camp David as being very rustic and said that the average person will like it for about 30 minutes. It was reported that the reason he had been avoiding Camp David is because it is so secluded.
Trump enjoys being around people, and there are lots of people around his own resorts, but not at Camp David.
The place is a 125-acre retreat that is home to about a dozen cabins, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a skeet range, a bowling alley, and a movie theater. On the property is a single golf hole with multiple tees, quite different from the larger golf courses Trump is accustomed to.
Other presidents at Camp David
Camp David is the secluded retreat for presidents named after President Dwight David Eisenhower that was built in 1935. For some presidents, Camp David became a regular place to retreat or to welcome world leaders. President Trump is the 14th president to spend time there even if it is just for one night.
Apparently, it wasn't a favorite destination for President Barack Obama. However, he did go there 39 times. Mark Knoller, the CBS News White House reporter, estimates that to be a total of 93 days, which amounts to only three months out of his eight years in the White House.
President Ronald Reagan went there more than any other president. He went there 150 times to ride horses and to enjoy the outdoors. He once hosted British Prime Minister Margaret Thacker there. Following close behind Reagan is President George W. Bush who was a guest there 149 times and stayed there for 487 days. That's longer than one year.
Maybe President Trump and his family will have such a great experience that they will return to the secluded place time and time again.
