USA East Coast - Road Trip
Replies: 30 - Last Post: Nov 17, 2011 10:44 AM Last Post By: StanInMaryland
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You could do a radical change of plan and focus on the civil war, radiating out of DC on day and overnight trips. Gettysburg, Antietam (which I also prefer to Gettysburg), Manassas/Bull Run, Fredericksburg + the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, Monocacy, Harpers Ferry, Frederick MD, and Dc itself (e.g. Ford's Theater). Then a beach in Delaware.There really are many nicer beaches in July than anywhere in Florida, from Long Island down to Cape Hatteras.
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if you are interested in civil war history I would have to add a detour up to Gettysburg in southern PA
I thought about adding Gettysburg. But given the limited time, I left it out.If the OP can find the time, I agree it should be on the itinerary.
Another comment, when you're racing down I-95, stop at either Parker's in Wilson, NC or White Swan in Smithfield for some eastern Carolina-style barbecue.
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Ok so from what everyone is saying I'm beginnning to wonder if New York to Miami is the best route... We can fly to most major airports in America. What road trip would people recommend?? The only conditions are we have 18 nights available and I we are now thinking we need at least 4 in New York. We want to fly to one place, drive (at least for a week), take internal flights if required, and leave from another place. New York is the only place we definitely want to go. I realise this is ridiculously vague but there was no reason for picking New York to Miami other than it is 2 places I know of and now it doesn't sound like that is a great plan!Rachel x
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Why do you want ot leave from another place?A possibility that comes to mind is loop through through New England.
Another is a loop from DC to teh Appalachians and south as far as Asheville, returning via Richmond and Fredericksburg.
But you should probably invest in a guidebook and a map.
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Ok, now it's 4 nights for NYC, then 14 for the rest.Get to DC, spend a couple nights. Then do roughly this loop. The loop will save you money on the rental car (much of the loop can be done as day trips from DC, if you prefer).
Fly to Charleston for the remainder.
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You might actually want to fly into Boston; it's a very "American" city with a bunch of history. Spend a couple of nights there and then go onto New York. I agree with the previous poster that 3 nights in NY is enough, but 4 isn't exactly overkill.Go down to Philadelphia. With a couple of nights there. See the Art Museum (have you seen Rocky? there are the steps he kept climbing up) and the Franklin Institute (science stuff and usually good traveling exhibits), the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall. The Eastern State Penitentiary is very interesting-one of the oldest jails in America. Then again, "old" in America is "new" in Europe. Eat a cheesesteak.
You might want to detour to see Atlantic City with its beach and casinos. It's a far cry from Vegas, but it's not bad.
Go to Gettysburg. See the battleground, do a ghost tour.
To Baltimore to see the Inner Harbor and Fort Henry (if you're interested in the American Revolution)
To Annapolis, a nice town on the water.
Then DC. Spend as much time here as you did in NY, esp. if you are into museums. Go the the American History museum and whatever Smithsonian museums interest you, and see all of the monuments. Maybe go to a soccer game here. Or you can go to baseball here or Philadelphia.
Head to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive and go onto Charleston, SC.
And then go onto Miami.
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Based on the interests you identified above (an un-English 10 or so days after NYC that includes mountains, beaches, history, and good eats), I'd suggest either (1) the routes discussed above that combine Carolinas/Georgia mountains and beach, or (2) after DC, head via the mountains to New Orleans and gulf coast. The second option involves a lot of driving, so it depends in part on how you feel about car time. If it was me, I'd stick to NY-Phila-DC-Richmond-Carolinas-return.BTW, in case you hadn't figured it out -- its "the" 5 or I-5 on the west coast, but "I-95" (no article) on the east coast. I'm not sure where the usage divides, probably about where the watersheds do.
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If you'll be in the U.S. during July 4, that's a national holiday (Independence Day). Many tourist attractions will be closed, and quite a few other things as well. It's a good time to see fireworks. If you end up away from a large city on the 4th, smaller towns often have an entire day of festivities--think pancake breakfast--parade--crafts fair--other low-key family fun (hamster races, frog-jumping contests, etc.)--concert--fireworks.Skip Atlantic City. New Jersey is one of the most densely populated states in the country, and hence beaches tend to be crowded. It's not a glamorous destination, either.
Weather will probably be hot and sticky everywhere.
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#23--I agree with you about Atlantic City but not about the Jersey Shore generally. Check out Cape May some time.
