1

You need to use Google to see how many miles there are between the points that you have mentioned. No way that you could include a drive back to NYC from Austin, TX, or Denver, CO, and still have time to sightsee.

If you like museums, then Washington, D.C., would fill the bill. You could either fly or take a cheap, express bus there from NYC. Plan to spend at least two days in Washington. Then drive north to see Philadelphia. Hurricane Sandy was very destructive along the East Coast, so don't plan to include Atlantic City, New Jersey, and northward through New York's Long Island and Staten Island. You would not have time for Boston and Cape Cod was probably also affected by the hurricane. Spend the rest of the week sightseeing and walking around in New York City.

2

Thanks for the advice!
I was not planning to go to the places from the first list by car. I need extra miles until the end of the year to upgrade my status with the airline, so the idea is to buy a two-way ticket for 3 days to one of these places, then get back to NYC by plane again, rent a car for the rest of the week and travel somewhere near NYC.
But if the East Coast has been affected by the hurricane so much, maybe I should spend more time in Chicago/Austin/Denver/wherever I choose to go before NYC..

3

Hi,
I grew up outside of Philadelphia (Philly) currently live outside NY and have visited your “Places to go by car,” numerous times. I go to those places in the family car but
1. I don’t have to rent it
2. There are 3-4 in my travel group.
If you’re travelling alone to those places, a car is just an expensive way to keep your schedule flexible.

So,
Starting in NYC and having 4-5 days (plus or minus your “airport day” at the end of your trip) what to do this December (which is not far away)? Is that the question?
.

Boston
It's about 4 hours from NYC, same as Washington DC.

If you enjoy US history, Boston is the place. You won’t need a car to get there, nor to get around in Boston, but a car would be very useful for side trips such as Plymouth (I liked it), Lexington-Concord, or Salem (I've never been there.) Historical sites are far more interesting if you know a little about the history ahead of time. Lemme know if you want me to recommend some DVDS.

In Boston proper, 2 full days should probably suffice, but then there are several days of worthwhile side trips. Cape Cod in December? I’d avoid it.
.

Philly-DC
You really won’t need a car to see or get to Philadelphia and given that you’ve got 4-5 days I’d skip the side trips. Philly is kind of a love-it-or-hate-it location. It has (only) 3-4 major sites, mostly history related. The rest is about enjoying the flamboyant color of its tough, working class, sports-loving residents.

In Washington DC, a car just gets in the way, (you pay to store it.) It is worthwhile for side trips (Baltimore, Mt. Vernon etc.) but if do DC plus side trips that will take our entire 4-5 days.

If you let me know your interests, I might be able to suggest sites within each city.
.
~Bob

Edited by: LongIslandBob

4

Oh, and since I personally was hit by the hurricane I can help out there too.

A few towns, like Breezy Point and mastic Beach were devastated. Same thing with low-lying areas of New Jersey Staten Island etc.. Those people will be years in recovery and if anyone here can reach out and help them that would be saintly.

Seriously, in isolated areas, the storm was Katrina like.

For the other 90% of us life is back to normal. Jobs, schools and travel points are all the way they were before the storm. Travel is open.

5

From NYC, you wouldn't need a car to go to Boston. You can travel by Amtrak or bus. You don't want or need a car in Boston.

Cape Cod in December would not be a good use of your limited time. It's more of a summer destination. It's also a place that needs at least a few days to explore.

Philly and Washington DC are also easy without a car.

For a flying destination, consider New Orleans. Stay in the French Quarter. Keep in mind that most of the time you can book a "round trip" ticket starting in NYC and returning to Boston (or DC or Philly) and the fare will be about the same as a round trip back to NYC.

6

Thanks!
Can anyone else also comment the flying destinations?

7

Agree with suggestion on Boston - you can easily get a bus to Boston and visit the major sites in the city without a car. Massachusetts was not really affected by Hurricane Sandy but going to the Cape in December is a bit disappointing, unless its Provincetown which is still active.

With one week you could easily spend time in Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philly and not be bored. Only places to really avoid would be NJ shore as it got pretty devastated by storm.

8

Yeah.
Right now I'm dreaming of Miami.

9

I live in Washington, DC. You only have a week and planning way too much! I would suggest a few days in NYC, then take Amtrak to Philly for a few days then Amtrak to Washington perhaps stopping off in Baltimore for a night, the Inner Harbor is quite nice and great seafood. From Washington fly back to NY, try JetBlue though they are mostly IAD to JFK and IAD is quite a ways outside DC but they are a great airline. Otherwise the US Airways or Delta shuttles from DCA to LGA is probably more convenient. In DC you can take the subway (Metro) to DCA. Flight time is only about 35 minutes and flights usually less than $100 one way. You do not need a car in any of these cities.

10

Speaking of "way too much." You say a "few" days in xNYC, then a "few" days in Philly. At minimum, that's 6 days. Then you tack on a night in xBaltimore. That's 7 days. Of an 8 day trip. Where is the time for DC, which you say they should also visit?

11

I'm not sure where you stand on the planning for this near-term trip, but I don't understand why you'd rent a car for the second half of the trip. That is, if we posit you're going to fly to somwhere outside of NYC, why also tack on drriving out of NYC, which is a congested area that now has the autumn bleak that I assume is readily available in your native (per profile) Russia. So I see two reasonable options given your air miles situation:

1) Skip tourism time in NYC. Fly right out to somewhere else, maybe rent a car there or maybe not depending on where and what. New Orleans was a good suggestion. Could add NatchezTrace (I've never been to NT but it looks great). Or Miami. Or Charleston, Savannah. Flying southerly or west from NYC makes the most sense seasonally and in terms of skipping places that it would be relatively easy/cheap to visit on a future visit arriving from across the Atlantic. Puerto Rico?

2) Shorten the flyway and spend time in NYC, no car rental.

I have an open thread on the East Europe/Caucuses branch re a possible family trip to Russia. If you have any reciprocal advice please let me know.

12

Bzookaj, last I checked days don't mean nights. Ever heard of 2 nights/3 days? It gets even crazier than that with only 70-80 minute train trip between NY and Philly and Philly and Baltimore and just 45 from Baltimore to DC you can actually do things in two cities on the same day! Imagine that! However in rereading Virusman's original post it doesn't sound like he wants to spend any time in NY but fly right out then back in 3-4 days and rent a car and do something till he flies home. It also appears he's getting ready to fly tomorrow and is coming from Russia which is at least 9 hours ahead in time, depending on where in Russia he is. I think at this point likely he's made his plans, is packed and in bed! So it would seem pointless to continue any kind of constructive suggestions for his trip at this point.

Virusman, post a message when you get back and let us know what you ended up doing and how it was. Hope you have a great trip.

13

You missed the point. When the time limit is a week (8 days max, but two are likely only half days), and the suggestions for two cities already uses 6 days, minimum ("few" is generally 3-5 or 6), adding two more cities for what is at best 1.5 days becomes "way to much." Hence my comment.

14

Thanks for all your suggestions!
I ended up with this plan:
1,2 dec - stay in NY (don't rent a car)
3-5 dec - rent a car and go to Philadelphia or Washington or wherever the time permits (this part is not set in stone yet - I'll talk with a friend in NY when I arrive and decide)
5 dec - flight to Austin, 2 full days there
returning 8th to NY and then back to Moscow on 9th

Maybe I should've taken more days in Austin, but anyway, I hope everything works out. My flight is in 9 hours and I only have a few hours to sleep. Thanks everyone!