East Coast USA May RECOMMENDATIONS NEEDED
Posted by Mackenziejoy13@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 4 comments
My husband and I (23F + 25M) are planning on going to the East Coast from Mid May through Memorial Day weekend. We are fast paced budget travelers (we know this trip is fast and will cost a lot but gotta do what you gotta do with limited pto). We are getting a rental car after we're in NYC but here is our itinerary + recommendations needed:
DC- 1 Full Day
Philly- 1 Full Day
NYC- 2.5 Days
Portland- 1 Day
Bar Harbor- 1 Day
Boston- 2 Days
New Haven/Mystic/Newport- 1 Day
DC: What Smithsonian museums are a must? Should we set aside time for Georgetown? What time is the best time to see the National Mall? Is Arlington Cemetery a must?
Philly: Where is the best philly cheeseteak? How long do we need at Reading Terminal Market and what food should we get there? Is Magic Garden a must? What historical sites besides Liberty Bell should be a priority with little time we have?
NYC: What food do we need to try? Are Golden Diner/Katz's Deli a must? Do we need reservations at anything? Is Great Gatsby a fun musical to see? Best way to sail by Statue of Liberty?
Portland: Where is the best lobster roll? What things should we see in old port/wharf street?
Bar Harbor: Is Cadillac Mountain a must? What top sights should we see in Acadia? Where are the best blueberry desserts to try?
Boston: Is a Red Sox game something we should do? How long should we set aside for Freedom Trail? Is Quincy Market/Boston Public Market better/Which has better food? Should we go to Isabella Gardner museum?
New Haven/Mystic/Newport: This will be on a saturday of Memorial Day weekend- what city should we prioritize? We are spending the night in New Haven so what pizza places should we try? What to see in Mystic and Newport?
Other Questions: What should we see in Salem, Portsmouth and Camden for a quick stop? Are there any other towns we should stop in? Is Kennebunkport or Ogunquit a must?
Lizflower7@reddit
Got it! I have driven NYC --> Bar Harbor, NYC --> Portland, and NYC --> Bos as well as New Haven--> Newport. It is a LOT of time on the road with the drive being quite stressful and not super scenic for much of the time. Add 25% more time to whatever google maps is telling you.
If those cities are all Must Do, then go for it, but it will be very rushed. Newport and Mystic will both be absolute gridlock on Saturday of MDW. Particularly with Newport, you'll spend half your day just getting into town. If you must go, Pick one, not both. I LOVE New Haven but it might be a disappointment after so much time in bigger cities. (Hit the Pantry from breakfast or Bar for pizza!) Again, traffic will be a nightmare that weekend so adjust your expectations.
If it were me, I'd skip Philly and RI/CT in favor of more time in Maine. Or, cut out maine and spend more time in Philly/southern NE.
FINALLY - I spent many years renting cars in NYC. Best deals involve picking up at either LGA or JFK and dropping off at the other. I used the price tracker on Autoslash to find the best deal.
Lizflower7@reddit
Where are your start and end points?
Mackenziejoy13@reddit (OP)
Starting in DC + Picking up rental car in NYC and ending in NYC
Zealousideal_Crow737@reddit
OP, logistically how are you managing driving all of this, combined Memorial Day traffic, and having time in a day to visit any of this? There are not enough hours in the day to do any of this and you'll find that you're going to spend the majority of this trip literally sitting in a car being bored in bumper to bumper traffic.
I strongly advise more days or choosing an area and listening to the advice of people who actually live here. It's quite common for out of towners to heavily underestimate the traffic in New England.
If you want to see New England, and by that I mean, the highways, then this is perfect for you!
I am from CT and live in Boston. I take the Amtrak home. On Memorial Day weekend, a 2 hour drive can become 4 or 5.
I really don't understand how you think you can be "fast-paced" and "budget-friendly" when oil prices are quite high and you're just sitting there doing nothing. Please consider Amtrak.