1st Time - DC-Williamsburg-Gettysburg-Philadelphia-NYC-Boston-DC

[DesertMirage]

Hi All!

I just joined this most excellent site tonight. I happened to find it using a Google search. I am very impressed with the members and the feedback that I've read already.

I am planning a roadtrip for this coming May, 2009 for 13 full days and two days left for air travel from CA to DC roundtrip. There are two of us taking this 1st time adventure and we'd like to see the following cities: Washington D.C., Williamsburg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Provincetown, Atlantic City and then return to DC for the return flight home.

I anticipate spending 4 days in DC, 1 Day in Philadelphia, 3 Days in NYC, 1 Day Boston, 1 Day Provincetown, 1 Day combo Williamsburg/Richmond, 1 Day Gettysburg/Hershey and 1 Day somewhere in transit between Provincetown and DC.

If anyone has an idea or suggestions on making this into a successful and rewarding trip, I'd really appreciate your thoughts. I know I am cramming quite a bit into a relatively short period, but I don't plan on returning to the area for several more years.

Thanks in advance!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

You only have 13 days to explore the east coast and you then say you've already allotted each of those 13 days to one city or another, But it will take you three full days of driving to cover the distances between all the different places you plan to visit. You simply have to give up something to get three days back. Now I can't tell you what's more important to you or what you should cut out. That's up to you and your family, I will suggest that since your itinerary seems to be geared towards an emphasis on history, that you cut out the New York and Boston portion, gaining you 8 days, or even just the Boston portion, Then you can use that 'extra' time in other historic venues in the Middle Atlantic states: Yorktown, Jamestown, Antietam, Monmouth, Trenton, Manassas, Mount Vernon, the Shenandoah Valley, Brandywine Battlefield.....

In short, just as you thought, I think you and your companion would be better served with a less hectic exploration of a smaller area in a bit more detail. Just as it would be a shame to come all this way and miss things in New England that you might not get back to for quite a while, it would be a shame to miss all the things in Virginia through New Jersey that your current plan also bypasses, or even worse, to 'miss' everything because you're just running from place to place to check sites off a list.

AZBuck

[DesertMirage]

Thanks for your response AZBuck!

I appreciate your feedback and know that I am truly overloading this trip with a big agenda.

I originally wasn't planning on adding Williamsburg or Charlottesville to the trip. However a friend said that they should be places to see. My thoughts are that I'd only be in Williamsburg for a few hours. The reason for heading to Charlottesville would be to see Thomas Jefferson's home. After that taking the drive through the Shenandoah Valley on the way for an overnight stay in Gettysburg.

The last 4 -5 days of the trip would be to stay in Washington D.C. so that would give us a chance to unwind from the constant driving we would do at the beginning.

[glc]

You can see Williamsburg and Charlottesville as "day trips" from Washington. Staying in a southern Virginia suburb would facilitate this.