East coast road trip, where should I go?

Question

It would be a family trip. Me, husband, and three kids. (12 yrs,7yrs, 7 mos).

We will be going in about 3 - 4 weeks.

The cost is not a big issue. We aren't millionaires, but for the most part, money is not an issue.

We want to drive, and stay close to the east coast. This needs to be a leisurely trip. No pressure to stay on a timeline, we will obviously need to make a lot of stops because of the kids.

We want to go for 4 - 5 days, and it doesn't matter if it's weekdays or weekends.

any suggestions?

I should mention that I don't want to go anywhere in NJ. Been all over in NJ, and seen everything (pretty much)

Answer 1

HI! I lived in NJ for a short time after college and then came back to NH. New Hampshire and Maine are two gems that your kids should really see. I spend a ton of time in both but i'll elaborate on NH for now. I am in Rochester and my family loves to ski so we spend a lot of time in the mountains. Since it's summer you can take your kids up to the quaint little town of North Conway nestled in the mountains and from there you can head out in a number of directions. Not far from there is Mt Washington, famous for it's weather and being the highest point in the Northeast. Mountains above 5000 feet are everywhere in the region and the roads through them have endless views. The Kangamaugus Highway is a great scenic 35 mile trip with views to the north and south. In the area you will find;

1 The Flume
2 Mt Washington
3 North Conway
4 Cathedral Ledge
5 Glen Ellis Falls
6 1000's of hiking trails!
7 Cannon Tram to the top of Cannon
8 Loon Mt Tram
9 Drive up Mt Washington


There really is so much more than this ..it's a kids paradise ..as long as they like nature and beauty in a laid back atmosphere. I lived in NJ and felt the rat race for a short time...this is exactly the opposite type of feel...you will have a relaxing time in NH. This was only the Mountains and North Conway..we have the ocean too and the rocky coast of Maine with it's beautiful homes and summer time fun. It took me about 5 hours from Jobstown NJ to rochester so where ever you are it shouldn't be that bad. Prob 7 hours or so to the Mtns. Hope you make it up here this summer so your kids can write about it when they get back to school!

Answer 2

You're not going to see a lot of the east coast in 4-5 days if you're not in a big hurry. I think that the responder from Williamsburg made a lot of good suggestions. They steered you away from Virginia Beach, but that is an option too. Norfolk, VA is a nice little city. And at the northern terminus of their suggested stopping places was Washington, DC which I always enjoy. Fredericksburg, VA, just south of there is nice.

A couple of more links below.

Answer 3

Touring the Maine coast would use up 4-5 days easily.
Visit Old Orchard Beach, the lighthouses, the observatory in Portland, Boothbay Harbor...

Answer 4

Newport, RI (Gorgeous Mansions)
Boston, MA
Cape Cod/Nantucket/Martha's Vineyard
Washington, DC
Hilton Head, SC
Philadelphia, PA
NYC, NY
Groton, CT (Nuclear Submarine)
Mystic, CT
Savannah, GA
Cape Canaveral, FL (Kennedy Space Center)
Jamestown, VA

Answer 5

Go to the Sea Mist Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC. Water park, pools, and right by the beach to boot. Family Kingdom less than two miles away. Have a blast.

Answer 6

Go to Wally World!! Err I mean Cedar Point in Ohio.


Also check out mamouth caves, cant remember which state, Hershey Factory in Pennsylvania.

Answer 7

Williamsburg, VA to the Eastern Shore of VA/MD is a lovely road trip. However, it's much better if you can do it during the week to avoid crowds.
Check out these sites:
http://www.4adventure.com/bgw/default_destination.aspx (Busch Gardens for the kids)
http://www.watercountryusa.com/water_country/va/ (Water Country USA)
http://www.history.org/ (Colonial Williamsburg)
http://www.easternshorevirginiaportal.com/ (Eastern Shore)
http://www.chincoteague.com/
http://www.cherrystoneva.com/

Answer 8

How about the west coast? Michigan's west coast, that is. It is very beautiful with lots of fun things to do. See link below.

Answer 9

Philly is a great city...not too expensive and every bit as good as NYC...and safer than Washington DC. plus in the summer you are near Atlantic City and the shore...the boardwalk, etc.

Answer 10

NOPE SORRY