Should I spend 3 or 4 nights in Chicago and 4 or 5 nights in Boston in July?

Question

My family and I (3 kids and parents(5 of us) are going from Australia to USA for a holiday/vacation.

We can either spend 3 nights in Chicago and 5 nights in Boston or 4 nights in Chicago and 4 nights in Boston. What should we do? We are spending 3 nights in Sandusky, Ohio so we get nearly 3 full days at Cedar Point.

Also should we spend 2 or 3 nights in New Braunfels Texas (at schlitterbahn area). Should we spend 3 nights in New Braunfels and 2 nights in HOuston or 2 night in New Braunfels and 3 nights in Houston?

Also, is 5 days enough in New York (we have limited time...less than 4 weeks in the US) in July.

Should we fly or take the train from Boston to New York and New York to Washington DC?

Please help us.

We want to also get to a few museums in chicago, boston, new york and washington dc. Which are musts? Where are they located?

Also, what else should we do?

Answer 1

I may be biased because I live in Chicago, but I believe you should try to spend the most time you can in Chicago, which I believe is the greatest city in the world. Nothing gets boring there. The must see museums are Science and Industry and also the Field Museum. I'm not sure on the exact locations of the two, searching on www.mapquest.com would get you the locations. Don't miss out on the Sears tower or John Hancock building, its pretty cheap to go to the top, its a great view up there. Also be sure to visit Navy Pier, it will be beautiful around that time of the year. The new millenium park thing by the lake is also beautiful. No matter what you do, you cant go wrong in Chicago.

p.s. GREAT FOOD!

Answer 2

Split your time evenly between Chicago and Boston -- I've always found Chicago rather brash, service rather poor, the people less than helpful and the accent rather impenetrable at times. I can think of much nicer parts of the US to spend time in.

Five days will give you a good taste of NY.

Train is an interesting way to travel but generally slow and outmoded. A time trip back to the 1930s in many cases. Interesting from a sociological point of view in terms of studying the sort of people who travel by train and in getting a view of the run-down ghetto areas of the US from the relative safety of an enclosed vehicle.

Answer 3

the only advise I can give you is to stop and take a minute you are over planning your vac, you are making it stressfull
at the end you will be too tired by the time you get back home you will need another vac
so relax, I live in boht NY & Boston (great cities ) lots to see
as for the decission btw flying & train - flying might be best because you don't have much time
Good luck