We are planning to fly from California to Maine in the fall, rent a car and begin in northern Maine where we hope to see the beautiful fall colors. Then we'll drive south, along the coast to Georgia. We hope two weeks will be enough time to see all things historical. Any suggestions?
2007-07-23 08:07:00 · 6 answers · asked by ArRo 6 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Other - United States
Thanks so much for the suggestions everybody!
Wanderkind: Are you a travel agent? We copied your nice answer and plan to use it with our itinerary. Thanks!
2007-07-23 09:23:01 · update #1
Wow, what a great trip!
I've always loved Maine's Acadia National Park, but it is probably north of where you will fly into and slightly out of the way.
If your major interest is history I highly recommend spending time in Boston and Philadelphia, which have very compact historical districts from the colonial/ Revolutionary War period. In Boston, follow the Freedom Trail.
In Philadelphia, don't miss the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Elfreth's Alley is one of the oldest lanes in the US. You can also visit the Betsy Ross house (Betsy sewed the first American flag). Don't forget to try a Philly cheesesteak!
In NYC, visit the Statue of Liberty. Pay respects at Ground Zero. If you have ancestors from Europe, you might be interested in Ellis Island.
In Baltimore you can visit Fort McHenry, the site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem. http://www.nps.gov/fomc/ (Try Baltimore crab--or if you don't like fighting with your food, go for the crab cakes.)
Although we love to gripe about our politicians, seeing the seat of federal government is awe inspiring. Don't miss the DC mall. Admission to public buildings is still free. (Your tax dollars at work!) Don't miss the Smithsonian (there are several museums), Lincoln Memorial. Great view from the top of Washington Memorial. I'm not sure what the wait times or security issues are for visits to White House and Congress, but worth it depending on your time and level of interest.
Civil War sites like Gettysburg and Appamattox are farther west and not strictly on the coastal route, but if you're a Civil War buff you might want to go out of the way.
Williamsburg VA has a great historical recreation village.
Charleston, SC is also very historical, you can visit Fort Sumter where the Civil War began.
http://www.nps.gov/fosu/
http://www.civilwarwalk.com/
Good Luck! I hope you can fit it all in!
2007-07-23 08:39:54 · answer #1 · answered by wanderkind 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Two weeks may be cramped, because there are many great stops along that particular road. Just off the top of my head...
* Take a little detour to Boothbay Harbor in Maine, and see the famed rocky coast. Classic Maine.
* You know about all of the history in Boston.
* Newport's mansions are intoxicating to some.
* There's always something to do in New York, of course.
* Take the tour of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and run up the steps of the Art Museum.
* Washington is loaded with attractions, and many are free. Take a walk on the mall, for sure.
* Jamestown is worth seeing, especially in the 400th anniversary year.
* Charlestown, SC, is quite pretty, and it's a nice boat ride to Fort Sumter.
* Savannah has a interesting waterfront as well; you feel like you are in the Old South.
And I haven't scratched the surface. Check out the Web site below and some travel books. Wish I could come along.
2007-07-23 12:27:53 · answer #2 · answered by wdx2bb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Above answer is great for the north. Now south of D.C. take hyway 13 by the Chesapeake Bay, take a boat trip if you have time. Visit Virginia Beach and Portsmouth. There are many neat things to see between Port. and Wilmington. Then on to Myrtle Beach. Great fun and seafood. Actually the seafood is great all along this trip. Make sure you visit Charleston and Savannah. I don't know what else to see on the Georgia coast. I have not been there.
2007-07-23 08:55:29 · answer #3 · answered by curious connie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without a doubt the 3 best places to visit would be New York City, Washington, DC and Boston.
2016-05-21 02:34:34 · answer #4 · answered by hilda 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely Boston and Philly both are very historical and you can see the majority of the "hot spots" in a day. Of course D.C. is great and most things are free!
For smaller locales there's always Atlantic City, and the Outer Banks of NC. Charleston, SC and Myrtle Beach, SC.
2007-07-23 08:40:49 · answer #5 · answered by mama_mia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to Jamestown
2007-07-23 08:18:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋