I love travelling. It's one of my most favorite things to do. Seeing new places, the culture, how it differs from where I live here in the lowcountry. It's simply amazing. Most of my spare money goes towards travelling and the next big place on my bucket list are the New England states.
The New England states in the Fall as a matter of fact. Imagine visiting Salem, Massachusetts (where the witch trials were held) during the month of October. Wouldn't that be crazy?!
Sure, we have pumpkin patches down here, but imagine the piles and piles of pumpkins and hay bales and endless fall foliage the north east gets. Tarl and I have talked about visiting my Uncle, who lives in Boston, for years. We've been invited, but the timing has always been off or we have had other vacations planned elsewhere, but that "Boston" talk has gotten more frequent in our home the past few months and as of yesterday, we got our road trip plans set for when that time comes.
We aren't sure if we will be able to go next Fall since we're doing Disney next Spring. Let's face it, a road trip, albeit a lot less than Disney, can still be quite pricey once you factor in gas, food, and hotel costs, but if the budget allows we may just make the trek come next October.
One of the most difficult tasks in planning a road trip is deciding where to stop and what to see along the way. I don't know about you, but finding the right hotel to fit your families needs, along with visiting a town that has things to do and fun for everyone, it's not as simple a task as it may seem.
With that being said, I did my research; I talked with Tarl about the things he (from a mans perspective) wanted to see, asked Cadence (from a child's point of view) what she would like to see, and than of course, my own wants from the trip. I collaborated them and then planned out what our trip will be.
Without further adieu, here's our itinerary from the South Carolina lowcountry to Massachusetts and everywhere in between...
Leaving on a Friday and starting the return home the following Saturday.
On Friday we would leave SC and head towards Washington, DC, our nations capitol. Let's face it, there is plenty to see and do in D.C. and for Cadence, a lot of great information to learn, so we want to make sure we spend at least an entire day exploring the city.
The drive from SC to DC is anywhere from 7-8 hours, so make sure you grab your Venti White Chocolate Mocha, a lot of magazines, coloring books, and a lot of travel goodies to keep everyone in the car occupied, because it isn't a short drive. Another tip is to try your best and leave early that morning. When we go, we will leave at around 6am. This way we beat the morning traffic in most heavily populated cities and if no heavy traffic is encountered, it puts us in Washington at around 2PM. Check into your hotel and start exploring!
Hotels in Washington are stunning, but my most favorite going off of pictures and reviews is the Hay-Adams, which is a quick walk to the White House.
Some more options:
Similar to New York, hotels in Washington can be quite costly, and in most cases, you have to pay for parking as well, but keep in mind location. Sure, you can stay in a lot less expensive hotel, but how far away is it from the major attractions that you will be looking at? Is it in a safe neighborhood? Etc.
Did you know you could tour the White House? That's right! You can actually go inside the White House, where our leader of the free world resides. You have to submit your request through your member of congress and the earlier the better. If we end up going next October, I will want to submit our request in April, but no later than at least 21 days in advance, but I wouldn't wait that long to do so. Like most vacation planning, the earlier, the better! More info here.
The White House would be our #1 stop for Washington. I may not be a huge fan of our current President, but it would be amazing to see the inside of the White House.
Other places that are a must do for our Washington, DC stop:
Lincoln Memorial
Fords Theatre
Smithsonian
Jefferson Memorial
Tidal Basin
Washington Monument
Saturday evening we would grab a nice dinner and have one last sleep in Washington, DC before saying goodbye on Sunday morning.
Some restaurants that look appetizing in Washington:
The Lafayette (located in the Hay-Adams)
On Sunday morning we make our way towards the home of the Cheesesteak, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a short 2 hour drive from Washington.
I honestly don't have much on my list for Philly, but if you are interested I hear the Philadelphia Zoo is amazing. It's not a must on our list, but it's noted, dependent upon travel time. The top thing on our Philadelphia list is to try an authentic Cheesesteak. Order one from Pat's and one from Geno's and compare the two. The Liberty Bell is another must.
As large as Philly is, it's a quick stop for us.
So with your cheesesteak ate, and Liberty Bell pics posted on your Facebook page, it's time to head to our Sunday evening hotel two hours away, in New York City.
We plan to spend Sunday night, all day Monday, and Monday night in the city. Taking in the typical sights with Cadence and visiting all the spots that she has seen on TV and wants to visit. On Tuesday morning, after we grab our coffee and croissant and take in the last bits of New York it's time to head to Boston to see our family. The trip from NYC to Boston is around 4 hours, just in case you were wondering. That's the great thing about road trips. If you break down your stops, the car rides don't seem as bad. It's all about planning them accordingly.
As far as NYC hotels go, as well as restaurants and attractions, you can look back at the trip we took in March, here (and FYI, I know the pictures aren't in a lot of that old post. I have sinced changed my photo settings in google, but unfortunately a lot of old photos from previous posts are gone) or stay tuned because I'll be sure and do a trip recap once my sister and I return from our trip. I still cannot believe our NYC vacation is just a few weeks away!
We plan to spend Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with my Uncle and his family. Taking in the sights of Boston, visiting his town, travelling to Salem, and other major landmarks that are in close range.
If you don't have family in the Boston area, here are some hotels that look wonderful!
Salem, MA things to do:
Boston, MA things to do:
Another short ride (1.5 hours) from Boston is Providence, Rhode Island. Another state I would love to see. Here are some things to do in the area...
On Saturday morning, we would say our goodbyes and make the long journey home. We will stop and stretch our legs and grab a quick bite to eat along the way, but all in all, we would try and make the drive the entire way. That way, we can sleep back in our own bed.
I truly hope we get to make this trip next year, but if not, it's for sure on our list for fall 2017!
xo
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