4th thread on East Coast trip.

Old Aug 29th, 2014, 07:27 AM
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4th thread on East Coast trip.

Hi everyone,

First of all, I really appreciate all your advice and helpful tips.

And I am trying hard to become a more realistic person traveling with a wife and two little kids so I googled and tried to narrow down the list.

In doing so, I found out that Newport, RI can be a great addition after visits to busy cities like DC and New York. I like big cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles but at the same time, I like visiting Lake Tahoe kinda places for beautiful scenery and relax without too many crowds.

So I'm doing DC, New York and Rhode Island.

Under here, I have list of things my family wants to visit but please remember that for example like museums. There are so many but we will pick only one just to feel what it's like seeing masterpieces in person. So out of National Gallery of Art, DC, The Met, NY, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia and Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, we're visiting only one place. It can be the last one cuz instead of being in such famous and giant museum with so many people, we might be better off with rather small and less crowded museum. I may be wrong. Anyway, that's my concept of planning my trip. Same thing with zoos. We have Bronx zoo, NY, National Zoological Park, DC and Roger Williams Park Zoo, RI. I feel like visiting the last one with less crowd and we're not planning spending the whole day at the zoo or museums. Maybe half day at the most. So even if the list is long and ambitious, I will pick only one within the same category.

DC: 2-3 days
- National Gallery of Art
- Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool(In most of these memorials, we might stay there for like 10 mins to see them in person and to take a picture)
- Jefferson Memorial
- National Mall
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum(maybe spending a half day)
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History(Don't know if this is the one with many dinosuar skeleton exhibits like in the movies. Or the one in NY might be the one. We'll pick one)
- Tidal Basin
- National Zoological Park
- White House
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- FBI(just driving by to see the building in person and photo shoot op)
- Pentagon(same as FBI, not spending long time)
- Georgetown(shopping and people watching, couple hours so)
- Alexandria(same as Georgetown)

New York: 3-4 days

- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Central Park
- Ferry Rides to Staten Island or Governors Island (just to get closer to the Statue of Liberty and spend some time if we go to Governors Island. But, we can skip this ferry ride entirely if the lines are too long considering our limited time)
- Top of the Rock (visit there 1 hour before sunset to spend a couple hours up there)
- Empire State building (just to check the lobby and photo op)
- Brooklyn Bridge (wanna be in that specific street or avenue to take a picture of that famous bridge in the background)
- Grand Central Terminal (just to check or skip it)
- The High Line
- 9/11 Memorial
- West Village and Midtown(I don't know if I'm right, the neighborhood in Gossip Girl)
- Greenwich village
- Chrysler building
- Flatiron building
- Times Square at night time.
- Fifth Avenue (including FAO)
- New York Stock Exchange (Bull statue)
- Chelsea
- Meatpacking district
- Battery Park

Lot of places I have here are for just seeing it person and to feel what it's like being in there. Not spending too much time in one place. And if some of the places are hard to reach using Metro, we might save those places for last and drive by just to see them in person. And might skip entirely if we don't have time.

Philadelphia: skip entirely or half or one full day at the most

- Liberty Bell
- Philadelphia Museum of Art (if we decided to visit this one instead of other museums)
- Independence Hall
- Reading Terminal Market(maybe for lunch)

Rhode Island: 2-3 days

- Roger Williams Park Zoo
- Brown University
- Roger Williams Park
- All those great mansions (The Breakers, The Elms, Marble House and Rough Point so on)
- Ocean Drive
- Cliff Walk
- Castle Hill Lighthouse
- Brenton Point State Park

Scenic drive
to see changing leaves colors and make our drive a loop instead of going back and forth if we have time on the way from or to Dulles international to catch our flight. I read Best America's Fall Food Festivals and National Apple Harvest Festival seems intriguing but if it's too crowded and such a pain getting there, No. Anyone know good local farmer's market that opens once a week where there are good food and pony ride for kids, something like that. That might be good for kids.

For people reading my 4th thread, I have a family of four with my wife and 8 year old and less than 2 year old kids. My flight arrives in Dulles on Oct 1 at around 4:30 pm and leaves from Dulles on Oct 13 8 am. I can't change my flights and I already paid for rental vehicle so I have take my SUV wherever I go even if I'm leaving in a garage in New York or DC no matter what.

Thank you again for all your help and advice.
ghymn is offline  
Old Aug 29th, 2014, 07:48 AM
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So what are you asking? Since you have kids now, you have to "play it by ear" as the saying goes. You will see what you see and what you miss, you miss.

I take it you already have hotels situated in these places?

I think Newport is really nice. I've been there once and am going back next spring.

"National Apple Harvest Festival" is, according to Google, in Biglerville, PA 17307. About 90 miles from Washington, DC and 200 miles from NYC. Not convenient. Maybe you can find something like that in Rhode Island NEAR Newport. You can always check with the hotel on that sort of thing when you get there.
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Old Aug 29th, 2014, 08:08 AM
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Just did the Cliff Walk last week. I didn't see too many toddlers! About half a mile of the walk (toward the southern end) is done over boulders. No need to scramble but you will have a few small jumps. Thus -- no strollers. I think the three and one-half mile walk would be too much for the two-year old. The eight year old should be fine. You might consider walking just a portion of the trail starting from the north end (First Beach). There are several exits to side streets along the way.
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Old Aug 29th, 2014, 11:25 AM
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I have posted on these threads several times - and won't go over again the points I made before.

I just want to point out one thing (and I'm assuming you are sticking with the idea of going to Woodbuty Common and going to the farthest point and returning from there:

Oct 1 Arrive Dulles at 4:30 PM - drive to Woodbury Commons arriving late at night

Oct 2 Shopping and drive to Rhode Island
Oct 3 At RI
Oct 4
Oct 5
Oct 6
Oct 7
Oct 8
Oct 9
Oct 10
Oct 11 DC
Oct 12 DC
Oct 13 Depart Dulles early am (sleep at airport_
nytraveler is offline  
Old Aug 29th, 2014, 11:26 AM
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Sorry - computer glitch

I have posted on these threads several times - and won't go over again the points I made before.

I just want to point out one thing (and I'm assuming you are sticking with the idea of going to Woodbuty Common and going to the farthest point and returning from there:

Oct 1 Arrive Dulles at 4:30 PM - drive to Woodbury Commons arriving late at night

Oct 2 Shopping and drive to Rhode Island
Oct 3 At RI
Oct 4
Oct 5
Oct 6
Oct 7
Oct 8
Oct 9
Oct 10
Oct 11 DC
Oct 12 DC
Oct 13 Depart Dulles early am (sleep at airport_
nytraveler is offline  
Old Aug 29th, 2014, 11:28 AM
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I give up - something wrong with enter.

Point is layout the days - leaving room for driving from one place to another - at least an hour more than google directions considering 2 kids.

I think you have fewer days than you think most places.
nytraveler is offline  
Old Aug 30th, 2014, 05:11 AM
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Computer glitch seems to be fixed.

I have posted on these threads several times - and won't go over again the points I made before.

I just want to point out one thing (and I'm assuming you are sticking with the idea of going to Woodbuty Common and going to the farthest point and returning from there:

Oct 1 Arrive Dulles at 4:30 PM - drive to Woodbury Commons arriving late at night

Oct 2 Shopping and drive to Rhode Island
Oct 3 At RI
Oct 4
Oct 5
Oct 6 NY
Oct 7 NY
Oct 8 NY am - drive philly PM
Oct 9 PHILLY AM, DRIVE DC PM
Oct 10 DC
Oct 11 DC
Oct 12 DC
Oct 13 Depart Dulles early am (sleep at airport)
nytraveler is offline  
Old Sep 1st, 2014, 05:44 AM
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You are covering lots of ground in your sightseeing. Just one thing. Remember that youngsters ages 8 and 2 can get bored and crabby real quick. Especially traveling, i.e., not in their own comfy beds. So along with places to see you might consider kiddy stuff to do!
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Old Sep 1st, 2014, 06:00 AM
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There is an even more recent thread on the subject if you can believe it.
vjpblovesitaly is offline  
Old Sep 1st, 2014, 09:32 AM
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I am losing my mind trying to keep up with all your threads - good idea to label this as the 4th so we can find the 5th and 6th.

A good general framework. Some random comments. I would pick the National Zoo in DC over the other 2 zoos in an instant.

It is almost impossible to get inside the White House unless you are a US citizen. One has to go thru their US Representative in Congress, and while there is some way to request if you are not from US, it does not work very well. In DC I would consider paying for a tour of the Monuments - they drive by some and stop at others. Good way to see a lot of the City.

Do not drive yourself around NYC or DC. Either take public transit, taxis, or - and this is what I would suggest - but passes on one of the hop on-hop off trolleys. They give you some history in the narration and you can decide what you want to see based on your interests and how the kids are feeling at that moment.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 01:43 PM
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I think that you need to sit down with your wife and go over the itineraries you have given us in all your posts and really think about what states you want to visit. You are not being realistic trying to see and do so much with a 2 yr. old, the 8 yr. old will be fine!

Newport, RI is a wonderful place to visit, we go there all the time. However, as noted, the Cliff Walk is not along an even surface and climbing is involved so don't think I would advise doing the walk w/ the 2 yr. old. Perhaps you or your wife could split up and take the 8 yr. old on the walk, it's spectacular looking out at the ocean from the walk.

http://www.newportmansions.org/
You could do one of the mansion tours and then go to Brenton Point State Park (there is an entry fee for beach parking) and have a picnic lunch. Pick up some lobster rolls and enjoy the views.

You should really make reservations for lodging in Newport as this is still a popular tourist season there. Hotels are expensive!

Going to Roger Williams Park & Zoo would be backtracking from Newport if you are planning to drive back to DC for your flights. I would skip Providence and the RW Zoo entirely as you are planning other zoo visits. We have taken our children there many times when they were younger and it's a very small scale zoo so wouldn't suggest you spend your time going there.

Is there a particular reason you want to see Brown Univerity? Again, to visit Providence is backtracking. Your time would be better spent in DC (it's a wonderful place to see so much and hands on for kids).

You are still trying to jam in too much in your visit and think all you are doing is rushing from point A to point B and not taking time to enjoy all the wonderful sights you can see.

Shopping - save that to the end, as noted you are setting yourself up for having your car broken into by thieves!

We have done much traveling throughout the country and world and we always tried to see and do too much. We have learned to narrow down our choices, see less, and take in the beauty of it all! Your kids will appreciate it as well.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 03:55 PM
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Country Inn Suites Long Island City for New York.

Hampton Inn Alexandria or Hometown Suites Alexandria near DC (and hurry, availability near DC is already limited on your dates).
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