Baltimore
Annapolis
New York
Newport, RI
Boston
Portland, ME

Philadelphia

add to the list: Portsmouth NH
How long do you have? You could visit Newport, Boston, Portsmouth AND Portland.

Philadelphia meets all of your criteria...in abundance. (And the history is not all just Revolutionary War era, either--although there's a lot of "can't miss" sites for that.) I'll copy and paste a response I did recently that has some links for the city:

For food that's local to the area, here's a good read:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/and-nowthe-100-best-things-to-eat-in-philadelphia.cfm

Here's one on things to do in the city:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/philadelphia-for-three-days-what-are-the-must-sees-and-dos.cfm
and another:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/advice-on-philadelphia-itinerary.cfm

This is a "trip report" of one day of multi-cultural ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/egg-rolls-at-930-in-the-morning.cfm

You'll find a lot of information at www.visitphilly.com

For transportation, visit www.septa.org

I'll be happy to try to answer any questions you may have; there are a lot of places in the area that aren't even touched on in the links above, but this is a good start!

I second Boston and New York City.

I'd try to answer your question, but the phrase "water front" is ambiguous. Both New York City and Charleston SC are harbors, but what you find at these harbors is QUITE different from each other.

Do you just like to stand in an urban setting and look out over a body of water? Or do you want something quaint and charming while standing there?

If the former, just about any major harbor on the Atlantic will suffice. If the latter, the choices narrow considerably.

Thanks for all the great feedback!!

We are looking for a quaint, charming coastal type.. not looking to be in the water just good sea food and shopping but with great charm. something like Boston but maybe another city..

Any specific hotels? Old with charm.. again.

Does it have to be an American city? How about Quebec, the Old City? It's on the St. Lawrence. Gorgeous part of the province. Or Halifax, Nove Scotia? Really, the possibilities are indeed endless.

> neat historic places to visit
> good sea food and shopping but with great charm

Charleston SC
Savannah GA
Halifax NS
Quebec City
Newport RI
Annapolis MD
Halfway between Newport News and Williamsburg VA (neither place has ALL of these, but each has what the other lacks)