Cranachin

How close are you to these cousins? Baltimore is about 60-70 km from Washington, DC. It might be possible for them to come down one day to tour with you, or at least one evening for dinner.

Doesn't hurt to ask them!

ggreen

I was going to suggest that you could stop there between DC and Philly - but I like Cranachin's idea better!

3littlepigs

We havent seen cousins in probably the last 10 years but husband grew up and went to school with them so I think he wants to go, might suggest they come to us in Washington rather than we go to them

Elainee

I come from Baltimore and with your limited time I would skip Baltimore. DC, NYC, Boston, Gettysburg
Are all so much better. You cousins can come to you.

Sassafrass

Baltimore is a really easy trip from DC, depending on your DC location. Also, Baltimore is a kind of quirky, fun city. I think meeting your cousins there for a day would be fun for you and the kids. You could also make it a stop on your way to/from NYC. Are you flying home from DC?

I would do the trip in this order: DC (visit Mt Vernon and Manassas from there. Also visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Unsonian house on the day you go to Mt Vernon, as it is very nearby and is a small masterpiece of his work), Virginia (to include Williamsburg), NYC, Boston. Logistically, it would be easier to leave off Williamsburg and visit Philladelphia, but Williamsburg is unique, small town, and has major amusment parks. It is also only a little over an hour from there to Virginia Beach if you want a beach day. Plan on three nights if you want to do more than see only Williamsburg.

Amtrack does go to Williamsburg from DC, so you can take the train there. You would have to take a bus to Virginia Beach if you do not have a car.

I have taken the Bolt bus between Baltimore (it also goes to DC) and NYC several times. It has always been on time and very efficient - and cheap. It could probably save you a bundle of money and it runs all day long, so you have lots of options, time wise.

nytraveler

If you don't know about colonial history or the American REvolution start there - it's really fascinating - the first of the middle class political revolutions - rather than an economic one like the French. Something I showed to a foreign visitor that they found fascinating was a video of the musical 1776. Not sure if it's available where you are - but it makes some of the founding father come alive as real people - not just historic figures.

There's also a really good program (I think it was on Public Broadcasting) about Wshington at Valley Forge - when the revolution almost collapsed - but he saved it by crossing the Delaware in midwinter via the US navy (a group of Glouscester fisherman) and taking the Hessian mercenaries by surprise. A huge victory with not a single American life lost. And, eventually, many of the Hessians defected and ended up settling in the US after the Revolution.

bardo1

Amtrak does go to Williamsburg from DC, so you can take the train there.

Not recommended. Timetables are infrequent and you NEED a car to get to the various places you'll likely be visiting in the area - including Colonial Williamsburg. It's also faster to rent car, allows flexibility, and (with your group size) much cheaper.

This day-trip needs a car rental, just MHO.

nytraveler

Amtrak is NOT relaibel south of DC. My uncle used it several times to visit family n VA and he was always late - fro, 1.5 hours up to about 5 - just sitting on a train.

To see Wlmsbrg you really need a car.

BigRuss

Amtrak SUCKS outside the DC-Boston corridor and it's not so great even from DC to Boston (average line speeds from NYC to Boston = 63 mph). Do not take it to Williamsburg.

That said, it's typical that Boston people would worship a fish.

3littlepigs

Company will only fly us into DC. We are thinking from there, fly to Boston train to NYC, train back to DC. Then get out to VA to stay a few days and hire a car to get around. Surely if we stick to the smaller towns we should be OK (I have been driving for over 30 years...just on the wrong side of the road, think we'd better buy the USA maps for our NAVMAN)

Unless we could pick up a car from one of the DC airports if they are outside the city and drive from there to VA. Is that a likely possibility?

We could of course do it all in reverse. It may end up depending on how much time kids can get off school (won't know when their exams are until after they go back at the beginning of February) and whether University student daughter has to fly back home by herself from somewhere.

Thanks for the heads up on sticking to the main corridor with Amtrak. We are normally plane rather than train people but with the short distances we thought the train would take the same amount of time and we could see the countryside along the way.

Anyone have a suggestion for easy read (so kids will read it as well) accounts of the American Revolution and or Civil War or even a general American History book? I'm thinking more Bill Bryson than Encyclopedia style! I'd love to know a bit
more before we come, even if its a good read for the long plane trip!

We are looking forward to the Boston Fish! One of the guidebooks also had a picture of a big Gold Lobster/Crayfish on the cover. Gotta love a city that loves its seafood!

bardo1

As long as you're not driving around Boston NYC, or DC you'll be fine in a car rental (especially with GPS).

You can easily rent a car at Reagan National Airport (DCA), it's right on the subway line - or about 15 minutes by taxi from downtown DC.

Here's a good book idea for the whole family (a note about one of the reviews in the link: A "liberal" in America is someone who is politically "right in the middle" in Australia).

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Know-Much...pr_product_top

POMAH

Why would anyone fly 18 hours here and back for just 5 days? Glad you are extending your stay. But why are Aussies interested in the American Civil War? Most sites are not in Boston or NYC, but in the South. Did you mean the Revolution?

When in NYC, check out Coney Island(actually the amusement park) before it's all torn down and condos are built. Walk to Brighton Beach for Russian cuisine. Take B1 to Manhattan Beach, walk to Emmons ave.

MikeT

There are Civil War sites all around DC. And the OP said the five-day trip was a prize, but they are extending.

Cranachin

If it's a Boston guidebook, then that's definitely a gold lobster!

At the U.S. State Department's website you can download a book caled "Outline of U.S. History". It's an Adobe Acrobat file (4.4 MB). The blurb below is from the website.

http://www.america.gov/publications/...y-outline.html

"A chronological look at how the United States took shape -- from its origins as an obscure set of colonies on the Atlantic coast a little more than 200 years ago into what one political analyst today calls "the first universal nation." This fully illustrated edition has been completely revised and updated by Alonzo L. Hamby, Distinguished Professor of History at Ohio University."

Anybody know whether "U.S. History for Dummies" is worth recommending to the OP? (Don't take offense - there is a whole series of "For Dummies" books on a HUGE variety of topics. They provide a sometimes humorous look at their topics.)

Also, you might find this article on the teaching of American History in Australia interesting:

http://www.journalofamericanhistory....0/minchin.html

nytraveler

From Boston do take a quick trip to Lexington and Concord where the revolution really began - when about 500 Minutemen (local farmers and shopkeepers) dropped their plow or left their store, picked up their guns and headed for Concord to defend their supplies of munitions.

A small group of Minutemen alerted by express riders gathered at Lexington to delay the British and fell back after sustaining numerous injuries. This gave the larger force time to gather in Concord - where at North Bridge the 500 Minutemen defeated 3 companies of British regulars to start the Revolution.

From that point the British were confined to Boston, being besieged by the american forces. British tried to break out during the Battle of Bunker Hill in June - which they eventually won - in the 3rd assault of the hill - because the americans ran out of ammunition. But it was a Pyrrhic victory - since the British lost more than 1/3 of their troops, a very high number of then officers - since the americans held fire until the British troops were close enough that they were hitting specific target. It was also a concern since the untrained Minutemen were able to stand against professional soldiers in pitched battle, which the British had assumed was impossible.

The British were able to hold Boston for the rest of the Revolution, since they were supplied by sea - as the americans had no navy - but the British never got outside of Boston again.

3littlepigs

Thanks yet again.

I have ordered the "Don't know much about history" book, we won't have a problem reading around the politics if necessary. I also ordered another of his books about Rosa Parks for my 12 year old to read, she will find it fascinating.

The article on teaching American History in Australia was very interesting. American history is not really taught in our schools at all, Junior high school history is largely Australian History, Senior High schoolers, if they want to study history (not compulsory) choose between Ancient History and Modern History, Modern History is theoretically World History since the French Revolution but in practice its World War 1 and 2 plus a specific case study from a range available. The case study our school teaches is the Arab/Israeli conflict.
So my kids interest comes from my husband and their own reading not from school. So please forgive our knowledge shortcomings we are keen to learn more.

I love nytraveler's potted review of the Revolution. We definitely want to visit Lexington and Concord, maybe we can grab an organised tour from Boston?

POMAH us Aussies are interested in all sorts of things that might surprise...but the American Revolution and the Civil War were major events in history that helped shape the modern world that we never really learn about here so I guess that's where the interest comes from.
Again, a huge thankyou for all your interest and time, every post is much appreciated and very helpful.
Can't wait to see the giant gold lobster...lobster here is about the price of gold!

ellenem

"So please forgive our knowledge shortcomings"

Do not apologize. I doubt many here have a comprehensive knowledge of Australia history.

cw

Nytraveler gives a good summary of the Revolution but just avoid confusion, one correction--the British left Boston on March 17, 1776 after they were challenged by George Washington, and the Continental Army armed with cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in Vermont. Their presence on Dorchester Heights threatened the supply lifeline of the British, who decided to leave Boston for Canada.

It was Washington's first major victory. Don't mean to bog you down with history minutia but I needed to clarify that Boston didn't spend the Revolution in British hands. Boston now celebrates March 17 as both Evacuation Day and St. Patrick's Day (though it is no longer an official holiday).

Your trip sounds wonderful.

Do try to go to Concord and Lexington. I know there are bus tours. The Visitor Center in Lexington is not to be missed. It has a very good movie describing the battles and the progress of the Patriots. A lot of the surrounding landscape, the "Battle Road," looks much the same as it did in 1775.

The Golden Lobster was on top of a fish market in Boston. The shop was destroyed by a fire but the lobster was taken out of the burnt debris. I think it's still around on display.

ggreen

since the americans held fire until the British troops were close enough that they were hitting specific target

Isn't this where the famous line "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" comes from?

as the americans had no navy

A small quibble: the US Navy was created by George Washington during the war; the Continental Congress commissioned the first ship to be built in Marblehead, MA in 1775, and it sailed from Beverly, MA in the same year... (This was all in the news recently, because the birthplace and date of the US Navy is very much disputed! This page gives a good summary of the whole thing: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...state-new-york )

* * * * *

I remember mentioning Concord and Lexington up-thread. Even if you don't get a guided tour, the towns are easy to get to, only 20-30 minutes outside of Boston proper. In Concord, in addition to the Revolutionary War sites, there are the homes of Thoreau, Hawthorne and the Alcotts (Little Women, plus Walden Pond.