I'm a 24-year old engineer who's never been to the east coast. A friend and I are driving from D.C. to Boston and back, in 7 days, and want to see as much of the highlights as possible. I just don't know what the highlight's are besides the generic type (e.g. Statue of Liberty, Smithsonian, Independance Hall, etc., etc.) What are some of the absolute must see's and some of the little known must see's. General interests include sports (hockey & baseball), architecture, music, and of course, some history.

Carlos,

You absolutely have to spend some time in Baltimore. (Warning: Having grown up there, I am definitely biased.) But seriously, since you like baseball, you'll love Camden Yards. As for history, try Fort McHenry, battlesite of the War of 1812 and inspiration for our National Anthem. Being a young guy, you might want to check out Fells Point, known for its nightlife.

All in all, Baltimore is a fabulous city. It's been about 7 years since I lived there, so you might want to get others' advice on specifics. But I really think you should make it a point to spend some time there. You won't be disappointed!!

I did something similar in April and managed to catch Opening Day at four stadiums: Camden Yards, Yankee and Shea Stadiums, and Fenway Park. I'm sorry I missed Veteran's Stadium. Camden Yards is the best. You'll have a great time.

As a fan of architecture, you might want to hit Newport, RI and take a tour of some of the mansions. But if you've got only 7 days to do the whole trip, it might be a little out of the way. In Boston, the Freedom Trail sounds like a schlocky tourist thing to do, but really it's worth it - it's just a walking tour of some of the key sites of U.S. history and the buildings and cemetaries are beautiful as well as interesting.

For music, pick up a copy of Time Out New York or, if you can find one, the Village Voice (free) which both have extremely thorough listings of New York music events (and believe me, someone or something you find interesting will be on the night you do).

And if you're a fan of sports, what about Bristol Connecticut, the lovely home of ESPN? (Just kidding-unless maybe you would like that...I mean, maybe they do tours or something.)

Also, I don't know if you're a big ice cream fan, but if you are print out the "So where's the REALLY good ice cream" thread and eat your way up the coast following the posters' suggestions. (And if you do, please post your verdicts!)

As a fan of architecture, you might want to hit Newport, RI and take a tour of some of the mansions. But if you've got only 7 days to do the whole trip, it might be a little out of the way. In Boston, the Freedom Trail sounds like a schlocky tourist thing to do, but really it's worth it - it's just a walking tour of some of the key sites of U.S. history and the buildings and cemetaries are beautiful as well as interesting.

For music, pick up a copy of Time Out New York or, if you can find one, the Village Voice (free) which both have extremely thorough listings of New York music events (and believe me, someone or something you find interesting will be on the night you do).

And if you're a fan of sports, what about Bristol Connecticut, the lovely home of ESPN? (Just kidding-unless maybe you would like that...I mean, maybe they do tours or something.)

Also, I don't know if you're a big ice cream fan, but if you are print out the "So where's the REALLY good ice cream" thread and eat your way up the coast following the posters' suggestions. (And if you do, please post your verdicts!)

If you're a fan of Baseball, Cooperstown may be an idea.

seven days is pretty tight. I'd recommend a day in DC on the Mall -- you can see the White House (from outside to save time), Smithsonian (don't try to visit them all, but at least hit the Air & Space), and the Capitol. There is a nice little tour bus that lets you get on and off, and you'll get a good sampling of the monuments and museums. Have dinner in Adams Morgan or near the MCI Center, or maybe Georgetown. You may want to stay in suburban Maryland. The next day should be Baltimore -- Camden Yards has tours, Babe Ruth's Home is nearby, the Inner Harbor would be a fabulous place for lunch. Then you could take off for New York. (unless you've fallen for Baltimore, which could happen, and you want to do nightlife in Fells Point.) It's not a bad drive up to NYC. You might want to stop in Philly on the way, depending on how much time you want left for NYC and (maybe) Boston. My fav places for touristing in NY are the World Trade Center, The Village, a walk up Fifth Avenue to the Park. There is a good tour of the Met. I always loved the Guggenheim museum on the upper East side. It will probably be hard to pull yourself away to get to Boston, but remember you'll have to head back! In Boston, you should check out Fenway, the historic district and have lobster for dinner. Have a great trip.

Like Meredith, I'm biased for my city, which happens to be Philadelphia. If you're interested in history, you can NOT skip Independence Hall. It can rightfully claim the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution, and Bill of Rights. The adjacent Congress Hall was the US Capitol for ten years; try to imagine Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Washington debating issues. I should mention that, when you find out that the story of the Liberty Bell is 99% hype, you may not be as impressed at seeing it. But that's part of learning.

I'll say it again: on a short trip like this; definitely DO ride the Staten Island Ferry to view the Statue of Liberty, but do NOT go out to Liberty Island itself. This trip will burn up half a day and give you little in return.

I hope one of the previous messages wasn't poking fun at Bristol, CT: the home of ESPN is quite charming, with the country's oldest continuously operating amusement park (Lake Compounce), the American Clock Museum, and architectural treasures in the town's Federal Hill Historic District.

But if you're looking for a great stop off I-95, I'd recommend a few OTHER places in Connecticut. New Haven, which gets a bad rap but is full of history and incredible architecture (from Post-Modern to colonial), would be a great place to stop and get something to eat (the diversity of restaurants is incredible for a city its size--from Malaysian to Turkish to Ethiopian to the place where the hamburger was invented). The New Haven Green, where the city began, has three gorgeous churches built during the War of 1812. Yale occupies one side of the Green, and offers extremely fun campus historic tours that leave twice each day (10:30 and 2:00) from a colonial house at 149 Elm Street (telephone: 203-432-2300).

If you'd like to see one of the nation's most historic baseball parks, try Yale Field. It's where George Bush was a first baseman. More importantly, it's where Babe Ruth played and the place that the Yankees played while the current Yankee Stadium was being built. It's right across the street from the Yale Bowl, the first football bowl structure in the United States (built in 1910). All bowls in America were subsequently modeled on this architectural marvel. (One warning: Yale is in the process of raising money to renovate the old Bowl, so be prepared for a building that's showing its age!)

Also in New Haven is the largest gymnasium in the world: Payne Whitney Gym. It's shaped like a gothic cathedral, and is spectacular.

New Haven has other great landmarks and museums, including the Peabody Museum of Natural History (largest natural history collection in the US), the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (a must-see: the walls are made out of translucent, thin marble, so light filters in through the marble, creating a spectacular display), the British Art Center and the Yale University Art Gallery (oldest college art gallery in the Western Hemisphere).

On your way here, though, MAKE SURE to stop in the lower Connecticut River Valley--an area that the Nature Conservancy called "one of the Last Great Places" in the world. It's an area rich in natural resources and open space--a rarity in southern New England. It also possesses some of the most charming towns in southern New England, including Essex, Chester, East Haddam (home of the magnificent Goodspeed Opera House), Old Lyme (home of the Florence Griswold Museum of American Impressionism), and Old Saybrook. The canoeing on the Connecticut River--especially in the peaceful salt marshes--is incredible.

I hope you have a good trip. It's easy to drive past many places that have hidden treasures, so take your time and explore!