I'm looking into booking a 10 to 14 day trip down the east coast in June.

I know NOTHING about this trip. I've picked up a few travel books and am doing some research.

We will be flying in from Honolulu and are willing to camp or stay at cheap hostels if needed. Would like to see some old whaling towns and civil war areas. So we run the extreme. I've never been to NY so wouldn't mind a night or 2 there, but it's not necessary.

Am looking for suggestions on the following:

1. Where to fly in/out of.
2. Must see places.
3. Best routes to drive.
4. Good camping/cheap hotels/hostels.
5. Must eat places.
6. Anything else that we should catch.

Thanks for any and all help!

Denise

You ar talking about an area that's about 2000 miles of coast and a dozen states. I suggest that you start by reading past Fodors posts about New York City, Washington DC, and historic areas of Virginia. You could put together an interesting and very full 10 to 14 days with just those 3 areas. Any more, and you'll start to feel like you're spending a lot of time in transit.

You do not want to camp on the East Coast in June. Between the humidity and the bugs, you'd be miserable.

If you want whaling towns, you want New England or Nova Scotia.

Found this website with an east coast drive that sounds exactly like what you're looking for minus the whaling towns. It starts in Atlantic City, NJ so you could fly into Newark and fly out of Miami (or wherever you decided to stop.)

http://www.roadtripusa.com/coastal_east_coast/

The whaling towns I know are Nantucket (island off Mass.) and Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York. Neither are especially easy to add as part of a road trip. Both are picturesque and very expensive.

hulagirl,

This is ambitious, but do-able. It soulds like you have an interest in history, so I'll start you off with a few suggestions. Suggest you fly into Boston and work your way southward, arranging travel as your budget allows. Remember that going west to east is brutalizing from a jet lag perspective.

1. Whaling towns:
Nantucket: www.nantucketchamber.org ; (508) 228-1700
Provincetown: www.ptownchamber.com; 508-487-3424
New Bedford, (800) 508-5353 or www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us or
http://www.whalingmuseum.org/

2. Seafaring towns:
Mystic, CT
http://www.mysticseaport.org/
Woods Hole, MA
http://www.whoi.edu/

3. Revolutionary War:
Valley Forge, PA
http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/

4. Civil War:
Gettysburg, PA
http://www.nps.gov/gett/

Camping could be a challenge, but if you check with the local chambers of commerce as you solidify your plans, you may be in luck.

Keep asking questions and the good Fodorites will not lead you astray.

You must include Gettysburg in you itinerary.

If you want some Civil War towns, try Gettysburg and Antietam. Gettysburg is in Adams County (I think) in PA, while Antietam is in Maryland. Hubby and I have been to both, and they are both worth visiting (we've done the audio self tours, which you can do in your car at your own pace, which is nice).

I know of at least 1 B&B on the Gettysburg Battlefield and 1 or 2 in town or the environs; not sure about Antietam, but as Antietam wasn't exactly a small battle (bloodiest single day of the U.S. Civil War), I can't imagine there not being a few B&Bs or budget hotels nearby.

I 2nd about camping out - too humid, too buggy in June.

Good luck!

Here's a hostel resource:

http://www.hihostels.com/openHome.sma?AffiliateID=97060

hulagirl -- camping in June is fine, as long as you have the appropriate resources. There are many state parks that have cabins & showers. Buy a $10 sleeping bag & bug spray from Wal*Mart once you get here and you're good to go.

There is so much to do on the East Coast -- I suggest doing some research on what is important to you and reposting with specific suggestions. Good luck with your planning!