rupsingh

I am about to book my holiday tomorrow morning, flying to boston driving down to washinghton via new york 2nd week of January. Getting a good fare of £258 and plan to priceline and hotwire the accomdation

BUT

just speaking to mates and family they think we are mad considering the freezing temps and snow fall. does anyone have any expreience of this if so how bad does it get, does everything grind to a halt and most importantly shall i cancel my plans!!!

milemarker0

I wouldn't cancel your plans....

If a snow storm does hit, then yes, driving on 95 will be bad...but will be clear in a day or two...and then just the normal headaches. it is winter after all and snow and cold can happen at anytime....although it's been relatively mild so far.

Are you just flying into Boston and heading right to DC? Or are you staying in Boston for a bit and then heading to DC? If it's the former, you could look for a cheap flight to DC or Amtrak.

rupsingh

i am spending 3 nights in boston 3 in nyc and 3 in washinghton

milemarker0

If a storm does hit, I'd just stay an extra day where you are...Amtrak might be a better option than renting a car and dealing with parking in those cities. (At least Boston and NYC)

gail

In all but the most awful fo storms, the interstate highways are clear within hours of the last snow falling. Traffic commuting into any major city as well as within, however, can be maddingly slow for large portions of the day - think London at rush hour if there were no car restrictions.

Temperature and wind can make walking less pleasant - but distances are not so great that taking a cab from place to place is all that expensive.

suze

I don't think everything will "grind to a halt" unless there is an unusually huge storm. But it IS cold and not a time I'd plan to vacation in that area myself.

nytraveler

Well so far this year the winter has been very warm -it's 41 here in New York now - at least 10 degrees above normal. And while it can be cold in all 3 cities (NYC is usually only a couple degrees warmer than Boston) as long as you're dressed properly it's not cold enough to be really unpleasant. (Be sure you have a warm coat, scarf, hat, gloves and waterproof booties.)

And snow is more likely to be flurries or light (no more than 3/4"), which everyone just ignores, than a real storm. (It's rare any of us get more than 1 or 2 major storms per winter.)

Don't worry - just keep your hat and gloves on and you'll be fine.

djkbooks

January is an excellent month for bargains on Priceline and Hotwire in Boston and DC!

So, far, the winter has been quite mild, but you never know about the weather.

I totally agree about snowfall - except for major storms, roads and highways are kept clear almost immediately during and after snowfall.

Just in case of a huge storm with freezing temps, where you would not want to be driving during the storm, you would want to be able to be flexible - put off driving until the next day, or spend the night somewhere along the way, until the weather and roads clear.

It could be bitter cold and windy. In Boston, the wind is brutal, in DC, the humidity makes it seem much colder. So, just dress for the weather - pack the ubiquitous layers. All winter clothing will be on sale everywhere if you've not packed quite enough.

china_cat

If you aren't planning on side trips between the 3 cities, or staying outside of the major metropolitan areas, you ABSOLUTELY should skip the car and take the train. Weather or not, there is no reason to drive from Boston to New York or Washington. I live here, and I wouldn't drive it!

The cost of the rental car, and downtown parking is almost certainly going to add up to more than the train tickets. And the drives will most likely take you longer than the train too, especially if the weather is poor, or if you hit rush hour in any of the metropolitan areas.

I don't think you are crazy at all for coming in January. I do think you are crazy to rent a car.

rupsingh

Thanks for the replies, the car is a necessity as we will be doing quite a few out of town trips in each of the cities. slso i have had to alter my plans, have to fly in and out of new york because the car rental company wont give any sat nav equipment on one way rentals

so now plan to fly to new york then drive to boston and back to new york. i have read the other threads about what to do in boston, if any one has any other ideas including day trips and outlet shopping they will be well appreciated

Rups