new york, washington dc, orlando
 

hello
i am going to be traveling to the states in April next year until mid may looking at staying on the east coast and not wasting too much time traveling from a to b. i would love your help to give me any advice or tips that you have and how many days in each area like 8 days new york 2 washington 8 days orlando? and what is the best way to get around America we are not the type of people who like tours we prefer to drive so we can stop and take in the sights at our leisure. im really looking for some guidance on things that i shouldn't miss while over there and ideas for things to see and do even when it comes to dining out at restaurants or bars. this will be the first time we visit the states and we will be on our honeymoon. thanks for all your help.

Just quick random comments:

New York will fill any amount of time -- however hotels are expensive so it will partly depend on your budget how many days in NYC.

2 days probably is a little short for Wash. DC

8 days is a lot for Orlando -- I'd take a couple from there and add to Washington.

If it was my trip -- I'd take the train from NYC to D.C., fly from D.C. to Orlando and rent a car for my time in Florida. (I would actually drive down to Florida IF I had the time to stop over in places like Charleston and Savannah -- but without that -- I'd fly)

I agree that 2 days is not enough for DC - so much to do and see there. Is Orlando a must for you? If not, I'd cut it. More than enough in NYC and DC to fill your time. If you aren't headed to the theme parks, I agree with Janis, a stop in Charleston would be lovely. You could fly from DC to Charleston.

It would be nice to know how/why you selected those three cities. I too would drop Orlando, but if you're a theme park junkie, then I can see why you'd want to go there. You have 18 travel days - that's a nice amount, and the east coast is fairly compact, so you can see different cities and areas in the time you have. However, April is a lightly "iffy" month weather-wise, it can be beautiful, or it can still be winter. We were in NY one year in April and in the same week, the temps were 45 degrees F one day, and 75 degrees four days later.

NYC, as many days as you can afford or have your fill. Amtrak is easy to D.C.
You are from Europe? D.C. might not be a big deal for you. I use to think as a kid the Capital Rotunda was the most amazing place and now I am more impressed by how they did the acoustics back in the day. Some great museums and monuments though.
Southwest has good flights from D.C. to Orlando. Just don't pick a flight from IAD Dulles.


April: perfect beach weather so if you come to Orlando take several days and park on the beach at New Smyrna. Take Flagler Ave straight to the Ocean. Nice Hampton Inn on Flagler. Daytona will have a lot of Spring Breakers but not New Smyrna. Cocoa Beach is ok but not as nice. If going to Disney stay on property, they have reasonable hotels and you get many more perks.

You don;t say if you are traveling alone or who/how many the "we" might be and that will make a big difference.

If just 2 adults I can't imagine what you will do in Orlando - which is primarily amusement parks and no beaches. II would do Miami Beach instead for 4 or 5 days and do that first. If you hve children and want to do Orlando then it's understandable but IMHO 5 day is stillplenty.

Then I would fly to DC for at least 5 days since there is a ton to see/do there

Then take Amtrak to NYC for the rest of your time. Train is about 4.5 hours and if you buy tickets several weeks in advance the fare can be very low. Time here is a much as you can give it - since there is so uch to see/do you can;t imagine.

>>If just 2 adults I can't imagine what you will do in Orlando - <<

Lots and LOTS and <B>LOTS</B> of actual <u>adults</u> enjoy theme parks.

I am very well traveled and go to the opera and theatre in London and hiking at Tahoe and visit Paris and Kyoto and Amsterdam . . . AND go to Disneyland at least every 3 or 4 years without a single child in tow.

What do you plan to **do** in Orlando for 8 days? If it's a theme-park extravaganza, then 8 days is about right.

Fly into NYC.
Train to DC.
Fly to Orlando; rent a car there. This is highly variable, but you may be able to get some cheap airfares since it's not high season.

With weather in mind you might want to reverse your trip: fly into Orlando, head to DC then to NYC. This way you'll be in NYC for the end of your trip and will likely have warmer weather. I agree that I would spend more days in DC and less in Orlando. But that depends on your goals in what to see. DC has a lot to do for free, all of the Smithsonian museums are free. If the weather is nice while you're there you can enjoy many outdoor sights including monuments and parks. NYC is worth a visit, of course, but it is a lot more expensive so keep that in mind. You won't want to have a car in NYC parking is way too expensive and there is more than enough public transit to get around. You can take the train from NYC to DC as recommend above. Depending on your goals you could rent a car in DC or not.