We are flying to Newark (from London) in late March for 10 nights. We plan to hire a car for the first six nights and do a short road trip to either Boston or Philadelphia or possibly Washington. As well as one of these cities we would like to see some countryside and some coast and experience the difference in culture. We plan to spend the last four nights in Manhattan. We would be grateful for ideas of routes and places to visit during the road trip part of our holiday; and your thoughts on whether to go up the coast to Boston or down to Philadelphia. Many thanks.
Incidentally the preview says this was posted in the US; however I posted it in the UK!

If you are particularly interested in Revolutionary War history and want to see classic New England sights, go north, though you need to realize that the weather in late March can be variable in New England (i.e., cold and wet). I'd go south.

You can get a historical fix in Philadelphia for 2 nights, spend a couple of nights in Lancaster for a countryside experience (with or without outlet shopping), or go to Washington DC if that interests you (or both). Or Colonial Williamsburg for that matter. The temps will be warmer.

There are equally interesting sights to see in upstate New York, Connecticut, the Berkshires, and Massachusetts, so you won't go wrong whichever direction you travel. But we've had freakish weather this year, so it's a crapshoot on which part of the country might be hit by a late-winter snow (it can certainly happen in either direction, though with much less frequency on the southern route).

Incidentally the preview says this was posted in the US; however I posted it in the UK!

The "Posted in" is based on the tag that you chose when you created the topic.

Are you flying home from Newark or another airport?
The Newark airport has a train station for Amtrak so you can easily get to Philadelphia or New York without renting a car at Newark. You will not want to pay a parking fee on a rental car while you are staying in a city hotel.

Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, and New York are all cities where a car is not only unnecessary, it would be a complete nuisance and waste of money. There are innumerable ways to get from Newark Airport to either Philly or Boston without one; and using almost any of them will save you money, hassle, and (quite possibly) time.

March on the coast in the Northeast could very well have unpleasant weather; it almost certainly will not be a time you would be able to relax in the sun. If you go to the shore it would be solely for history and rugged scenery.

If you "would like to see some countryside ... and experience the difference in culture," then I recommend renting a car for one day while in Philly, and driving out to the Lancaster area. While there you'll see (1) Amish living a lifestyle for which they wish to be left alone and (2) everyone else making money by complete rejection of the Amish lifestyle.

For the history lesson out of Philadelphia visit Valley Forge.
I prefer the trains to the bus or rental car between Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
For day trips outside these cities, you will need 1 or 2 day rentals. You could be lucky and see Cherry blossoms in Washington DC.

I agree with the rest that you'd be best using the train from Newark and just renting a car for a one or two day trip out of the city. If you come to Philadelphia, you could visit Cape May or Ocean City easily, but for cultural variety I agree that the Lancaster area is the way to go. One of the places that I recommend there is the Landis Valley (Open Air) Museum; here's a trip report from there: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-lancaster.cfm (Their website link is in the post; check the calendar for special events.)

And apart from the well-covered historical routes in Philadelphia, here are some more ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...he-morning.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mount-park.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...iladelphia.cfm

And another nice day trip is to Doylestown: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...plus-ducks.cfm

I should say that I also agree with everyone that if your first stop is Philadelphia, take the train there, see the city, and then rent a car starting in Philly for a day-trip, then train it to Washington, DC, and rent another car there if you want to explore the Virginia or Maryland countryside for a day or two. You will save money if you are a couple.

Late March can be rainy and cold up through New England, you might take a day drive from Boston down through Cape Cod, or over to Newport Rhode Island...but the New England coast (up from Boston into Maine) will be very sleepy. Worth the drive somewhere to see countryside and coast but I wouldn't plan 2 or 3 days around it.

Um, you need to understand that weather in the US may be much colder than you have at home. So far we've had a really oddly warm winter. But inthe NE March is still winter - significant snow is possible (the blizzatrd of '88 was late March) and trees don't go into leaf until late April or May - so the countryside is liable to be brown and crunchy.

If you really want to "experience the difference in culture", I recommend

* Go to a large grocery store (supermarket). You generally will find that stores are larger in the suburbs than in the center cities.

* Even better, visit a warehouse club (such as Costco, Sam's, or BJ's). You have to be a member to shop there, but they might let you in if you say you are a visitor from overseas. Or you could always ask if they have a one-day pass for people who are considering membership.

* You don't say when in late March you will be here, but the US will be in the midst of March Madness (the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournaments for men's and women's university teams). You could watch a game on TV somewhere—think watching a football match in a pub in the UK. Or you could attend a game in person, if there is one near you and you can get tickets (they take place in quite a number of cities across the country, including some in the Northeast).

An alternative is the National Invitational Tournament, to which teams that do not make the NCAA tournament get invited. The finals are in New York March 27-29. (Preliminary rounds take place in a variety of cities as well.)

* Go to a local school (elementary, middle/junior high, or high'senior high) for a sporting event or concert.

* See maple sap being collected and made into syrup in New York state or New England. Even better, enjoy a pancake breakfast with fresh maple syrup.

http://www.mapleweekend.com (New York)

http://www.massmaple.org/directory.php (Massachusetts)

http://www.nhmapleproducers.com/sugarhouses/index.html (New Hampshire)

http://www.vermontmaple.org/open-house-weekend.php (Vermont)

* Visit the US Naval Academy (in Annapolis, Maryland, near Washington) or the US Military Acedemy (in West Point, New York)

* Visit sites associated with the immigrant experience, such as Ellis Island and the Tenement Museum (both in New York City).

* Visit sites associated with Africa-American history and culture. All of the large cities you mention have them.

* Visit an African-American church for Sunday morning worship (be sure to set aside at least a couple of hours).

* Visit museum exhibits on and sites associated with the War of 1812. The latter include Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland (near Washington)—the bombardment of which inspired our national anthem—and the USS Constitution in Boston (which you should visit regardless). Most Americans know far less about the War of 1812 than they do about the Revolutionary War or the US Civil War.

There are indeed many places to visit. About like asking a visitor to London what to see in surrounding area. Yes, I think bus or train is better than urban driving (and on the wrong side of the road). In train to Boston you will see some rural areas and you could book day trips from a hotel to Cape Cod or out to nearby Concord & Lexington (but do you want to see where the Red Coats were defeated?) Or up to Maine, etc. Or you could go up the Hudson River valley. Or as mentioned to Washington DC with so many historic sites. Or in Boston walk the Freedom Trail.

As to weather it is mild and sunny today and we have yet to have a significant snow. Who knows about March.
Bill in Boston

Thank you very much for all your suggestions and advice and also the links; they have been helpful. We're realising that hiring a car wasn't such a good plan. You have given us some interesting ideas for both north and south. However it looks like going south, particularly weather wise, may be the best option; though it will be a shame to miss Boston.

Renting a car for portions of your trip is actually quite sound unless you want to limit yourself to Philadelphia and Washington DC. If you wanted to get to Williamsburg or Lancaster, for example, you absolutely need a car. It's not really possible to visit any other way. But you don't need it for the whole trip. (Parking can also be expensive in Philly and DC, another consideration beyond ever-rising gas prices.)