Hello,

I would echo some of the comments above that advocated for trimming the time in Savannah, Pensacola, Charleston, and New Orleans. A few nights in Charleston is nice and even New Orleans would be enjoyable, but I'd add the other nights to Wyoming and the San Francisco area in the hopes to see Yosemite.

I would not trim any days from Yellowstone or Grand Tetons, as this would be the highlight of your trip. We drove from Salt Lake City to Grand Tetons and it was a nice drive (get gas whenever you see an opportunity as there are a few long stretches with no road-side ammenities).

I would recommend Triangle X for raft rides down the Snake River in the Tetons. I'd also recommend TravelBrains Yellowstone Expedition Guide.

If you are going to spend 5 nights in Boston, consider a day trip to Newport, Rhode Island. The Cliff Walk and mansions are something to see. Cape Cod (as mentioned above) is a nice quaint beach town that you might also enjoy.

Washington DC is a great place, too. I would get metro passes and use the subway. DC can be a lot of fun if you can free yourself from your car! In addition to the monuments and Smithsonians, also check ot the Old Post Office (great view from top floor). You might also want to pursue tickets to Capital Hill, but you'll need to initiate that request several months in advance.

Check out the link in our bio that has a lot of itinerary guidance for the places you'd like to see.

Have a great trip!

- Mike

rellie--I believe postponing your trip to the West is a great idea. There are many, many things to see in the East and your original itinerary barely scratched the surface.

Some "musts" if you have more time in "our" part of the US:

New Bedford, Mass (you may have been planning to see it from Cape Cod, anyway.)
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and "Amish Country"
Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, and area
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Asheville, NC
Great Smokey Mountains National Park
Saint Augustine, Fl
Kennedy Space Center
Tampa Bay, FL area
maybe some of Everglades National Park

OTOH, the American West is radically different from the East and seeing them both in one trip would give you a better picture of what the US is like.