Denver to East Coast vacation ideas

You are sure right you'd never get it all done - or even most of it - in one trip, even if you had two months!

OK, given you have to limit yourselves, I'd say pick a small region & work with it. Ideas:
1) Washington, DC and the VA Tidewater area, which includes Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown (first English settlement in North America) and Yorktown (pivotal battles in both Revolutionary & Civil War.) All are within a few hundred miles, would require two base camps, and can easily consume a week, giving you the other week of your vacation to get back & forth.
2) Slightly north of there, Philadelphia, Valley Forge, and Gettysburg. Same deal, can be done with 2 base camps from which you'd do your sightseeing.
3) A bit longer drive, but you could, from one base camp, explore Boston & environs (Plymouth, Concord & Lexington).

We enjoy visiting historical sites, and three of my favorites are Gettysburg, Williamsburg and Plimoth Plantation (just outside the modern city of Plymouth, Mass, it's a living history park with both Pilgrim & Indian "settlements"). IMO, every American should visit Gettysburg at minimum. There's just a feeling about it - inspiring, sobering, and something deeper that I can't fully describe.

Hope this gives you some thoughts to start with.

Oh Boy....
For starters, Denver to Anyplace East coast towing is probably most of three road days (1600mi), Three Long Road Days. But Gettysburg is good. There are few campgrounds in striking range of NYC, but it you could get to Metropoliton Museum of Art or the Natural History Museum it might be worth the effort. Boston is really only a long day from Gettysburg. But again campgrounds are an issue. (Unfortunately I can't help there because when we do go east, we park on friends and if I didn't...)

I will also suggest two stops that will either on your way or easy diversion. The Museum of Western Expansion (the Arch is a good half a day. The best campground is across the river at Casino Queen. Then go north to the Lincoln Library and expect another half day there. Parking is a bear and I can't help.

Just short of Gettysburg is the Flight 93 (Just off Rt 30) it will be a short stop, but your DD was 4 then and I might take some explaining as current school text books seen to blame us for being attacked.

From Gettysburg, you can go on to Philadelphia - lots there. And if you decide to try for Boston, DO NOT route through NYC. Go north to the Tappen Zee Bridge (Nyack and Tarrytown).

If you do go on to Boston, remember to leave four days to get back to the front range.

Matt

You'll get lots of opinions on CGs but some suggestions I'd have from our experience:

Gettysburg KOA - shady, clean grounds (all small rounded rocks, not super easy to walk on but no mud), attractive CG

Boston area - Normandy Farms in Foxboro - nice facilities, big CG, and most of the pullthru sites are nice & shady (but beware of the "Safari" area - not so great) - very handy for Plymouth, not terribly far to public transit into the city (DO NOT DRIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON)

It's been too long since we camped in VA & CGs have changed.

Check rvparkreviews for suggestions for these areas. Decide soon and make reservations pronto!! These places do fill up, and this is prime tourist season in all these areas.

As usual I'm the wet blanket in that for two weeks it's much too short a time for the East Coast. Have you done Glacier NP, Yellowstone, etc? and/or other national parks in the area. You could drive to Glacier NP and not even be as far as Chicago!

MartiniSCP wrote:
Hello All.

We've got a two week vacation to use July into August this summer.
We've got a 16 year old girl that we'd like to inflict some culture on.
We're thinking of doing an east coast trip.

We've got a gas powered Suburban towing a 4k lb, 26' TT, three of us with no pets.

I'm thinking that there's so much to do out there, we'd never get it all done in one trip.

Just wondering if anyone has advice on routes, times and/or attractions that we must/should do.

Thanks in advance.
B

East Coast transplant here, semi-native Coloradoan now!

Perhaps if you narrowed down your area of interest more specifically, ie, what you'd like to see/do? Into historical sights? Want to get out in the country and see nature? Like the sights and sounds of the big cities?

History - There's so much to see back East that it's hard to even fathom where to begin. Philly is a major stop for history and also covers big city interests...plus it's not all that difficult to get around it. Lived outside of Philly years ago in Bucks County (right to the north and east of the city), lots of history just in Bucks County. There's also Valley Forge and Gettysburg area with so much history as well.

Countryside? Again wide open. So much to see and do in PA and MD, upstate NY, the New England region. Prefer the coast? There's of course the Jersey shore, Long Island, the Connecticut coast, the rugged coast of Maine. Mountains? There's the Poconos in PA, the Catskills in NY or the Alleghany's in western PA, MD and WV. There's the Shenandoah Valley in VA, or the Finger Lakes region Upstate NY. Northern New England.

That's just a very small tip of a very large iceberg! And agree with a previous post, you're looking at a very long trip to get back there, to any place east of Ohio -- at least 3 days out and 3 days back, of steady driving. Heck, it took me 5 days when I moved out to Colorado from New Jersey, driving a rental truck and pulling a toad! You're gonna want to enjoy your time back there, so my advice would be to pick a singular general area, take your time getting there and enjoy it at as leisurely a pace as you can.

MartiniSCP wrote:
Hello All.

We've got a two week vacation to use July into August this summer.
We've got a 16 year old girl that we'd like to inflict some culture on.
We're thinking of doing an east coast trip.

We've got a gas powered Suburban towing a 4k lb, 26' TT, three of us with no pets.

I'm thinking that there's so much to do out there, we'd never get it all done in one trip.

Just wondering if anyone has advice on routes, times and/or attractions that we must/should do.

Thanks in advance.
B

As you can see by my signature I call both Colorado and Maryland Home, I’ve made the trip back and forth to and from Colorado so many times, I’ve lost count of the number on times I’ve done it. I do know it takes every ounce on energy to do this trip out and back in 6 days, if you were to do that you would lose a day at the end of each trip just to recover. At 60 miles an hour it is 29 hours of driving – 10 hours of time behind the wheel each day and I defy you to get 60MPH with a trailer so the reality is 11.5 hours a day at 50mph – one more added note you also LOSE two hours driving back to the East Coast (in one six month period I drove out three times and back to Maryland 4 times – 4 of the trips in two days - 1 of the trips were done in the three day time line the other two in the Coach taking 4 days and 5 days) all these trips were pushing it to the max) I think you know where I’m going – yup -- check on Southwest – fly into BWI – lowest rates - rent a car and see some of the east Coast.

Do three days in DC museums and sights and you will be pooped. Drive down to Williamsburg, see those sights for three days (catch the water parks for a day) that will take care of the first week. Drive across the Chesapeake Bridge tunnel to the Maryland/Delaware beaches for a couple days (beach means boys and for the 16 year old you will be a hero). Then up to Philly couple more days, then back through Lancaster and back to BWI to fly home. Make sure you sit by the window so you can see all the country at 500mph vs 50mph. both views are oh so slow.

That will take care of this trip – next two flights will be NYC for a week and then Boston for a week. Or if you have two weeks just drive up and see a little of the east Coast, then drive back through Upstate NY and PA to see some beautiful country.

Each and every one of these areas could take months or years but if you get a taste you will return or decide you live in one of the best spots in the country.

Just like we tell everyone who wants to see Colorado and the West you NEED at least 3 weeks, because one is lost on the drive out and back.

One other little travel note for those who try to do more that is normally possible;

First if you have two weeks, you can count that as 17 days if you plan correctly. Start by having everything, EVERYTHING, packed and ready to go on Thursday, and then fly out the minute you get home from work on Friday, then you need to schedule the flight home for the afternoon on Sunday as you gain 2 hours on the flight back.

Just making suggestions from a TON of experience making these trips to Colorado and Utah for the last 30 years.

BOL,

Wow!
Great responses all!

We took your advice and will do the east coast another time; probably will fly.

Instead, we are taking our summer vacation to the general Seattle area; a trip my wife has been wanting to do.

I have learned a lot so far and will post for those who might learn from my experiences.

Thanks again.
B