2015 summer vacation details: PA, MD, VA, DE, NJ, NY

[michigansandzil]

Hi all,
Sorry for the long post. This is our proposed vacation for 8-2015.

Our details: We are a family of 5. Adults are late 30s and kids are 12, 10, and 6. We like kid type activities, history, nature, military type things; but no art or sporting events. The two boys are scouts and my husband is the scout master, military stuff is very exciting.

Anyone familiar with these areas have insight for this plan? A great kid opportunity or route to avoid? Really anything at all to help us plan before we secure all the sites would be helpful.

We have 16 days for 1800 miles, 4 campgrounds, and 6 states. Yes, we're ambitious. 😉 I'm sure several will chime in about how I need more time at a specific location and I'm likely to agree but I have limited time and want to get it all in. I won't nail down exact schedules, spontaneity has lead to the most fun adventures for us, but I do need to book sites in the next couple of months, so I need a set route and dates at least.

We're coming from southern Michigan and are planning our vacation around a site I got on Assateague Island SP from Friday 8-14 until Wednesday 8-19.

Our tentative itinerary:
Friday 8-7. Leave MI after work and drive for a few hours.

Saturday 8-8. Gettysburg late afternoon. Visit as long as kids can tolerate, (they didn't like Chickamauga this spring). After Gettysburg, continue to Cherry Park campground in MD.

Sunday 8-9 and Monday 8-10. Tour DC via on off trolley. See touristy stuff: National Mall, Smithsonians, Archives, Washington Monument (too early to get tickets yet. Are tickets necessary or can you get tickets easily that morning?). What did your kids love about DC?

Tuesday 8-11. Baltimore- Fort McHenry, USS Constellation. What other activities are good ideas here? Is the aquarium a must see?

Wednesday 8-12. DC to Williamsburg Virginia. Visit Historical Jamestowne after dropping off the camper. Is the Williamsburg KOA a good location?

Thursday 8-13. Open day. The kids aren't coaster enthusiasts so we're not visiting Busch Gardens. How's the waterpark? Also considering Colonial Williamsburg. This seems very similar to Greenfield Village and Mackinac Island here in Michigan, and we may skip this entirely if it's a repeat of our usual events. Anyone familiar with Greenfield and Colonial Williamsburg and are they very different?

Friday 8-14. Williamsburg to Assateague Island. Stop at Norfolk Naval Base en route for a tour. Can we take the camper to the base? Anything else in Norfolk?

Friday 8-14 to Wednesday 8-19. Assateague Island. Do beachy stuff, (who knows how to go crabbing?). Hoping to see some dolphins and ocean animals new to the kids. Should we bring our bikes? Go to Delaware and take ferry to NJ. Visit the boardwalk so kids can go on rides and eat carnival food. Are Ocean City MD and Wildwood boardwalks very similar? Is it worthwile to visit both? Is there anyway to go deep sea fishing that doesn't cost 2k?!

Wednesday 8-19. Assateauge to Liberty Harbor NJ. Stop in Philly en route. Potentially leaving camper at Campus park and ride off route 76. Visit Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and drive across to see Battleship New Jersey.

Thursday 8-20 and Friday 8-21. Tour NYC via on off bus. How do we get to the bus? How's the ferry from Liberty Park to the statue of liberty? This entire part of the vacation is confusing to me. We want to see the Statute of Liberty and Ellis Island, 911 Memorial, Times Square, and .....the American Girl Store. Everything else is up in the air. I think we'll be so overwhelmed that just sitting in the bus might be enough.

Saturday 8-22 to Sunday 8-23. Drive home.

Thanks in advance. Sorry for the novel, I understand if some fell asleep half way through.

[eb145]

I need a nap after reading your itinerary. Have fun.

In Baltimore, drive right downtown and park near the inner harbor. Lots of garage parking there. Walk to the Inner Harbor from your parking spot, it is a nice tourist place with everything on your list accessible from there.

At the Inner Harbor you will find the aquarium, an old WWII submarine you can walk through, Maryland Science Center, USS Constellation, shopping, food and the WATER TAXI that you can take to Fort McHenry. You can take the ride-all-day-for-one-price water taxi to several different spots including Fells Point with old architecture, pubs and restaurants.

If you drive to Fort McHenry you can NOT park there and take the water taxi. You can only depart by water taxi from Fort McHenry if you ARRIVED by water taxi. (They don't want people parking at Fort McHenry and then taking the water taxi to the Inner Harbor and hog all the parking spots at Fort McHenry).

Enjoy.

Ed

[kevinbti]

i stated this in earlier post this week- I drive to my summer home to NJ every summer and the toll pass is worth getting especially with stopping starting they have ez pass lane which you cruise thru without stopping but be awhere of the bill when it comes in at the end of the month Those tolls add up My mom and daughter did the American girl tea in NYC which was a big hit for both of them

The path is safe and my daughter really enjoyed the train. I was born and raised in nYc, yes people are rude aggressive but they are more then willing to help. In case you don t know In Manhattan, the East-West-running streets are numbered. The low numbers are at the south end of the island, and the high numbers at the north end. Just remember the old ditty, "New York, New York, it's a heck of a town; The Bronx is up and the Battery's down."
The streets running North-South are called Avenues. Some of them (but not all) are also numbered, with the lowest numbers on the East Side, going up as you move toward the West Side. If you can swing it the empire state building has a vip tickets which lets you cut the line The top of rock at Rockefeller center you buy on line and they give you a time to show up

Franklin ice cream, tony lukes for cheese steaks and the The Shops at The Bourse located across from liberty bell center is pretty cool place in philly

love going home and my daughter (now 21) is emailing when we are going for annual trip Safe travels

[Bumpyroad]

If you need to cut out something, I would not do the aquarium. can always catch a good one elsewhere later.
bumpy

[RoadAbode]

Wow - Full Itinerary!
Well for the MD and PA part I can chime in. Also DC a bit...

For Philly, I haven't done/seen the Campus Park/Ride parking myself but sounds good. If you want specific Philly info let me know - it's where I hang my hat.
You'll want to check out the usual sites of Philly like the Constitution Center, Independence Mall, and the Liberty Bell. All three of those are within walking distance of each other. The Bourse is a place to catch a bite right by them. Or, head to Reading Terminal Market is great to grab a bite - and just to wander around the big farmer and others marketplace.
If it's rainy, the University of Penn Museum is a great alternate to check out. U of P Museum - It's almost like visiting the set of the movie "Night at the Museum - includes a full Sphinx and Mummies - Also I think the shuttle from the Campus Park and Ride will drop you right there.

Not trying to push you away from Philly, but you might like to squeeze in Lancaster area - they have some great stuff for kids to do - great eats, and don't know if the boys are into it - but Strasburg Railroad and the PA Railroad museum are pretty cool there.

For MD - The Inner Harbor (where the Aquarium is located) is nice. I have not been there in ages so can't give more insight

When in Assateague area check out the NASA WALLOPS visitors center.

Cherry Hill RV Park is a great choice. They are building a waterpark there now for families, and the Cafe has some pretty good Crabcakes!
Right in College Park. Taking the Metro to DC is not all that Hard. There is also a smaller Aviation Museum located near the metro station in College Park.

You can search my blog below - we are generally in the PA/MD area.
Any questions - I'll try to help out.

[michigansandzil]

Thanks for the info Merrykalia it was helpful.
I know the timing is not the best, but it is when we can go. Work and kids' schedules and family obligations all interfered with the timing. I was thinking of hitting the Smithsonians during the hottest part of the day to keep everyone sane.

I was thinking the trolley in DC would be helpful b/c it would mean less walking in the heat. But, it's pricey and if I can avoid it I would like to, provided I don't make everyone miserable by walking around when it's 100.
You don't think it's worth the money?

[Merrykalia]

As far as I know, there is no ferry from Liberty Harbor to the Statue of Liberty. There is a water taxi that will take you from LH to the Wall St area right in the park, but it is $$, especially for the 5 of you. If you walk 3 blocks, you can get the PATH into the World Trade Center (911 Memorial) or to the Times Square area (33rd St.). The cost of this per person was $2.50 (2 summers ago) but the water taxi was $10 pp. If you take the PATH to Times Square, you can pick up one of the Gray Line buses right there. They are one of the ones that do the on/off tours. It will take you to Battery Park and then you catch a ferry to the statue and/or Ellis Island.

Just to let you know, August is the hottest time of year to be visiting these cities. It is not unusual for several days of 100+ temps.

In DC, you really don't need to do the trolley thing. Purchase an all-day pass on the Metro. You can ride the bus from Cherry Hill and hop on the METRO. Or drive to one of the park/ride facilities OUTSIDE the city and ride in. The METRO goes to ALL the sites you are wanting to see, but you may be doing some walking. There are 2 METRO stops in/around the MALL. The Smithsonian museums, the Washington Monument, Capital, White House, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam, WW2, and the others are RIGHT THERE. Arington National Cemetery is on another stop as is the National zoo. An all day pass is about $14 per person. The youngest may be able to ride with an adult and not cost a thing. Our daughters, 10 and 7 really enjoy riding the Metro and that is something they don't get to do at home. The enjoyed Air and Space and the Native American museums along with the Natural History museum. We bought food from a vending cart and had lunch on the lawn on the mall. (We went last June). They were also really interested in the changing of the guard at the cemetery. (Be sure and explain to them about the importance of being quiet and respectful prior to getting there.)

The National Aquarium is very good in Baltimore. My girls also enjoyed using the water taxi in the Inner Harbor to get to some of the other sites. Fells Point is interesting. (Did Baltimore in July last year).

We have been to Assateague, we have done the Naval Base, Colonial Williamsburg, but I have never done Macinac Island nor Greenfield Village. It is something they have or will study in school, so it is at least informative and educational.

Ocean City does have a great boardwalk, but it is usually crowded and VERY, VERY commercial. For a little different atmosphere, check out Rehobeth Beach, DE, which is about 30 miles north of OC and has a great little boardwalk and is in a very artsy community. Not as much commercialized as OC. Great places to eat there.

Hope this helps.