I hope some of my US readers will be able to help with tips and information for our upcoming trip.
We will be spending 4 weeks in the north-east of the United States later this year. It will be be late August and into mid September.
We are flying into Washington DC and spending 4 nights there . Our accommodation is booked for those nights. The rest of the trip is still flexible so would love your ideas. I am thinking of 2 nights in Philadelphia, 4 nights New York City, 2-3 nights in Boston. From there we hope to hire an RV and have about 15 nights touring. We hope to travel as far as Bangor, ME as well as travelling through New Hampshire, Vermont and New York State. Other things I have heard/read about which interest me include lighthouses along the Maine coastline, Mt Washington and fall scenery, Woodstock and Watertown,NY.
We have never been to the United States before and would like to make sure we maximise our time there.
Thanks again for your help.
organised castle 
Fairy, You will be a bit early for fall color except in the most northern parts of the US. I live in southern/mid-Vermont and we usually can count on color for my son’s birthday on October 8th. Woodstock is a very pretty town. You would also like Stowe, Chester, and Grafton, I think, if you are looking for quaint Vermont towns. The scenery between Maine and Vermont will be beautiful, especially if you are willing to get off the main drags. That being said, even I-89 and I-91 have wonderful vistas and wilderness. Oh, and consider Burlington. The University of Vermont is there and they have a wonderful pedestrian area, as well as a waterfront section, that’s fun and picturesque. Have fun!
I’m a big fan of the open-top bus tours in DC, Philly, and Boston. The Duck Boat tours in Boston are fun and really informative. These tours are a great thing to do on your first day because they give you a quick overview of many sights in the city. Then you can decide what you want to really see.
For DC, my favorites are the US Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Museums, the Spy Museum, the Newseum, and notably the Native American Museum (best food on the National Mall is there.) The Washington Monument is closed because of an earthquake. Go to the Old Postal Service tower for a fantastic view of the city that’s probably even better than the one from the top of the momument. Lastly, the National Park Service runs many small events every week that may interest you: http://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/events.htm. I’m a fan of the Saturday and Sunday afternoon bike tours.
If you’re willing to head down south a bit afterwards, Colonial Williamsburg is an interesting place if you’re interested in our colonial history.
As for Philly, try Elfreth’s Alley, the Liberty Bell, Franklin Court, Idependence Hall, the Betsy Ross House, the Art Museum, and Fairmount Park (including Boathouse Row). Outside the city is Valley Forge National Park if you want a slower pace and enjoy history. http://www.nps.gov/vafo/index.htm.
I hope you have a wonderful trip. If you’re interested I’m happy to provide more details by email if that would help. If you would like to meet up in DC I would love to meet you!
Joanna
There is a Smithsonian museum in Washington, actually several buildings with a huge collection. You can become a member over the internet. They also send newsletters to your email account. Washington is reputedly a very expensive city, but they have a good tourism website. I would be going to the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and maybe the Guggenheim.
Be very careful when going through Customs and Immigration. Remember that you can be picked up and thrown into Guantanamo Bay on absolutely no legal charge and our government is unable to assist you.
Hm, I’d say the membership isn’t necessary because the Smithsonian museums don’t charge any entrance fee. You’d be getting a discount on museum shops and food, but that’s about it. And you’ll keep getting their catalog in the mail for the rest of your life.
The membership is definitely optional. All of the Smithsonian museums are free so the only real advantage is the discount on the museum shops and cafes. And oh yes, it’s pricey here. But there are a lot of free things to see and do as well.