On 03 May 2009 in rec.travel.usa-canada, A. Wright wrote:

We are from California. We are thinking to take a sight seeing trip
from NE to DC, stopping at the major cities. Can you please tell me
when is the off peak seasons this fall?

After Labor Day, there's a big surge around Columbus Day in northern
New England and New York (leaf-peeping season). Other than that, there
are no big regional seasons, though for specific areas there may be
local or regional events which might make finding accomodations
difficult, particularly in small areas. If you intend to stick to the
train, that shouldn't be a problem.

We are thinking taking the train, but rent a car if must. We have
been to NYC some 20 years ago, but never been to Boston, Pitt & DC.

Northeast Corridor (Boston - NYC - Philadelphia - DC) train service
tends to be good. Other areas are iffy at best. Pittsburgh tends to
be out of the way, particularly by train. Depending on how long you
want to spend and if you do want to roam around a bit, you might also
consider putting Montréal and Toronto on your itinerary.

Are there any must-sees for mature folks?

It depends on your definition of 'must-see' and 'mature'.

The FDR home and library is in Hyde Park, and is reachable from New
York by Metro North. (There are several other things to see in Hyde
Park, too.)

If you like visiting colleges, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and
Washington are just chock full of them. (If you go in summer rather
than fall, you should run into Elderhostel programs, too.)

If you want to tour Presidential graves, there are a number in the
region - the Adamses (Boston), Washington (VA near DC), Arthur
(Albany), Van Buren (Kinderhook, near Albany), Grant (NYC), several in
Arlington National, ...

DC - need one say it? Monuments, museums, the National Zoo ...

Architectu you have a huge choice, from 17th century to the very
latest, including a number of Lloyd Wrights, Gehrys, Johnsons. The
home of the great Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius is just outside of
Boston (not far from Thoreau's Walden). Buffalo, oddly enough, has
some fairly interesting architecture.

Art: DC as noted; a lot of galleries and museums in and around New
York. Kykuit (Metro-North again) has Nelson Rockefeller's collection
of modern sculpture. Boston has, among others, the MFA. If you want
to get off the beaten track, the Norman Rockwell Museum is in
Stockbridge, Massachusetts, though you won't reach it by train.

--
Joe Makowiec
http://makowiec.org/
Email: http://makowiec.org/contact/?Joe
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