trip from NE to DC

Yes, thank you. We are also interested in lobster treats. (Its very
expensive here in California compare to NE). Many years ago, we ate at a all
you can eat lobster restaurant (I think it might be in NYC or Atlanta or
Raleigh ?). I think it might be called "Boston Tea Party" of some such.
Actually, this trip is for our 35th anniversary.

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? 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. Are there any must-sees for mature folks?
Thank you kindly.

Just "did" D.C. and NYC with the kids last month. "Mature" isn't all
that descriptive. Both mature and immature folks eventually get tired of
just going to museums. D.C. is all about museums and monuments. The
restaurants aren't all that great and are expensive. We were in
Georgetown which had some okay restaurants, but not to the level of the
Bay Area, especially in terms of Asian cuisines.

I thought the Spy Museum was great in D.C., but it was uncomfortably
crowded. We went during spring break when it seems that every eighth
grade class in America has their D.C./NYC trip.

We flew SFO to Newark and drove to D.C. and back then returned the car
and went to NYC on NJT and PATH. If you want to go to places like Mount
Vernon then it's good to have a car in D.C. Our hotel in D.C.
(Georgetown area) had free parking, which is somewhat rare. We took the
bus downtown from the hotel on the weekdays since parking is difficult,
though weekends is no problem.

The driving was not a lot of fun. The roads suck, and there are so many
damn toll booths. Unlike the Bay Area, they won't sell one of those
electronic toll thingees to non-residents. There was a lot of rain as
well. But it was much cheaper for four of us to rent a car than to take
the train, and we wanted to visit people along the way. Driving in D.C.
is kind of a pain, I think it's worse than driving in NYC.

Once school summer vacations are over you'll be okay. Try for the fall
foliage season. I can't imagine why you're including Pittsburgh on your
list. Did you mean Philadelphia?

Highlights of our trip:

-Bicycling from Alexandria VA to Mount Vernon VA along the bike path.
-Spy Museum
-Bicycling the Manhattan Greenway around the tip of Manhattan.
-The food in NYC (Chinese, Kosher Deli, Non-Kosher Deli, Brazilian)
-Walking around the different NYC neighborhoods
-The amazing Spring weather in NYC.

Lowlights (for me):

-The M&M store in Times Square
-The NBC store at Rockefeller Center
-The musical the S.O. insisted on, Mama Mia. Not my kind of show.

"SMS" wrote in message
...
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? 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. Are there any must-sees for mature folks? Thank you
kindly.

Just "did" D.C. and NYC with the kids last month. "Mature" isn't all that
descriptive. Both mature and immature folks eventually get tired of just
going to museums. D.C. is all about museums and monuments. The restaurants
aren't all that great and are expensive. We were in Georgetown which had
some okay restaurants, but not to the level of the Bay Area, especially in
terms of Asian cuisines.

I thought the Spy Museum was great in D.C., but it was uncomfortably
crowded. We went during spring break when it seems that every eighth grade
class in America has their D.C./NYC trip.

We flew SFO to Newark and drove to D.C. and back then returned the car and
went to NYC on NJT and PATH. If you want to go to places like Mount Vernon
then it's good to have a car in D.C. Our hotel in D.C. (Georgetown area)
had free parking, which is somewhat rare. We took the bus downtown from
the hotel on the weekdays since parking is difficult, though weekends is
no problem.

The driving was not a lot of fun. The roads suck, and there are so many
damn toll booths. Unlike the Bay Area, they won't sell one of those
electronic toll thingees to non-residents. There was a lot of rain as
well. But it was much cheaper for four of us to rent a car than to take
the train, and we wanted to visit people along the way. Driving in D.C. is
kind of a pain, I think it's worse than driving in NYC.

Once school summer vacations are over you'll be okay. Try for the fall
foliage season. I can't imagine why you're including Pittsburgh on your
list. Did you mean Philadelphia?

Highlights of our trip:

-Bicycling from Alexandria VA to Mount Vernon VA along the bike path.
-Spy Museum
-Bicycling the Manhattan Greenway around the tip of Manhattan.
-The food in NYC (Chinese, Kosher Deli, Non-Kosher Deli, Brazilian)
-Walking around the different NYC neighborhoods
-The amazing Spring weather in NYC.

Lowlights (for me):

-The M&M store in Times Square
-The NBC store at Rockefeller Center
-The musical the S.O. insisted on, Mama Mia. Not my kind of show.

In DC, no one has yet mentioned Arlington National Cemetery, just across the
Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial. To be seen there is the changing of the
guard at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier, JFK's grave site, and Arlington
House, the former home of Robert E. Lee. If you know of anyone lost in the
Vietnam Wall, there is the Wall.

And if any history buffs in the group, there is lots to see in the general
area from Gettysburg to Valley Forge to Antietam to Fredricksburg to
Williamsburg to Yorktown...those places are all there.

Don't forget that if visiting Gettysburg that you'd be in Amish country.
Lots of craft-ware available for sale.

Lodging-wise, one alternative while visiting DC is to stay at an outlying
area served by the Metro - like Arlington - and take the Metro in to the
Mall, et al.

"Lawrence Akutagawa" wrote in message
...

"SMS" wrote in message
...
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? 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. Are there any must-sees for mature folks?
Thank you kindly.

Just "did" D.C. and NYC with the kids last month. "Mature" isn't all that
descriptive. Both mature and immature folks eventually get tired of just
going to museums. D.C. is all about museums and monuments. The
restaurants aren't all that great and are expensive. We were in
Georgetown which had some okay restaurants, but not to the level of the
Bay Area, especially in terms of Asian cuisines.

I thought the Spy Museum was great in D.C., but it was uncomfortably
crowded. We went during spring break when it seems that every eighth
grade class in America has their D.C./NYC trip.

We flew SFO to Newark and drove to D.C. and back then returned the car
and went to NYC on NJT and PATH. If you want to go to places like Mount
Vernon then it's good to have a car in D.C. Our hotel in D.C. (Georgetown
area) had free parking, which is somewhat rare. We took the bus downtown
from the hotel on the weekdays since parking is difficult, though
weekends is no problem.

The driving was not a lot of fun. The roads suck, and there are so many
damn toll booths. Unlike the Bay Area, they won't sell one of those
electronic toll thingees to non-residents. There was a lot of rain as
well. But it was much cheaper for four of us to rent a car than to take
the train, and we wanted to visit people along the way. Driving in D.C.
is kind of a pain, I think it's worse than driving in NYC.

Once school summer vacations are over you'll be okay. Try for the fall
foliage season. I can't imagine why you're including Pittsburgh on your
list. Did you mean Philadelphia?

Highlights of our trip:

-Bicycling from Alexandria VA to Mount Vernon VA along the bike path.
-Spy Museum
-Bicycling the Manhattan Greenway around the tip of Manhattan.
-The food in NYC (Chinese, Kosher Deli, Non-Kosher Deli, Brazilian)
-Walking around the different NYC neighborhoods
-The amazing Spring weather in NYC.

Lowlights (for me):

-The M&M store in Times Square
-The NBC store at Rockefeller Center
-The musical the S.O. insisted on, Mama Mia. Not my kind of show.

In DC, no one has yet mentioned Arlington National Cemetery, just across
the Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial. To be seen there is the changing
of the guard at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier, JFK's grave site, and
Arlington House, the former home of Robert E. Lee. If you know of anyone
lost in the Vietnam Wall, there is the Wall.

And if any history buffs in the group, there is lots to see in the general
area from Gettysburg to Valley Forge to Antietam to Fredricksburg to
Williamsburg to Yorktown...those places are all there.

Don't forget that if visiting Gettysburg that you'd be in Amish country.
Lots of craft-ware available for sale.

Lodging-wise, one alternative while visiting DC is to stay at an outlying
area served by the Metro - like Arlington - and take the Metro in to the
Mall, et al.
For sightseeing in DC, we've found the tour bus out of Arlington Cemetery
the easiest way to get around. Get off where you want, stay as long as you
want and then get back on for a ride to the next stop - $27/per person for
the day. http://www.tourmobile.com/tours_map.php

A. Wright wrote:
Yes, thank you. We are also interested in lobster treats.

Chinatown is where to go for the freshest and cheapest seafood
restaurants in NYC.

This time we stayed down in the South Seaport area at the Best Western
Seaport Inn which we liked very much. It's walking distance to the
financial district, Battery Park for the SOL ferry, and Chinatown, and a
little further takes you to the Lower East Side and on to Greenwich
Village and Union Square (where the only Trader Joe's in NYC is
located). About an eight minute walk to the closest subway station on
Fulton. It was a good deal for NYC during that week at "only" $200/night
for a large room (by NYC standards where most rooms are tiny) and it
included breakfast, and free wireless (and afternoon cookies). We needed
two double beds and very few hotels in NYC have rooms big enough for two
doubles at under $300/night. The best part was that it was close to an
incredibly good coffee house, Jack's Stir Brew,
"http://www.jacksstirbrew.com/" (the South Seaport location isn't listed
on their web site). If you do end up driving, another advantage is
relatively cheap parking down there.

A. Wright wrote:
Yes, thank you. We are also interested in lobster treats. (Its very
expensive here in California compare to NE). Many years ago, we ate
at a all you can eat lobster restaurant (I think it might be in NYC
or Atlanta or Raleigh ?). I think it might be called "Boston Tea
Party" of some such. Actually, this trip is for our 35th anniversary.

If you find yourselves in the Mystic, CT area, go to Abbott's Lobster in the
Rough. It's great, and you can sit at a picnic table on the bank of the
Mystic river while you enjoy your meal. If it's crummy outside you can sit
indoors They steam their lobsters, and you'll be hard-pressed to beat their
'feast' meal'.

There are a lot of great seafood places in Boston, too, but none that are
particularly cheap. There is a chain called 'Legal Seafood' that to my mind
is over priced and not that great. Try the 'No-Name' restaurant out on the
fish pier while avoiding Anthony's, which is another overpriced and not so
good.

If Jimmy's Harborside is back in business, then by all means splurge. They
are high-priced, but give you some real class and fantastic food for your
money. I think the staff were all born there, and it's great. They closed
a few years back to allow for pier repairs, but check them out. The food at
No-Name is probably as good, but you sit at picnic tables with strangers and
paper towels, where Jimmy's is white linen and crystal all around. Try them
both.

Just a note: From Boston you can take either the train or a ferry up to
Gloucester, which is a real fishing town, and where the story 'Perfect
Storm' originated. Scenes for the movie were filmed there. If it's warm
enough, try a whale watch. They're always fun, and you always see whales,
sometimes a lot of them. Try a Portuguese restaurant if you go.

Erehwon wrote:

For sightseeing in DC, we've found the tour bus out of Arlington Cemetery
the easiest way to get around. Get off where you want, stay as long as you
want and then get back on for a ride to the next stop - $27/per person for
the day. http://www.tourmobile.com/tours_map.php

Ouch, $54/day for two people! That would pay for a lot of taxi rides
down the mall.

We took the bus from our hotel out in Georgetown on Wisconsin Avenue
down to the mall for $1.35 per person each way. Once you're down on the
mall, you can walk or take a cab if you're too tired.

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? 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. Are there any must-sees for mature folks?
Thank you kindly.

One other piece of advice. For hotel bookings, look not only in the
usual places like sidestep.com. expedia, travelocity, and the hotel's
own web site but at two other sites, venere.com and quikbook.com. We
used venere.com for D.C. and got a much lower rate than any other
booking site, and in NYC we used quikbook.com with similar results.
Venere seems geared mainly toward foreign visitors to the U.S., but of
course anyone can use it. Neither of these sites require prepayment for
most of the hotels they list.

With Venere we got a room for $99/night at the Savoy Suites in
Georgetown neighborhood of D.C.. Compared to the last time I was in D.C.
and stayed in a fleabag place near the Metro in College Park for
$70/night, this place was like a mansion. The city bus to downtown was
$1.35, or if we walked a few blocks we could get the "Circulator" bus
for $1. Plus there were lots of restaurants within walking distance (and
two Whole Foods and a wine-less Trader Joe's).

Resist the temptation to stay far from D.C. to save relatively small
amounts of money. Hotels near the Metro stations tend to be either
expensive or junky, depending on the city and the property, and you'll
spend time and money going back and forth, with many of them requiring a
shuttle van ride or long walk from the hotel to the station. I.e. I
wanted to stay in Silver Spring near a relative, but the decent hotels
near the Metro in Silver Spring were very expensive. I also checked out
Alexandria, but it was the same deal--no great deals, and a lot of time
in transit each day, which is not how you want to spend your time.

Ditto for NYC. Staying in New Jersey or Queens is cheaper, but it's a
hassle. Especially if you want to go back to your hotel for a rest in
the afternoon before going out to a play or concert. You don't have to
stay in the Times Square area though, there are lots of hotels in more
interesting neighborhoods, with better restaurants, that cost less than
the touristy areas of Times Square.

Alan S wrote:

Priceline bidding can still be very useful, provided you are
accepted by them. With a US credit card that won't be a
problem.

I stayed at the Hyatt Regency for $100 per night about a
year ago using Priceline.

I wanted to try Priceline or one of the other bidding sites but the
problem I had is that I absolutely required that the room I received
would have two double beds. At many hotels and booking sites you can
request specific configurations but they warn that there is no guarantee
that you'll get what you requested. So I had to go to a place that
offered specific room configurations at different price levels.

If you only have a couple in a room then Priceline would work great, and
it's a good idea to first look at "http://biddingfortravel.com/" and see
what bids are being accepted.

"TheNewsGuy(Mike)" wrote in message
...
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? 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, Phila & DC. Are there any must-sees for mature folks? Thank
you kindly.


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