US East Coast

The classic US East Coast city route linking Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston along the Northeast Corridor, often extended to Niagara Falls.

"Meidong" (the US East) is the term Chinese-language travel circles use for the classic big-city route in the northeastern United States. It follows the I-95 corridor and the Amtrak Northeast Corridor, the "Bos-Wash" megalopolis, and is often paired with Niagara Falls on the Canadian side for a "US East plus Falls" trip. The main cities are the capital, Washington, D.C. (Capitol Hill, the National Mall and the Smithsonian museums, all free), Philadelphia (Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell), New York (the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Broadway) and Boston (the Freedom Trail, Harvard and MIT). You can extend the trip to Baltimore's Inner Harbor, New Haven (home of Yale), the mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, and Niagara Falls, about 6–7 hours north of New York. A typical trip takes 7–10 days. Between cities, Amtrak trains (New York–Washington about 3 hours, New York–Boston about 3.5–4 hours) or budget buses are the first choice, and within cities the subway is the way to get around; driving in New York City is not recommended. Hotels in New York are expensive, so consider staying in New Jersey or Flushing. A White House tour must be requested through a member of Congress's office several months in advance. To go from the US side of Niagara to the Canadian side, you need a Canadian visa.

Destinations

Itineraries

Boston to Washington D.C. & Niagara Falls – Travel south by rail through four historic East Coast cities, then fly to Buffalo to end your trip at Niagara Falls.
US & Canada East Grand Loop – A cross-border long-haul route from New York via Washington, D.C., Niagara Falls to Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City.
New York, Philadelphia & Washington D.C. by Rail – Travel along the Northeast Corridor via Amtrak to connect New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. without renting a…
New York to Boston Ivy League & Prestigious Universities Rail Tour – Ditch the car and travel along the Northeast Corridor to visit Columbia, Yale, Brown, Harvard, and MIT.
New Jersey to Delmarva Coastal Highway – Head south along the Atlantic from boardwalk towns to Cape May, take the ferry to Delaware, and see wild horses.
New England Six-State Loop – A grand loop from Boston covering all six states, including the Maine Coast, White Mountains, Vermont, the Berkshires…
New York City, Philadelphia and Hudson Valley Day Trips – Five days covering Manhattan's main landmarks, and two days by train to Philadelphia, Sleepy Hollow and Cold Spring.
Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast Islands – From Yale, heading east along the coast through Mystic, Block Island and Newport to Providence.
Washington, D.C. to Shenandoah & Colonial Triangle – Head north from Washington, D.C. to historic battlefields, drive along the Skyline Drive on the Blue Ridge, and visit C…
Classic Eastern Canada by Rail – Travel from Toronto to Quebec City by VIA Rail, connecting Niagara Falls, the Thousand Islands, and historic French-spe…
New York First Visit Classics – The highlights of three days: Lower Manhattan's Statue of Liberty and 9/11, Central Park and the Met, and the High Line…
Eastern Canada Maple Road Self-Drive Loop – A self-drive grand loop from Toronto, connecting Algonquin, the Laurentians, La Mauricie, and historic French-speaking…