You made me do it..I didn't want to do it...

[new salt]

Having booked our first Azamara cruise for this autumn I made the mistake of continuing to read pax reviews on Azamara and booked a second cruise. Serves you right I hear. I have booked Journey's transatlantic next April 11th. My cunning plan is to fly into NYC, spend a couple of days there then take the train to Washington, a couple of days there and then hire a car to drive to Florida arriving, say 2 days before the cruise. We would travel ultra light to the USA and then pick up shopping on the way. We live south of Barcelona so there is no air component on our return and therefore no effective limit to the Memsahib's shopping:eek:. Taking in the sights etc would 10-12 days be enough for this? Any advice would be welcome.

[lisiamc]

Ok, I need a new emoticon - one that's green with envy. This sounds like a wonderful plan. I could spend a month travelling down the US east coast, seeing the sights, and still want more time, but 10-12 days will be a good taster.

 

Lisa

[greeneg]

One suggestion occurs to me right off of the bat, most people would probably drive to Florida from Washington via Interstate 95 ( probably the "quickest " way). I would suggest taking I-66 to I-81 and then South from there. This will take you down the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge for some glorious and historic scenery in the loveliest time of the year. It's just a thought.

[new salt]

Thank you for that, it sounds a good idea. Would it be worthwhile, from the tourist point of view,driving from NY to DC, possibly staying outside of both cities and using public transport to get in to the tourist areas. I used to be a fairly regular visitor to Washington but haven't been to NYC for decades.

 

Anyhow I will order some guides and maps ASAP.

[greeneg]

Thank you for that, it sounds a good idea. Would it be worthwhile, from the tourist point of view,driving from NY to DC, possibly staying outside of both cities and using public transport to get in to the tourist areas. I used to be a fairly regular visitor to Washington but haven't been to NYC for decades.

 

Anyhow I will order some guides and maps ASAP.

 

Personally, when we visit both New York and Washington, I very much try to use public transportation as much as I can. Traffic, depending on location and time of day, can be fierce, and parking is a major budget item.

 

Avoid the fuss and take the bus........( actually I think that the subways are better)

 

Ed

[Susan-M]

new salt,

Sounds like a wonderful trip! I think that staying in the city centers is more interesting in both Washington and NYC rather than commuting in and out each day. It's really nice to be right where the action is ... to sightsee during the day, go back to your hotel to refresh and then enjoy the nightlife...dinner, theatre performance or just wandering some more and seeing the city lit up.

 

Since you are flying into NYC, you wouldn't need to bother with a car until you head off to Washington, or go with your original plan of taking the train. Flying to Washington is another option.

 

I agree with the recommendation to use public transportation within the cities, for places that are too far to walk to.

[new salt]

We are now thinking that the driving may be a bit much so are leaning onwards making it a multi centre holiday, doing the city centres solo and then taking bus tours or hire cars out of the centres while using Amtrak between cities, including the night sleeper from Washington to Miami which, I believe, offers en suite bedrooms.

 

It is some 1500 miles total distance and when we drive from here in Eastern Spain to the channel coast it is two long days of constant driving on fast motorways over a similar distance.

 

I agree entirely with the point about public transport in cities, I would not dream of driving in Madrid or Barcelona if public transport consisted only of unicycles with flat tyres and no saddles:eek:. Fortunately it (public transport) is very good here.

[JennAngel9]

As a former resident of the midatlantic area, I recommend going by train from NYC to DC and from DC to Miami. There really aren't that many great sights along the route and I find that highways along the east coast are not the easiest to navigate. If you love driving and think its an adventure, then go for it-- but if being lost stresses you out or you don't have time for errors, take the train!

[new salt]

As a former resident of the midatlantic area, I recommend going by train from NYC to DC and from DC to Miami. There really aren't that many great sights along the route and I find that highways along the east coast are not the easiest to navigate. If you love driving and think its an adventure, then go for it-- but if being lost stresses you out or you don't have time for errors, take the train!

 

 

Train booked today. thanks for all the advice.:)