Road Trip America: East America Itinerary
Earlier, we had already taken a road trip through the western part of the United States. This time, as we were planning to travel from the Azores to South America, it felt like the perfect opportunity to make an extended stopover in the U.S. From New York, we set off on a tour of several major cities, experiencing all kinds of American activities along the way. Below you can read all about our road trip America.
New York (Days 1–4)
Accommodation: Club Quarters Hotel or Hoboken
New York was the starting point for our East Coast adventure. For our first night, we stayed right in the heart of Manhattan. It was an amazing experience, especially when we headed to Times Square that same evening. It’s a great spot during the day too, but at night the atmosphere changes completely.
New York is huge, so you’ll want a few days to explore it without rushing. We spent three days here ourselves, which felt just right. If you’re flying in directly from Europe, you might want to add an extra day to adjust to the time difference.
Washington, D.C. (Days 5–7)
Accommodation: Duo Housing Hostel
Activities: Washington Monument, White House, Capitol Building, baseball game
Transport: Amtrak train
On day 5, we took the train to Washington, D.C. Our experience with Amtrak was excellent. There was plenty of seating, on-time departure, and just a few hours later we were right in the city center of Washtington. We opted for a hostel since most other accommodations were either fully booked or above our budget.
Washington feels completely different from New York: fewer skyscrapers, more open spaces, and a calmer vibe. Highlights for us included the White House, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol.
If you’d like to visit the Washington Monument, admission is free, but you need to get to the ticket booth early in the morning to secure a same-day ticket. We got lucky, even though we weren’t at the very front of the line. We wrote an article about how to get tickets to the Washington Monument for free!
To wrap up our time in D.C., we went to a baseball game in the evening. If you want to do the same, check whether the Washington Nationals are playing in town during your visit. You could also catch a game in another city or perhaps you’ll have already done so in New York.
Tip: For baseball games, check the stadium’s bag policy. Backpacks aren’t allowed, but clear bags are fine. We saw quite a few people carrying those.
Chicago & Road Trip (Days 8–16)
Accommodation: Club Quarters Chicago, various stays along the route (see Google Maps)
Activities: shooting range, Cedar Point amusement park, drive-in cinema, Kings Island
We flew from Washington to Chicago, which turned out to be the quickest and cheapest option in summer. From there, we set off on a week-long road trip to Cedar Point, making detours through Indianapolis and Columbus before looping back to Chicago.
Road Trip to Cedar Point
For this part of the journey, we rented a truck through Sunnycars, an awesome experience in itself. We even took it to a drive-in movie theater.
Cedar Point was the main highlight of this week. We spent two full days in the park and even wrote a separate guide full of tips for visiting it.
Tip: Stay at the Quality Lodge Motel, it even has a pool!
On the way to Cedar Point, we also tried another uniquely American activity: visiting a shooting range. In many states, it’s legal to own and use firearms, and we wanted to learn more about it. At Nifta, we took a full-day course and got to try out a variety of weapons ourselves. It’s a pricey activity, but well worth it for the experience.
For the return trip to Chicago, you can retrace your route or take the Columbus–Indianapolis route. If you’re still in the mood for theme parks, there’s also Kings Island near Columbus. We skipped it since we had already spent two packed days at Cedar Point.
Chicago
Chicago made for a great final stop. While it may not have as many world-famous landmarks as other U.S. cities, it has a lively charm of its own. The river that winds through the city comes alive in the evenings. Don’t miss a stroll along the Riverwalk. You’ll see boats full of partygoers drifting by, and Navy Pier, with its view over Lake Michigan, is beautifully lit up at night (complete with a Ferris wheel). During our visit, we even caught some fireworks.
Conclusion Road Trip America
A road trip through the eastern United States feels completely different from one in the west. The big cities here contrast sharply with the vast national parks and rugged nature out west. The East Coast has its own unique charm, blending small-town countryside with bustling urban life.
