Man, picking East Coast spots felt like herding cats with my family. Everyone shouted different ideas at the kitchen table map. Wanted fun, not bankruptcy, y’know? Ended up scribbling a rough plan: hit the big cities first, then chill by water. Grabbed my phone, booked stuff last minute ’cause let’s be real, planning ain’t my superpower.
Kicking Off: Washington D.C. Madness
First stop was DC. Landed kinda late, dumped bags at this cheap hotel near Union Station – smelled faintly of old carpet, but hey, it slept four. Next morning? Walked. Everywhere. Seriously, my feet screamed by dinner. National Mall was packed, but seeing Lincoln Memorial up close? Felt heavy, man. Kids groaned through the Smithsonian Air & Space, but even the teen shut up seeing the Apollo stuff. Ate questionable street hot dogs for lunch, total tourist move. Worth it.
- Mistake learned: Shoulda used the Metro more. Didn’t realize how dang spread out it was.
- Win: Found a killer view spot for Washington Monument pics, away from the main herds. Pure luck.
New York Never Sleeps (Neither Did We)
Train ride to NYC was chaos – delayed, kids whining, snack supplies dwindling. Finally rolled into Penn Station feeling like a sardine. Our Airbnb? Tiny Manhattan shoebox, fourth floor walkup. Stairs nearly killed us. Next three days? Pure sensory overload.
Walked Times Square at night. Crazy bright, tons of people, felt like being inside a pinball machine. Kids loved it, I just clutched my bag tighter. Central Park saved us – rented those silly bikes, ate lukewarm pizza on a bench. Felt almost normal. Empire State line was insane, so we skipped it, saw skyline from Rockefeller Center rooftop instead (pricey, but view shut everyone up for ten solid minutes). Tried to find the “best” cheesecake. Failed. Still found tasty options though!
- Mistake learned: Booking Statue of Liberty ferries day-of? Big nope. Sold out. Settled for distant pics from Battery Park. Bummer.
- Win: Grabbing bagels from a random corner spot at 6am. Absolute perfection, cheap.
Coastal Cool Down
Needed nature. Drove up to Maine. Rental car GPS took us on this weird scenic route, adding hours, but honestly? Coastline was gorgeous. Acadia National Park felt like breathing again. Hiked the easier path up Cadillac Mountain. Windy as heck at the top, views incredible. Lobster roll at a roadside shack cost more than expected, but… oh man. Butter-drenched goodness. Sat on rocks watching boats bob, felt the stress melt.
Last couple days? Total beach bum mode in Cape Cod. Found this little town rental with a yard. Mostly ate ice cream, built sad-looking sandcastles that the tide ate, flew a kite that mostly nose-dived. Perfect.
- Mistake learned: Parking at Acadia beaches fills up stupid early. Go at dawn or forget it.
- Win: Discovering this hidden bay inlet near our Cape spot. Kids hunted crabs, found sea glass, nobody else around.
Overall? East Coast delivered. Big city buzz mixed with salty sea air. Spent too much, walked too far, argued over directions constantly. But sitting on that plane ride home, looking at pics? Kids asleep, headphones in… yeah. Blisters were worth it.
