Boston to Miami: Road trip down the Atlantic Coast (1 Week)

From Boston, head south to historic Plymouth and experience the harsh reality of 17th century life at Plimoth Plantation. It's a great way to learn about the life and times of America's earliest European settlers. The plantation is "a living history museum," showcasing the original 1627 English settlement. All the colonists you see walking around are actors who will answer your questions authentically in character.

As you leave Massachusetts, take a detour to Fall River and see Battleship Cove, which features the world's largest collection of WWII naval vessels.

When you're hungry, head over to White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island. They serve up delicious regional, upscale cuisine in a historic tavern that dates back to 1673.

The entire East Coast is dotted with beautiful lighthouses, and one of the best is the Montauk Lighthouse Museum in East Hampton. There's also the nearby beach town of Cape May in New Jersey, which is home to another stunning historic lighthouse, the Cape May Lighthouse, built in 1859. But, the charming seaside hamlet of Cape May alone is worth a detour.

Once you reach New Haven in Connecticut, definitely visit the New Haven Lighthouse. Not only is this a gorgeous historic lighthouse from the mid-1800s, it also features a beautiful, antique Carousel that was built in 1916.

When you reach New York City, see a different side of the city with a mile and a half walk along The High Line. What makes the High Line so cool is that it's an elevated walking park that was built atop an unused section of the New York Central Railroad!

For some great pizza there's Lombardi's, which has been serving up scrumptious thin-crust pizza since 1905.

After the hustle and bustle of NYC, head over to New Brunswick, NJ's serene and lush Bamboo Forest, which is open year round. The bamboo grow to be in excess of 30ft in height, and the walk through the garden is the perfect way to relax after driving, or to just stretch your legs.

If Lombardi's pizza wasn't filling enough, or if you're ready for dinner, The Trolley Car Diner & Deli in Philadelphia is an old-school diner serving breakfast and beer, next to a trolley car that dispenses ice cream.

If you need a place to spend the night, Philadelphia's Morris House Hotel is set in a colonial home built in 1787. The boutique hotel is just a block from Washington Square Park and a few minutes from Independence Hall.

For a more sophisticated, but very quirky stop, there's the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, which showcases medical oddities, using actual specimens and wax models.

Once you reach Maryland, visit the 41,000+ acre Assateague Island National Seashore, where you can go for a long walk on the beach and see wild horses playing in the ocean. The seashore is also a wildlife refuge for wild ponies, and you can camp on the beach with them!

If you head into Washington D.C. there's clearly an abundance of museums to visit, but a classic that's not-to-be-missed is the National Museum of Natural History.

If you're looking for a place to spend the night in the nation's capital, the Hay-Adams Hotel in DC built in 1928, is perfect and the location is to die for. The hotel is on Lafayette Square and looks out directly over The White House. There's also an onsite restaurant and roof terrace bar.