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

The Atlantic Coast is renowned for its beach boardwalks, amazing museums and quirky roadside attractions.

  • 32
  • 48:54
  • 2,584 mi
  • $396
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Created by kristenmccartney - August 19th 2018

A road trip down the Atlantic Coast will take you from very early historic towns, like Plymouth in Massachusetts and Newport in Rhode Island, through the hustle and bustle of New York City, down Maryland's Chesapeake Bay to Virginia Beach and North Carolina's Outer Banks. From there, you'll pass through the gorgeous, sleepy hamlet of Savannah, Georgia and down to America's oldest city, St. Augustine Florida. Then it's an oceanside cruise along the Space Coast to vibrant Miami Beach, and you can finish off your trip in colorful Key West. It could be the trip of a lifetime, if you know where to find the can't-miss spots along the route. Sure, you could take I-95 all the way from Boston to Miami, but there are loads of detours and scenic byways that will take you on and off the highway. From Boston to Key West, you're looking at 2,400 miles of beaches, woodlands, two-lane country roads, vintage diners, charming small towns and urban adventures.

Photo of Freedom Trail
4.5

139 Tremont St, Boston, MA, US

Freedom Trail

Beginning in Massachusetts, walk through history along the Revolutionary Freedom Trail in Boston. You'll want to plan at least half a day to accomplish the trail. It's 2 and a half miles long and takes about 2-3 hours to walk. Plus, you're definitely going to want to stop at a lot of the historic sites. While in Boston, there's also loads of great places to grab a bite to eat, but the best place is historic Faneuil Hall, where dozens of local merchants have food stands, so you can take your pick of the best that Boston has to offer. If you have time, and you're traveling with kids, the New England Aquarium and the Science Museum are two must-visits in the city.

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42mi 00h 45m
Photo of Plimoth Plantation
4.5

137 Warren Ave, Plymouth, MA, US

Plimoth Plantation

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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.

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42mi 00h 48m

5 Water St, Fall River, MA, US

Battleship Cove

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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.

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20mi 00h 31m

26 Marlborough St, Newport, RI, US

White Horse Tavern

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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.

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119mi 03h 58m

2000 Montauk Highway (On The Point By Montauk Liighthouse), Montauk, NY, US

Montauk Lighthouse Museum

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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.

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183mi 03h 32m
Photo of New Haven Lighthouse
3.5

2 Lighthouse Road, New Haven, CT, US

New Haven Lighthouse

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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.

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84mi 01h 41m

Gansevoort Street, New York, NY, US

The High Line

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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!

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1mi 00h 09m

32 Spring St, New York, NY, US

Lombardi's

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

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35mi 00h 42m
Photo of Bamboo Forest
4.2

Log Cabin Road, New Brunswick, NJ, US

Bamboo Forest

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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.

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60mi 01h 14m

7619 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, US

Trolley Car Diner & Deli

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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.

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11mi 00h 24m
Photo of Morris House Hotel
3.9

225 S 8th St, Philadelphia, PA, US

Morris House Hotel

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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.

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1mi 00h 07m

19 S 22nd St, Philadelphia, PA, US

The Mutter Museum

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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.

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146mi 02h 39m
Photo of Assateague Island National Seashore (Maryland)
4.5

7206 National Seashore Ln PO Box 38, Berlin, MD, US

Assateague Island National Seashore (Maryland)

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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!

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148mi 02h 43m
Photo of Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
4.5

10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, US

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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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.

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1mi 00h 05m
Photo of The Hay-Adams Hotel
4.8

800 16th Street NW One Lafayette Square, Washington, DC, US

The Hay-Adams Hotel

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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.

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54mi 01h 03m

120 Chatham Ln, Fredericksburg, VA, US

Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania

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A short drive south of DC is the historic Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, where many military historians argue was the site of the Civil War's bloodiest climax. Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania are known collectively as "America's Battleground." The park itself is impeccably maintained and incredibly rich with information on the pivotal battles that occurred there.

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54mi 00h 52m

1119 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA, US

Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue

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When you've got a hankering for some delicious southern barbecue, head to Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue in Richmond, VA. They're famous for BBQ ribs, pork and brisket and refreshing microbrews.

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143mi 02h 21m
Photo of Foreman House Bed and Breakfast
3.4

311 W Church St, Elizabeth City, NC, US

Foreman House Bed and Breakfast

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17

Once you hit North Carolina, a great place to spend the night is the Foreman House Bed and Breakfast in Elizabeth City, which dates to the turn of the 20th century. The historic inn is an antebellum-styled bed and breakfast, just a mile off Route 17.

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77mi 01h 32m
Photo of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
4.6
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When you want to stretch your legs, pull over at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. This is a must-stop along Cape Hatteras National Seashore, most especially for bird-lovers! There's 13 miles of seashore land to explore and tons to do, besides bird watching. It's a very peaceful and relaxing wildlife refuge, and a great stop along an Atlantic Coast road trip.

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7mi 00h 10m
Photo of Inn at Rodanthe
3.6

23288 Beacon Rd E, Rodanthe, NC, US

Inn at Rodanthe

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While stopping at Rodanthe, check out the Inn at Rodanthe, a whimsical and beautiful inn that almost fell into the ocean. When the beach house, which was nicknamed "Serendipity," was first built, there were more than 400-feet between it and the ocean. Those 400 feet kept the Serendipity safe from the crashing waves, rocks, erosion, and anything else that could possibly threaten to topple it into the ocean. Now it's moved to a safer location, but still makes for an impressive photo op, or you can rent it out for a holiday.

Best Time to Travel the Atlantic Coast: During winter the road conditions can vary, but in the Northern part of your trip be prepared for weather delays from December through mid-March. Spring is off-season, so you should be able to score some good rates at hotels along the route. Summer is high tourist season all up and down the Atlantic coast, which means hotel rates will be high and crowds at stops along your route will also be a factor. Fall however, is an ideal time to travel up and down the coast. Not only is the fall foliage particularly gorgeous from end of September through early November in New England, but once you get down to Georgia and Florida the temperature up north will be chilly, so you'll welcome the warmth of the south.