The East Coast might be less popular or dreamy than the West Coast for a road trip but what is good about it is that you can pretty much do it all by bus and hit all the major cities!
If you are thinking why the hell would I travel the US by bus, well here are a few advantages to consider:
- Bus travel is a lot cheaper than renting a car or flying (and you don’t have to pay for petrol either)
- There are no baggage limits
- The distances in between the stops are fairly short (at least for this trip)
- Greyhound buses and bus travel in general is something to experience (there are also Flixbus)
Granted that list is not very long but I have to say that the main benefit is the cost. For me, the only inconvenient is that once you arrive in a city, you don’t have your own car to drive around. However, pretty much all the big cities on the East coast are close(ish) to each other so you will not be spending hours on the coach and once you are there, you can use public transport, taxis, Uber, and so on.
This itinerary will let you discover most of the East Coast in 18 days starting from New York City:
- Day 1-4 in NYC
- Day 5-6 in Boston
- Day 7-8 in Philadelphia
- Day 9-12 in Washington DC
- Day 13-14 in Atlanta
- Day 15-18 in Orlando
Day 1-4 (The Big Apple)
Arriving in New York City.
I suggest flying into JFK at the start of your trip. There will probably be more flights (another good option is to fly into Newark, New Jersey). Also note that you have to fly into an international airport first when you enter the US territory (if you are coming from Europe for example) because you will have to go through US Customs and not all airports in the US have it. And personally I think there is no better way to start an East Coast road trip than starting in the city that never sleeps!
Obviously you are going to need a few days to discover the Big Apple so book a hotel or an Airbnb (we stayed in an Airbnb in Brooklyn and it was very nice and close to the metro). If this is your first time in NYC, I’d suggest staying at least 4 days in New York (including your travel days); no you will not have enough time to see it all (there is so much to see and honestly who sees everything in each city they visit for the first time) but remember that you have a few other cities to hit after this one and you want to have enough time for the rest of the trip.
In those 4 days, you can have a stroll in Central Park, get a bird’s eye view of the city from the Rockefeller Center, see the Statue of Liberty and the lights of Times Square.
Day 5-6 (Boston)
On your fourth day, it’s time to say goodbye and head to Boston.
You can also do this the other way around if you prefer (fly to Boston and travel down to NYC, this will actually prevent you from going up and back down the coast but it all depends on the flights you find).
Catch a bus from the station to Boston, it will take you between 4 to 5 hours depending on your route and when this article was written, the trip cost $36.99. I highly suggest booking your tickets in advance as the price goes up as you get closer to the departure date (as they do for flights) and spots are limited on a bus.
There are a few different things to do in Boston. You can visit Harvard University and the MIT. Harvard University organises guided tours around campus during the year but you are also free to roam by yourself if you prefer.
Feel free to grab lunch and have a picnic on campus if you want!
I also recommend visiting the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum that takes you through the history of the famous tea party and more. You get to board a ship, throw tea parcels overboard and the whole experience is very educative and immersive.
If you’re not planning anything specific, I would say 2 days in Boston is enough. However, if you have enough time and are interested, you can also take a day trip to Salem by train. There is a direct train that will take you there in 45 minutes only!
Day 7-8 (Philadelphia)
After wandering the streets of Boston, head down to Philadelphia.
The journey takes around 8 hours (this was the longest) and costs $30.
In addition to being the city of the Philly cheese steak, Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States so there is a lot to do and see.
Starting with Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 (if you are there on July 8th, you can see a re-enactment of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence with period costumes and everything) or the Betsy Ross House where the first US flag was sown and even the Rocky Statue. And of course, try the famous Philly cheese steak.
Day 9-12 (Washington DC)
After visiting the birthplace of the US, it’s time to visit its capital!
In only 3 hours, you can be in Washington DC for only $20, a bargain!
The Mall is filled with museums (almost all free) so the time you want to spend in DC largely depends on the amount of museums you want to visit and the number of hours you want to spend in each of them. I’m personally not a big fan of museums, I don’t mind going in, checking out a few things but I will not be the type to spend hours inside and read everything.
However, I do recommend a few like the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Air and Space Center. You can also visit the Capitol and the White House (organised tours only).
Day 13-14 (Atlanta)
Next stop is Atlanta, Georgia. I strongly suggest flying there from Philadelphia as the bus journey lasts over 20 hours but if you’re up for that, go for it.
Atlanta played a major role in US history so there is a lot to learn at the Atlanta History Center.
For less serious activities, head to the World of Coca Cola where you can discover the history of the famous soda and at the end, you can taste a bunch of different flavours/drinks that haven’t been marketed.
Other activities include the Georgia Aquarium, the Zoo, the Centennial Olympic Park or even the CNN Studio Tours.
I recommend staying 2 days here before heading to your last stop of this trip.
Day 15-18 (Orlando, including a travel day)
Last but not least, Orlando, Florida!
The bus journey from Atlanta lasts about 8 hours ($30).
This stop is mainly to visit Universal Studios so if that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to skip it and end your 15 days trip in Atlanta. The tickets are a bit pricey but it’s totally worth it.
I suggest getting the Park-to-Park ticket (for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) with which you can ride the Hogwart’s Express between Hogsmeade Station and King’s Cross station.
There is so much to do in the parks, the 3 days will fly by! And if you like Harry Potter, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of the parks is a dream.
You can walk into the Castle, enter Gringotts, wander the street of Diagon Alley and try Butter Beer. If that sounds like a bit of you, definitely make this stop, it’s worth the money and you will not be dissappointed.
End note
And just like that, you’ve reached the end of your East Coast road trip. You can fly out of Orlando International Airport and head home, or wherever you want for another adventure maybe.
I hope you enjoyed this itinerary as much as I did and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your beautiful pictures of the trip. And remember, keep creating those memories!
Love,
Marine
xx
Disclaimer: all prices were researched at the time of writing this article, please check before booking.