Hi everyone,
I’m planning a family East Coast trip this June with my wife and our 14-year-old son. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and our son just finished middle school. Before he starts high school, I want to take him on a meaningful trip to see some American history, museums, and different East Coast cities.
Our rough plan is:
- Fly from San Francisco to Washington, DC around June 9
- Spend time in DC
- Take the train to Philadelphia
- Take the train to New York City
- Take the train to Boston
- Fly back to San Francisco around June 29
So we have about 20 days total.
This is not a luxury trip. I mainly want it to be educational and memorable for my son. We are interested in history, museums, local food, walking around interesting neighborhoods, and maybe one Broadway show in New York.
For DC, I’m thinking about the Smithsonian museums, monuments, Capitol area, and maybe Arlington.
For Philadelphia, probably Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal Market, and maybe a few local neighborhoods.
For New York, we want to see some major landmarks, museums, Central Park, maybe the Statue of Liberty or 9/11 Memorial, and one musical.
For Boston, I’m thinking about the Freedom Trail, Harvard/MIT area, museums, seafood, and maybe a day trip if it makes sense.
I would appreciate advice from people who have done a similar family trip:
How many days would you spend in each city?
Which museums or historical sites are best for a 14-year-old?
What should we book early?
Any good Broadway show recommendations for a teenager?
Any family-friendly food places or neighborhoods we should not miss?
Any mistakes to avoid when doing this route by train?
Thank you. I really want this to be a good family memory before my son starts high school.