Northeastern Magic
Highlights
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See the sights of New York
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Get up close and personal with Niagara Falls
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Explore Washington D.C. on a walking tour
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Look out over the rolling hills of Shenandoah
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Adventure through New River Gorge
8 States
3 National Parks
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10 days
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1,450 miles
National Park
checklist
Cuyahoga Valley
New River Gorge
Shenandoah
Our example itinerary
Day 1 - New York City, NY
A famous paper salesman-turned-regional manager once described New York as "the city so nice they named it twice". New York, New York is the biggest city in the country, split over five boroughs - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. It truly does feel like the 'city that never sleeps', being stunning both day and night. If you're up for it, you can walk around much of Manhattan, down into Brooklyn, or get the metro which has been modernised in recent years.
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Some planning prior to arriving in the city is key to maximising your time. This will probably dictate where you'd like to stay as well. PUBLIC Hotel is a great, modern hotel near Soho, towards the south of Manhattan island. Or if you fancy being closer to Central Park, consider Hotel Belleclaire, at the north of famous Broadway. We also loved our stay at aka NoMad on our most recent visit to NYC, just a few minutes walk from the Empire State Building!
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You must start the day at Clinton St. Baking Co. with reservations highly recommended. The pancakes are stacked tall, full of fruit or chocolate chips, and there is a range of savoury options too! Then check out the Empire State Building, once the world's tallest building. As you're in central and south Manhattan, it's also worth checking out the 9/11 memorial, located at the site of the new One World Trade Center. In the evening, take a walk over Brooklyn Bridge and down into DUMBO, a trendy and upcoming neighbourhood in Brooklyn full of boutiques and high-end restaurants. Nearby is Pebble Beach, where many locals and tourists alike come to enjoy the sunset behind the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline.
The cables of the Brooklyn Bridge provide a sharp contrast to the darkening blue sky as the sun sets, giving the effect of shadows in the sky. A central, elevated walkway allows pedestrians to cross the East River, linking Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Day 2 - Drive to Niagara Falls, NY
Head out of New York into New Jersey and then shortly after, Pennsylvania, as you drive 7 hours up to the world famous waterfall. On the way, fans of The Office might want to stop off at Scranton, but otherwise it's an Interstate drive through much of New York State. Grab some chicken wings in Buffalo, and once full, go for a late night stroll through Niagara Falls State Park! The falls are lit up with a spectrum of colours, and the lack of crowds is an added bonus!
From dusk, hundreds of LED lights illuminate the water rushing over the falls, with special illuminations on select nights through the year.
Day 3 - Niagara Falls, NY
An absolute must when visiting Niagara Falls is the Maid of the Mist boat tour. Armed with a blue poncho to protect yourself from the spray of the roaring falls, get up close and personal. Niagara is actually formed of three individual falls: American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe - the latter you'll get closest too, and is the most powerful, where 680,000 gallons of water incredibly fall over the edge every second!
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Armed with your passport, you can then cross Rainbow International Bridge, entering Canada and seeing Niagara Falls from yet another angle. On this side, you can journey behind the falls. Snack on a BeaverTail while in Canada, a topped pastry which, you guessed it, loosely resembles a beaver tail!
One of the Maids of the Mist approaching the falls, soon to be shrouded in mist from this incredible natural wonder.
Cleveland is the second most populous city in Ohio, and borders Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga valley. Beautiful architecture can be found throughout the city, such as the Detroit-Superior Bridge, Tower City Center, and Cleveland Mall. An hour away is Cedar Point, boasting the exhilarating Millennium Force.
Day 4 - Cleveland, OH
Leave Niagara Falls early to maximise your time in Ohio today! Around 3.5 hours away is Cleveland, home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which is always a popular attraction! Or if the weather look set to be lovely, perhaps a guided walking tour might be the best way to spend your day! The city dates back to 1796, so there's plenty to see. The Cuyahoga River also flows through the city, downstream of Cuyahoga National Park, on tomorrows itinerary!
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Another option that might mix up your trip is a visit to Cedar Point, one of America's most famous and oldest theme parks! Built on a peninsula extending out into Lake Erie, it has ranked within the top 5 best theme parks in the world for a record 25 years, and currently boasts 16 rollercoasters, including 2 of the best three steel coasters in the world. Millennium Force, Steel Vengance and Top-Thrill Dragster were all record breaking rollercoasters when opened and are musts for any brave visitors!
Day 5 - Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH
Just half an hour away from Downtown Cleveland lies another world from the urban, lakefront city. Cuyahoga Valley NP follows the path of the Cuyahgoa River for around 20 miles. Leave your hotel in Cleveland relatively early, of which we would recommend the Kimpton Schofield, to maximise your time here! Start off by heading to Rockside, at the north of the park, to board the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, usually departing at 9am. Not many national parks have working railroads running through the park, so it is definitely worth checking out! From here, you will travel through the park, following the river and historic Ohio-Erie canal towpath trail, all the way down to Akron Northside Station. Look out for wildlife on the way on the 1.5 hour journey south!
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Return on the train heading back north, before getting off at Peninsula Depot. From here, you can then walk at your leisure along the towpath trail, stopping off at Boston, Brandywine Falls, Alexander's Mill, and eventually Lock 39 near Rockside Station, the northernmost lock in the series stretching throughout the park. This hike from Peninusla to Rockside is about 13 miles, plus a little extra to get to and from Brandywine Falls, the biggest in the park (although just a smidge compared to Niagara...!), so will use up most of the rest of your day. No doubt you'll be pretty exhausted after 4 hours or so of hiking, so enjoy a good meal out in Cleveland in the evening at Momocho if you fancy some Mexican-Latin cuisine, or the Cleveland Chop if a big burger is more what you need! As ever on any national park day, carry plenty of water, and don't forget to 'leave no trace' - making sure not to venture off the trail, nor take home any 'souvenirs'.
The Cuyahoga Valley Line began serving Ohio all the way back in 1880, running along the bank of the Cuyahoga River throughout much of its journey to Cleveland, with mills, waterfalls and brooks dotted along the way. Coyotes, minks, beavers and bald eagles can be seen and heard throughout hiking along the Ohio-Erie canal towpath trail.
Day 6 - New River Gorge National Park, WV
Aim to start early again if you can to head south on I-77 to West Virginia, to see one of America's newest national parks, New River Gorge! The journey should take about 5 hours, so you'll probably arrive at around lunchtime. Set up camp or drop off your bags at a hotel in the nearby town of Beckley, before heading to New River Gorge Bridge and visitor centre for a view of the iconic bridge, which was the longest single arch bridge in the world when it was built in 1977, a title it held for 25 years.
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For the afternoon, get the adrenaline pumping! New River Gorge is known as one of the best natural playgrounds in the East! White water raft down the river, explore muddy trails on an ATV, or go zip-lining through the tree tops! All will make sure your trip to New River Gorge is one to remember!
The road of New River Gorge Bridge flys 876 ft above the river, which you'll cross to reach the visitor centre and the small path that takes you to the viewpoint. Here, you can see the scale of the structure as it disappears into the lush green, forested horizon ahead.
Look at America's newest national park in more detail here!
Day 7 - New River Gorge NP, WV & Shenandoah NP, VA
Stop off at Sandstone Falls on the drive out of Beckley for a short, one hour exploration of the picturesque waterfall that stretches across New River. 300 miles east lies the last national park of this journey! Cut into the famous Appalachian Mountains as you travel into the park on Skyline Drive, the main road through the park that runs mostly along the ridge of the mountains. The 105 mile long road provides some stunning views out to the east and west. Tunnel Parking Overlook, Spitler Knoll Overlook, and Rockytop Overlook are especially worth checking out, but stop off at as many of the 75 overlooks as possible if you have time, and see which you love the most! As the latter faces west, perhaps hang around here, watch the clouds pass by, and enjoy a surely stunning sunset as the shadows grow over the rolling mountains and hills beyond. When the glow has faded and with blue hour ending, head down to your accommodation, with there being a few lodges and campsites to choose from within the park.
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A Skyline Drive overlook is your host for the evening, as you watch an orange color palette paint the clouds and the sky above the descending slopes of the famous Appalachians. Different trees glow as the sun sinks down, and then below, the horizon, in a must-see Shenandoah experience.
Day 8 - Shenandoah National Park, VA
Explore Shenandoah however you please today! Catch sunrise on Skyline Drive, chase more waterfalls, or go for a long hike through forested trails leading out to another cracking view! Because the park is so big and long, it really depends on where you have decided to stay for the two nights here.
The most popular hike in the park is probably Old Rag Mountain, near the Skyland area of the park, a challenging 9.4 mile round trip hike, but definitely one of Shenandoah's finest!
Big Meadows is another of the main areas of the park, with the high elevation meadow being a cool place to stargaze, a rarity in the Northeast and the best opportunity on this trip!
Old Rag Mountain is rated as one of the best hikes in the country! Some scrambling is required to reach the summit, but is worth it for the great views. With over 2,500 ft of elevation gain and a hike time of around 6 hours, make sure you're aware of the difficulty!
Day 9 - Washington D.C.
Just an hour and a half from the Front Royal (north) entrance to Shenandoah is the nation's capital. The city was specifically planned by the founding fathers to be the capital of the newly established United States of America. This gives it some quirky characteristics, with many wide streets radiating out from the Capitol building, which acts as the centerpoint of the city.
During the day, check out Arlington National Cemetery, and then your choice of the Smithsonian Institution museums. The National Air and Space museum, National Museum of the American Indian and National Portrait Gallery are just three options. Or explore the National Zoo, with Giant Pandas, Tigers, Gorillas and Asian Elephants just some of the endangered species you can see! All the Smithsonians are free, but naturally donations are appreciated.
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In the evening, we massively recommend going on a night tour of Washington D.C., as it's quieter, and the monuments are impressively beautifully lit. It's also a fantastic way of learning the history of not only the city, but also the country! And you can have a cycling tour of the city rather than bus if you prefer! Then head back for a good nights sleep, at Hotel Hive, Lyle Washington DC, or The Dupont Circle, depending on your budget.
There is a certain magic to a night in D.C. Washington Monument and the reflecting pool, the White House, and the various war memorials, always look stunning, but especially so after the sun has set.
Day 10 - New York City, NY
Last day of your Northeastern adventure and you're back in the Big Apple, where you can now visit everything you missed back on day one! Start with a classic NY bagel, before venturing to Central Park. Here you can paddle around the lake, sunbathe on one of the meadows, or just walk around and enjoy the plants and trees amongst a concrete city.
Around midday, catch the metro down to Grand Central Station to see the hustle and bustle of the main station in the city. Then jump back on and head down to the Staten Island ferry, which goes past the Statue of Liberty and gives views of Manhattan. Or if you want to get closer to the iconic Statue, catch the boat to Ellis & Liberty Islands. Grab some dinner, and then we recommend getting a sunset ticket for Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center, which while a little more expensive, lets you see the city from above at both day and night. It also gives a great view looking from the 70th floor out to the Empire State and One World Trade Center. On your way back home, stop off at Times Square. Although quite touristy and busy, it's still cool to see the huge billboards which make it feel like its still daylight! Quite the contrasting experience to national parks that's for sure!
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Nearly all of the attractions we recommend here can be visited using the New York CityPASS, potentially saving you plenty of money! The pass is only valid for 9 days including the first day of use, so wouldn't last from day 1 to 10 on this itinerary. However, if you plan to spend more time in NYC, either before or after your trip, it might be worth checking out!
New York City is one of the world's most iconic cities, and your trip here gives you the chance to see why. The Statue of Liberty, gifted by France, celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and stands by Ellis Island, an immigration inspection and processing station for over 12 million arrivals throughout the first half of the 20th century. Central Park provides greenery to the northern part of Manhattan, while looking south from the Top of the Rock gives you the best possible views of the famous Empire State Building.
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