In less than 2 weeks, I will be boarding the newly remastered Queen Mary 2 for a Westbound Transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York. It really is (for me) the stuff that dreams are made of and I am so looking forward to making that iconic journey. That’s not all, however, as once I leave Queen Mary 2, I will be embarking on a 16-day east coast road trip with a friend of mine before sailing back home, again aboard Queen Mary 2 – it really is going to be EPIC!
It’s taken quite a lot of planning, simply because I am trying to cram as much in as physically possible, but it will all be worth it, I’m sure! I’ll leave the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and head for Atlantic City in New Jersey, from there we go to Harrington in Delaware for the annual state fair and then it’s on to Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Lancaster County, Bear Mountain (New York state), Lexington, Salem, Boston and New York City.
My aim with this trip is to give you tips and ideas on what to do if you wanted to do a pre-or-post-cruise land tour, or if you just wanted to hop on a plane and visit one of these wonderful places. Several of the states on our route have major cruise ports, including Baltimore, New York, New Jersey and Boston, so they are pretty much the gateway to hundreds of amazing little adventures that you could have on the US east coast. Sometimes it’s nice to spend a day or two exploring the area, instead of just passing through because that’s where you embark or disembark. Everyone is drawn to New York City, but there really is so much more to see and do.
I don’t want to tell you everything that I will be doing – I have to keep some surprises – but this is a little taster of what I have planned for the 16-days:
New jersey –I’ve always wanted to stroll the AC Boardwalk and Steel Pier, so that’s exactly what I am going to do. I’ll also pass through the Jersey Shore area on my way to Delaware.
Delaware – I’m literally going all the way to Delaware just to enjoy the festivities of the annual summer state fair, which is held in Harrington. I’m so excited about this, I spent days looking at state fair dates and even smaller town fair dates, and this one slotted in with the rest of the trip perfectly.
Washington D.C. – I don’t think I even need to say anything about this state, but I will. I’m going to see the White House, and a few other places.
Maryland – Baltimore brings baseball, oh yes it does! I’ve always wanted to go to a baseball game and for my first experience I picked one of the best teams in the league – the Baltimore Orioles.
Pennsylvania – This state is going to be a little on the spooky side as I am actual doing a paranormal investigation with some friends at the Eastern State Penitentiary – I know, talk about unique!! I’ll also be stopping for a day in Lancaster County to learn all about the Amish way of life.
New York – My first stop in New York will be for a few days of rest and relaxation at Bear mountain, I’ll then come back to the state, this time hitting the city, after my visit to Boston.
Massachusetts – Lexington, Salem and Boston are on the list, so it should be a ton of fun!
That’s just a brief outline of what I will be doing, but as you can see, it’s going to be a lot of fun!! I leave on the July 17th sailing, let me know if you or anyone you know will also be sailing on this voyage.
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