The American east coast’s travel pit stops

America’s east coast is a big name home run for Atlantic crossers. It’s easily accessible from Britain with many of the world’s most famous cities having equally famous airports. To help you make the most of time spent in the USA we’ve pieced together a North to South guide of sights worth seeing, cities worth exploring and highways worth driving.

Lobster and Lighthouses in Maine

Portland and it’s surrounding waterfronts have a distinctive feel shaped by the sea. The many interesting lighthouses all have a cinematic charm and are well worth capturing on camera yourself.

Why not head out onto the sea yourself too and go lobster fishing? You won’t find fresher than the famous Casco Bay.

Franklin Park Zoo or wild Vermont

Franklin Park Zoo is a 72-acre nature park dedicated to wildlife and conservation in Boston. Meet exotic giraffes and red driver hogs or hear the stories of native bears in a great setting that provides hands-on experiences and events throughout the year.

Route 100 through the Green Mountains will take you into stunning landscapes perfect for adventurous explorers. Straying from a coastal route and more towards Canada, you might catch a glimpse of a bear, bobcat or moose in its natural habitat.

Newport mansions and a whale of a time

The Cape Cod claw is an amazing stretch of seashore that curves out it’s own protected bay in the Atlantic Ocean. Provincetown sits on the fingertips of the claw and is a fantastic spot for whale watching.

Onwards to Rhode Island, Newport is famous for it’s own impressive giants. Rather than wildlife though, Newport is lined with some of America’s most impressive mansions instead.

New York’s Islands

There are enough sights in Midtown and Manhattan to fill many a holiday, but New York isn’t just great for skyscrapers, shopping and sights. Surfers can paddle out from Rockaway Beach, families can relax on car-free Governors Island and everyone can enjoy the boardwalk and amusement park on Coney Island.

Blue Ridge Parkway, “America’s Favourite Drive”

Take in any part of the 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway and experience some of the best rugged landscapes America has to offer. Running from Shenandoah national Park through Virginia and North Carolina to the Great Smoky Mountains, you’ll want to stop at the old-style general stores, memorial parks and mile-high swinging bridge.

All-American monuments in Philadelphia and Washington D.C.

The home of America’s independence, Philadelphia has a popular historic centre with famous attractions like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. In more recent history, Rocky Balboa’s stair training has put the Museum of Art on the map and cheesesteak sandwiches have put outdoor eating on the menu.

Attractions rarely get more iconic than those in America’s capital, Washington D.C. The White House, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial are the biggest names but the city offers more than just walking tours. Rock Creek Park has great hiking and bike trails in the centre or you could even head on a boat tour to Baltimore.

Miami and the Florida Keys

The seaside drive out over Key Largo and onto Key West is resplendent at day or night. Bridges connect the sun-soaked islands on a route that looks impossible on a satellite map. A sunset at Key West will take your breath away and can be followed with equally impressive stargazing from Bahia Honda Key.

Did you know? Connecting to the U.S. with Aer Lingus is made even easier thanks to the U.S. pre-clearance facilities in Dublin. This means you can clear U.S. immigration and customs in Dublin and save time when you arrive in America.

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