The bright lights of the big cities, the quiet beauty of the
rolling countryside, the bustling seaside promenades, and the
soaring heights of unspoiled wilderness - everything that people
in the eastern United States love is found along the
Mid-Atlantic Coast, the heart of the East Coast.
The
region comprises five states and one federal district in the
northeastern United States. The region is dominated by
megacities stretching from Washington, D.C. to New York City,
but the vast countryside to the north and west is also home to
some of the East's most spectacular attractions.
It is in
the Mid-Atlantic region that one can see the unfathomable urban
landscape of New York City, the indescribable power of Niagara
Falls, the unspeakable gravity of the battlefield at Gettysburg,
and the uncompromising determination of the capital city. The
region's diverse cities are rich in cultural attractions, and
its rural highways lead to undiscovered gems of scenic and rural
life.
As a cultural region, the Mid-Atlantic Coast
combines the best of its largely bordering cultural regions: New
England, the Midwest, the South, and the Canadian provinces of
Ontario and Quebec. Thus, each state, and especially each city,
has a strong identity, and locals are more likely to be aware of
major subregions such as the New York City tri-state area, the
Washington, DC metropolitan area, rural Pennsylvania, and
downstate New Jersey than they are of the Mid-Atlantic as a
whole.
The Mid-Atlantic is an important region and is
densely populated, with large cities that draw not only the
region's population but also the nation's population (see
"Migration" section). Three of the nation's top ten metropolitan
areas are located here: New York, Philadelphia, and Washington,
D.C., which are only an hour and a half drive apart from each
other. They are New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington,
D.C. These metropolitan areas consist of a huge urban sprawl
radiating out from the center and occupying a significant
portion of the region's land area. Because of the large
population, the roads are congested, the beaches are crowded,
and the trails are well maintained.
It is a genuine East
Coast region, associated with all the stereotypes of a huge
immigrant community from all over the world, left-wing politics,
good food, and arrogant (and ignorant) attitudes toward other
states, especially the central "flyover" states. The long
Atlantic coast also means strong ties to Europe in terms of
travel, culture, and commerce.
The Chesapeake Bay is
truly a world treasure and should not be missed by anyone
interested in ecology, sailing, or seafood. The region is home
to some of the most important Civil War battlefields like
Gettysburg and Antietam, and Niagara Falls is one of the great
natural wonders of the world.
New York
New
Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
While American capital of Washington D.C. is not the largest city in US, it is certainly one of the most interesting travel destinations.
Atlantic City - the "Las Vegas of the East", known for its
casinos
Baltimore - large port city near Washington D.C.
Buffalo - largest city in upper New York State and gateway to
Niagara Falls.
New York City - the largest city in the United
States in terms of population, financial and economic capital,
cultural center.
Philadelphia - the ancient capital of the
USA, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
were signed.
Pittsburgh - industrial center and river port.
Washington, D.C. - Capital of the USA and the only city of the
federal district.
The most important sights in the region include the world-famous
Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island off New York and
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the US Declaration of
Independence was accepted on July 4, 1776. Both are recognized
by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. In addition, there are
numerous other sights in the metropolises of New York and
Philadelphia thanks to their historical significance. In
Washington DC, of course, there are the well-known symbols of
American state power to marvel at. In addition, the capital has
a very high concentration of museums, galleries and memorials.
Other historically significant sites include the National
Historical Park on the site of the Battle of Saratoga in the
American Revolutionary War, the Fort Stanwix National Monument,
the historic Fort McHenry off Baltimore which played an
important role in the British-American War of 1812 which was
designated a National Historical Park Site of the 1863 Battle of
Gettysburg, Fort Delaware near Delaware City or St. Francis
Xavier (Old Bohemia) Church in Warwick MD.
Special
natural sights are above all the Niagara Falls on the
American-Canadian border, the Thousand Islands at the transition
from Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence River, the Pine Creek
Gorge (the "Grand Canyon" of Pennsylvania), the Allegheny
National Forest at the transition from Pennsylvania and New
York, the dune island Assateague Island off the coast of
Maryland, which is protected as a biosphere reserve, and Fire
Island off New York.
Much of the Mid-Atlantic region suffers from suburban sprawl,
with little to do except go to the movies. A short drive away,
however, are the majestic outdoor opportunities in the West and
North. Hikers have the longest trail in the world, which runs
through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York and extends from
Georgia to Maine. Pennsylvania between Pittsburgh and
Philadelphia is beautiful and largely wild. Driving through
idyllic Amish countryside or hiking through forested hillsides
is a wonderful way to get away from the region's huge urban
centers. The massive Adirondack State Park in upstate New York
is the largest state park in the country, covering an area
larger than neighboring Vermont. The kayaking, boating, hiking,
camping, hunting, and fishing possibilities are endless. In
Jersey Shore, Delaware, and Ocean City, Maryland, you can tan,
swim, gamble in some places, and eat boardwalk fries to your
heart's content.
Sporting events are another major draw
in the region, with each major city having at least one major
league varsity team, as well as several universities with large
sports programs. There are also minor league teams, such as the
Lehigh Valley IronPigs, a Class AAA Philadelphia Phillies team
based in Allentown. Several tourist railroad companies and
preservation railroad groups operate Santa and Easter Bunny
trains.
By plane
The most important destinations for direct flights from
Europe are the two New York airports JFK and Newark, Washington-Dulles
and Philadelphia. Other major airports in the region, but of more
national importance, are New York-LaGuardia, Baltimore-Washington,
Washington-Reagan, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo.
By train
From the
Midwest, travel to the region by long-distance Amtrak Lake Shore Limited
(Chicago-Albany-New York), Capitol Limited
(Chicago-Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Washington), or Cardinal
(Chicago-Indianapolis-Washington-New York) trains . From Chicago to
Pittsburgh, for example, it takes around 9½ hours, to Washington 17½
hours.
From the southern states there are the Crescent (New
Orleans-Atlanta-Washington-New York), Silver Service and Palmetto
(Savannah GA-Washington-New York), Carolinian (Charlotte
NC-Washington-New York) and Northeast Regional (Norfolk or Newport News
VA-Washington-New York-Boston). For example, it takes 4½ hours from
Norfolk to Washington and a good 8 hours from Charlotte.
From the
New England states, the Acela Express and Northeast Regional (Boston-New
York-Washington), Vermonter (St. Albans VT-Springfield MA-New
York-Washington) and the Ethan Allen Express (Rutland VT-Albany-New
York) lead to the middle Atlantic coast. The journey from Boston to New
York takes about 3½ hours by bullet train, to Philadelphia about five
hours.
From Canada, you can take the Adirondack from Montréal to
Albany and New York, or take the Maple Leaf from Toronto via Buffalo. It
takes 10½ hours to get from Montréal to New York and 13½ hours from
Toronto.
Greyhound is unfortunately a major intercity bus operator.
Fortunately, the bus routes in Chinatown compete with each other at low
prices. This no-frills Point A to Point B service grew organically out
of the needs of Chinese Americans visiting relatives in various
Chinatowns in the region. This service became widespread when the public
realized that they could get from DC to New York City and back for $30.
There is no central Internet site for such a service, so a general
Internet search is best. Note that Chinatown buses occasionally arrive
in and depart from less urban neighborhoods.
The new wave of
intercity bus transportation is that large corporations are trying to
emulate the Chinatown buses and provide better service. Megabus was the
first to adopt this new business model, offering heavily discounted
fares from its New York hub to Boston, Toronto, Buffalo, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Atlantic City, and Washington. Bolt Bus is a division of
Greyhound, but it offers new buses with more legroom, power outlets in
every seat, and free wireless Internet, making it considerably cheaper
and more comfortable than the usual service. Bolt Bus covers the
Northeast Corridor on roughly the same route as Megabus.
While train service is very limited in other parts of the U.S., the
Northeast has the best rail service in the country. The high-speed Acela
express trains run frequently along the Washington-Philadelphia-New
York-Boston corridor. Amtrak also serves upstate New York and western
Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Amtrak is a very expensive option, often
more expensive than flying or renting a car! Also, Amtrak is only
relatively fast, and its speed is not comparable to other national
high-speed trains, and the difference in fare between Amtrak and regular
Northeast Regional trains will likely make Amtrak a better value unless
you have an expense account.
In addition to Amtrak's frequent
service, there are a number of cheaper regional trains (commuters): the
MTA Metro-North and Long Island Railroad around New York, NJ Transit in
New Jersey, SEPTA in the Philadelphia area (with Wilmington, Delaware
and New Ark), and MARC in Maryland (especially between Baltimore and
Washington, D.C.).
It would probably be slower than Amtrak or
Acela Express, but at a fraction of the cost. Travel from New York to
D.C. is relatively easy, with only one rail gap between Philadelphia and
Baltimore. From Penn Station, take New Jersey Transit to Trenton Amtrak
Station, connect to SEPTA R7 Regional Rail to Philly's 30th Street
Station, and from Philly to Baltimore by other means (Greyhound bus or
rental car is the easiest way to Then transfer to the Mark Train at
Baltimore's Penn Station to get to Union Station in D.C. The Mark Train,
however, does not operate in D.C. However, Mark Train service may be
limited in routes and times on weekends.
All of the states in the region have conveniently maintained service plazas along major highways, and the freeways themselves are pedestrianized, so this is probably the best bet for hitchhiking.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do and drive in the United States. If
you plan to visit anything other than the major cities, the only real
way to see the Mid-Atlantic is by driving. The D.C. area consistently
ranks among the nation's most congested cities, and the New York
metropolitan area is not far behind, The New York metropolitan area is
not far behind. Aggressive and often inexplicable driving is a daily
occurrence along the interstate and in populated areas.
I-95 is a
coastal superhighway, sometimes as long as 18 lanes, connecting D.C. and
New York City through Baltimore and Philadelphia (optional) and almost
all of New Jersey and Delaware in between. I-95 is the fastest drive
between these cities. I-95 is the fastest driveway between these cities,
but tolls are high (especially in Delaware!). Avoiding I-95 and taking
U.S. Highway 1 through Pennsylvania west of Philadelphia requires a bit
of finesse and takes a bit longer, but is more scenic, less tolled (one
or two bridges are tolled), less congested, and generally easier to
navigate. The scenery, low tolls (one or two bridges are tolled), less
traffic congestion, and overall ease of travel will make such a trip
rewarding.
Upstate New York and rural Pennsylvania may have
unimproved roads, so pay attention to where the GPS is guiding you. Even
in upstate New York and Pennsylvania, it is not always possible to deal
with snowfall immediately. In many areas, secondary roads are not plowed
unless there are several inches of snow. Driving during a winter storm
can be dangerous.
According to a famous (but unfortunately
untrue) urban legend, the road layout of D.C. was designed to confuse
invading armies. New York City is severely congested and its drivers are
the most aggressive in North America (although Bostonians might
disagree). Philadelphia also has very reckless and fast drivers, but at
least the city is laid out like a grid; if you are driving to D.C., make
sure you get the directions right and do not drive around rush hour. If
you are driving into New York City, it is convenient to park in an
uncrowded neighborhood (such as Queens or Brooklyn) and take the subway
into Manhattan from there. Overall, it is almost always better to come
by train and use mass transit than to drive and pay astronomical parking
fees (mid-Atlantic cities have some of the best systems in North
America).
By contrast, it is easier to navigate urban transit in
remote areas of the Mid-Atlantic, such as upstate New York. The
populations of many cities, such as Buffalo and Rochester, have declined
significantly since the 1950s, when the freeway system was built. Many
cities, such as Buffalo and Rochester, have seen a significant decline
in population since the 1950s, when the freeway system was built, so the
roads are uncongested most of the time.
There are many low-cost airfare options between mid-Atlantic cities,
but it is usually best to avoid short flights, especially around New
York City, because of the hassles and delays associated with heightened
security. All major cities are connected by regional and commuter rail
lines with stations in the central business districts. In addition, most
intercity flights travel between suburban airports that are quite far
from the city center. If the distance is long enough, such as
Washington, D.C. to Albany or New York to Pittsburgh, which is quite a
distance away, flying is indeed cheap and convenient.
A rule of
thumb is that if the alternative transportation (car, train, bus) from
city center to city center takes less than 3.5 to 4 hours, then flying
is not worth the time.
As in most of the United States, all official signs on the
Mid-Atlantic coast are in English, so English-speaking travelers will
have no trouble communicating their needs wherever they go. Spanish is
widely spoken, primarily by immigrants from Latin America and their
families, although many native-born residents are also taught Spanish in
school (though not necessarily well). Yiddish is widely spoken among
Chassidic Jews, and Pennsylvania Dutch is the primary language of the
Amish community.
Because the five states are located on the East
Coast, they were the first entry points for many English-speaking
immigrants, and thus retain a greater diversity of regional accents than
elsewhere (accents tend to converge as settlers move west). Wherever you
go, you are likely to encounter common American pronunciation, but you
may encounter the New York accent in Brooklyn, Long Island, and northern
New Jersey; the Inland North dialect of upstate New York, from Buffalo
to Syracuse to Binghamton ("Saturday Night Live's "Da Bears" come to
mind), Baltimore's "Bawlmores," the inexplicable "Picksburg" accent that
diverges more and more from the surrounding accents, the South Philly
accent, and the Southern accent of Maryland's Eastern Shore. People from
the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania and New York State speak with
accents that resemble Southern accents. If you look in the isolated
communities of the Chesapeake Bay, you can even find 17th century
English accents! Nevertheless, most of these accents are slowly
disappearing, and most young local whites speak with a common American
accent.
The Mid-Atlantic coast is a foodie's paradise, if you know where to go. New York City is the world's premier fine dining destination, and the D.C. area has an endless supply of cheap, delicious immigrant-owned restaurants featuring cuisines from around the world. Philadelphia takes fast food seriously and is a great place to try American street food, including, of course, the Philly cheesesteak. New Jersey's diners are iconic, and Baltimore is funky. And the coasts of Delaware and Maryland are famous for their stunning crab feasts.
Few regions in the world can boast of the nightlife of the
Mid-Atlantic metropolitan area. New York City's nightlife needs no
introduction. From dibes to swanky wine bars to the best jazz in the
world, New York City nightlife has it all in this category.
Philadelphia, Allentown, and Baltimore offer quirky, rough-hewn,
inaccessible, but very lively bar and club scenes. Pittsburgh defies
expectations of a post-industrial city with its vibrant and surprisingly
classy nightlife scene. Washington, D.C., has long since shed its stuffy
image and is now a popular destination for young people from the U.S.
and abroad. Along with New York City, it is the most cosmopolitan city
in the nation, with a variety of options to match. The city is also
famous for its large African-American population, and no visit to the
city is complete without experiencing its black nightlife scene,
especially in the lounges and go-go clubs.
Local beverages are
numerous, most of which fall into the beer category. One of the most
notable is Yuengling Brand (pronounced Ying-Ling), the oldest brewery in
the United States. In most of Pennsylvania, you can order a "lager" and
get a Yuengling lager.
As is true throughout the U.S., crime is a problem in urban centers,
while the suburbs and countryside are almost always safe. Philadelphia
and Baltimore are particularly dangerous places for travelers, and both
are worth visiting, but it is best to do your homework beforehand and
stay off the beaten path, as there are rough neighborhoods near many
popular tourist destinations. New York City, as you may have seen in the
movies, is actually one of the safest large cities in the nation, and
you can rest assured that violent crime is rare in areas frequented by
tourists. Similarly, crime in Washington, D.C., has declined
dramatically since the 1980s, and much of the city (albeit gentrified)
is very safe for tourists. Nevertheless, there are still some rough
neighborhoods, especially east of the Anacostia River. Major cities in
New Jersey are not major travel destinations, so there is not much to
worry about. However, Camden and Trenton in particular are not viable
travel destinations due to high levels of violent crime. Newark has a
negative reputation and still suffers from certain problems, but crime
is down dramatically, and most visitors will not encounter any major
problems if they remain vigilant, as they do in other major cities.
Every mid-Atlantic city has a high level of gang and drug-related
crime. Gangs are moving from cities like New York and Philadelphia to
mid-sized cities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania like Allentown, Reading,
York, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Chester, Camden, Trenton, Atlantic City,
and Newark. Just know which area you are in and be on the lookout for
suspicious activity.
The climate in the Mid-Atlantic region of
the United States is not as extreme as in other parts of the country,
but it can be dangerous at certain times of the year. In winter, ice and
snow may fall inland, but only for short periods of time. Summers are
often quite humid and muggy, especially around Washington, D.C. Although
the area is occasionally hit by hurricanes and tropical storms in the
fall, such events are rare and precautions are taken well in advance.
The Baltimore (Johns Hopkins), New York, Philadelphia, and
Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas have some of the best hospitals in
the world. In fact, these hospitals are visited by the world's elite.
However, if you do not have insurance that covers this type of
treatment, you can expect to be charged a tremendous amount for any
hospital visit.