Well, I think I’ll pass on new York. I’d like to go there, but frankly, I can’t find any hotels that aren’t lice-ridden hellholes for a reasonable price, and it seems to be hard to find any place that’s outside Manhattan for some reason.
If you were me (not that much money, but enough) and had a week (maybe a bit less) to go somewhere in the U.S. (eastern half of the country, anyway) in the next few weeks, where would you go?
It hasn’t yet come together, but my friends and I have been trying to plan out a trip to the Outer Banks for two years now.
It’s a great “hanging with friends” place - there’s only, like, four touristy things to do, and the next closest piece of tourist trap is hours away. You can rent a house for a pretty reasonable rate (once split up amongst friends), and just hang out on the beach.
If you’re looking for a more solo thing, Gatlinburg is great - lots of stuff to see and do, even if most of it is a little corny.
DC isn’t super cheap, but there’s lots and lots to see an do there.
Depends on what you like to do on vacation.
But my answer, as always, is Martha’s Vineyard. Which reminds me, I need to start planning my trip.
This! We’ve got world-class live music, theater, art - and outdoor movie season is heating up! We’ve also got fantastic trails for biking, hiking - do you kayak? Kayak the Potomac!
You can have a fantastic time here, even if (especially if!) you avoid the Hill and the Smithsonian (with the exception of the Air and Space Museum).
New York City is fun too, though 
Question - have you considered looking at hostels? There are a couple in DC, and many in NYC - you should easily be able to get a bed for less than $40/night. I just took a trip to NYC that way - it isn’t particularly luxurious, or even comfortable, but there aren’t lice, and it’s fine so long as you remember that if you’re awake, you should not be at your hotel/hostel anyway.
Well… let me ask.
(A) Isn’t July blazing hot? I mean, I live in TN, so I know what it’s like, but I don’t like it either way.
(B) How’s the Zoo? Haven’t been to one in a long time, and it sounds like the DC zoo is cool.
Dunno. I’ve stayed at one, but I don’t like the though of sleeping in a room full of people I don’t know.
You could try Boston or even Newport RI, both have a lot of history and also have walking tours, and you can find hotels outside the metro area that are reasonably priced. You can also go online to any of the many sites that offer discounts on hotels.
If you like history, you could do the battlefield at Gettysburg for a day or two, and be in easy range of all sorts of other stuff to finish out the trip. I was there in the late 70s, and they had an electric map presentation–a scaled model of the whole battlefield, with a narrated timeline and lights indicating the positions being discussed. Dunno if they still do that, but it was great.
Personally, I love DC as a vacation/tourist spot. That’s my next destination, after the baby is a little older and the finances settle down enough that I can comfortably plan for a vacation. However, I’m a total history geek, and could happily spend two or three weeks just touring the Smithsonian… The last time I was there, though, I loved the zoo, the National Cathedral, Arlington, and everything bordering the Mall.
Have you ever visited the Georgia coast? Depending on what part of Tennessee you’re from, it might not be too bad as a driving destination - even from Memphis, it’s only 9 hours to Savannah, and (obviously) closer if you’re in middle or Eastern Tennessee. Savannah is absolutely beautiful, and has lots to offer - history, beach, art galleries and artsy cafes, music scene, restaurants, golf, etc. Relative to other vacation spots, it’s not expensive, but there is the whole “hotter than hell” aspect of a summer visit. But if you choose it for a vacation, I’ll be glad to help you find interesting and affordable stuff to do/places to stay/restaurants/etc. From Savannah, it’s only an hour or so to other beautiful islands - Hilton Head, SC; Jekyll Island, GA; St. Simons Island. Two hours to the wildlife preserve at Cumberland Island, or canoeing through Okefenokee Swamp.
You should check out Charlottesville VA and the Rappahannock valley area. There’s stunning hiking in Shenandoah National Park (or driving along Skyline Drive if that’s your preference), lots of history to see (Monticello, UVa, James Madison’s Montpelier), and really great foodie scene (lots of small producers in the valley). PLUS the weather is usually nice, or at least nicer, in the mountains.
DC returns to the pestilential swamp from which it was carved every summer. You couldn’t pay me to visit in July.