# Recommend to me an East Coast weekend trip **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081 "2011-07-15T00:21:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/1 "2011-07-15T00:21:38Z")
Hallgirl and I are wanting to go on an all-girls weekend away in September. We’re looking for a spot within 2 hours drive from Philadelphia. (I know, some may be saying, “Why not do Philadelphia?”–Hallgirl lives there and I have a low tolerance for the noise, the people and the filth. Beside we want a vacation.) Here’s our criteria. [ul] [li]Must be within a two hour drive from Philly.[/li][li]Should have something different to do. We like oddball museums and tours of weird or unusual places (we did a tenament museum in NYC that was freaking awesome).[/li][li]MUST have some variety of places to eat. We are foodies and love everything from a diner breakfast to really good seafood.[/li][li]We are not big shoppers. So while some independent funky shops are fine, we are not into malls or outlet stores. Farmers markets are a plus though.[/li][li]We’d like some nature. Beach, mountain, nice lake or something like that.[/li][li]While we don’t mind some history, we don’t want to be consumed by it. When we’re talking history, we’re more into the oddball history (we liked the industrial museum thing at the Inner Harbor)[/li][li]We’ve done Baltimore, DC, Pittsburgh and NYC (although some of those are further than two hour drive).[/li][li]Don’t need somewhere that’s “family” oriented (no kids are coming), but we’re not partiers, either.[/li][li]We’d like some outside activities–a boat tour is great, kayaking would be cool, and somewhere that we could rent bikes would be okay, but the bike rental would have to have a purpose (like touring downtown, not just riding around a park).[/li][li]It doesn’t have to be one single place–it could be a couple of places that we visit one after the other.[/li][/ul] So, any suggestions, or should we just stay home? ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/2 "2011-07-15T03:44:52Z")
Long Beach Island (Jersey shore): [http://www.longbeach-island.com/](http://www.longbeach-island.com/) Side trip to the Pine Barrens (inland): [http://www.visitnj.org/pine-barrens](http://www.visitnj.org/pine-barrens) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/3 "2011-07-15T05:04:46Z")
A run through the Lehigh Valley has lots of stuff to do. You could head up to Bushkill Falls, or stop at Roadside America, the World’s Greatest Miniature Village, or head out to Pottsville to the courthouse where they hung the Molly Maquires, or Dorney Park outside of Allentown, or head out toward Reading and the Amish country where you can visit Intercourse, Blue Ball, and Paradise, and the numerous antique shops and pretzel factories. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/4 "2011-07-15T16:54:32Z")
Lots to see and do in Gettysburg if that’s not too historical for you. Or New Hope for the artsy-crafty allure. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/5 "2011-07-15T18:52:24Z")
Cape May, NJ. Or… numerous towns along the Eastern Shore of the Upper Chesapeake. I guarantee you’ll love it, especially considering your list. > **[Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland](http://www.easternshorevisitor.com/)** > > The only guide to the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the Maryland Eastern Shore. Shore events, real estate, hotels and Chesapeake Bay cruises. Stick with Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Can’t miss. [Maryland Eastern Shore Guide and Maps](http://www.easternshorevisitor.com/maryland-eastern-shore.html) 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/6 "2011-07-15T19:03:31Z")
I second Cape May. How about: Lancaster County (already mentioned) Hersheypark Atlantic City Is there anything to do in Camden, NJ other than drive through? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/7 "2011-07-15T23:15:47Z")
I was going to make some of the suggestions above; rather than repeating, I’ll suggest Hershey. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/8 "2011-07-16T00:08:40Z")
harper’s ferry is 3 hrs away but you can go boozetubing/civil war tour down the potomac. ---
**Author:** ![Melysnl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Melysnl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melysnl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/9 "2011-07-16T14:59:46Z")
I can’t help you within two hours of Philly but if you wait a bit and go in October, Asheville, NC is an awesome weekend escape. When the leaves change, it’s a gorgeous, hip mountain getaway. There are alot of good people and beautiful sights to see. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/10 "2011-07-17T12:31:20Z")
Eastern Shore, Long Beach Island and Harper’s Ferry are a possibilities. Unfortunately, we’ve done Cape May, Hershey (I lived in Hbg. for ten years), Lancaster and Gettysburg (even have the driving CD for the car tour through Gettysburg!). We did Atlantic City awhile back, but neither of us gamble and we’re impressed with it enough to return. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/11 "2011-07-17T14:10:44Z")
How about Ocean City, MD or Rehoboth Beach, DE? They’re more than 2 hours away, but less than 3. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/12 "2011-07-17T17:57:11Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > How about Ocean City, MD or Rehoboth Beach, DE? They’re more than 2 hours away, but less than 3. We did OC last summer and Rehoboth Beach…I’ve heard everyone say, “It’s like OC, only nicer and not as crowded.” I’ve also heard it’s more expensive than OC. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/13 "2011-07-17T18:43:13Z")
Have you been to Chincoteague? It’s a neat little town, plus there’s the beach and wildlife sanctuaries on Assateague. The last Wednesday and Thursday of July is Pony Penning - the annual Chincoteague Pony roundup & sale. It’s kind of a mad house, which may or may not be a plus in your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-an-east-coast-weekend-trip/589081/14 "2011-07-17T19:57:13Z")
[Sandy Hook](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook) It’s pretty cool to be in a wild, somewhat isolated place that has about 20 million people living within 50 miles.