Best/Good/Interesting Places to Go/Stop At on US East Coast

[flyingfin]

Chesapeake & Hudson River, take your time and rent a car for day trips to many east coast US historical sites. You can spend an entire summer getting to Albany if you leave Norfolk in early May.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Chesapeake & Hudson River, take your time and rent a car for day trips to many east coast US historical sites. You can spend an entire summer getting to Albany if you leave Norfolk in early May.

I would be interested in reading good Hudson stops.

[Svsumurun]

Take it even farther SB1 , and take a left off the Hudson and do the Erie Canal into Lake Erie - way to many places to see in one summer on the Great Lakes ! ( if we knew the border would be open I would include Lake Ontario - but that's kind of iffy right now)

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

I know you mentioned Washington, but specifically it takes at least a week to see the Smithsonian properly (make sure you see the rest of the Aero museum at the airport). Scenic walk to see all the monuments. Book a visit to see the Capitol (plan to go early have lunch there, then use the tunnel to visit the Library of Congress without needing to go through security again). You could spend a week in the National Art Gallery (if that appeals), and the Holocaust museum is powerfully poignant.
Baltimore - sure it's a little sketch but you can tie up downtown close to restaurants etc. The Maryland Science Center is right there and fairly cool; and Fort McHenry is great - should be considered a Mecca for Americans (gotta see it once in your life).
NYC - the Intrepid museum, and soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai (yum).

Once spent 15 days doing the Smithsonian museums in Washington ...
it was not enough time.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Svsumurun

Take it even farther SB1 , and take a left off the Hudson and do the Erie Canal into Lake Erie - way to many places to see in one summer on the Great Lakes ! ( if we knew the border would be open I would include Lake Ontario - but that's kind of iffy right now)

I bet. But doubt can do it and get out before it gets cold. It would take a special place to make me risk long pants and socks.

[Svsumurun]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I bet. But doubt can do it anf get out before it gets cold

Well you wouldn't see it all , but getting to Lake Huron and back would be easy ... using slow exploring mode.
You could take to snow bird approach ... nice and slow exploring until sept , then delivery mode for while to work back south a bit

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Svsumurun

Take it even farther SB1 , and take a left off the Hudson and do the Erie Canal into Lake Erie - way to many places to see in one summer on the Great Lakes ! ( if we knew the border would be open I would include Lake Ontario - but that's kind of iffy right now)

If they had year round summer you would never get me out of the NY State Canal system. We absolutely love the entire system.
Cruising New York State Canal System, Erie, Cayuga, Seneca

[Svsumurun]

Taking the us side only ( which leaves out a lot of cool places)

Here are some neat stops just in Lake Erie

Dunkirk NY
Erie PA
Geneva on the lake , OH
Cleveland , OH ( stay right next to the rock hall)
Vermillion, OH
Sandusky, OH ( check out cedar point and ride the coasters)
The islands ( all different - from dead quiet to crazy you can find it )

And I left a bunch out .....

[Gadagirl]

Baltimore inner harbor for the aquarium and restaurants

I have posted the following in another thread some time ago.....

Atlantic City. Casinos? I know pretty dumpy otherwise. But you can catch a train from AC directly to Philly and go spend a day or two. (As opposed to taking the boat up the Delaware river.) A lot of historical sites in Philly and excellent restaurants as well. Also from Philly, if you needed or wanted to you could catch a train or a flight to another destination.

Scuba dive on a wreck off shore. Go deep sea fishing. Ride the dinghy around the bay side marshes. Fish for flounder or try your skills at crabbing.

The Gardner's boat basin is a cool trip across from the state marina https://atlanticcitynj.com/partnerinformation/membership-directory-search-details.aspx?id=15552<br>
I recommend a breakfast at Gilchrist
www.gilchristrestaurant.com/
It is a little hop over in the dinghy so no need for Uber/taxi.

Rent a car and visit Batsto. https://batstovillage.org/
Or visit a winery, or if it's May go pick strawberries, in June go pick your own blueberries. Stop at a farmer's market and stock up on Jersey tomatoes, corn etc.

Brigantine has nicer beaches, just over the bridge from AC.
Order a hoagie from Ernest and Son's and buy some nice steaks to cook on the grill, or other meats. https://ernestandson.com/
The hoagies are to die for! My hand to god! ;-) Brigantine also has a farmers market, not sure which days but I remember shopping it on a weekend day. In addition to fruit and veggies there were fresh seafood vendors as well. Also a Acme grocery store in Brigantine https://local.acmemarkets.com/nj/brigantine/4236-harbor-beach-blvd.html And there's a WaWa Life is good in Brigantine!

Farley State marina
://www.goldennugget.com/atlantic-city/amenities/marina/
has clean showers, gated docks, laundry, a dock restaurant/bar with live music on the weekends. I think you can purchase a pass to use the pools/gyms of the Golden Nugget. Walk across to the Golden Nugget for more restaurant choices or to entertain yourself by loosing (maybe winning) money. Or catch a free tram to visit other casinos or the boardwalk and AC beach. It has been a long time since I have visited the boardwalk but when I last did the shopping consisted of cheap tourist trap stores, arcades, fast food restaurants etc. But you might enjoy it for a stroll. Who knows. It might have improved.

Oh and there's an international airport in AC if you need to fly out or fly someone in.

Atlantic City is really underrated because logistically it is a great place to stop.

And I'll state that I'm not sure what train or tram transport will be next summer depending on covid-19. So there's still that for planning.

[svfinlandia]

Sailorboy
Tell us more about the monkeys at Wahlberg Creek.
I have anchored there several times and it is definitely a cool spot, but I have never seen any monkeys.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[sailorboy1]

Yes I have stopped in AC. I consider it a dive town with fancy casinos :

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

Sailorboy
Tell us more about the monkeys at Wahlberg Creek.
I have anchored there several times and it is definitely a cool spot, but I have never seen any monkeys.

Al, S/V Finlandia

It is rare to see them because you aren't suppose to go pass the high water mark. Just like at the island over by Beaufort SC with the monkey bones on the shore

[Hoodsail]

On the north fork of Long Island, check out Greenport...town dock is 100 yds from downtown...restaurants, microbrewery, easy walk around town. Also Cuttyhunk, north east of Block island...well protected harbor & off the beaten track so no night life and believe there is a hamburger place that’s it...good hiking tho..

[MikeFL]

Some years ago, I happened upon what I recall was the Rockport (maybe Rockland) Boat Club one evening during, unfortunately, a car trip through Maine. I walked in, quickly made acquaintances and found a cold beer from the ice chest in my hand. It was awards night for a race that occurred a week or two before. An overnight race. A single handed race. A race around what else? Rocks. Listen for the waves crashing to make your way 'round.

That night, and Lobster at the "Dip Net", is all I remember of that trip. If you get up there, try to get on a boat with one of those guys...

[snippet]

Mid coast Maine has some of the best cruising in the US. You can deal with the pots. The Canadian lobster season around NB and NS starts in late fall and there aren’t so many pots, but watch out for the toggles. Oh, and then there’s a little fog sometimes..... yacht services are few and far between; fuel, water, provisions can be a challenge, and the tides. But it’s all breathtakingly beautiful.

Monhegan can be a challenge; go early to find a mooring. I left in the middle of the night because the tidal current was pushing the boat off the wind and the rolling kept everyone awake. Try to take a mooring north of the harbor if there’s any southern swell. Down that way there’s also a little known gem, Damariscove Island, with room for a couple of boats. Eastern Egg Rock is where a puffin colony was established. Make sure to have a bolt hole in mind.... Boothbay and Port Clyde are good for a little touristic break. There are a few moorings in the harbor on Matinicus Is.; you can get out to Matinicus Rock for more puffins and northern pelagics. Random favorites: the White Is. on the west side of Vinalhaven; half a dozen gunkholes in Merchants Row near the town of Stonington, Duck Harbor on Isle au Haut for a hike. Sneak into the Barred Is. north of Northaven; visit the town of Castine; go up the Penobscot R. to Bangor for something different. Visit Camden. Hiking in the Camden Hills is not to be missed. Head up to MDI to bike the carriage roads on and anchor in Soames Sound. Spend another week or more moseying down east (cue the aforementioned Roque Is.). Now you’re in the big tides and remote anchorages. Plan accordingly. Once in the Bay of Fundy hop over to Grand Manan NB, then to Digby NS and feast on scallops. There are ocean sunfish in Fundy. Others have talked about the beauty of the NS coast. Just keep on sailing.