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Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
Boston or Washington DC?
Bellebelle · 29/11/2019 19:05
Going to NYC and Orlando for the parks next July, we’ve done the trip before (few years ago) and always planned to go back because we loved it so much. This time however as it will be second time to NYC we’d like to do a few nights in between and we’re choosing between Boston and Washington DC (although open to suggestions of anywhere else you think I should consider). Plan is to get the train from NYC to the next city and then fly down to Florida.
I’ve looked at the merits of both but can’t decide, I know that Washington will be more humid at that time of year but that really doesn’t bother us. So I’m interested to hear from anyone that’s been to both or either, what would you recommend and why? Also any tips for places to eat and visit in both most welcome. It will be me, DH and DD’s who will be 15 and almost 12. We mainly like to walk around and discover the cities we visit with some museums/art galleries included but not wall to wall tourist attractions - we prefer to enjoy spending time in a city rather than ticking off all the ‘must see attractions’ if that makes sense (when we went to Paris for a long weekend we went to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, visited the Louvre for a couple of hours, looked at the Eiffel Tower and spent the rest of the time wandering the streets eating a lot of croissants and had the best time 😄)
MrsMaiselsMuff · 29/11/2019 19:09
I'd skip New York and do Boston and Washington.
Washington is amazing for museums.
Boston is the best city for wandering around.
Wildorchidz · 29/11/2019 19:16
We were in both cities in July a few years ago. I thought I would die in DC - it was 40 degrees. We went into every single museum purely for the air con.
Boston was less hot
CMOTDibbler · 29/11/2019 19:40
I really like Boston, but its Washington that I would go to over and over. The museums are amazing, but wandering round the White House/ Washington Monument etc then down past all the museums really is lovely.
AgeLikeWine · 29/11/2019 19:48
Washington is great. The Smithsonian museums are among the very best in the world, the Capitol and the monuments are amazing and you might just get the opportunity to stick two fingers up to Trump in person if you see his motorcade. It’s quite a sight.
In July, however, DC will be very hot, very humid and very busy. Boston is also a fantastic city with fascinating history and the New England climate will be a bit more comfortable in July.
PlausibleSuit · 29/11/2019 19:50
DC is awesome, but DC in July is hell on earth. It gets oppressively humid. I didn't cope.
The Acela Express is what you want though, either to Boston or DC. I recommend splurging for First Class, it's the only way to reserve seats (standard, called Business on the Acela, is an unreserved free-for-all from Penn Station).
ruthieness · 29/11/2019 19:54
I think Washington - your DD will have seen so many movies with the iconic buildings and the sense of history
They will love it.
Boston is lovely - the aquarium and the park but not quite the same impact for that age.
DPotter · 29/11/2019 20:10
I'm with MrsM - forget NYC and go to both Boston and Washington.
Boston - great for boat trips, guided tours around Harvard, and the Freedom Train walk
Washington - the Smithsonian museums are amazing, great open top bus trips around the city and over to Arlington. Best museum was the Newseum - the only one you pay for but brilliant. We didn't have time when we were there - trip out to Mount Vernon, George Washington's house.
We did the train from Boston to NYC, then train NYC to Washington - very civilised. Went in school holidays and although Washington was hot & sticky, NYC had the most oppressive weather; bad thunder storm meant we missed the base ball game.
MissConductUS · 29/11/2019 20:19
I'm with MrsM - forget NYC and go to both Boston and Washington.
Forget NYC? Perish the thought. 
NYC is a very different experience than either Boston or Washington. In terms of scale and scope of things to do it's significantly larger and more diverse.
I've spent lots of time in both Washington and Boston and while both have their advantages, I have more fun in Boston. It's more historic, nicer architecture and has better restaurants than WDC. The fact that it's such a university town gives it a sense of youthful energy. Washington is more stodgy old suits. Boston weather will be much milder in July as well.
I admit some bias. I'm of mostly Irish heritage, have family in the Boston area and DS is at uni just north of the city.
AnnaNimmity · 29/11/2019 20:28
I havne't taken my children to Boston, but we did go to NY and Washington this summer. They really enjoyed Washington - we didn't go to many of the museums, but we walked and also biked (hiring the citi bikes) around the central bit, went kayaking on the river, and also did a bit of shopping in Georgetown. We drove out of town a bit too which was fun.
(our history of Washington was almost entirely gleaned from Hamilton the Musical, but the children enjoyed that ).
My kids loved NY . We biked and kayaked in both places which really added some variety and (the kayaking) is very welcome in the heat. Of course my children had to go for a swim....
meow1989 · 29/11/2019 21:06
Haven't been to Washington but Boston is gorgeous so that would get my vote!
Inniu · 29/11/2019 21:09
Washington is great especially with teens. So much to see and do.
Bellebelle · 29/11/2019 21:57
Thanks for all the replies, seems like the vote is split but lots to think about.
Hadn’t actually thought about just skipping NYC 😄 We’re not done with that city though, I have to go back! We spent 5 days there last time and absolutely loved it, feel like we have so much more to see and do. Other than taken the Statten Island ferry to sail past the Statue of Liberty we didn’t leave Manhattan and I’d love to spend some time in Brooklyn this time around.
I do think that the DD’s would love Washington for the reasons given above, so many iconic buildings and the older one has done quite a lot on American civil rights at school while my younger DD is just fascinated by the grotesqueness of Donald Trump 😂
However Boston just looks lovely, in that way were you visit a city and want to pretend that you live there (I do that most places though to be fair)
TBH if I had it my way I’d be cutting down the time in Florida to fit in the three cities but I’ll be outvoted by the rest of the family. I am starting to plot how I might get to Miami for a day...
bestbefore · 29/11/2019 22:09
We did this in reserve, had the week in Orlando first, then flew to Washington and then got the train to NYC. I know you did ask about this but the travel was very easy!
I wouldn't skip NYC, it's fab!
We loved Washington and I would return...it's like being on a movie set as you know all the sights. You might get to see the blossom - pretty sure we just missed it in August...
Fl1mF1am · 30/11/2019 17:39
We were a bit meh with Boston. NYC blew us away, wouldn’t miss going there again.
BubblesBuddy · 30/11/2019 20:45
I think there is plenty to see and do in Boston if you appreciate American history. There are also whales! Take a trip out to see them. There are great museums too.
Washington is slightly more obvious because it’s in the news a bit more and The Mall has every possible Museum you can think of that’s important in America. The museum of flight and the American History Museum are the best. Civil rights is covered in the History Museum and also in the Native American Museum. If it wasn’t for the heat I would say definitely Washington but Florida it will be horribly hot too! So you can cope! The war memorials and the Capitol are also fascinating as well as Georgetown and Arlington Cemetery. The home of George Washington can be visited too and he was a Slave owner. So worth a trip.
Fl1mF1am · 01/12/2019 03:57
The Freedom Trail is pretty dull and long.
The Tea Party Ship and an MIT tour are worth doing for the teens and tweens but personally I’d only allow 2 days max for Boston.
GrumpyHoonMain · 01/12/2019 04:12
I would probably just do Washington and spend more time in Florida - check out the Everglades, Miami, Key West / Caladesi etc
IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 01/12/2019 04:40
Don’t know if it makes any difference to you but we live in the US and go somewhere new every spring break - D.C. has been on the list for years but I can’t bring myself to go while the orange twat sits in the White House
MissConductUS · 01/12/2019 15:43
I can’t bring myself to go while the orange twat sits in the White House
I understand the visceral reaction, but when tourists avoid the city it's the people working the the hotels, restaurants and shops who suffer, not the twat at the top.
IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 01/12/2019 21:14
Fair enough, I think I’m in the minority though and I would then just choose to go to Boston, if I decided DC then the restaurant/hotel staff wouldn’t get my tourist dollars in boston
LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 01/12/2019 21:17
I love Washington but your eyeballs will melt in July. I’m not kidding.
BubblesBuddy · 01/12/2019 21:57
Why would you not visit the fantastic museums in Washington and the war memorials because of Donald Trump? He doesn’t affect what’s good about Washington.
LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 01/12/2019 22:15
You can walk past the White House and give him the finger!
IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 02/12/2019 05:51
Him being there affects a huge number of people I know and love in my community. And as my children are learning about American History and sound American themselves I want them to be able to go to Washington and be proud of the president. Also OP said Boston or D.C. so I’d just go to Boston instead and visit D.C. when he’s finally gone
Bellebelle · 03/12/2019 22:03
@IJumpedAboardAPirateShip it’s interesting that you say that as my DH has commented that he feels a bit funny about visiting the US while DT is the president, as if he’s endorsing him or something. To an extent I understand where you’re both coming from however it obviously doesn’t bother him that much as this will be our third holiday to the States in four years. My DH was somewhat lukewarm to us going to Disney the first time we went and then had the time of his life - now I think he’s the most excited about going back of all of us!
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