This is officially the very last installment from our East Coast Road Trip! This post is going to be a lot of fun because it will highlight four different cities that are all within a reasonable driving distance of one another. Three of them we actually completed all in one day! If you’re ever looking for an area of the country to knock a bunch of major cities/different states off your list in a short period of time – this may be the mini-road trip for you!
Traveling during a pandemic looks very different than traveling in the past. With safety as our main focus, we took great precautions by abiding by these rules throughout our entire trip:
- Wearing Masks (only taking them off for eating and occassional photos)
- Constantly Using Hand Sanitizer
- Staying 6+ Feet Away from Others
- Choosing Locations based on Crowd Levels/The Business’ Implemented Precautions
- Spending Limited Time in Public (2-5 Hours Max)
If you do choose to travel during a pandemic, I highly suggest taking similar actions and discussing a game plan with your travel partners. Be as safe, mindful, and aware as possible!
After completing our stay in South Carolina (which you can read about here) we began the final stretch of our East Coast Road Trip journey!
Washington, D.C.
My first ever time in our Nation’s Capital… and what a year to be here! Washington, D.C. is such a unique city. It’s full of history but also has a very modern feel. One of my initial observations was that there are so many young people, cute couples, and dogs! We loved to see that.
Our main activity in Washington D.C, was biking around the city! We rented bikes from Capital Bikeshare – all you have to do is download their app and you can pick up and drop off a bike at any of their stations all around D.C.
The destinations we saw while biking were: the Capitol Building, Washington Monument, Reflections Pond, World War II Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial.
United States Capitol
Washington Monument
Washington Monument
World War II Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Sitting on the steps of Lincoln Memorial
What amazing places to visit. All of the memorials were larger than life and breathtaking in structure. I particularly loved the fountain at the World War II memorial… that was gorgeous!
The only thing I would have changed, though, was the weather – biking up those hills in 97-degree heat did not agree well with my system. Nevertheless, we still had a super fun day!
Washington, D.C. Dining
Union Market
Union Market was a huge D.C. highlight for us. It is an incredible culinary experience that features all different vendors within an open marketplace area. Each station has a wide variety of food selections. Although they weren’t 100% open yet due to COVID, the options that they did have available were delicious! We got dumplings, Thai food, Moroccan food… you name it, they have a station for it. They also had their whole rooftop open for social distancing, which provided such a trendy atmosphere. The floor was all covered in grass, there was music, and you got such a great view of the city!
Ice Cream Jubilee
Ice Cream Jubilee might have been my favorite part of D.C. (I know… big claim!) Being a long-time ice cream enthusiast, I definitely appreciated the uniqueness of their flavor offerings! I got Blueberry Pie ice cream that I can’t go a day without talking about. I also mixed it with Marion Berry ice cream, which was so smooth and delightful. I just found this place by browsing through google maps and it turned into a place I will now remember forever.
Marion Berry & Blueberry Pie Ice Cream
Fruitive
I am always on the lookout for healthy restaurants when I’m traveling, and Fruitive was that spot for me in Washington, D.C. They had tons of plant-based, organic, and fresh options. Although you can’t tell from the pictures, I was not feeling well in Washington D.C. and almost passed out in the heat from our bike ride. I knew my body needed nourishment and this was the restaurant we went to right after that scare. I was so thankful – their food brought me right back to life. You could get anything from an acai bowl to a wrap, to a salad to a smoothie. Selfishly, I wish this place was located in my home town because I truly would go all of the time.
We the Pizza
We didn’t get to actually go inside We the Pizza to eat, however, this place deserved a shoutout because they have the most brilliant pun of a name. We ordered We the Pizza for dinner one night and ate it in the hotel room, and it was just the optimum level of deliciousness and comfort.
Baltimore, Maryland
Driving time from Washington, D.C.: 50 minutes
“3 States in 1 Day” is how we concluded our adventure up the East Coast. All of the remaining cities in this post were within extremely reasonable driving distances of one another. We picked something big to do in each city so we could knock them all off our list on our last full day of driving!
We kicked off our day by blasting the Hairspray soundtrack. Singing “Good Morning, Baltimore” was 100% a necessity as we headed into Tracy Turnblad’s beloved city.
Upon arriving in Baltimore, Maryland we went to Fells Point which was their waterfront area. When I tell you it was love at first sight… it truly was. I am already trying to figure out when I can get back there to experience more. I was disappointed that we ate breakfast already because their restaurant selection looked expansive and phenomenal! The atmosphere was wonderful for all types of people – 20 something’s going to brunch, families, couples old and young, etc! I can only imagine that this is one of the consistent hot spots of town.
The other thing we did in Baltimore was going to see Edgar Allan Poe’s Grave. My 8th Grade English self would be so proud. Edgar Allan Poe had a very sudden and mysterious death, and to this day nobody knows the true reason for his abrupt passing. (many say “congestion of the brain” or alcoholism, but the mystery has never officially been solved!) His grave was about 10 minutes from Fells Point and in this small graveyard tucked in the downtown area. For being in the middle of the city, it felt very peaceful there!
Wilmington, Delaware
Driving time from Baltimore: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Wilmington, Delaware was our next stop. We went to Nemours Estate and I truly had no idea what we were in for! Alfred I. duPont was the founder of this grand estate. It has gorgeous architecture, magnificent fountains, vibrant gardens, and fields for as far as the eye could see. We could have kept walking for hours to see it all!
Just a few tips if you do visit Nemours Estate:
- Make sure to eat, drink, and use the restroom beforehand because those resources were not easily accessible while wandering the estate!
- If you are there in the summer months, be prepared for some heat!
- Reservations are currently required due to COVID-19 precautions. Call the visitors center before arriving to secure a time.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Driving Time from Wilmington: 33 minutes
Our very last stop for the day (and the entire road trip!) was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We just did a quick visit here, but we were able to see the Liberty Bell (which was closed and indoors for COVID, but we still had a clear view!) as well as Independence Hall!
Steven also got himself a Philly Cheesesteak from Jim’s South St. and we had ourselves a picnic in the park before wrapping up our adventures.
If you would like to see the very final video from the East Coast Road Trip Series, featuring everything I talked about in this post, click the Youtube link below:
So, my friends, that concludes our Summer 2020 East Coast Road Trip series! I hope you all enjoyed following along and hopefully it inspired you to start daydreaming of your very own road trip someday soon!
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Until Next Time 🙂
