The East Coast of the United States has it all! The East Coast of the United States has so many incredible stops for one epic Road Trip. There is so much to see, to do and to eat! I have lived my whole life in New England and have spent months exploring the East Coast. The list below are my very favorite stops on the East Coast starting from Maine and ending in Florida. So keep scrolling to find the 30 best places to stop and places to visit for an incredible East Coast (USA) road trip.
Pragmatic Travelers only recommend what they have actually done, seen and eaten. This is not a round up of spots I found on the internet but from my own experiences.
30 Best Places to go for an Incredible East Coast (USA) Road Trip
Check out our favorite dog friendly Airbnb’s on the East Coast.
- Oqunquit, Maine.– Charming coastal town in Maine with excellent access to beaches, restaurants and hikes.
- Portland, Maine- A foodie haven. You will be spoilt for restaurant choices here. Adorable city to explore and history to learn.
- White Mountains, New Hampshire-Absolutely gorgeous mountainous area to go for hiking, skiing and really all outdoor based adventures. Check out my local guide for the area by clicking here.
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire– Adorable coastal town with excellent restaurants and shops.
- Boston, Massachusetts– Buzzing city with excellent food and historical sights to visit. Make sure to check out the aquarium and Fenway Park, as well.
- Provincetown, Massachusetts-A LGBTQ+ safe haven/celebrated destination. Thriving coastal town with galleries, clubs, excellent food and beaches.
- Providence, Rhode Island- For all of the small city eats, drinks and history. Make sure to check out Federal Hill.
- Newport, Rhode Island-Thriving coastal town/island with great beaches, an amazing cliff walk and many great restaurants. Don’t miss the Newport Mansions.
- Mystic, Connecticut– Quintessential New England coastal town. Lots of shopping and beaches nearby. It has become known as a foodie destination.
- Chester, Connecticut- This is a very small New England town that will completely charm you. Lots of walks and shops/galleries to visit. Has EXCELLENT food options including Grano Arso, Honeycone Ice Cream and Ottos. Check out our restaurant guide to Chester.
- New Haven, Connecticut–One of my favorite cities to walk around. The around surrounding Yale is beautiful. It is home to the best pizza in the country. (Yeah, I said it.)
- New York City, New York-While this is not my favorite city, you can’t skip it. The food, Broadway, the history. It really is something else. My favorite museum is the Tenement Museum.
- Cooperstown, New York-While a bit far from the coast, this baseball haven is well worth the stop. The Hall of Fame is a magical experience for any baseball fan.
- Gettysburg and Hershey, Pennsylvania-For the history, rides and chocolate.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- Philly should get more love then it gets. Great food and great historical sights.
- Washington D.C.– An amazing destination with so much to learn, to see and to do. Most museums are free, so surprisingly affordable. A must do. Click here for our travel guide.
- The Bourbon Trail, Kentucky– OK, so maybe not really on the East Coast but if you are a bourbon fan it is worth the drive. So many excellent bourbon options. And the Louisville Slugger museum is nearby so win win.
- Asheville, North Carolina-Excellent galleries, food, cider, and beer. Wonderful city to walk around. A don’t miss.
- Blue Ridge, Georgia- This small town took me by surprise. A wonderful downtown area to shop, explore and eat. All surrounded by beautiful mountain vistas and waterfalls.
- Atlanta, Georgia-A massive city with crazy traffic but well worth it (even if it’s just for the aquarium)!
- Savannah, Georgia-Any city that has gorgeous parks, trees covered in Spanish moss and a thriving art scene is worthy of your time. Throw in some excellent food then you got yourself one hell of a road trip stop.
- Charleston, South Carolina- The colors, architecture, food and history makes this a great holiday destination.
- Saint Augustine, Florida- Perfect for a short stay, this city has loads of history and beautiful architecture. Plus beaches! Also two great cocktail bars. Click here for our cocktail guide!
- West Palm Beach, Florida-Excellent place to stay and explore the area. Lots of beaches, restaurants and richy zip codes to explore. Check out the Norton Art Museum and the Palm Beach Lake Trail.
- Miami, Florida-I didn’t love Miami a bit too chaotic for me but worth the visit for the art deco architecture.
- Key West, Florida-So much fun, such great food and wonderful activities. The drive from Miami is gorgeous.
- Marco Island, Florida- A relaxed and beautiful island. The food wasn’t my favorite but had a wonderful time learning about dolphins with Dolphin Explorer.
- Sarasota, Florida- I really enjoy my time in Sarasota. St. Armands Circle is a wonderful place to eat and go shopping. Plus some of the best beaches in the country are nearby. (Looking at you Siesta Key.)
- Orlando, Florida- I mean Disney World. I don’t think I need to say anything else.
- Port St. Joe, Florida-This is a rural beach area in the panhandle of Florida. And I mean rural. It is a quiet but beautiful area of Florida. That still has dolphins swim by public beaches. I thoroughly enjoyed the peace. (I did NOT like Panama City. Kinda trashy.)
Great Resources for planning your road trip
Your Thoughts…
These are 30 of the best stops for an incredible road trip on the East Coast of USA. What are your favorite road trip stops? What are you looking forward to visiting?
