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

[sailorboy1]

Due to the virus I am going north next Spring to cooler summer temps. Now I have done this trip a few times, but this time I plan to be more leisure.

So post your interesting, great, must see, places and sites to visit along the way.

[hpeer]

Sailorboy,

Great thread idea. Similar thoughts. Furthest North (USA) I have been is Marblehead. But have crossed Southbound from NS a couple of times.

Our plan is to drive to Newfoundland for the summer but, who knows, Covid!!! (Spits)

We have done ICW.

Ocracoke Island. Outer banks.
New Bern, NC. Nice historic town, big museum.
Edenton, NC Small pretty historic town, free marina 2 nights.
Elizabeth City, NC. Good museum easy walking distance.
St Marys, GA for Thanksgiving

Delaware River/Philadelphia is all yuck, unless you like big cities.
Annapolis, MD
St Michels, MD - good museum
Solomons Island, MD
Norfolk area has a lot.

[sailorboy1]

I kind of what to go to NS. But dodging the lobster pots in Maine gets so old and I bet NS is the same. So right now I don't think I will go north of Portland ME.

Other than that I am going to try to not comment on places (but so far have been to all but 1)

[djousset]

Lobster pots be damned! If you can stretch yourself a bit further you would enjoy the islands of Casco Bay, Windjammer days in Camden, maybe a stop over at Monhegan Island and Muscongus Bay to see the puffins! Sailor's heaven and sooo worth the trip!

[sailorboy1]

Well I will toss out a few.

Tortuga Fl - largest brick construction in the world, fort, great waters
Key West Fl - well just because
Marine Stadium Miami - view
Titusville Fl, good space museum
St Augustine Fl - oldest city in US
Fernidina Beach Fl - cool town,most flags flew of any US town
Cumberland Island GA-ruins, horses, museum
Jerkell Island Ga - history
Savannah Ga - quaint and interesting
Charleston SC - cool old city, great maritime museum with aircraft carier
Walberg Creek Ga - just a cool anchorage with monkeys on the beach
Beufort Sc - cool old southern town, smoked wings at Qs on the Bay
Portsmouth/Norfolk Va - history, maritime museum, battleship, ICW mile 0, MacArthur museum
Wilmington SC - cool city, battleship
Yorktown Va- battlefield, revolutionary museum
Solomon Island MD(?)- neat museum
Reedville va - note he fishing fleeton way in, go to the museum to learn about it
St Marys on the Potomac - first MS captial old city
Mt Vernon on Potomac - Washingtons estate
Washington Channel DC- get a mooring and explore Washington DC best deal anywhere
Atlantic Highlands NJ - old city downtown, old movie theather
Liberty Island - Statue of Liberty
East River NY - for the building sights
Port Washington NY - great cruiser stop for provising etc
New London CT - moorings to explore the history
mystic Ct -mariime hisory
Fall River Ma- battleship
Hadley Harbor Ma - peaceful on weekday
New Bedford Ma - whaling history
Provincetown Ma - gayness and fun
Boston Islands Ma - forts hidden all over
Boston - enough said
Salem Ma - witch history tackiness
Glouster Ma - fishing history
Thatcher Island CapeAnn Ma - twin lighthouses
Rockland Ma - moffit #1 the most painted building ever
Portland Me - great walking eating town, old fort if you are brave
Jewell Island - old ruins WWII destoryer headquarters
Harpswell/Eagle Island Me - Commodore Perrys home
Bath Me - maritime museum, Bath Iron Works
Rockland Me- lobster capital, art museum

I am sure alot have slipped my mind

[sailorboy1]

Surely there are readers/members here with great places to boat visit along the Easter USA.

[Mikado]

Port Canaveral Florida. The Kennedy Space Center is a must do for anyone that dreams of adventure. The history tour of the Gemini, Saturn and Shuttle space programs is awe inspiring.

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by djousset

Lobster pots be damned! If you can stretch yourself a bit further you would enjoy the islands of Casco Bay, Windjammer days in Camden, maybe a stop over at Monhegan Island and Muscongus Bay to see the puffins! Sailor's heaven and sooo worth the trip!

This. There is a lot to see North of Portland. But South of Portland add Isle of Shoals to the list along with Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Provincetown (maybe), Woods Hole, Cuttyhunk, New Bedford, Port Jefferson, Essex Ct, New London....

[Gary Matthesen]

After you top out from the East River in NYC, hang a right and hit Oyster Bay, where you can get a mooring, or on the hook and visit Teddy Roosevelt's House. Many more stops along the Conn. coastline going East, then to Orient Point for Greenport. You may want to visit Montauk point from there and Sag Harbor, but this going a bit south. Thenon your way to stop at Block Island and/or Newport.

[jen1722terry]

Cape May, NJ is worth the stop.
Any of the harbors on Mt. Desert Island, ME are nice, that's where we spend the summer.
Blue Hill, ME
Sorento, ME (not much there but some pretty homes, but it's a great sail up the bay to get there).
Roque Island, ME is idyllic.
Tennants Harbot, ME
Five Islands, ME
Robbinhood, ME
Eastport, ME
Campabello Island, CA (near Eastport).
Swans Island, ME
Just about anywhere in Maine.
If you're thinking of going up to Nova Scotia, PM us. We have a home there and we'll clue you in on some pristine harbors and anchorages.

Cheers!

[Lazy Jack 32]

Ocracoke Island, NC, is certainly worth a visit, since you'll pass it on the way up the Pamlico Sound on the inside of Hatteras Island anyway. Many of the good restaurants are open again (though several were destroyed in the hurricane last September).

[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).

[dfelsent]

It’s Rockport mass btw. And the harbor is tiny. Ask Sandy Bay Yacht club or the harbormaster for a tie up. Avoid the yacht club pier. It is pilings.

Oven Mouth up the Sheepscott river near Boothbay is quiet and beautiful.
The islands in Penobscot and Frenchman’s bay are great gunkholing.
Of course Roque Island.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by djousset

Lobster pots be damned! If you can stretch yourself a bit further you would enjoy the islands of Casco Bay, Windjammer days in Camden, maybe a stop over at Monhegan Island and Muscongus Bay to see the puffins! Sailor's heaven and sooo worth the trip!

Took the ferry to Monhegan and would love to take our boat but did not see any excellent options for anchoring and mooring options seemed uncertain. Active captain mentions finding the harbormaster who usually is nearby who might be able to put you on one of the moorings east of the ferry dock if the owner (mostly local lobster boats) isn't there.

Any better info on how to visit Monhegan by boat?

[skipmac]

Visited the Dry Tortugas once 30 years ago and want to go back. Nothing there but the fort so don't expect any nightlife other than what you bring or arrange with other boaters.

Loved anchoring for the night behind the statue of Liberty. Best view going of the city. If they have spots you can spend a few days at Liberty Landing marina with a very easy hop across the Hudson to NYC and all that the city offers.

Never stopped but a number of friends insist that you must stop in Coinjock and eat at the restaurant.

On my list is also a side trip to DC to spend a couple of days touring the various sights there.

Port Washington is a great stop. Eat at the Bosphorus Cafe and Grill for the best middle eastern food I've had.

All this assumes the US is open again.