As people who work in public service, we had to learn how to appease our travel bug without breaking the bank because traveling out of the country is not something we can afford to do often. We both enjoy traveling and exploring new things, and quickly realized that exploring our “backyard,” so to speak, or areas local to us, was a way that we could do so. It’s one of the reasons why most of our travel experiences are along the East Coast (so far). We prefer it, but there is also so much for us to do within our driving distance from Philadelphia, and we love sharing what we’ve learned from doing so with others who are hoping to also travel on a budget. It’s one of the many benefits of living in the area that we do. Romanticizing our local towns, cities, and neighboring states has been something we’ve grown to truly enjoy, and we’ve begun to appreciate as people living in the Delaware Valley region.
In today’s post, we’re going to share some places we’d recommend for people looking for places to visit in the U.S that are within a 6 or 7-hour drive from the Delaware Valley.
Philadelphia, PA:
As a Philly-native, I amy be a little biased, but Philadelphia is a place we’d recommend for those of you who may be new to the area or live outside of it. You can easily turn this into a day-trip or a staycation if you’re from the area. The food options are incredible and Philadelphia is known for it’s historical ties to the American Revolution and the early years of the United States. If history isn’t your thing though, there’s an array of museums and other attractions to enjoy that makes Philadelphia a place where there is certainly never a dull moment.
NEWPORT, RI:
If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you know that to Newport, RI is a place that has a special place in our heart and is one of our favorite places to visit. There’s never a shortage of things to do there, but it is also very close to cities like Boston and Providence if you’re hoping for a change of scenery while you’re there. While it can be costly, there’s things you can do and places you can stay to offset the costs. View our Newport posts for suggestions of budget-friendly things to do.
New Haven, CT:
A few years ago or so we went to New Haven for our anniversary and we were shocked at how quickly it took us to get there. Granted, we left after work, but we with that said, we left from work that evening and ended up in New Haven sometime around 9:30 that night. While there we had some slices of pizza, visited some museums and spent time exploring New Haven’s Yale campus.
Boston, MA:
Boston is one of our favorite cities to visit because similar to Philly, there’s always something that you can do, depending on what your interests are. Interested in sports? Visit the stadiums or get tickets to see a game, if it’s the time of year where games are happening. Love history? Dump fake tea into the harbor or visit the USS Constitution/Old Ironsides. Are you a big foodie? Go on a food tour and visit some of the food spots that Boston is notable for.
New York, ny:
The “city that never sleeps” certainly lives up to it’s name. New York City is a place that I have visited a few times and each time there’s been something new for me to do and a new restaurant for us to try. Whether you’re looking to visit some of the tourist attraction areas or hoping to visit a borough that isn’t as packed with visitors, there’s always a new restaurant to try, a small business to support, a place to go shopping, and a museum to visit.
related posts
New Hope, PA:
One of our favorite places to visit when driving up the Delaware Water Gap is New Hope, PA. There are small shops to support, restaurants to enjoy, and scenic places to walk or drive around near. There’s even a scenic rail train that you can take within walking distance from the area’s waterfront. It’s truly a beautiful place to visit and drive through.
Cape May, NJ:
I could not end this list without adding one of the places my family frequented as kids during the summer. Cape May, NJ, makes the perfect day trip or weekend-long vacation, allowing you to enjoy the beach towns without feeling too far away from home. Don’t forget to watch out for the tram car if you’re traveling to Wildwood, NJ in Cape May County!
Wilmington, DE:
This city, which is located in one of the smallest states in the country, is small but mighty. It’s not as large as the metro in its neighboring state of PA, but there’s still quite a bit to do, intriguing places to eat, and museums to visit. We love visiting Delaware to have a bite at some of our favorite restaurants, such as Mrs. Robino’s or grabbing takeout fried chicken from Waltz. For coffee, you can visit Sleeping Bird or BrewHaha for a delicious latte. It’s the perfect day-trip or staycation for those local to the region.
That’s our list of places we’d recommend you visit when seeking vacations that are within driving distance from The Delaware Valley. We’d love to hear from you! Have you been to any of these places?
