In 2022 I packed up my home in Denver, loaded the car, and moved to New York for a year. The intention was to explore the East Coast’s many exciting attractions and spend quality time with family.
It was my goal to spend at least one night in every state in the Northeast. It’s safe to say, I exceeded the goal. Throughout the trip, I visited a total of 28 states, stayed in 33 different cities, and visited 2 new countries.
Below is everywhere I visited during my year spent living in New York and traveling around the East Coast. I put this together to document my incredible year of travel, and to inspire others who feel called to do a trip like this.
Wondering how I traveled this much? Read How I Quit My Job & Traveled For A Year.
Contents
Everywhere I Traveled While Living In New York & Exploring The East Coast
February
The trip took off in February, there were so many US attractions I wanted to see, so this road trip was a big one, totaling 18 days.
St. George, Utah – Before heading east, we backtracked to St. George where my grandparents live, and spent two days hanging out with them and enjoying their beautiful city. If you’ve never heard of St. George, let me introduce you, this desert city is just 2 hours outside of Las Vegas, and offers a dizzying amount of outdoor activities. It’s within close proximity of famous national parks (looking at you, Zion) and boasts a handful of gorgeous state parks. It’s paradise for outdoor lovers. We visited Snow Canyon State Park during this stopover.
Page, Arizona – My grandparents then joined us in nearby Page, AZ to see the famous Upper & Lower Antelope Canyons. This is one of the most unreal natural attractions in the United States and it was really special to experience it with my grandparents. While here we also saw the social media darling, Horseshoe Bend, and admired beautiful Lake Powell.
Albuquerque, New Mexico – Frankly, we needed somewhere to stop between Page and our next destination, and had friends in Albuquerque. This is New Mexico’s largest city; I’ve visited before and know it offers a handful of fun attractions, but this was too short of a visit to see much. But even with limited time, it was great catching up with our friends and we ate some incredible Mexican food.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – We only spent one day in OKC, but even so, I came away with the impression that this city is extremely underrated and should be on more people’s radar. We hit a few of the tourist destinations and enjoyed a night out. OKC very much reminds me of a young Denver, and I’m excited to see how the city progresses. I’ll definitely be returning to see more of Oklahoma’s capital someday.
Little Rock, Arkansas – We stopped here for two nights to see Hot Springs National Park and Petit Jean State Park, using Little Rock as our base. Hot Springs is a very unconventional national park, but I enjoyed learning the history of it. We did a few hikes in Petit Jean State Park, which were gorgeous and easy, I appreciate hikes which have high reward for low effort. I think Arkansas is a very under-appreciated outdoor destination and hope to visit more of its state parks someday.
Memphis, Tennessee – Wow, I was so surprised by how much Memphis has to offer. There are great museums, delicious food, and excellent music. We managed to tour the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, the museum is very well put together, it’d be easy to spend hours here. We then headed over to Sun Studio, where the likes of B.B. King, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash recorded hits. We also ate excellent BBQ and spent a night jamming to blues and jazz on Beale Street. While we did see a lot, one day was not enough here and I can’t wait to return.
Nashville, Tennessee – I’ve visited Nashville many times and adore it. I couldn’t resist spending a night here during the road trip, and it turns out that even on a Tuesday night, this place is rocking. On our way out of town we did the Jack Daniels Distillery tour and had a great experience, our guide was wonderful and the distillery is in such a beautiful location.
Atlanta, Georgia – We spent two nights here and had a great time visiting family. We got to see some of the tourist attractions in downtown Atlanta — like the Georgia Aquarium, Ponce City Market, and College Football Hall of Fame — and I finally tried Slutty Vegan, which is an awesome all-vegan fast food chain created by Pinky Cole.
Savannah, Georgia – Two nights were also spent in Savannah, this time with a friend of mine. Savannah is incredible and quickly became one of my favorite cities in the United States. The beauty, history, charm, food, nightlife… Savannah has a lot going for it.
Charleston, South Carolina – Next up, we visited Charleston. Somehow, I didn’t like the city, which I’m embarrassed to admit. I think we had some bad luck in terms of weather and there’s a good chance I didn’t plan the itinerary very well. While we did eat some excellent food and admire the beautiful architecture (we even witnessed Rainbow Row free of crowds), I’m determined to return someday to see Charleston in more of a positive light, the way so many others do.
Congaree National Park – On our way to the next destination, we stopped at Congaree National Park. This park has a very inspiring backstory, showcasing the power of conservation efforts. Locals fought to protect this area from logging and it’s now the largest expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the Southeastern US. It’s a relatively small park and perfect for a half day visit.
Asheville, North Carolina – For the final three days of the road trip we stayed in Asheville, North Carolina. I loved this city and would be so pumped to spend extended time here in the future. We hiked, saw the Biltmore, went to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, drank craft beers, and walked around the city.
On the 19th morning of the trip, we packed our bags in Asheville and made the final 12 hour drive to Sag Harbor, a hamlet in Southampton, New York, which would be our home until November.
March
March intentionally had no trips planned. I wanted to rest after such a long road trip and settle into Hampton’s life before the summer crowds arrived. I am so thankful we did this, as cool as it is to move to a new destination, there’s definitely an adjustment period.
We did take day trips to nearby Montauk and Greenport. I’d been to both before, but it was really interesting to see them in the off-season.
April
April saw our first big trip since arriving in New York.
We spent 9 days across Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Rehoboth Beach, and Ocean City, MD. Except for Washington D.C., these were all new destinations for me.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – We spent 2 nights here and I loved it so much. There are excellent museums, tons of US history, a surplus of amazing vegan food, and fun sporting events. I often hear people bashing on Philadelphia, so my expectations were admittedly low, but I can say with certainty now, I’m a Philly fan.
Baltimore, Maryland – Ah, Baltimore. We spent one night here and it wasn’t good. It was poor planning on my part though, I hold no resentment against Baltimore. Our visit landed on a Monday when most tourist attractions are closed, and Baltimore isn’t the greatest city for off-the-beaten-path exploration. I’ll return someday and give Baltimore the chance it deserves.
Washington D.C. – This entire 9 day trip was timed in hopes of seeing the cherry blossoms. We missed peak bloom, unfortunately, but we got the gist of it. During the visit we also explored a ton of Smithsonian museums, walked the monuments, wandered through random neighborhoods, and ate really delicious food. I love D.C., it’s such an interesting city with so much to see.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware – When inquiring about where to vacation in Delaware, I was repeatedly told, “Go to Rehoboth Beach.” So, to Rehoboth Beach I went, and I can easily understand why so many recommended it. After a lot of rain in Philly, Baltimore, and D.C., the sun shined down on us in Delaware. We scrapped our plans for exploring and sat at the beach instead, which I believe is exactly how Rehoboth Beach should be enjoyed.
Ocean City, Maryland – Ocean City, what a place. We visited friends living here and had an absolute blast hanging out with them. They took us to the boardwalk, to the adorable nearby town of Berlin, and to see wild horses on the beautiful Assateague Island National Seashore. We then spent a night at the infamous waterfront bar, Seacrets… what an experience.
April also brought us to New York City for the first of many visits during our year here. At this point, I was restless with the monotony of grey, cold days in The Hamptons. So, upon seeing 75°F and sun in NYC’s forecast, I immediately reserved a spot on the Jitney.
During the weekend trip, we sipped tea in Bryant Park, spent hours doing nothing in Central Park (glorious), and browsed The Met. That night we met with friends in Brooklyn and had one of the best meals of the entire trip — Bunna Cafe for vegan Ethiopian food. The following morning saw bagels and touristy activities in Manhattan before heading back home to Sag Harbor.
May
May continued to be wet and rainy, beach days were agonizingly close but still out of the question. We day tripped to Greenport again and stopped by some flower fields on Long Island.
We then spent two days in New York City again. This time we walked around Chinatown, the West Village, and Wall Street, paid our respects at the 9/11 Memorial, and lounged out at The Battery. That night we met with family for rooftop drinks and another delicious vegan dinner, this time at Planta Queen.
The following day we did more touristy stuff like Little Island Park, the High Line, and the Vessel. Then we attempted to see the sunset from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, a social media famous observation deck, we saw rain instead. But it was still really cool and officially my favorite observation deck in NYC.
Just a few days after a weekend spent in New York City, we headed into uncharted territory, New England.
Never before had I stepped foot in New England until this 9 day trip which brought us to the region’s southern states: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Mystic, Connecticut – I’ll be honest, we stayed here because the location was convenient — near the ferry port and on the way to Newport. Mystic ended up being a great little getaway though. The town is so cute and I really enjoyed the Seaport Museum, I also loved visiting the neighboring village of Noank. I know Connecticut has more to offer and am excited to return another time.
Newport, Rhode Island – This Rhode Island city was a favorite among the many places we visited throughout the year. There are tons of fun areas to explore, a gorgeous harbor, sailing, and really good food. I wish we could’ve spent more time here, but I know I’ll be back. We also did a day trip to Watch Hill, RI, during our visit, which was enjoyable and a must for Swifties.
Boston, Massachusetts – Next, two days were spent in Boston visiting a family member. First, we detoured to Salem for a quick day trip. I loved this kitschy, witch-themed town. We then spent our first evening in Boston sitting in the rowdy bleachers of Fenway Park (bucket list). The following day was jam-packed with sightseeing. It’s incredible how much US history is here, and I loved the city’s ample parks, it was really fun.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts – For the final leg of the trip, we spent 4 full days and 3 nights in Cape Cod. It was very relaxed, we explored the various towns, had a beach day, day tripped to Nantucket, and I even saw my first-ever whale (!!!). It was the perfect combination of relaxing and exciting activities.
June
June warmed up and we were finally able to hit the Hamptons’ famous beaches and explore the towns surrounding Sag Harbor — like Shelter Island, Southampton, and East Hampton — without the hindrance of rainy weather.
June also saw some of our first visitors.
Friend visits were the perfect excuse to break up our routine and do all the touristy things in our own backyard. We went to a few vineyards, played games on the beach, visited Montauk and Greenport, discovered some new state parks, and went out for nice dinners. We had a great time with our friends who visited from Denver and NYC during this month.
In June we spent another day in NYC, this time with our friends from Denver. We mostly wandered around and let the day take us wherever.
There were stops in the West Village, Chelsea Market, Cornelia Street, and The Stonewall Inn, we sat around in random parks and drank beers at a really old bar. It was great.
Almost immediately following this trip, we hit the road again, this time for Upstate (NY). I was so, so excited to explore Upstate and the trip did not disappoint.
Lake George – Our first stop was Lake George, on our first day we did a boat tour and walked around town. The second day we explored the region, seeing places like Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain. I loved the Adirondacks and look forward to returning.
Finger Lakes – I was not prepared for the sheer size of the Finger Lakes Region, it’s huge. Across three days we visited more state parks than I can remember, one of which was the best state park I’ve ever been to, Watkins Glen State Park. We drank wine, drove through seemingly endless farmland, ate raspberries off the vine, and explored various cities like Ithaca, Rochester, Syracuse, and Geneva. It’s incredible how much there is to do here.
Buffalo – Next, we took a much-too-short trip to Buffalo to see Niagara Falls. The massive crowds surrounding these falls are off-putting. However, I can understand why so many like myself visit, the falls are absolutely incredible. We did hardly anything else while here, so I’ll definitely return to give Buffalo the visit it deserves.
Hudson Valley – In Hudson Valley we visited family for two nights but first stopped in Cooperstown for a visit to the National Baseball Hall Of Fame & Museum. No matter your interest in the sport, the museum is so well done and worth a stop. During the weekend in Hudson Valley, we had a great dinner in Tarrytown, went for a lovely scenic drive, walked across the Walkway Over The Hudson, and went to a drive-in movie… all with family! It was a great way to wrap up our exciting trip to Upstate.
July
The entire month of July was spent in The Hamptons and we enjoyed a ton of time with family.
My brother-in-law and his family spent almost the entire month living with us, as a stopover during their move from Los Angeles to Sweden. It was so fun to spend quality time with them and two of our nieces. We spent many, many days at the beach, frequented Wölffer, and saw the lavender fields of the North Fork.
My family also flew in from Chicago and Denver to spend a week with us. It was incredibly exciting to show them around.
We had a beach day with multiple whale sightings, took a day trip to Montauk, and walked around Sag Harbor a lot. My cousins even sat next to Julie Andrews at dinner, which was exciting because, despite what stereotypes depict, I’ve found celebrity sightings in The Hamptons to be quite rare.
Plus, there was lots of chill family time spent playing cards, lounging at the pool, kayaking, and hanging out, it was awesome.
August
August was also spent entirely in New York, we had a lot of friends visit us this month, a few more from Denver and some from Arizona.
Again, this was such a fun excuse to do all things “Hamptons:” eat a lot of seafood, admire the yachts, lounge at the beach and the pool, drink champagne, go to beach concerts in East Hampton, etc. All while having a seriously fantastic time with our friends.
August also saw a weekend in NYC with a few of the same friends.
As usual, we crossed off lots of touristy things while visiting the city, like the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and a Mets game at Citi Park. But we also wandered through random neighborhoods, ate a ton of vegan food, and walked around Manhattan College, where my friend’s son attends school.
There’s an unending number of things to see in this city, it constantly amazes me.
September
September had fabulous weather. We were happy to continue our regular trips to the beach and to surrounding hamlets like Southampton, East Hampton, and Amagansett.
I also started to check off my Hamptons “to-do” list… during the 6 months spent here, I’d amassed a large list of places I still wanted to see.
So, we went to some museums, explored lesser-visited hamlets, and went off the beaten path with more frequency. One of my favorites? The incredible Pollock-Krasner House in Springs.
In late September we headed back to New England to see the northern states — Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont — across 9 days.
Portland, Maine – We spent two nights in Portland and had a wonderful time. I can see why so many love this coastal city. Activities included eating lots of oysters, drinking good beer, walking around town, admiring pretty lighthouses, and a lobster boat tour, which was surprisingly fun and informative.
Bar Harbor, Maine – On our way from Portland to Bar Harbor we spent the day stopping in charming coastal towns like Rockland and Camden, I could fill an entire trip just exploring small towns like these. We then had three nights in Bar Harbor, with the main focus being Acadia National Park. Rain threatened to dismantle our plans, but the weather held up enough, allowing us to see most major attractions in the park. It’s easy to see why so many love Acadia, it’s the prettiest national park on the East Coast in my opinion.
North Conway, New Hampshire – Next, we headed to North Conway for two nights. I had no expectations going into this but ultimately loved it. I could spend weeks in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the mountain towns are all adorable and there’s excellent hiking and sightseeing. We saw a bear, did a scenic train ride, and took the cog railway to the summit of Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast. I’ll absolutely be returning to this region.
Burlington, Vermont – Next we headed to Burlington with a quick side-trip to Stowe and the Ben & Jerry’s Factory (I love ice cream!). Stowe, and much of Vermont, reminded me a lot of Colorado and made me feel right at home. Burlington was among my favorite cities we visited during the entire trip, the people are incredibly friendly and their position on Lake Champlain is stunning. While here, we went to a food truck event, lounged out by the lake, did a boat tour, and explored the arts district.
October
October, my birthday month, saw a lot of rain, and more exploring off the beaten path in the Hamptons. We encountered occasional warm weather days where we soaked in sun rays at the beach.
During this month, we also had the incredible opportunity to visit two new countries: Denmark and Sweden. As I mentioned previously, my brother-in-law and his wife moved from Los Angeles to Sweden, so we went to see their new home.
Copenhagen, Denmark – Since there are no direct flights from NYC to Gothenburg, we flew into Copenhagen and spent a weekend here. Wow, what an incredible city. I loved the architecture, castles, churches, and undeniable European charm. We did a full-day tour which included stops at Roskilde Cathedral and Frederiksborg Palace, among other places. We also explored some tourist highlights on our own, including Tivoli Gardens, which was amazing. Copenhagen was cool, I’d be honored to return.
Gothenburg, Sweden – A majority of this Scandinavian trip was spent in Gothenburg where we enjoyed lots of family time. I got to see Ikea and H&M in their native habits and witness the day-to-day life of Swedes. I also explored the city of Gothenburg, saw the gorgeous Swedish coast, enjoyed daily fika, and took a day trip to Strömstad, where my sister-in-law is from. I’m excited for my return, whenever that may be.
November
November saw gorgeous fall colors in The Hamptons, quite a few hikes, and final day trips to Southampton, Montauk, and Greenport, plus one unseasonably warm day at the beach.
I think this time of year in the Hamptons is highly underrated.
We visited the city for the final time to watch a family member run in the NYC Marathon, what an experience, I didn’t expect it to be so… emotional.
There are millions, literally millions, of people on the streets cheering for 50,000 strangers. To watch people put everything they have into such a difficult run, and cheer them on without knowing them at all, it’s such a happy and positive experience. I’m a marathon person now, I didn’t understand before, but I now get why people love them.
Before returning to Sag Harbor, NYC bid me farewell with a gorgeous sunset and a great night with family.
Just a few days later, we packed the car and began our trip back to Denver. Below is the route we followed, but I’ll warn you, it makes absolutely no sense and should not be copied.
We had a list of destinations we wanted to visit, plus a wedding to attend in Savannah, all with much less time (and lower budget) than we wanted. The result is a hodgepodge of an itinerary.
East Brunswick, New Jersey – Our first stop wasn’t the sexiest destination, but we wanted to see Princeton, and wow, is it a gorgeous campus. I know New Jersey is deserving of more than just this 12-ish hour visit, I will return to see more of it someday.
Harrisonburg, Virginia – We spent a day in Virginia to see the amazing Luray Caverns (they were so cool!) and Shenandoah National Park. In Shenandoah we did a few short hikes, a scenic drive along a portion of the famous Skyline Drive, and watched a gorgeous sunset.
Beckley, West Virginia – The number one thing I wanted to see in West Virginia was New River Gorge National Park, and it did not disappoint. In fact, I consider it among the best parks on the East Coast. New River Gorge has excellent hiking trails, popular rock climbing routes, an interesting history, and a really picturesque bridge. I believe this state has huge potential as an outdoor destination and should be visited by more. I hope I’m able to return and see much more of what the state has to offer.
Savannah, Georgia – This is where our route starts to get wonky, following West Virginia, we spent two nights in Savannah to celebrate my friend and her new husband. They had a stunning wedding overlooking the Fountain at Forsyth Park. The weekend spent here further confirmed that this is among my favorite places in the United States.
Oxford, Mississippi – This part of the itinerary makes absolutely no sense, so don’t follow it. We went out of our way to spend a night in Mississippi. I don’t count a state as visited unless I spend a night, so Oxford was the destination of choice for the Magnolia State. It’s an awesome little town, I was quite surprised by it. We walked around and admired the cute shops and restaurants in the downtown area and explored Ole Miss, which is a really pretty campus.
Bowling Green, Kentucky – Next we headed to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. This national park is a bit challenging for claustrophobic people, especially if visiting in winter when tour options are limited. We ended up doing the Cleveland Avenue cave tour. This is a great choice for those who want to avoid the more crammed-in parts of the cave system. We also saw the cave’s natural entrance, which is beautiful, and saw the entrance to the Wild Cave Tour, which is terrifying (Google it).
Kansas City, Missouri – After a long drive, which included a stop at The Gateway Arch in St. Louis and 8+ hours in the Ticketmaster queue trying to get Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets (my fellow Swifties remember this day), we arrived in Kansas City. KC is deserving of more than the quick stopover we gave it, but we did walk around town, take in a few of the highlights — I really liked the Union Station building — and enjoy some BBQ. I plan to return someday, ideally when it’s not so cold.
After 8 days on the road, and 10 total months away from home, we returned to Denver. I was so happy to see my family, especially my nieces and nephew, and felt a renewed appreciation for Colorado. But also, admittedly, I felt a bit of an ache for New York. It’s one I haven’t completely filled since returning home, and that’s okay.
To experience so many incredible destinations in the United States and see so much of New York was an incredible opportunity. I hope to be able to do something like this again someday.
If you feel called to do a trip like this, I highly encourage you to go after it. You won’t regret it. For more on how we planned and saved for this trip, check out How I Quit My Job & Traveled For A Year.
As always, thank you for reading.
If you’d like to follow along with my travels in real time, check out @seen.by.amy on Instagram or @seenbyamy on TikTok.
Additional Travel Tips:
- How I Quit My Job & Traveled For A Year
- How I Took 17 Trips With 10 Vacation Days: Maximize Your Time Off
- Tips To Avoid Crowds While Traveling
- Holiday Travel Tips For The Anxious Traveler