As school starts and the summer gradually tapers off, what I tend to miss more than anything is the mobility that summer affords me. Even while working or taking classes, there is something about this time that makes travel so easy and enjoyable.
As I go back to school in New York City, I know I’m going to miss my car and the ease of movement I have in Los Angeles. However, as I’m learning, there are a lot of affordable weekend trips I can take, just long enough to freshen up my perspective before heading back into the city. As long as you budget your time and money well, there are plenty of destinations you can visit during the school year. Here are five great East Coast ones I’ve taken or am planning on taking!
1. Boston, Mass.
Megabus, my go-to transportation for long trips, offers round trip tickets to Boston for just $20 if booked in advance. I make this five hour trip often, either to visit friends who go to college there or to go a bit further north to visit my family in the beautiful North Shore. While a car can be helpful if you plan on leaving the city, it is not absolutely necessary, as there is a statewide train system. While here, I love visiting the beach if it's not too cold. Stops in Lowell, the beautiful hometown of Jack Kerouac, and Salem, the site of the infamous witch trials, are rich in history and incredibly worthwhile.
2. The Catskills.
A $25 Metro-North ticket can land you in Poughkeepsie, from which you can visit the beautiful forests and nature of Upstate New York. Once you arrive, a car is more of a necessity to be mobile, but there are taxi services as well. When I’m up here, I especially love visiting Woodstock, the town for which the famous music festival was named. There are plenty of cafes and craft stores nestled between the forests and lakes.
3. Washington, D.C.
A $20-$40 ticket through Megabus puts you right in our nation’s capital. The city known for politics and cherry trees offers a gentle break from the fast pace of New York City without an entire cessation of that special city energy. Come here for a weekend of concerts, great food and the ability to say you’ve visited the capital.
4. Montreal, Canada.
This location requires a bit more planning and funding -- a $200 plane ticket from JFK to Elliot Trudeau Airport -- so perhaps it is a Spring Break destination as opposed to a weekend jaunt. But I’m told that visiting this vibrant city is a must. What draws me is the punk music scene, which has produced bands such as Ought and Arcade Fire, in addition to the history and the ability to visit a foreign country.
5. New Orleans, La.
Another more expensive and long term trip, but visiting New Orleans has long been a goal of mine and never will it be more accessible than it is now. A $200 plane ticket will land you in the Louis Armstrong International Airport, only eleven miles away from downtown New Orleans. A visit here promises plenty of good music and food, not to mention a welcome break from what’s sure to be a frigid winter!
