6 East Coast Excursions I'd Like to Take

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(Putting this under my 'New York' tag even though only one of these is in New York)

As my move draws closer and closer, my emotions are kind of on a pendulum which is swinging steadily back and forth between 'excited and optimistic' and 'terrified out of my fucking mind'. I know that's normal.

But I want to hang on to the excited part, so I decided to list 6 trips that I'd like to take once I'm settled on the East Coast.


1. New Haven, Connecticut

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The sole reason I want to go to New Haven is to go to Sarah Winchester's grave at the Evergreen Cemetery, and pay my respects. I've loved her California home so long that I feel like it's just right for me to do this. Plus, other coworkers have done so in the past, so it's not without precedence. But I could make a day of it, exploring the city that served as her childhood home. Yale has its campus there, and where there are old-ass colleges, there are museums. Like the Yale University Art Gallery. And the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. So I might spend the morning at Yale, get some lunch, and spend the afternoon in the cemetery. It's a good day trip, okay?

2. Salem, Massachusetts

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Do I necessarily agree with the way this city has capitalised on what was a very horrible historic tragedy? Ehhhh I waffle back on forth on that one. But I fully intend to go and enjoy the hell out of it anyway. Sarah has already been and she tells me I'd totally love it. The Salem Witch Trials have long fascinated me and so I absolutely do plan to visit both the solemn memorial and the melodramatic witch trial re-enactment, as well as any number of cheesy tourist shops. Also, non-witch related? I wanna try this pizza place called Flying Saucer Pizza, which is alien-themed in the middle of the witch capital of America.

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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There are two main draws for me in Philly. One? Lots of Revolutionary War history, such as Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. I know New York has plenty of history from that era too, but it's different, okay? Two? The Mütter Museum, which I've wanted to see since I was a 13-year-old 'baby bat' and saw a special about it on the Travel Channel. I mean it's totally creepy there in the best way! And speaking of creepy Philadelphia, IIRC the Eastern State Penitentiary is there, too? Which I've only seen on "Ghost Adventures" but if I have time it might be worth checking out.

4. Amish Country (Pennsylvania)

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I actually have visited what's termed "Amish Country" before, once when I was very young and once when I was 13, and I've been kind of weirdly fascinated with the Amish and their simpler way of life ever since. I mean, I could never live like that, but I respect it. And it's not quite like stepping back in time, but more like stepping into some parallel universe. I'd love to go back as an adult and get me one of their adorable quilts (which I totally can't afford but let me dream) and maybe some shoe-fly pie.

5. Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

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This one is way further afield than the others. I could get to New England or PA from New York via Amtrak fairly easily, but to go down to Virginia requires a lot more planning. I do have a friend who lives in Richmond, but I don't know if that's close to Williamsburg at all, and I have a sinking feeling that it probably isn't. So this is something way further in my future. But I do still want to make it there eventually. It's as close to going back to 1770s America as I will ever get. I follow their blog and podcast almost religiously just longing to someday experience it - I really really want to go here! I want to walk on cobblestone streets (in 18th century costume if I can afford it) and eat historic recipes and interact with the interpreters and pretend I'm actually talking to the Marquis de Lafayette or Martha Washington, I'm actually snubbing Thomas Jefferson! I just really really wanna go, okay?

6. Coney Island

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Does it still count as an excursion if it's technically in NYC? I'm including it. I don't remember what piece of media first introduced me to the idea of Coney Island but I do know that I've wanted to visit it ever since. I want to ride the old ferris wheel that was opened in 1920, and to see one of their 'freak shows' where people hammer nails into their faces and stuff. I'm fully aware that it's a shell of what it once was, but damn it the charm is still there, and out of all of the listed excursions this is the one I'm most likely to do first, since you can get there by subway. Sarah and I will make a day of it and it will be awesome.

-N-