You need to help focus the trip. What things are you interested in doing? What would you like to see? What's your criteria for a great trip? Knowing the answers will help us make your trip memorable.

AlanM

Early October in New England (where Boston is) is famous for its Fall foliage - something that is pretty unique in the world, although I believe they get similar multi-colored foliage in Japan. People come from all over the country (if not the world) just to look at the Foliage (we call them "leaf-peepers"). If you are coming to the East Coast of the USA in October it would make sense to start your trip in Boston.

As I recall, the 1972 BBC Series "Alistair Cooke's America" featured the New England Fall Foliage in part of an episode, although I don't recall which episode. You may be able to obtain the series on DVD - I believe the book version is still in print:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alistair_Cooke's_America

Wiki,

If I could stop anywhere between Washington DC and Orlando, I would pick Charleston, South Carolina and

Savannah, Georgia. You will have a lot of choices but these two places are nice stops along the way to Florida. And if you make it to Charleston, try the fried chicken. The best fried chicken I have ever had was in South Carolina. And there are some good American history sites to see there too.

Have fun planning.

We in Boston think Boston is pretty great, and a lot of tourists seem to think so. I say yes, come to Boston. It is really historic, but easy to get around, quite small.

I think you might want to start figuring out prices and schedules for buses and trains, to see if your idea will work, and how much time and money it will take. Train travel in the U.S. is mainly focused up and down the east coast. It's a lot more spotty to use the trains to go anywhere else. Check the Amtrak website. Buses are a lot cheaper, and go far more places.

If I may make one suggestion, I might say skip Niagara Falls unless you are really really interested in it. It is a LONG way away from Boston and New York City, and it's really just about the waterfall (there are touristy things there, but I don't think any of them are worth the trip -- from what I hear). But definitely make time for Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and then some stops south of there. Some beautiful spots in the south include Williamsburg (Virginia), the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and Tennessee, Asheville (North Carolina), Charleston (South Carolina), Savannah (Georgia) and the coastal islands of South Carolina and Georgia are also very interesting. There are some interesting spots in northern Florida, maybe St. Augustine? These are just a few ideas. Is there a forum for people planning big regional trips as you are?

I think October is a good month for travel; the weather is decent and the temps are workable in most places. And as you travel south it will be very nice.

The only hitch - and it's more like a challenge - is that you're looking to do this while relying on public transpo. Amtrak runs trains up and down the coast, so from that aspect most of the cities would be accessible to you. Check out their site at http://www.amtrak.com. From there you might be able to hook up with Greyhound buses for shorter side trips.

The great thing about concentrating on cities like Boston, New York and DC is that so much of the country's founding is wrapped up in these cities, at different stages of development. Philadelphia and Baltimore are also good choices. Cities like Savannah and Charleston also have the lovely Southern charm that so many love.