DC, Baltimore and NYC Pre-Trippie

[aims1982]

Baltimore plan

Tuesday 20th August

Catch the 12:02pm train to Baltimore arriving at 12:43.
Plan is to check into our hotel Homewood Suites by Hilton Baltimore in the Inner Harbor area of the city.

Likely plans are to meet my brother, SIL and children for lunch and to wander around the Inner Harbor area; possibly go to the National Aquarium, Baltimore

Dinner is included in the rate along with breakfast so we will give this a go in the evening.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

We are all very excited about our activity today Urban Pirates! Where we all be dressing up like pirates and doing pirate things on board and then we will "come under attack" and using the water cannons we will conquer the other pirates! We have looked at YouTube clips and the boys are looking forward to this.
We are on the 11am sailing so at least the morning won't be a mad rush!

Again we will meet up with the family so will take pointers from there but I do know where we will be eating for dinner!

Cheesecake Factory

Head back to the hotel pack up for our next train journey tomorrow!

Thursday 22nd August

Depart Baltimore Penn Station 11:44 arrive New York Penn at 2:20pm.

Plan is to get a taxi (Bradley will think we are going to the airport ) to the hotel. We are staying in the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel Times Square

I suspect once we are checked in and Bradley has calmed down we will have a mooch up to Central Park and just wander around. Knowing us we will end up at Olive Garden for dinner which is opposite our hotel.

More New York plans to come!

[Glee Fan]

Looking forward to reading the New York plan as we are doing this next year so am on the lookout to steal any hints / ideas/ suggestions you may have!

Washington and Baltimore sections sound great as well.

[aims1982]

Originally Posted by Glee Fan

Looking forward to reading the New York plan as we are doing this next year so am on the lookout to steal any hints / ideas/ suggestions you may have!

Washington and Baltimore sections sound great as well.

See more...

I should be updating across this week! How many of you are going?

[Glee Fan]

2 adults and 2 children - we will be staying for 4 nights then heading to Orlando and Anna Maria Island for a further 17 nights.

[aims1982]

Friday 23 August 2013

Today is Bradley's 8th birthday so we have arranged a surprise for him so the day starts here:



I have booked the Breakfast with a Toy Soldier package which was $40 person and includes the following:

Have Breakfast with a Toy Soldier: Scheduled one hour prior to store opening at 9am, visitors can take a stroll through the magical toy emporium on a 45-minute private tour that will share memorable moments in the store’s history, provide opportunities to ''test-drive'' some great toys and conclude with a continental breakfast at the BIG Piano. More information here: FAO

I am so excited about this; I can't imagine how Bradley will be. We were watching Big a couple of weeks ago and he told me that FAO is the best toy shop in the world... little does he know!

After FAO we are going to the Apple Store next door; we are major Apple geeks so Bradley will love going downstairs to look at all the gadgets...



I saw a bargain on Travelzoo and snapped up their offer of two hours bike hire, ice cream treat, drink, lock, map and helmet for $13 in Central Park. If I can find somewhere that is a reasonable price I may be able to organise a picnic in the park if not we can pick something inside the park.
Bike hire is from Central Park Sightseeing

Depending how bushed we are from the heat will depend on what we do next; we may just want to take the park all (not literally all of it!) in I suspect we may chill in the hotel room for a little while as I am hoping to finish the day here:



Photo above is from our trip in June 2012 for my 30th.

[Guest]

A great plan, I haven't thought of taking our kids to DC yet, I used to work there, my old boss lived in Baltimore, our HQ was in Bethesda. I did do some of the Smithsonian, which I loved, but apart from a colleague driving me round the highlights one evening I really didn't see very much, which after reading this I definitely regret.

You have got me really excited about taking the kids to NY next year, so I think I've decided not to tell DH and just plan it

[aims1982]

Originally Posted by Disney mum

A great plan, I haven't thought of taking our kids to DC yet, I used to work there, my old boss lived in Baltimore, our HQ was in Bethesda. I did do some of the Smithsonian, which I loved, but apart from a colleague driving me round the highlights one evening I really didn't see very much, which after reading this I definitely regret.

You have got me really excited about taking the kids to NY next year, so I think I've decided not to tell DH and just plan it

See more...

I am really looking forward to going to Washington- it looks so good. I just hope we do it justice!

It will be great! I can't wait to see the boys faces!

[aims1982]

Apologies for the delay!

Friday 23rd August continued.

I have booked our TOTR tickets, $71 for the three of us (Oscar was free) I have booked for 7:20-7:35pm which should give us enough time to have a look around at the top before the sun sets over the city. If all goes to plan it will be a magical end to an amazing birthday!

Saturday 24th August

I am hoping to get tickets to the Arthur Ashe Kids Day which is held in Flushing Meadows. I will be able to report back on the 3rd June which is when I will attempt to get tickets at the advanced sale! The tickets are for the concert which lasts for a couple of hours, the rest of the day is free so no big loss if we don't get the tickets. It looks like a really good day, and will be a chance to experience Flushing and a tiny bit of the US Open atmosphere. We will get the subway from Grand Central Station directly to Flushing Meadows which is great!

Sunday 25th August

I suspect we will go to Brooklyn today. I had a Groupon last year for cycle hire down in Battery Park, but I can use the $40 credit towards anything else, which should cover Oscar's seat and a bike which is good. We will catch the subway down to Battery Park, hire the bikes, cycle over Brooklyn Bridge, grab a slice from Grimaldi's and an ice cream from Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. We can either cycle back over the Manhattan Bridge or Brooklyn again- this will depend on how adventurous we are feeling! Following the return of our bikes I suspect we will have a wander around Battery Park. I am hoping to get over to Staten Island, and so we may catch the free Staten Island Ferry. I need to look into what is there for us to do there in depth more- some of the museums etc look good, and there is 9/11 memorial which is quite special too. We went to Ellis Island in June last year, and I suspect that Bradley will be a bit too young to fully appreciate it and I know we do not want to climb the SOL so I think I have just talked myself out of getting the Ellis Island/ SOL tickets. Staten Island Ferry it is!

Once we are back from Staten Island, we may, or may not, have a look around the Financial District and look at Wall Street and a general wander before heading back to our hotel- where I suspect we may just crash!

More to be added!

[aims1982]

Ohh almost forgot! I have requested our seats on both legs of our journey.

On our flight to Washington we are so far booked in 20A&C and 21AC. I can't book row 18, but I will see if we can moved there at check-in. The plane is an Airbus A330-300.

The plane home from Newark is a Boeing 747-400 and the bubble is for UC and economy passengers only. I have requested 31H&K and 32HK, and again will see how we get on asking for 28 and 29 at check-in... or I could saving on the flying club miles and see if I can get enough for an UC upgrade

[welovemushu]

Hey folks,
Watching this thread and grinning - our plan is so similar, but we are moving up & down and doing a lot of the same things in August, but missing everyone by days/hours!
Check this out:
18th August LHR to JFK
3 nights Doubletree Suites Times Square
19th August - Natural History Museum/Central Park/ TOTR booked for evening
20th August - 9hour see it all tour, SOL, 9/11 memorial and ESB included.
21st August - Train from Penn station to Union Station, Washington, National Mall in afternoon/evening
22nd August - Old Town Trolley Tours hoho bus
23rd August - Amtrak Overnight sleeper train to Orlando
24th August - Bahama Bay resort for 4 days then transfer to villa in Formosa Gdns
3rd September HOME!