New York’s a microcosm of the whole world, right?  Well, sort of.  Sure, the city has it all, but sometimes a change of scenery just does a body good.  Like milk.  What’s more, is that Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington – the three major cities to the south – often get overlooked when compared to big, bad New York.  And that’s a shame.  It’s also what we seek to remedy.  So let’s head out of town and explore Philly, Baltimore and DC – on the cheap.

The first step is getting out of the five boroughs (no easy task, we know).  Amtrak gets pricey down the northeast corridor, and not many of us have cars.  Carving out eight hours for 200-300 miles worth of air travel is just dumb.  However, there are some interesting options out there. If you’ve already got a ZipCar account, you can pick up a ride with ease.  However, for the spur of the moment weekend, this might not be the best way to go, as cars tend to book up fast.  Instead, check out the growing number of low-cost Greyhound alternatives like BoltBus (free internet, more legroom), MegaBus (fares as low as $1!) and the Chinatown buses (zero frills and sometimes a little shady, but they get the job done).  Also, even if Amtrak is a tad out of your range, don’t ignore regional rail lines like NJ Transit, Southeastern Pennsylvania Travel Authority (SEPTA), Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC).  With some research, you can string these services together in fairly inexpensive parcels ($11 here, $13 there, and so on).

Now that you’ve got a few frugal travel options, where to?  Just 100 miles down and across the experience that is New Jersey, is Philadelphia.  We know about all the history – and if you don’t, sites like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and Valley Forge should be mandatory stops.  But beyond that, Philly’s got some oddball stuff worth checking out.  For example, on first Friday’s in the Old City neighborhood, every art gallery (and they are plentiful) participates in an open-house format, allowing folks to browse appointment-free.  Those galleries that are marketing-savvy offer free wine in paper cups too.  You could also check out South Philly’s Italian Market where you’ll find meats, cheeses, breads and veggies that would make James Gandolfini salivate (yes, the market is on Rocky’s training route, but don’t be THAT guy daftly yelling “Adrian,” please).  Lastly, if you’re traveling through 30th Street Station on a Friday, walk a few blocks to WXPN, UPenn’s world-renowned public radio station, for their Free At Noon performance where everyone from the Cold War Kids to Arlo Guthrie have played.

About 100 miles southwest of Philadelphia, you’ll find Baltimore (it’s better than you think!).  This city’s actually come a long way of late thanks to the Inner Harbor revitalization efforts over the past two decades.  In terms of inexpensive culture, the Walters Art Gallery is free and actually gets some mighty impressive exhibits – upcoming highlights include “Heros: Mortals and Myths in Anciet Greece” and “The African Presence in Renaissance Europe.” The Federal Hill neighborhood gets rolling early on Sunday mornings before Ravens’ games.  We HIGHLY recommend Ryleigh’s Oyster for brunch thanks to a massive DIY bloody bar (aside: while talking to my old college roommate who now lives in Baltimore, he noted that “never have I lived in a city where day drinking is so strongly encouraged.”  He said this while at work, work being a bank.).  But I digress.  For you goth kids, go see Edgar Allen Poe’s house and museum.  Jocks, feel free to pass – the Babe Ruth house is nearby for $6.

If you’re headed down to DC, you can literally go the whole weekend without paying a dime (aside from food, shelter and a METRO pass).  Nestled in Rock Creek Park (an urban woodland that’s explorable in its own right), the National Zoo touts free admission – and pandas.  Other I-can’t-believe-these-priceless-treasures-are-so-inexpensive-to-see Smithsonian offerings include The National Museum of Natural History, The National Museum of American History, The National Air and Space Museum and more.  DC’s Chinatown has also been revitalized.  Key spots in that area include the International Spy Museum, Ford’s Theatre and the FBI Headquarters.  For some nightlife that doesn’t price you out (i.e. Georgetown), check out the Foggy Bottom area near George Washington University.  The 51st State comes well-recommended and given the 1996 look of their website, it has to be good, right?

So there you have it.  Some simple ways to break out of New York without breaking the bank coupled with a handful of fun, wallet-friendly things to do in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.  Got another method of escape or something else in one of these cities that’s not to be missed?  Add it in the comments.

Amongst other miscellaneous pursuits, Dave Clarke spends his days helping companies get their PR and marketing efforts moving, photographing the world around him, and suffering the trials of being a Washington Redskins fan living in Philadelphia.  Aforementioned miscellaneous pursuits include camping, skiing, hiking, adventuring, etc.  Contact him via Twitter: @thedaveclarke or via email.

No related posts.