11 days in New York City & Portland Itinerary

Writer Pearl Buck once called New York City “a place apart,” and this giant urban center remains unlike any other in the world.

Museum-lovers will get to explore The Morgan Library & Museum and Ripley's Believe It or Not! Times Square. Get some cultural insight at Dumbo and AFA Gallery. Get out of town with these interesting New York City side-trips: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum (in Hyde Park), Bury The Hatchet Princeton - Axe Throwing (in Lawrenceville) and Yale University Art Gallery (in New Haven). There's lots more to do: explore the world behind art at Brooklyn Museum, walk around SeaGlass Carousel at The Battery, stroll through Strawberry Fields, John Lennon Memorial, and capture your vacation like a pro with an inspiring photography tour.

For ratings, reviews, traveler tips, and other tourist information, read our New York City trip builder.

Washington DC to New York City is an approximately 3.5-hour train ride. You can also fly; or drive. When traveling from Washington DC in April, plan for slightly colder days in New York City, with highs around 61°F, while nights are about the same with lows around 45°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 9th (Thu) to allow enough time to travel to Portland.

Maine's biggest and perhaps most vibrant city, Portland was established as a fishing village in 1633 and grew to become New England's largest port.

Get some historical perspective at Doubling Point Lighthouse and Eastern Cemetery. You'll explore and learn at Maine Jewish Museum and New Hampshire Boat Museum. Change things up with these side-trips from Portland: Sap House Meadery (in Center Ossipee), North Conway (Dahl Wildlife Sanctuary & Black Cap Hiking Trail) and Lake Chocorua (in Chocorua). Next up on the itinerary: hike along Back Cove Trail, explore the activities along Rocky Gorge, brush up on your knowledge of spirits at Maine Craft Distilling, and examine the collection at Umbrella Cover Museum.

For photos, traveler tips, more things to do, and more tourist information, you can read our Portland trip itinerary planner.

Getting from New York City to Portland by flight takes about 5 hours. Other options: drive; or take a bus. Prepare for little chillier weather when traveling from New York City in April: high temperatures in Portland hover around 53°F and lows are around 34°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 13th (Mon) so you can travel back home.