Overview of the East Coast of the United States

Overview

"The Mid-Atlantic", as it is nicknamed, is the region of New York, Washington DC, and other major urban areas in this part of the country, located between the New England and the first states of the South. It consists of five states (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) plus the "District of Columbia", which is home to Washington, the capital of the United States. While the Atlantic coast is just one vast urban stretch from Washington to New York City, the hinterland is more rural and "wild," with pretty landscapes made up of small mountains (the Appalachians), lakes and rivers, and forests ideal for outdoor activities.

Even though economically, culturally, and especially in terms of tourism, the region is not limited to New York City, the latter remains indispensable at every level. It’s also worth noting that in many areas, this part of the American territory has a specific identity, far removed from what you might (sometimes unfortunately) see in many other regions of the Union...

Key Facts

Type of place: tourist region.

Location: on the Atlantic coast, between the New England and the first Southern states.

Local time: . The East Coast is on "Eastern Time."

Main cities: New York, Philadelphia, Washington...

Population: 49,181,000 inhabitants (2015).

Area: 321,936 km².

Density: 153 inhabitants/km².

Highest point: Mount Marcy (1,629 m) in the state of New York.

Lowest point: sea level.

Coastline:

Tourism

Thanks to New York and its nearly 60 million annual visitors (58 million in 2015, including 12.3 million foreigners), the region ranks among the top in the country for tourism, both for local and international audiences. In addition to the "Big Apple," other places like Washington, the Niagara Falls, and occasionally Philadelphia also attract many foreign visitors, while the coast and its beaches (particularly in New Jersey) or the interior with its mountains and outdoor activities (in Pennsylvania or New York State) primarily draw an American audience. In short, whether for local or international travelers, tourism remains a key activity in this part of the United States.

Travel Essentials

By plane: France-New York for 350 to 800 € round trip.

Backpacker daily budget:

Best for accommodation:

Best for getting around: bus/train or, occasionally, car.

Risks: very low in terms of health and relatively low to locally moderate in terms of safety.

Best time for climate/crowds/prices: the best compromise is the shoulder seasons, from May to late June and September to early October.

Interests (out of ): Nature ; Adventure ; Culture ; Relaxation-holidays .

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