The East Coast of the USA is a tapestry of American history, world-class culture, and oceanfront ease. In New York City, the skyline tells the nation’s story—from immigrant arrivals at Ellis Island to art movements that reshaped the 20th century. Washington, DC turns the National Mall into an open-air civics lesson, while Miami adds sunshine, Art Deco dazzle, and Caribbean-influenced cuisine.

This 15-day itinerary strings together three essential cities with efficient transport and thoughtfully paced blocks. You’ll spend six days in New York City for museums and neighborhoods, four in Washington, DC for monuments and politics-meets-arts, and five in Miami to unwind by the Atlantic, cruise Biscayne Bay, and taste Little Havana.

Practical notes: hurricane season in South Florida runs June–November; winter up north can be brisk—pack layers. Tipping in restaurants is typically 18–20%. Public transit is reliable in NYC and DC; rideshares and walking work well in all three. Advance reservations help for top restaurants and timed-entry museums.

New York City

Welcome to the city that never sleeps—home to Broadway lights, Renaissance-to-modern masterworks, and a food scene that spans bagels to tasting menus. Each neighborhood is its own world: the neon thrum of Times Square, the cast-iron calm of SoHo, the brownstones of the West Village, and the waterfront parks of Brooklyn.

Beyond the icons, linger in leafy pockets of Central Park, browse independent bookstores in the East Village, and watch the sunset from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. New York rewards curiosity and comfortable shoes.

Days 1–3: Midtown Marvels, Skyline Views, and Central Park

• Empire State Building: Cap your first afternoon with sky-high views from an Art Deco legend. Book ahead here:
  NYC Empire State Building Observation Deck Ticket
  

  

• Central Park: Stroll the Mall to Bethesda Terrace, then loop the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. Nearby, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (don’t miss the Temple of Dendur) and the American Museum of Natural History are full-day treasures.
• Times Square and Broadway: For same-day tickets, try the TKTS booth. A pre-theater dinner near 46th Street keeps things easy.

Eat & drink: Start with a classic at Russ & Daughters (silky smoked salmon on a bagel), coffee at Stumptown in the Ace Hotel, and a soul-warming bowl of tonkotsu at Totto Ramen. For dinner, landmark Keens Steakhouse (mutton chop, pristine martinis), or handmade pasta at Via Carota in the West Village—arrive early for a bar seat.

Days 4–6: Downtown History, Brooklyn Flavor, Museums, and the Arts

• Lower Manhattan: Walk from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum to the Oculus, then wander the cobbles of Stone Street. Ferries to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island reveal the immigrant gateway story.
• Brooklyn Day: DUMBO’s waterfront arches and views are perfect for photos; stroll the Brooklyn Bridge back at golden hour. In Williamsburg, book a table at Lilia (wood-fired clams, mafaldini), or try Laser Wolf for a lively Israeli skewer feast.
• Museum Mile + Modern Art: Pair the Guggenheim’s spiral with MoMA’s Picassos and Warhols. Finish with a jazz set at Village Vanguard or Blue Note.

Casual bites: Katz’s Delicatessen (pastrami on rye), Los Tacos No. 1 (adobada), and a cookie from Levain Bakery. For bistro energy, Balthazar still delivers from breakfast to late-night.

Where to stay (search by neighborhood: Midtown, Lower East Side, Williamsburg): — VRBO New York City — Hotels.com New York City

Getting in: Fly into JFK/LGA/EWR. Compare fares on Kiwi.com or Trip.com Flights. From airports, use the AirTrain/subway, commuter rail, or yellow taxis.

Travel to Washington, DC (Day 7 morning): Amtrak Northeast Regional (~3h20, ~$40–$120) or Acela (~2h50, ~$100–$200) from NYC’s Moynihan Train Hall to DC’s Union Station. Buses (4.5–5h, ~$20–$40) are budget-friendly. Flights run ~1h20; compare on Kiwi.com or Trip.com Flights.

Washington, DC

Seat of the U.S. government and a leafy, walkable city of neighborhoods, DC mixes marble monuments with a serious food scene. The Smithsonian museums remain free and world-class, from Air and Space to African American History and Culture.

Beyond the Mall, rowhouse-lined Georgetown rewards with canals and cupcakes, U Street pulses with jazz heritage, and Union Market stacks global bites under one roof.

Days 7–8: National Mall, Museums, and Monument Night Walk

• National Mall: Step through the Lincoln Memorial to reflect on the civil rights era, then visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and World War II Memorial. The Washington Monument offers panoramic views with timed tickets.
• Smithsonian day: Choose two: National Museum of American History (Star-Spangled Banner), Air and Space (Apollo heritage), or National Gallery of Art (two buildings joined by a light tunnel).
• Evening: A moonlit circuit of the monuments is magical; the reflections and fewer crowds make photos sing.

Eat & drink: Power-lunch at Old Ebbitt Grill (oysters since 1856). For dinner, Rasika (crispy palak chaat, nuanced curries) or Le Diplomate (a Parisian brasserie that satisfies from onion soup to steak frites). Late night, grab a half-smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street.

Days 9–10: Capitol Hill, Neighborhoods, and Waterfronts

• Capitol Hill: Tour the U.S. Capitol and peek at the Library of Congress’s Main Reading Room. Stroll Eastern Market for weekend vendors.
• Georgetown: Walk the C&O Canal towpath; boutique-hop on M Street. Sip a macchiato at Baked & Wired or go for cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcake.
• District Wharf or Navy Yard: Waterfront dining and live music; sunset over the Potomac is a fine finale.

Casual bites & coffee: Founding Farmers (American farmhouse plates), St. Anselm near Union Market (butcher’s steak), bagels at Call Your Mother, and espresso at Peregrine Espresso or Compass Coffee.

Where to stay (Dupont Circle, Capitol Hill, Penn Quarter are convenient): — VRBO Washington, DC — Hotels.com Washington, DC

Travel to Miami (Day 11 morning): Nonstop flights run ~2h45 from DCA/IAD/BWI to MIA; expect ~$80–$250 one-way depending on season. Compare fares on Kiwi.com or Trip.com Flights.

Miami

Where the Atlantic glitters and the nights hum, Miami blends Latin rhythms, Art Deco architecture, and mangrove-backed nature. South Beach’s pastel hotels channel the 1930s; Wynwood splashes galleries and murals across former warehouses; Coconut Grove hides chic cafes under banyans.

Between beach mornings and bayside sunsets, taste Cuban coffee, stone crab claws (in season), and fresh-caught snapper on the Miami River. Day trips to the Everglades deliver airboats, gators, and sawgrass horizons.

Days 11–13: South Beach, Art Deco, and Biscayne Bay

• Art Deco Historic District: Walk Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue to spot porthole windows, neon, and terrazzo—an open-air museum of streamline style.
• Miami Millionaires Sightseeing Cruise: Glide past Star Island and Fisher Island while learning local lore on Biscayne Bay.
  Miami Millionaires Sightseeing Cruise
  

  

• Beach time: Stake out sandy space near 10th Street for facilities and lifeguard stands—those candy-colored towers are icons, too.

Eat & drink: Classic Cuban at Versailles in Little Havana (order a cortadito and medianoche). On the river, Garcia’s Seafood serves grilled local catch on a breezy deck. For Peruvian flavors with bay views, book La Mar by Gastón Acurio. Cocktails? The garden at Broken Shaker is a perennial favorite.

Days 14–15: Wynwood, Little Havana, Coconut Grove, and Nature

• Wynwood: Tour the Wynwood Walls and pop into small galleries and breweries. Coffee at Panther Coffee, pastries at The Salty Donut.
• Little Havana: Walk Calle Ocho for guayabera shops and domino games at Máximo Gómez Park; try Azucar Ice Cream (Abuela Maria flavor is a local favorite).
• Coconut Grove & Vizcaya: Visit Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, then linger in the Grove’s sidewalk cafes. If you crave nature, spend an afternoon in the Everglades—bring sun protection and bug spray.

Where to stay (South Beach for nightlife, Brickell for city vibes, Coconut Grove for leafy calm): — VRBO Miami — Hotels.com Miami

Flying out: Depart from MIA or FLL. Compare options on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Allow extra time on weekends and holidays.

Dining short list (Miami): Joe’s Stone Crab (Oct–May; stone crab claws with mustard sauce), Mandolin Aegean Bistro (whitewashed courtyard, Greek-Turkish meze), Coyo Taco (al pastor; late-night energy), and breakfast at All Day downtown.

Optional Add-Ons or Swaps

• More New York arts? Add a matinee and the Whitney Museum in the Meatpacking District.
• More nature? Add a full-day Everglades airboat tour or a Biscayne National Park snorkel trip (seasonal weather dependent).

From skyline views and Broadway nights to solemn memorials and sunlit beaches, this East Coast itinerary balances momentum and breathing room. You’ll leave with museum highlights, neighborhood eats, and Biscayne Bay breezes stitched into your memory—and a wish to come back for more.