I am such an East Coast Girlie!! I love being able to explore so much food, history, art and culture PACKED into the East Coast of the United States. Check out my cost breakdown for hotels, transportation, and top attractions to help you budget for your next adventure!
I highly recommend adding the most iconic cities in the U.S. to your travel list! Whether you're drawn to the historic vibes of Boston & Washington, DC, the cultural mix of New York City, the glamour of Miami, or the southern charm of Charleston & Atlanta, there is so much to see!
In this blog post I'm comparing the costs of visit 6 amazing cities in the East Coast of the United States. I'll review a breakdown of the average cost for hotels, public transportation, and their most popular attractions!
Every trip, I use Apple Maps Guides to find restaurants and coffee shops to tuck into our travels. I budget $50/person per day for food. I also add a 15% budget buffer to my travel budget for, anything just in case. These items will be included in my cost estimates below. So, let's jump in!
East Coast Weekend Trip (3-Day 2-Night) Cost Estimates
Boston, Massachusetts - I took a day trip to Boston last year and was sooo upset we didn't plan a longer trip. I did get to explore the weekend farmer's market, the historic indoor Boston Public Food Market and beautifully decorated coffee shops downtown. I love all of the history packed into every street of Boston.
- 🏨Hotel Downtown - Average is $250–$350/night
- 🚇Public Transportation Pass - MBTA (T) 3-Day Pass: $25 for unlimited rides on subway, buses, and commuter rail within zones
- ✨Top 3 Tourist Attractions
- Freedom Trail Revolutionay War History Tour - Free, though some sites along the trail may have entry fees (average $10 per site), Guided tours can be $50-$100
- Boston Public Garden - FREE
- Museum of Fine Arts - $30 for adults
- Other stops on my list are the New England Aquarium ($50/person) and the Trolley Hop-on-hop-off History Tour ($50/person).
In the Boston area, I loved exploring the tidal pools on the beach |
New York City, New York - I love that NYC is PACKED with activities and every time I go, I'm left with things I want to do on my next trip.
I mostly go for the food and expansive cultural diversity paired with it, but the city has literally anything you can think of. On my trips here I've enjoyed food tours, haunted history tours, the oldest bar in the US, Ellis Island & The Statue of Liberty and some amazing restaurants.
- 🏨Hotel Downtown - Average is $200-$400/night
- 🚇Public Transportation Pass - MTA 7-Day Unlimited MetroCard: $35 (can be used for subway and buses)
- ✨Top 3 Tourist Attractions
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island - $25 (ferry and admission to both islands)
- Empire State Building - $45 (general admission to the observation deck)
- Central Park - Free (guided tours or bike rentals can cost $20–$500)
- Another stop on my list is the American of Museum Natural History ($35)
For a solo 3-day weekend, I'd budget a cost of $1125 for New York City.
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Me in Washington Square Park, NYC |
Washington, District of Columbia - If you love history, buckle up! DC is packed with so many museums and historic sites within walking distance of each other.
I've been twice to walk the Capitol lawn and some of the sites on the mall. I was also able to visit the African American Museum, one of 17 amazing museums and galleries in the area, including the Smithsonians.
- 🏨Hotel Downtown - Average is $150-$250/night
- 🚇Public Transportation Pass - Metro 3-Day Unlimited Ride Pass: $35 for unlimited travel on the subway and bus
- ✨Top 3 Tourist Attractions
- National Mall (including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument) - FREE
- Smithsonian Museums - FREE
- U.S. Capitol Tour - Free (reservations highly recommended)
For a solo 3-day weekend, I'd budget a cost of $673 for Washington, DC.
Washington Capitol Building, DC |
Charleston, South Carolina - I love the vibe in Charleston, especially it's laid-back southern charm and history. I've gotten to enjoy beautiful evening outdoor farmer's markets, historic tours and walking shops and restaurants that were so welcoming. The food was delicious too. I could totallyyyy live in Charleston.
- 🏨Hotel Downtown - Average is $180-$250/night
- 🚇Public Transportation Pass - Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) 3-Day Pass: $25
- ✨Top 3 Tourist Attractions
- Historic Charleston City Market & Surrounding Shops - FREE (but budget for shopping)
- Fort Sumter National Monument - $30 (includes ferry ride)
- Magnolia Plantation & Gardens Transport & Tour- $75
- I loved the Charleston Aquarium - $40
For a solo 3-day weekend, I'd budget a cost of $722 for Charleston, South Carolina.
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Enjoying some of the coastal parks in South Carolina |
Atlanta, Georgia - This is the ONLY city on this list that I haven't taken a true trip to. I have only stopped here in passing on a fall road trip and hiked Stone Mountain in the area. I've been saving Atlanta sites for a while in my Apple Map Guides, I'm so excited to take a trip here! Send me your recommendations!!
Average Nightly Cost of a Hotel:
- 🏨Hotel Downtown - Average is $120-$250/night
- 🚇Public Transportation Pass - MARTA 3-Day Pass: $15 for unlimited subway and bus rides
- ✨Top 3 Tourist Attractions
- Georgia Aquarium (one of the best in the US)- $40
- Atlanta Botanical Garden - $30
- World of Coca-Cola - $25
- The city is packed with Food and History tours - $50-$100
For a solo 3-day weekend, I'd budget a cost of $874 for Atlanta, Georgia.
Hiking Stone Mountain Outside Atlanta |
Miami, Florida - I live in Florida now, so I love how close I am to Miami. It is such a celebration of Art (especially Art Deco) and cultural diversity, especially Latin cultures. I've been many times to enjoy shopping, restaurants, night clubs (a long time ago), the aquarium, Vizcaya Estate and a few amazing museums. I'll be there in March for the Food & Wine Festival on South Beach!
Average Nightly Cost of a Hotel:
- 🏨Hotel Downtown - Average is $150-$300/night
- 🚇Public Transportation Pass - Miami-Dade Transit 3-Day Pass: $35 for unlimited travel on Metrobus, Metrorail, and Metromover
- ✨Top 3 Tourist Attractions
- Vizcaya Estate Museum and Gardens - $25 for adults
- Miami Seaquarium - $60 for adults
- Art Deco Historic District (South Beach) - Free to explore, but guided tours cost around $30–$50
- I find that every time I visit Miami, I find some random activity I want to do so I'm going to add an additional $150 to my budget for this trip
For a solo 3-day weekend, I'd budget a cost of $1231 for Miami, Florida.
Fourth of July Party on the Seafair Yacht |
Here's our overview! Which city will you add to your travel list?
Pro Tips:
- I share the estimated cost for a Metro Pass in these reviews but many of these cities and activities are walkable, so you might not need one If you pick a centrally located hotel.
- If possible, pick a hotel downtown that has a free hotel airport shuttle to save on rideshare costs to and from the airport.
- City Pass in available in many of these cities! this is a tourism service that gets you bundled tickets to the most popular tourist sites for a great discount! Learn more about these here!
I had so much fun making this East Coast City Cost Review! I've had some amazing adventures in these cities, and I love going back to visit them. I hope you have amazing adventures in these wonderful cities too!
These stats and averages were provided by ChatGTP in January 2025. I'm trying to use this service to help me research travel more, look out for a blog post on using ChatGTP for travel planning! These are only estimates and will vary depending on seasonality, availability, and your specific travel amenity, activity and service level choices (e.g., types of hotels or tour packages) so confirm these prices when you plan your trip!
Thank you for reading!!