Traveling allows people to learn and experience new things, while also having a lot of fun. Being in college, however, it can be difficult to travel far and wide like you may want, so I put together a short list of fun cities near Elizabethtown that would be easy to take a weekend, or even a day, trip.
Philadelphia
Being only a two-hour car ride from Elizabethtown (and only an hour and a half if you take Amtrak), Philadelphia is the perfect place to go if you don’t want to travel far. Philadelphia also has a lot you can do; there’s something for everyone. For the history buffs, there’s Old City, which is home to spots like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Museum of the American Revolution, the National Constitution Center and the Betsy Ross House. For those interested in science, there’s the Franklin Institute and the Mutter Museum. For people that enjoy the arts, there’s the Philadelphia Museum of Art, tons of concert venues and the theater district that always has great shows playing. For sports fanatics, there’s always a game you can attend, or you could check out the Rocky Balboa statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (and take your own triumphant run up the famous steps). For foodies, there’s the Reading Terminal Market and, of course, plenty of cheesesteaks.
New York City
A short, three-hour car ride is all that’s separating Elizabethtown from the Big Apple. Anyone that’s ever been to New York City will tell you that there is no end to what you could do in the city. Catch a Broadway show, try out some amazing food, check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art, visit Central Park or check out a game at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field or Madison Square Garden. New York City has an endless number of things to do (too much for me to list right now); a trip there will have you wanting to go back very soon.
Washington D.C.
To get to our nation’s capital from Elizabethtown takes only two and a half hours by car, which is a short trip to take for how much the city offers. The Smithsonian network of museums, which includes 19 galleries, museums and a zoo, are the usual go-to, but D.C. also has a lot of other interesting museums, such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (these museums also happen to be free). The city is also full of monuments and memorials that are worth visiting, such as the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (and the Arlington National Cemetery is just a short drive away). Washington D.C. also has plenty of great food to try, particularly Georgetown Cupcakes and Union Market.
Baltimore
An hour-and-a-half car ride is all it takes to make it to Baltimore, Maryland from Elizabethtown. Baltimore is a great place to go any time of the year. They have a lot of fun outdoor activities, including just about anything at the Inner Harbor like outdoor restaurants, Ravens or Orioles games at M&T Bank Stadium or Camden Yards, respectively, and concerts at the Pier Six Pavilion. When it’s colder outside, you can check out the famous National Aquarium, go ice skating at the Inner Harbor or visit 34th Street for Christmas lights. While you’re there, make sure to try some of the amazing Maryland crab, whether it be straight from the shell or in crab cake, you won’t regret it.