Reading jpf's journal

So I'm getting 2 weeks of leave which I'm forced to take. (Gotta love the Navy, get it while you can otherwise not at all). One of these weeks happens to include New Years. My parents which I love very much, thankfully have decided to give me the go ahead and have spared me the boredom and isolation of yet another winter holiday at Remote Farm, CO.

So far my foolhardy plan is to leave South Carolina and spend a few days in NYC to watch the ball drop, then on the way back spend several days in Washington, DC to see a few monuments, notably The White House and the Smithsonian, all via train. (I don't want to spend more then a grand either on this little escapade.)

New York and DC:
Out of all the things to see there, whats your favorite that you might recommend? Any other regional areas of interest? I like the all weather outdoors and I'm a bit of an engineering/computer/history/art geek, my music tastes are of the metal,industrial, and classical variety. I'm game for clubs as well.

Any advice is very appreciated!