Decisions decisions

Having just splashed out 90k miles plus the princely sum of 284 (thereabouts), I'm now the proud owner of an e-ticket in a dashing shade of purple that's going to transport me to New York and back from Washington to coincide with a friend's wedding and a variety of other sociable and shopping type events.
I'm now faced with a couple of dilemmas.
1. Seating on the outbound flight! VS45, on 10th Jan, is a 747. Do I go for the bubble - my location of choice when flying PE in days of old, or indeed, CW on the dark side. Or do I go for the nose? Is Zone A, with it's higher ceilings and more generous floorspace, but noisier atmosphere the place to head for? I bagged one of the 2 remaining seats upstairs but could switch to a lower deck seat... I'm just a bit confused as to what would be best... and yes, yes, I know there are seat ratings.... but there isn't some kind of seat death-match feature.... how do they actually rank against each other? What are the service levels like in each cabin? Oh dear... my head's spinning.
And then my next dilemma - the most convenient way to get from New York to Washington DC, but with an overnight stop off en route at Dover Delaware. Yes, I know, it may as well be b**tf**k Alabama, but I've got a good friend who lives there and I'd kinda like to see him. One way car rentals have a $300+ surcharge slapped on them, trains don't go anywhere near Dover (or B**tf**k for that matter), and the only option would appear to be something very slow that only runs twice a day called a Bas? Bis? OH - Bus - that was it.... very odd....
So, erstwhile and virginal flying experts on everything... tips would be gratefully received.
I'm even pondering changing my return flight to come home from NY a day or two later, and getting a rental car for a week... would be far more convenient for visiting those out of town discount shopping malls, and making the best use of my 96kg luggage allowance. Well - we'll be up to 17.5% VAT in the UK again by then! Shop shop shop! Not to mention the JFK clubhouse and a proper airyplane with v:port on the way home.
Now - hmm - do I pack my BA First amenity kit and pajamas to wear on the flight over...

id hire a car - but with a supplier that doesn't charge thw one way rental fee. i am picking up in BOS and dropping off in NYC in a few weeks and not paying a one way rental fee.

I sometimes wonder how those who aren't very 'travel savvy' manage. If someone was coming here, and wanted to get to Dover from NYC, driving wasn't an option, there are no trains in DE (a silly state), they may well look at Greyhound. However, I wonder if they would look at a map and realise that yes, Greyhound will sell you a ticket from NYC to Dover, but their proposed route will take you a day and several hours, and have you cover 850 miles, for a journey by car which is 160 miles and would take less than 3 hours. I did laugh when I saw this...they would take you all the way up to Buffalo (border with Canada)(completely the opposite direction) before bringing you back south again.

Buses from here in Philly aren't ideally timed either, your best bet is really to hire a car. If you could change your return flight, I'd do that, or find a rental company who doesn't charge one way fees.

If those aren't options, would your friend in Dover pick you up from the Amtrak station in Wilmington or Newark, DE? There are regular Amtrak trains from NYC to Wilmington, and it is only about 50 miles from Dover. Pretty cheap too. Then you can get back on the train at Wilmington to head to DC.

Personally though, I'm not a fan of dealing with trains when I have bags with me. Especially in January, it'll be freezing. Especially here, I'd rather have the freedom of having a car and being able to get where I want to easily. If you're spending a day or two/staying in NYC first, I'd wait to hire the car until you're done and ready to move on, otherwise you can add another $100 or so on just to keep your car parked in the city while you're not using it. And if you do that, think about renting from Newark airport, it's a few mins on the train from Manhatten, and it's right on the Jersey Turnpike, which is what you need to head south.

Enjoy your trip!

I'd hire a car and do the drive, it will be much easier. If you look around the various companies, not all of them have a one way drop off fee.

It looks like the hire car is your best option but I would only do it from the day you need to leave NYC as p0arking in NYC can he horendous and v expensive and if you think traffic wardens are bad over here think again !. Oh and it seams you should not even consider driving in NYC of you are what they call 'of a nervous disposition'.

As to celebity seat death match, it really comes down to personal preference. One persons horror at being near the bar is someone elses idea of heaven.

Ditto being in the snooze zone or not on the night return as well as the whole upstairs / downstairs debate (which will get more heated now there is a mixed UC/Y cabin upstairs).

Use the ratings on here and seat expert and seat guru as a guide rather than (awaits calls for my beheading for heresy) gospel.

Whatever you decide have a fab time in both NYC and DC.

My friend seems to have volunteered to pick me up in Wilmington, which is very nice of him... and then he appears to have offered to drive me to Washington and visit a friend of his for the weekend - very very nice of him indeed! So that's that taken care of.
I'moved my seat to the A zone downstairs. Less stairs between the bar and my seat (hic) and it's a part of the plane I get to fly in far less often than the bubbly bit. I'll have to stick to bubbles that come in my champagne. Sparkling wine. Whatever it is they give you these days.
Barnstaple: which car company was it you used with your 1 way hire between BOS and NYC? I may still investigate that as an option.