Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from New York City to Washington, DC. If you're planning a road trip to Washington, DC, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
9:00 am start in New York City
drive for about 50 minutes
9:50 am New Brunswick
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 10:50 am
drive for about 1 hour
11:58 am Philadelphia
eat at Reading Terminal Market
stay for about 1.5 hours
and leave at 1:28 pm
drive for about 35 minutes
2:04 pm Wilmington (Delaware)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:04 pm
drive for about 46 minutes
3:50 pm Aberdeen (Maryland)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 4:50 pm
drive for about 40 minutes
5:30 pm Baltimore
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 6:30 pm
drive for about 58 minutes
7:29 pm arrive in Washington, DC
eat at Mitsitam Cafe
stay at JW Marriott Hotel
driving ≈ 5 hours
Lucy from Studio City, California asked:
Train or Car to DC from NYC? (17 answers)
New Brunswick (8 answers)
Zimmerli Art Museum (2 mentions)
restaurants around New Brunswick:
THE FROG AND THE PEACH
questions about New Brunswick:
Is there anything worth seeing/doing/eating in or around New Brunswick, NJ???
What's the best neighborhood in New Brunswick for a first time visitor?
Philadelphia (122 answers)
Philadelphia Museum of Art (16 mentions)
The Liberty Bell (12 mentions)
Eastern State Penitentiary (8 mentions)
Spruce Street Harbor Park (8 mentions)
Independence Mall (7 mentions)
restaurants around Philadelphia:
Reading Terminal Market
Jim's Steaks
Pat's King of Steaks
Geno's Steaks
Zahav
hotels around Philadelphia:
Loews Hotel Philadelphia
questions about Philadelphia:
What is your favorite restaurant in Philadelphia?
What is there to do in Philly besides eat cheese steaks?
Pat's or Geno's: Which has the better cheesesteak?
Anybody know of great gems in the city I can dine at during my stay?
Eating out on a budget.
Wilmington (Delaware) (7 answers)
Aberdeen (Maryland) (2 answers)
questions about Aberdeen (Maryland):
Where is a safe place to spend the night
Baltimore (54 answers)
Fells Point (11 mentions)
Inner Harbor (7 mentions)
Lexington Market (4 mentions)
Canton (4 mentions)
The Helmand (3 mentions)
restaurants around Baltimore:
G&M Restaurant and Lounge
Faidley's Seafood & Fresh Fish Market
Phillips Seafood
The Abbey Burger Bistro
Max's Taphouse
questions about Baltimore:
Best place to get seafood and crab cakes in Baltimore?
Best free things to do in Baltimore?
Authentic, non-chain restaurant for dinner with a child (with a well-refined palate) near the Inner Harbor?
Family-friendly seafood restaurant
What is your favorite restaurant in Baltimore?
Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?
The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Washington, DC.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out JW Marriott Hotel, which was mentioned 5 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Washington, DC? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Mitsitam Cafe, which was mentioned 10 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Washington, DC? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
For example, here are some questions people have asked about Washington, DC. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Jessica from asked:
Best hotel near museums (20 answers)
Katie from Los Angeles asked:
Best free things to do in Washington, DC? (16 answers)
Hannah from Milwaukee asked:
Fun free things to do in D.C.? (11 answers)
Annemarie from New York City asked:
Getting from Union Station to National Mall? (10 answers)
Julian from Tampa asked:
How to make the most of three days in DC (10 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Washington, DC.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Washington, DC to New York City drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of New York City? Try searching for places within 4 hours of New York City.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from New York City to Washington, DC. Or get a full New York City to Washington, DC flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know New York City well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about New York City!
More info on this route: