Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Newark (New Jersey) to Charlotte. If you're planning a road trip to Charlotte, 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.
10:00 am start in Newark (New Jersey)
drive for about 1.5 hours
11:30 am Philadelphia
eat at Reading Terminal Market
stay for about 3 hours
and leave at 2:30 pm
drive for about 2.5 hours
4:55 pm Washington, DC
stay overnight at JW Marriott Hotel
leave the next day around 9:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 4 hours
find more stops
9:00 am leave from JW Marriott Hotel
drive for about 1 hour
10:05 am Fredericksburg
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 11:05 am
drive for about 1 hour
12:07 pm Richmond
eat at Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:07 pm
drive for about 2 hours
3:04 pm Kerr Lake
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 4:04 pm
drive for about 60 minutes
5:03 pm Durham (North Carolina)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 6:03 pm
drive for about 53 minutes
6:56 pm Greensboro
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 7:56 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
9:23 pm arrive in Charlotte
day 2 driving ≈ 7.5 hours
find more stops
Shawna asked:
Best place to stop about 5 hours into trip (1 answer)
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
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.
Washington, DC (179 answers)
National Mall (30 mentions)
National Air and Space Museum (29 mentions)
Washington Monument (25 mentions)
Museum of Natural History (23 mentions)
Lincoln Memorial (22 mentions)
National Gallery of Art (19 mentions)
restaurants around Washington, DC:
Mitsitam Cafe
Founding Farmers
Rose's Luxury
Pavilion Café
hotels around Washington, DC:
JW Marriott Hotel
Hotel Palomar Washington DC
The Willard
Hotel Monaco Alexandria
W Washington DC
questions about Washington, DC:
Best hotel near museums
Best free things to do in Washington, DC?
Fun free things to do in D.C.?
Getting from Union Station to National Mall?
How to make the most of three days in DC
Fredericksburg (4 answers)
Richmond (14 answers)
Carytown (4 mentions)
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (2 mentions)
restaurants around Richmond:
Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue
questions about Richmond:
What is your favorite restaurant in Richmond?
What is there to do in Richmond?
Nightlife in Richmond & hotels?
Kerr Lake
Durham (North Carolina) (13 answers)
Sarah P. Duke Gardens (3 mentions)
Durham Performing Arts Center (2 mentions)
Duke University (2 mentions)
restaurants around Durham (North Carolina):
Mateo Bar de Tapas
questions about Durham (North Carolina):
What is your favorite restaurant in Durham (North Carolina)?
Looking for a restaurant that will accomodate a group
Greensboro (7 answers)
questions about Greensboro:
Fun, family friendly activies for the holidays in Greensboro, NC?
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Amelie's French Bakery, which was mentioned 4 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Charlotte? 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 Charlotte. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Valerie from Los Angeles asked:
What is your favorite restaurant in Charlotte? (9 answers)
Katie from Los Angeles asked:
What's the best neighborhood in Charlotte for a first time visitor? (8 answers)
Stacey from Fort Myers asked:
Nice suburbs to stay just outside Charlotte (4 answers)
Julie from Saint Paul (Minnesota) asked:
Farm to Table Dining in Charlotte (2 answers)
Liz from Washington asked:
What to do in Charlotte while celebrating a 60th Birthday? (2 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Charlotte.
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 Charlotte to Newark (New Jersey) drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Newark (New Jersey) to Charlotte. Or get a full Newark (New Jersey) to Charlotte 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 Newark (New Jersey) well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Newark (New Jersey)!