Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Philadelphia 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.
11:00 am start in Philadelphia
drive for about 1.5 hours
12:26 pm Lancaster (Pennsylvania)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:26 pm
drive for about 2 hours
3:34 pm arrive in Washington, DC
stay at JW Marriott Hotel
driving ≈ 3.5 hours
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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to Washington, DC. Or get a full Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Philadelphia!