road trips from D.C.
Explore D.C.,  One Day Trips,  Travel,  Weekend Trips

The Best Road Trips from D.C.

This site contains affiliate links of products or services. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

I don’t know about y’all, but with travel still a bit weird, I have had to get creative with my travel plans. I even created a handy quarantine summer bucket list for your summer plans. One type of travel that I am excited to continue is to take more road trips. If you have a car, this is a great way to get away while still staying close to home. And if you’re near D.C., there are so many options to choose from when planning a road trip. Keep reading for my list of the best road trips from D.C.

traveling solo in Baltimore

1. Baltimore, MD

~Location: About an hour from D.C.
~Mode of transportation: Car or Amtrak.
~Parking: Street and some deck parking. 
~Highlights: Inner Harbor, National Aquarium

Baltimore is the closest spot on my list of road trips from D.C., which makes it perfect for a short weekend trip or even a day trip. If it’s your first time visiting, I’d recommend exploring Inner Harbor first. It has lovely water views, as well as the National Aquarium and funky Fells Point nearby. The thing that surprised me most about Baltimore is how many cultural and historical attractions there are.

Other than the aquarium, check out the Walters Art Museum, George Peabody Library or Maryland Science Center. Also, the original Washington Monument is here and you can climb to the top for stunning city views. And if you’re a baseball fan, catch a game at Camden Yards. For more on Baltimore, check out my solo weekend trip itinerary

2. Annapolis, MD

~Location: About an hour from D.C.
~Mode of transportation: Car
~Parking: Street parking
~Highlights: All the water activities, the seafood, Quiet Waters Park

Another short trip from D.C., Annapolis is also perfect for anyone who loves vacations by the water. For a quieter place to stay, look for options in Eastport, which is a short walk or water taxi ride from downtown. 

A few attractions worth visiting are Pinkney Street, which has charming historic row houses, Old Fox Books for a quaint back patio to read and sip some coffee, and Quiet Waters Park for picturesque views. For more information about Annapolis, read about my solo weekend trip.

best hikes near DC

3. Harpers Ferry, WV

~Location: About an hour and 15 minutes northwest of D.C.
~Mode of transportation: Car or Amtrak
~Parking: Limited street parking.

~Highlights: Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Appalachian Trail, water sports, small-town charm

Harpers Ferry is probably my all-time favorite road trip destination close to D.C. I am obsessed with this small town at the corner of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. Probably because it has all of my favorite things, including hiking, history, water activities, and a welcoming small-town charm. 

This is a great destination at any time of year, but it’s especially gorgeous in the Fall. Go for the fall foliage and stay for the ghost tours every weekend. And make sure to stay at a quaint historical bed and breakfast, like Rockhaven B&B, while you’re there. 

best hikes near DC

4. Shenandoah National Park, VA

~Location: The Front Royal entrance is about an hour and a half west of D.C.
~Mode of transportation: Car

~Parking: Lots throughout the park.
~Highlights: Overlooks, waterfalls, Skyline Drive

The only national park in the mid-Atlantic region, Shenandoah National Park is another great fall destination. It is most famous for its fall foliage, which can be viewed while driving on Skyline Drive. If you’re like me and want to experience nature up close, there are too many trails and overlooks to count. Some of the most popular are Old Rag, Stony Man, and White Oak Canyon. Regardless of the season, Shenandoah is a great road trip destination for outdoor enthusiasts. 

5. Philadelphia, PA

~Location: Two and half hours from D.C.
~Mode of transportation: Car or Amtrak

~Parking: Limited street parking.
~Highlights: Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell

Philadelphia is the perfect road trip destination for history buffs. The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, are the most popular attractions, with good reason. However, there are other historical sites to see, including Benjamin Franklin’s burial place and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Of course, if you’re a sports fan, catching a Phillies or Eagles game should also be on the itinerary. 

road trips from DC
quarantine bucket list

6. Lewes, DE

~Location: Two and a half to three hours east of D.C.
~Mode of transportation: Car

~Parking: Plentiful street parking.
~Highlights: Ocean views, beach, Cape Henlopen State Park, ferry to Cape May

Although not as well-known as the other destinations on this list, don’t discount Lewes for a weekend or day trip. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Lewes is close to the more popular Rehoboth Beach while still staying quiet and underrated. The highlight is Cape Henlopen State Park, which has hiking, free bike rentals and beach access. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry is also here, so you can pack two destinations in one trip. 

road trips from DC

7. Cape May, NJ

~Location: Three and a half to four hours, depending on your route
~Mode of transportation: Car, Ferry if coming from Delaware

~Parking: Limited parking.
~Highlights: Cape May Lighthouse, beaches, Victorian houses

For a beach vacation or coastal charm, take a trip to Cape May. With its Victorian houses and pristine beaches, this road trip from D.C. is a bit more posh. Although a bit pricier, Cape May is worth it for a romantic getaway to one of the best beaches in the country. And if you’d rather stay in Lewes and take the ferry to Cape May for the day, that is definitely an option. 

8. Norfolk, VA

~Location: Four to four and half hours, depending on your route
~Mode of transportation: Car

~Parking: Street parking
~Highlights: Proximity to the bay and Virginia Beach, Neon District street art

For a beach vacation, Norfolk and the nearby Virginia Beach are both great options. If you want a less-crowded beach, check out Willoughby Beach. Although it is on the bay instead of the ocean, Virginia Beach is close enough for a day trip.

Norfolk also has a great brewery scene and its downtown street art should not be missed. There is even a map to find all the best murals in the Neon District.

There are so many other great road trips from D.C. on my list. Here are just a few that I haven’t made it to yet, but hope to soon!

  • Pittsburgh, PA
  • Richmond, VA

What are your favorite road trips from D.C.? I’d love to hear more in the comments below!

22 Comments

  • Eva Keller

    Great suggestions! We have 3 free nights in Williamsburg to use and we want to add it onto a DC trip. My husband has never been anywhere over there so we want to see as much of the area as possible.

    • Jordan

      Hi Eva,
      That is great! I have heard good things about Williamsburg, but haven’t made it there yet. If you come to D.C., definitely visit the Tidal Basin. Hopefully some of the museums will be open again when you visit.

  • Barbara

    Looks like you have a vast amount of choices from your location! That’s great! Go explore frequently!

  • Sara

    Thanks for sharing. I’d never heard of some of these places before.

  • Tricia Snow

    I love this. I am from Philly and we had a house down the shore in Avalon where my mother and I stayed every summer. My dad would come on the weekends. Cape May is just south. Both are great trips. There is so much to see in Philadelphia too. The 4th is my favorite time to visit.

    • Jordan

      HI Tricia,
      Thank you for sharing about Avalon! I heard it’s gorgeous there. And I definitely want to visit Philly again, as my trip was way too short.

  • Missy

    I would like to visit Shenandoah National Park, VA. Looks like a great time to visit would be in the fall when the leaves are changing colors.

    • Jordan

      Hi Missy,
      Shenandoah is gorgeous in the fall! It definitely gets crowded, but it’s worth a visit.

  • Stacey Billingsley

    Great road trip ideas! In January, we were planning a New England road trip, and Baltimore was on my list. That, of course, changed, but I’m still hopeful we’ll get to do that trip one day. We are planning on a little trip the opposite direction this month if it still feels like an okay thing to do. We’ve already changed it several times. It included Arizona initially, but now we’ve taken that out.

    • Jordan

      Hi Stacey,
      Aww I’m sorry to hear your New England trip has been changed. Hopefully you’ll get to visit soon. And I hope you have a fabulous time on the road trip you do decide one.

  • Lisa Manderino

    I did a lot of those road trips when I lived in VA near DC. I love that area so much. There is so much to explore and do.

  • Carey

    I can’t wait to have a vacation up the coast and visit some of these places. Baltimore and Delaware looks so fun.

  • Pam

    These all look fantastic! It’s definitely part of the country I haven’t explored much.

  • Melissa

    These are some awesome places to visit! We also love Hershey, PA and it’s only about 2 hours from DC. Lancaster, PA is another fun trip, as well! Thank for sharing!

    • Jordan

      Hi Melissa,
      Oooh I am definitely adding Hershey and Lancaster to my list. Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.