Chicago to Washington DC drive: Distance, time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Chicago to Washington DC drive are South Bend, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The distance from Chicago to Washington DC by car is 697 miles, with a 10h52m driving time.
Planning a Chicago to Washington DC road trip itinerary
The Chicago to Washington DC drive takes you from Illinois to the capital of the US.
Chicago’s skyscrapers, music scene and massive collection of cultural attractions make it arguably the most exciting city in the US to visit.
Highly recommended Chicago experiences include an architecture river cruise, a gangsters and ghosts tour of famous Mob sites and a bike tour of the lakefront neighbourhoods. It’s also worth paying a visit to the Field Museum, the 360 Chicago observation deck at the Hancock Tower and the Chicago Architecture Center.
Recommended Chicago hotels include the Club Quarters Central Loop for astonishingly good value. Also consider the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile for its amazing, historic pool, and the entertainingly science-themed Hotel EMC2.
Our favourite thing to do in Chicago
The Chicago architecture cruise has a phenomenal wow factor, with the boat gliding between some of the world’s most legendary skyscrapers.
We found the commentary matches the views, too. Expect a fascinating run-down of the city’s history – and plenty of surprising detail about the buildings you’re seeing.
Washington DC has an enormous range of tours, experiences and attractions available. You could happily spend weeks in the Smithsonian Museums alone. Top choices, however, include the nighttime monuments and memorials tour, small group guided visits to the Capitol and National Library of Congress and Lincoln assassination tours that visit Fords Theatre.
Memorable Washington DC accommodation options include the Willard, where Martin Luther King Jr wrote his I Have A Dream speech. There’s also the Watergate Hotel, a luxurious conversion of the offices from the Watergate scandal.
Chicago to Washington DC distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Chicago to Washington DC is 697 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 10 hours and 52 minutes. The quickest route is via the I-90, I-76, I-70 and I-270.
The best stops to add to a Chicago to Washington DC road trip itinerary are South Bend, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Chicago to Washington DC drive: South Bend, Indiana
South Bend is one of those towns that’s just fun to hang out in. It’s a university city, and the student life gives it the bulk of its energy. Notre Dame University tours take in the campus and key buildings such as the hugely impressive Basilica of Notre Dame.
For car-lovers, however, the key attraction in South Bend is the Studebaker National Museum. Studebaker Cars were made here until 1963. The museum tells their story and has plenty of classics on display.
Best stops between Chicago and Washington DC: Cleveland, Ohio
There are many strong attractions in Cleveland, including the Cleveland History Center. But the big stand out is the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. It’s an extremely reverent trawl through rock ‘n roll history, looking at the origins and development of the genre. There’s a massive amount of memorabilia, with sections devoted to several Hall of Fame inductees.
The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame is dense, detailed and capable of sucking up the best part of a day.
Alternatively, Cleveland tour options focus on neighbourhood food scenes, the city’s best craft breweries and Downtown’s public art.
Chicago to Washington DC road trip attractions: Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania is a monstrously underrated city, with a series of stellar attractions. Get great views from the top of the Duquesne Incline, enjoy the globally-themed rooms at the unmissable Cathedral of Learning and become immersed in pop art at the Warhol Museum.
You can explore Pittsburgh with a hop-on, hop-off bus pass. Pittsburgh experiences include bike tours full of stories, guided whiskey-themed walks and craft beer sampling on a multi-brewery tour.
For Pittsburgh hotels with great reviews, try the Italian villa-style Priory Hotel or the often good value Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown.
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