Dallas to Philadelphia drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Dallas to Philadelphia drive are Hot Springs AR, Nashville TN and Roanoke VA. The distance from Dallas to Philadelphia by car is 1,467 miles, with a 21h51m driving time.
Planning a Dallas to Philadelphia road trip itinerary
The Dallas to Philadelphia drive connects north Texas to the biggest city in Pennsylvania.
Dallas has plenty of high quality cultural attractions. These include the Nasher Scupture Center, Pioneer Square and the Perot Museum of Science and Nature.
But for many visitors, the main reason to visit Dallas is the JFK assassination. Yes, you can go up to the Book Depository where Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly took his shot from.
Top Dallas experiences include a JFK Assassination and Museum tour, the GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower and a self-guided scavenger hunt.
Good places to stay in Dallas with a pool include the sassy Kimpton Pittman downtown and the historic Warwick Melrose near Turtle Creek.
How to do the JFK sites in Dallas
The best way to combine the JFK sites in Dallas is a special themed tour. This takes in the JFK Memorial, Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll before heading to Lee Harvey Oswald’s rooming house. It finishes in the Sixth Floor Museum of the Texas Book Depository. On the way, expert guides take you through the assassination facts and theories. Find out more here.
Historic Philadelphia has a series of absolutely stellar attractions. Independence Hall, the Eastern State Penitentiary and the National Constitution Center are all utterly engrossing.
Other key attractions in Philadelphia include the Museum of the American Revolution, the Independence Seaport Museum and the Penn Museum. For great Philadelphia tour options, try the Old City historic walking tour, a night tour exploring the city’s dark side or an It’s Always Sunny-themed tour of South Philadelphia.
If looking for Philadelphia accommodation, the Club Quarters Rittenhouse Square is often great value, while the Kimpton Hotel Monaco has style and personality.
Dallas to Philadelphia distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Dallas to Philadelphia is 1,467 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 21 hours and 51 minutes. The quickest route goes along the I-30, I-40, I-81 and I-95. With roughly even spacing, the best road trip stops on the Dallas to Philadelphia drive are Hot Springs, Nashville and Roanoke.
You’ll probably want to make a few more stops, however. For more suggestions, look at the guides to individual sections of the drive.
- Dallas to Hot Springs drive.
- Hot Springs to Memphis drive.
- Memphis to Nashville drive.
- Nashville to Knoxville drive.
- Knoxville to Washington DC drive.
- Washington DC to Philadelphia drive.
Best stops between Dallas and Philadelphia: Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs in the Ouachita Mountains has loads to do. The natural highlight is Hot Springs National Park, which strings thermal springs together on a series of hiking trails. The historic bathhouses are also part of the national park.
There are also several amusement parks, of which Magic Springs is arguably the best as it has a water park.
Other Hot Springs experiences include zip line adventures and the Star Wars and superhero-obsessed Galaxy Connection.
For well-rated Hot Springs accommodation with charm, go for the Hilltop Manor B&B or the Gables Inn.
Dallas to Philadelphia road trip attractions: Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is renowned for its country music, but the National Museum of African American Music is also in the Tennessee capital.
The best Nashville experiences include backstage tours of the Grand Ole Opry House, helicopter flights over the city and tasting tours at the Big Machine Distillery. You can also try line dancing classes, the Country Music Hall of Fame and haunted pub crawls. Or, for lavish old homes, visit Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, the Travellers Rest Historic House Museum and Belmont Mansion.
Excellent Nashville accommodation choices include the gloriously evocative Belle Air Mansion and Inn, plus downtown’s grand dame, the Hermitage.
How to see Nashville the smart way
You can save money in Nashville by combining a tour ticket with admission to two top attractions. These combo tickets give you a half day tour of the main sights, plus entrance to the Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame. Find out more here.
Dallas to Philadelphia drive: Roanoke, Virginia
The giant star on the side of Mill Mountain is the famed symbol of Roanoke VA. But there’s more on offer in this Blue Ridge Mountains city. For a start, you can head to the top of Mill Mountain – the park also contains Mill Mountain Zoo.
For museums, the Harrison Museum of African-American Culture and the Taubman Museum of Art are the best bets. The highly playable Roanoke Pinball Museum is arguably more fun, though.
Good Roanoke activity options include ebike tours that combine sightseeing and craft breweries, and downtown food tours.
For Roanoke accommodation, the Country Inn and Suites offers good value but the more luxurious Hotel Roanoke has plenty of character.
More Dallas road trips
Abilene TX to Dallas | Dallas to Albuquerque | Dallas to Amarillo | Dallas to Aspen | Dallas to Austin | Dallas to Atlanta | Dallas to Baltimore | Dallas to Baton Rouge | Dallas to Beaumont TX | Dallas to Buffalo | Cincinnati to Dallas | Dallas to Cleveland | Dallas to Colorado Springs | Dallas to Columbus | Conroe TX to Dallas | Dallas to Denver | Dallas to Detroit | Dallas to El Paso | Dallas to Fort Lauderdale | Dallas to Fredericksburg | Dallas to Galveston | Dallas to Hot Springs | Dallas to Houston | Huntsville TX to Dallas | Dallas to Jackson MS | Katy TX to Dallas | Dallas to Knoxville.
Dallas to Lafayette LA | Dallas to Lake Charles | Little Rock to Dallas | Louisville to Dallas | Dallas to Lubbock TX | Dallas to Memphis | Midland to Dallas | Minneapolis to Dallas | Dallas to Nashville | Dallas to New Braunfels | Dallas to New Orleans | Dallas to New York City | Odessa TX to Dallas | Oklahoma City to Dallas | Dallas to Omaha.
Dallas to Phoenix | Dallas to Pittsburgh | Dallas to Salt Lake City | San Angelo to Dallas | Dallas to San Antonio | Dallas to San Marcos | Dallas to Santa Fe | Shreveport to Dallas | Dallas to St Louis | Dallas to Tampa | Texarkana to Dallas | Dallas to Tucson | Dallas to Washington DC | Weatherford TX to Dallas | Wichita to Dallas.
More Philadelphia road trips
Philadelphia to Baltimore | Boston to Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Charlotte | Chicago to Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Cincinnati | Cleveland to Philadelphia | Columbus to Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Denver | Philadelphia to Detroit | Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale | Harrisburg to Philadelphia | Hartford to Philadelphia | Houston to Philadelphia | Indianapolis to Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Myrtle Beach | New Haven to Philadelphia | New York City to Philadelphia | Pittsburgh to Philadelphia | Raleigh NC to Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Richmond VA | St Louis to Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Tampa | Philadelphia to Washington DC | Philadelphia to Wilmington NC.