Hartford to Philadelphia drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Hartford to Philadelphia drive are New Haven, New York City and Six Flags Great Adventure. The distance from Hartford to Philadelphia by car is 209 miles, with a 3h35m driving time.
Planning a Hartford to Philadelphia road trip itinerary
The Hartford to Philadelphia drive takes you from the capital of Connecticut to Pennsylvania’s greatest city.
The grand Connecticut State Capitol Building is the obvious centerpiece of Hartford CT, but the city has a strong collection of cultural attractions. The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History tells the state’s story, and the Wadsworth Atheneum Art Museum is home to more than 50,000 works. There’s a good mix of European and American art, plus plenty of Egyptian bronzes.
The two highlights are right next to each other, however. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and Mark Twain House celebrate the works and lives of two great American authors.
The top accommodation options in Hartford are the proudly grand Delamar West Hartford and the heritage-laced Goodwin.
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.
Hartford CT to Washington distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Hartford CT to Philadelphia is 209 miles. The driving time is heavily traffic-dependent, but it usually takes around three hours and 35 minutes. The quickest route is largely along the I-91 and I-95.
The best stops to add to a Hartford to Philadelphia road trip itinerary are New Haven, New York City and Six Flags Great Adventure.
For more suggestions, check out the guides to the individual legs of the journey:
Hartford CT to Philadelphia road trip attractions: New Haven CT
New Haven CT is home to Yale University, which provides the city’s top attractions. The Yale Center of British Art hosts the biggest collection of British Art outside the UK. Yale University Art Gallery covers a broader, global range. And the Yale Peabody Museum does natural history, evolution and dinosaur skeletons.
You can also do self-guided smartphone walking tours of the Yale campus, or a story-packed ghost walk.
New Haven’s other claim to fame is New Haven-style pizza. It’s close to a traditional Neapolitan style, with a thin, chewy base and very little melted cheese.
Good quality, academia-themed accommodation options in New Haven include the Study at Yale and the Graduate.
Best stops between Hartford and Philadelphia: New York City
Highlights of New York City include the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the American Museum of Natural History.
For great New York tours, try the boat trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a night time city lights helicopter flight and a Greenwich village food tour.
More unusual options include catacombs tours, a round-Manhattan architecture cruise and a guided exploration of Grand Central Station’s secrets.
You seriously need to shop around to find affordable New York City accommodation. Start looking for deals here.
Hartford to Philadelphia drive: Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, is one of the top theme parks on the east coast. There are plenty of retro rides, such as the carousel and flying elephants, but the star attraction is the Jersey Devil Coaster. This is the world’s tallest, fastest and longest single rail rollercoaster.
There’s also a Hurricane Harbor water park on the site, plus a drive-through safari-style wildlife park.
More Hartford CT road trips
Hartford CT to Boston | Bridgeport CT to Hartford CT | Hartford CT to New Haven CT | Hartford to New York City | Stamford CT to Hartford CT | Hartford to Washington DC | Hartford CT to Worcester MA.
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