Raleigh NC to NYC road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Raleigh NC to New York City drive are Richmond VA, Washington DC and Philadelphia. The distance from Raleigh NC to New York City by car is 490 miles, with an 8h8m driving time.
Planning a Raleigh NC to New York City road trip itinerary
The Raleigh NC to New York City drive takes you from the capital of North Carolina to the Big Apple.
Raleigh NC offers a series of high quality museums. The North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina Museum of Art are the three big-hitters. Meanwhile, the Mordecai Historic Park is where you’ll find Raleigh’s oldest house and the William B Umstead State Park is the top spot for outdoorsy pursuits.
Top Raleigh activities include trolley pub tours and ghost tours.
For Raleigh accommodation, the Marriott is the prime address downtown and the Store is a gorgeous guesthouse.
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.
Raleigh NC to New York City distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Raleigh NC to New York City is 490 miles. That makes for a driving time of around eight hours and eight minutes. The quickest route is mostly along the I-95.
The best stops to add to a Raleigh NC to New York City road trip itinerary are Richmond VA, Washington DC and Philadelphia.
For more suggestions, see the guides to the individual legs of the journey.
- Raleigh NC to Richmond drive.
- Richmond VA to Washington DC drive.
- Washington DC to Baltimore drive.
- Baltimore to Philadelphia drive.
- Philadelphia to New York City drive.
Best stops between Raleigh NC and New York City: Richmond VA
Once the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond VA is not entirely weighed down by its history. The surprisingly wild James River runs through it, and the west end feels energetic and more of the North than the South.
The top attraction, though, is the huge American Civil War Museum at the historic Tredegar Ironworks. After that, walk the suspension bridge to Belle Isle in the middle of the James River, see the dubious Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue, or see the grandiose tombs of the Hollywood Cemetery.
Other good Richmond experiences include food tours of the Arts District or Church Hill, Segway tours of the city landmarks, nighttime ghost walks and guided hikes along the James River.
For Richmond accommodation, the Moxy Richmond Downtown brims with fun, youthful energy. The Residence Inn by Marriott, meanwhile, is a short walk from the lively Shockoe Bottom neighbourhood.
Raleigh NC to New York City drive: Washington DC
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.
Raleigh NC to New York City road trip attractions: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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.
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