Raleigh NC to Philadelphia road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Raleigh NC to Philadelphia drive are Richmond VA, Washington DC and Baltimore. The distance from Raleigh NC to Philadelphia by car is 419 miles, with an 6h38m driving time.
Planning a Raleigh NC to Philadelphia road trip itinerary
The Raleigh NC to Philadelphia drive takes you from the capital of North Carolina to Pennsylvania’s greatest city.
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.
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.
Raleigh NC to Philadelphia distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Raleigh NC to Philadelphia is 419 miles. That makes for a driving time of around six hours and 38 minutes. The quickest route is mostly along the I-95.
The best stops to add to a Raleigh NC to Philadelphia 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.
Best stops between Raleigh NC and Philadelphia: 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 Philadelphia 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 Baltimore road trip attractions: Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore is a character-packed port city that has spruced itself up in recent years and has a wealth of attractions to explore. The National Aquarium and the Fort McHenry National Monument are arguably the biggest two sights, but there’s an excellent range of Baltimore experiences to tackle.
Top choices include historical sightseeing tours, sailing on Inner Harbor and ghost tours in the Fell’s Point neighbourhood.
For other options, try brewery-hopping tours, helicopter rides and Fell’s Point food tours.
Waterfront Baltimore accommodation options include the Canopy at Harbor Point and the Sagamore Pendry in Fell’s Point.
More Raleigh NC road trips
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