WASHINGTON — Dreaming of sandy toes and sun-kissed waves? Escape the hustle of D.C. and hit up our beach picks within reach — no car required!
(Keep in mind prices and travel times will vary. Exact change may be required for some buses.)
Here are the beaches accessible without a car:
Rehoboth Beach, DE
To get to this beach without driving, you can take a combination of train and bus services.
- Start by taking an Amtrak train from Union Station to Wilmington, Delaware. Then, from Wilmington Station catch a DART (Delaware Transit Corporation) bus, or a few, to get to the beach.
- You can also catch a BestBus from D.C. to Dewey Beach then a DART bus the rest of the way to Rehoboth.
Travel time:
- 1.5-2 hours by Amtrak train
- 2.5-4 hours by DART bus from Wilmington Station
or
- 3-3.5 hours by BestBus
- 5 minutes by DART bus from Dewey Beach
Price:
- One-way train Amtrak tickets range from $30-$100.
- A one-way fare on a DART bus starts at $2 per person.
Dewey Beach, DE
To get to this beach from D.C. without a car, there are several options including taking a combination of buses and trains, or one bus there-and-back.
You can take a Greyhound bus from the District to Wilmington, DE and then hop on a local DART bus from Wilmington to Dewey Beach, or you can take an Amtrak train and then a local DART bus.
BestBus or OurBus also has limited direct buses from either Dupont Circle or Union Station to Dewey Beach, with the stop located on Route 1, in front of the new Hyatt Place (1301 Coastal Highway).
Travel time:
- 2.5-3.5 hours, depending on traffic and stops (Greyhound)
- 1.5-2 hours (Amtrak)
- 2.5-3 hours (DART bus)
or
- 2 hours 45 mins (BestBus or OurBus)
Price:
- One-way tickets for Greyhound range from $20-$40 or more depending
- One-way Amtrak train tickets range from $30-$100
- One-way tickets start at $54.99 (BestBus or OurBus)
Bethany Beach, DE
To get to this beach there are several options including a combination of trains and buses.
You can take an Amtrak train from D.C. to Wilmington, DE. Then from Wilmington, take a DART bus towards Georgetown or Rehoboth Beach and get off at the Sea Colony Marketplace in Bethany Beach.
Riders can also board a BestBus to Dewey Beach from the District and then take a DART bus the rest of the way.
Travel time:
- 1.5-2 hours by train from D.C. to Wilmington, DE
- 3 hours by Dart bus from Wilmington, DE
or
- 3-3.5 hours by BestBus
- 20 minutes by DART bus from Dewey Beach
Price:
- One-way train Amtrak tickets range from $30-$100 from D.C. to Wilmington, DE.
- A one-way fare on the bus starts at $2 per person.
- BestBuy tickets one-way start at $54.99
Ocean City Beach, MD
To get to Ocean City, you can also take an Amtrak train from D.C. to Wilmington, DE. Then board a DART bus, or a few, to get the rest of the way there. Lastly, you'll hop on an Ocean City Transportation Highway Beach Bus.
Travel time:
- 2.5-3 hours (Amtrak train)
- 2.5-3 hours (DART bus)
Price:
- One-way ticket ranges from $30-$100 (Amtrak)
- A one-way fare on the bus starts at $2 per person.
Chesapeake Beach, MD
There is a direct way to get to this beach. Just hop on MTA's 820 commuter bus near the National Mall, Robert Latham Owen Park, and stop in North Beach, MD on the Chesapeake Bay.
Travel time:
- 1-2 hours (bus)
Price:
- One-way tickets start at $2
North Beach, MD
To get to this beach, you can can get there directly by bus. Just like above, hop on MTA's 820 commuter bus and stop in North Beach, MD.
Travel time:
- 1-2 hours (bus)
Price:
- One-way tickets start at $2
Virginia Beach, VA
To get from the District to Virginia Beach without a car there are several options.
You can take an Amtrak train from D.C. to Norfolk, VA. Then from Norfolk, you can hop on a connecting bus operated by Amtrak for the last 40 minutes.
Or you can take a Greyhound bus directly from D.C. to Virginia Beach.
Travel time:
- 3-4 hours on Northeast Regional or Acela Express trains (Amtrak)
- 40 minutes to an hour (Bus)
- 4-5 hours (Greyhound bus)
Price:
- One-way tickets from D.C. to Norfolk range from $30-$100 (Amtrak)
- The fare for the bus starts at $2 for a one-way trip
- One-way tickets from D.C. to Virginia Beach via Greyhound bus range from $30-$50 per person
Atlantic City, NJ
To get here, you'll need to take a combination of buses, trains, and shuttles.
You can take a Amtrak train from D.C. to Philadelphia, PA. Then an NJ Transit Bus from Philly to Atlantic City, NJ. From the Atlantic City bus terminal, you will then have to catch a local shuttle or taxi to reach the beach.
Or you can catch a Greyhound bus directly from D.C. to Atlantic City, NJ.
Travel time:
- 1.5-2.5 hours on the Northeast Regional or Acela Express trains from D.C. to Philly via Amtrak
- 1.5-2 hours from Philly to Atlantic City via NJ Transit Bus
- 10-15 minutes for a taxi to the beach from Atlantic City bus terminal
- 5-6 hours via Greyhound bus from D.C. to Atlantic City
Price:
- $30-$100 per one-way ticket from D.C. to Philly (Amtrak)
- $10-$20 for a one-way ticket from Philly to Atlantic City, NJ (NJ Transit Bus)
- $10-$20 shuttle or taxi ride from the bus terminal in Atlantic City to the beach
- $40-$60 per one-way ticket from D.C. to Atlantic City via Greyhound bus
Coney Island, NY
Hop on an Amtrak train from D.C. to New York City. Then, take the subway (MTA) from 34th Street--Herald Station to Coney Island--Stillwell Avenue.
Travel time:
- 2.5-3.5 hours by train
- 45-1 hour on bus
Price:
- A one-way Amtrak ticket from D.C. to New York ranges from $30-$150 on average
- $2-$7 for bus tickets.
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