Bethesda travel guide

Bethesda Tourism | Bethesda Guide

You're Going to Love Bethesda

With a population of 60,858, Bethesda is a must-see destination in Maryland, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Bethesda has to offer.

Where to Eat in Bethesda

If you’re looking for affordable options, Kapnos Kouzina (4900 Hampden Lane) and Guardado's (4918 Del Ray Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Guapo's (8130 Wisconsin Ave) and Melina (909 Rose Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Bethesda.

Most popular restaurants in Bethesda

French
Wonderful (621 reviews)
$$$$
Contemporary American
Wonderful (270 reviews)
Spanish
Very good (266 reviews)
American
Wonderful (246 reviews)
Japanese
Very good (244 reviews)
American
Very good (173 reviews)
French
Wonderful (621 reviews)
$$$$
Contemporary American
Wonderful (270 reviews)
Spanish
Very good (266 reviews)
American
Wonderful (246 reviews)
Japanese
Very good (244 reviews)
American
Very good (173 reviews)

When to visit Bethesda

Bethesda in August
Estimated hotel price
$143
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bethesda in August
Estimated hotel price
$143
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Bethesda

Plane

When flying to Bethesda, you’ll arrive at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which is located 9 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Bethesda departs from Atlanta and takes around 1h 48m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Bethesda, followed by Acela. The train journey from Bethesda to Baltimore takes 0h 29m and costs around $5 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Richmond, expect to pay about $16 for a 1h 53m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Bethesda is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 6 miles from Bethesda. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Hertz, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bethesda, including Megabus, Bus and Greyhound. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Bethesda takes 170 miles and will cost you around $10. From New York, the ticket costs about $18 for a journey of 250 miles. The most popular bus station is Bethesda 7401 Waverly St, located 0.5 miles from downtown Bethesda. Bethesda Rockville Pike is also a commonly used station, and is 5 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Bethesda, you’ll arrive at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which is located 9 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Bethesda departs from Atlanta and takes around 1h 48m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Bethesda, followed by Acela. The train journey from Bethesda to Baltimore takes 0h 29m and costs around $5 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Richmond, expect to pay about $16 for a 1h 53m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Bethesda is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 6 miles from Bethesda. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Hertz, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bethesda, including Megabus, Bus and Greyhound. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Bethesda takes 170 miles and will cost you around $10. From New York, the ticket costs about $18 for a journey of 250 miles. The most popular bus station is Bethesda 7401 Waverly St, located 0.5 miles from downtown Bethesda. Bethesda Rockville Pike is also a commonly used station, and is 5 miles from the city center.

Airports near Bethesda

Airlines serving Bethesda

KLM
Good (830 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,299 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,585 reviews)
Air France
Good (964 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,532 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,098 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,868 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,477 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,520 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (811 reviews)
Finnair
Good (883 reviews)
LOT
Good (679 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,113 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (891 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,332 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (819 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (694 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,635 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (470 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (173 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Bethesda

Most booked hotels in Bethesda

Embassy Suites by Hilton Bethesda Washington DC
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1811 reviews)
$155+
Citizenm Washington Dc Capitol
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 4136 reviews)
$216+
Hotel Washington
5 stars
Excellent (8.6, 2749 reviews)
$314+
The Bethesdan Hotel Tapestry Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 730 reviews)
$139+
Hyatt Regency Bethesda
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1462 reviews)
$156+
Washington Plaza Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 4176 reviews)
$206+

Renting a car in Bethesda

Renting a car in Bethesda costs $44 per day, on average, or $132 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Bethesda.

Expect to pay $3.75 per gallon in Bethesda (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $44.97 and $59.96. Intermediate (Kia Forte or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bethesda, while also 61% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Bethesda costs $44 per day, on average, or $132 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Bethesda.

Expect to pay $3.75 per gallon in Bethesda (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $44.97 and $59.96. Intermediate (Kia Forte or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bethesda, while also 61% cheaper than other types, on average.