Washington to Albany road trip: 24 stops worth the detour

Upscale regional Italian trattoria in a stylishly rustic setting, making fresh pastas and farm-to-table dishes with local ingredients. Order: Fresh pasta.

rolling Piedmont woods near Newark

Rooftop-deck Locust Point institution where you pick fresh-steamed Old Bay crabs by the dozen at paper-covered tables. Order: Steamed blue crabs.

Cindy Wolf's refined Low Country tasting-menu flagship, a perennial James Beard finalist with a Beard-medaled wine program. Order: Chef's tasting menu.

lakes and ridges in the northern Highlands

A Newark dining tradition since 1978 serving authentic Northern and Southern Italian cuisine in an elegant, welcoming setting. Order: Lobster ravioli.

the retro-park that started the whole movement — the B&O Warehouse beyond right field

Longtime riverfront favorite with seafood staples, a raw bar, upscale fare and cocktails right on the Christina River. Order: Raw bar platter.

an easy forest loop to a pretty fall near Baltimore

Warm Italian-inspired restaurant just off Warren Street with arancini, handmade pastas and grilled flatbread meant for long fireside dinners. Order: Handmade pasta.

the cathedral rebuilt — Monument Park, the façade, and the weight of all that history

the rowdiest crowd in baseball, the Liberty Bell, and a cheesesteak worth the line

Legendary East Harlem red-sauce institution since 1896 with famously impossible-to-book tables passed down among regulars. Order: Lemon chicken.

Cult-favorite counter serving inventive Asian-Ethiopian steamed buns and rice bowls, ranked among Yelp's Top 100 US restaurants. Order: Neighborhood Bird tempura chicken bun.