Sterling travel guide

Sterling Tourism | Sterling Guide

You're Going to Love Sterling

With a population of 27,822, Sterling is a must-see destination in Virginia, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Sterling deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Sterling

If you’re looking for affordable options, Tamarind Indian Cuisine (46300 Potomac Run Plaza Suite 120) and Trump National Golf Club (20391 Lowes Island Blvd.) are great picks.

When to visit Sterling

Sterling in December
Estimated hotel price
$123
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sterling in December
Estimated hotel price
$123
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Sterling in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 21.2 °F, with an average temperature of 32 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 4.7″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Sterling, with an average rainfall of 2.7″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Sterling

Plane

When flying to Sterling, you’ll arrive at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD), which is located 4 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Sterling departs from Boston and takes around 1h 28m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Sterling, followed by Acela. The train journey from Sterling to Baltimore takes 0h 28m and costs around $6 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $11 for a 1h 55m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Sterling is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 22 miles from Sterling. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sterling, including Megabus, Bus and Greyhound. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Sterling takes 175 miles and will cost you around $12. From New York, the ticket costs about $9 for a journey of 265 miles.

Plane

When flying to Sterling, you’ll arrive at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD), which is located 4 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Sterling departs from Boston and takes around 1h 28m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Sterling, followed by Acela. The train journey from Sterling to Baltimore takes 0h 28m and costs around $6 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $11 for a 1h 55m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Sterling is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 22 miles from Sterling. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sterling, including Megabus, Bus and Greyhound. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Sterling takes 175 miles and will cost you around $12. From New York, the ticket costs about $9 for a journey of 265 miles.

Airports near Sterling

Airlines serving Sterling

KLM
Good (846 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,573 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,608 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,598 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,113 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,953 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,441 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,925 reviews)
Finnair
Good (864 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,175 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,712 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (834 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (512 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,595 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (726 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,355 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (185 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Sterling

Most booked hotels in Sterling

Hampton Inn & Suites Washington-Dulles International Airport
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 622 reviews)
$112+
Hampton Inn Dulles/Cascades
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 477 reviews)
$102+
Hyatt Regency Dulles
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1028 reviews)
$138+
The Westin Washington Dulles Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 755 reviews)
$143+
Wingate by Wyndham Chantilly / Dulles Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1987 reviews)
$93+
Holiday Inn Washington-Dulles International Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 673 reviews)
$112+

Renting a car in Sterling

Renting a car in Sterling costs $56 per day, on average, or $112 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Sterling is the Dollar branch at 23540 Autopilot Drive, which is 3 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 13% cheaper than airport locations in Sterling.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Sterling (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Sterling is Intermediate (Tesla Model 3 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Toyota Camry or similar) are, on average, 61% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Sterling costs $56 per day, on average, or $112 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Sterling is the Dollar branch at 23540 Autopilot Drive, which is 3 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 13% cheaper than airport locations in Sterling.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Sterling (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Sterling is Intermediate (Tesla Model 3 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Toyota Camry or similar) are, on average, 61% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.