car trip images

• A photo Photos   10k
• A stack of folders Collections   342k
• A group of people Users   14

Browse premium images on iStock | 20% off at iStock

Make something awesome

• Images home
• Editorial home
• Editorial video
• Premium collections
• Entertainment
• Premium images
• AI generated images
• Curated collections
• Animals/Wildlife
• Backgrounds/Textures
• Beauty/Fashion
• Buildings/Landmarks
• Business/Finance
• Celebrities
• Food and Drink
• Healthcare/Medical
• Illustrations/Clip-Art
• Miscellaneous
• Parks/Outdoor
• Signs/Symbols
• Sports/Recreation
• Transportation
• All categories
• Shutterstock Select
• Shutterstock Elements
• Health Care

Browse Content

• Sound effects

PremiumBeat

• PixelSquid 3D objects
• Templates Home
• Instagram all
• Highlight covers
• Facebook all
• Carousel ads
• Cover photos
• Event covers
• Youtube all
• Channel Art
• Etsy big banner
• Etsy mini banner
• Etsy shop icon
• Pinterest all
• Pinterest pins
• Twitter All
• Twitter Banner
• Infographics
• Zoom backgrounds
• Announcements
• Certificates
• Gift Certificates
• Real Estate Flyer
• Travel Brochures
• Anniversary
• Baby Shower
• Mother's Day
• Thanksgiving
• All Invitations
• Party invitations
• Wedding invitations
• Book Covers
• About Creative Flow
• Start a design

AI image generator

• Photo editor
• Background remover
• Collage maker
• Resize image
• Color palettes

Color palette generator

• Image converter
• Creative AI
• Design tips
• Custom plans
• Request quote
• Shutterstock Studios
• Data licensing

0 Credits Available

You currently have 0 credits

See all plans

Image plans

With access to 400M+ photos, vectors, illustrations, and more. Includes AI generated images!

Video plans

A library of 28 million high quality video clips. Choose between packs and subscription.

Music plans

Download tracks one at a time, or get a subscription with unlimited downloads.

Editorial plans

Instant access to over 50 million images and videos for news, sports, and entertainment.

Includes templates, design tools, AI-powered recommendations, and much more.

Search by image

Family Car Road Trip royalty-free images

56,608 family car road trip stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free for download..

Our company

Press/Media

Investor relations

Shutterstock Blog

Popular searches

Stock Photos and Videos

Stock photos

Stock videos

Stock vectors

Editorial images

Featured photo collections

Sell your content

Affiliate/Reseller

International reseller

Live assignments

Rights and clearance

Website Terms of Use

Terms of Service

Privacy policy

Modern Slavery Statement

Cookie Preferences

Shutterstock.AI

AI style types

Shutterstock mobile app

Android app

© 2003-2024 Shutterstock, Inc.

• Plan a Road Trip
• Plan a Flight
• Find an Airport
• Where to Stay
• All Questions

Road trip planner

Starting City

Destination City

Or switch to flying

Planning a road trip?

Get advice from people who have done the same trip.

The Trippy road trip planner automatically calculates the optimal itinerary including stops recommended by Trippy members, favorite restaurants and hotels, local attractions and things to do based on what people who live in the area have suggested, and more.

Once you have a quick trip planned, you can customize every detail, adding or removing stops, or changing what time you leave in the morning or how long you stay at each stop. Then you can save your custom trip and share it with friends and family.

Let us know if you have requests for more features you'd like to see in the trip planner!

The 49 best photo spots in Moscow

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

1 The Moscow Kremlin

2 Red Square

3 Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

4 st. basil's cathedral, 5 bolshoi theatre.

Track your travel spending and split costs with friends

Plan your trip. Keep your budget organized. Split the cost between tripmates. Wanderlog does it all.

Don’t forget to pack anything

Stay organized with a to-do list, packing list, shopping list, any kind of list.

16 Grand Kremlin Palace

17 state historical museum, 18 public museum of the moscow metro, 19 cafe pushkin, 20 armoury chamber, 21 vorob'yevy gory, 22 all-russian exhibition center, 23 moscow zoo, 24 alexander garden, 25 sokolniki park.

All travel reservations in 1 place

Never dig through your emails again — access all your flights, lodging, and any reservations in 1 place.

26 Muzeon Park of Arts

27 ostankino television tower, 28 patriarch's ponds, 29 neskuchny garden, 30 museum of soviet arcade games, 31 dormition cathedral, 32 the carlton, moscow, 33 monument to minin and pozharsky, 34 annunciation cathedral, 35 russian state library.

Perfect for road trips

See time and distance between places, and optimize your route to get the most of your day.

36 Winzavod

37 museum of the history of vodka, 38 komsomolskaya, 39 moscow state university, 40 poklonnaya hill, 41 ostrov mechty (dream island), 42 moskva river, 43 business district "moscow silk", 44 vorob'yevy gory, 45 memorial eternal flame.

Collaborate with friends in real time

Plan along with your friends with live syncing and collaborative editing.

46 STREET ADVENTURE

47 underground gallery, 48 old arbat hostel, 49 moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, top searches in moscow, popular road trips from moscow, what's the weather like in moscow.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Moscow for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Moscow in January
• Weather in Moscow in February
• Weather in Moscow in March
• Weather in Moscow in April
• Weather in Moscow in May
• Weather in Moscow in June
• Weather in Moscow in July
• Weather in Moscow in August
• Weather in Moscow in September
• Weather in Moscow in October
• Weather in Moscow in November
• Weather in Moscow in December

All road trips from Moscow

• Moscow to London drive
• Moscow to Paris drive
• Moscow to St. Petersburg drive
• Moscow to Berlin drive
• Moscow to Prague drive
• Moscow to Amsterdam drive
• Moscow to Budapest drive
• Moscow to Vienna drive
• Moscow to Istanbul drive
• Moscow to Florence drive
• Moscow to Venice drive
• Moscow to Stockholm drive
• Moscow to Milan drive
• Moscow to Krakow drive
• Moscow to Copenhagen drive
• Moscow to Warsaw drive
• Moscow to Helsinki drive
• Moscow to Munich drive
• Moscow to Brussels drive
• Moscow to Tallinn drive
• Moscow to Riga drive
• Moscow to Oslo drive
• Moscow to Turin drive
• Moscow to Hamburg drive
• Moscow to Vilnius drive
• Moscow to Yaroslavl drive
• Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod drive
• Moscow to Kyiv drive
• Moscow to Tula drive
• Moscow to Bruges drive

Explore nearby places

• Likino-Dulevo
• Ivanteyevka
• Orekhovo-Zuevo
• Semyonovskoye
• Ivanovskoye
• Rumyantsevo
• Dzerzhinsky
• Sovkhoz Imeni Lenina
• Dolgoprudny

All related maps of Moscow

• Map of Moscow
• Map of Danki
• Map of Shatura
• Map of Likino-Dulevo
• Map of Uspenskoye
• Map of Gorskoye
• Map of Ivanteyevka
• Map of Reutov
• Map of Domodedovo
• Map of Peresvet
• Map of Vorobyovo
• Map of Bronnitsy
• Map of Orekhovo-Zuevo
• Map of Moskovsky
• Map of Semyonovskoye
• Map of Izmaylovo
• Map of Nikolskoye
• Map of Ivanovskoye
• Map of Marfino
• Map of Govorovo
• Map of Nagornoye
• Map of Mosrentgen
• Map of Bratsevo
• Map of Rumyantsevo
• Map of Mytishchi
• Map of Putilkovo
• Map of Razvilka
• Map of Khimki
• Map of Dzerzhinsky
• Map of Sovkhoz Imeni Lenina
• Map of Dolgoprudny

Moscow throughout the year

• Moscow in January
• Moscow in February
• Moscow in March
• Moscow in April
• Moscow in May
• Moscow in June
• Moscow in July
• Moscow in August
• Moscow in September
• Moscow in October
• Moscow in November
• Moscow in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Moscow?

Get inspired for your trip to Moscow with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 2-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 3-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 4-Day Moscow Itinerary
• 5-Day Moscow Itinerary

Best attractions in nearby cities

• Top things to do and attractions in Khimki

Best restaurants in nearby cities

• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Mytishchi
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Khimki

• Itinerary + map in one view
• Live collaboration
• Auto-import hotels and reservations
• Optimize your route
• Offline access on mobile
• See time and distance between all your places

Popular Mechanics

15 Countries Worth Visiting for an Epic Drive

Posted: April 12, 2024 | Last updated: April 12, 2024

Packing up and going for a drive anyplace on earth is easier than you might think. Provided you don't intend to stay long enough to need a visa, you can almost always pop in and drive somewhere new, often with nothing more than a passport and your regular U.S. license. (Well, that and money to pay for a rental car.) Even though those International Driving Permits offered by AAA aren't official documents (they're sort of a racket), we'll tell you where or if you’ll need it so you can pick one up before your trip abroad. But that's it for the fine-print stuff—planning your next international road trip is the fun part, so swipe through for inspiration from 15 of our favorite places to drive, whether it's the awesome roads, incredible terrain, lax driving laws, or otherwise.

United States of America

Requirements: U.S. driver's license

Maybe a drive that begins in your driveway doesn't sound like the most adventurous idea, but the fact of the matter is this giant landmass is pretty hard to beat. It offers every type of topography you can think of, great routes both on and off paved roads , and nearly every imaginable climate. Licensing is easy and both cars and gas are cheap compared to the broader developed world. Just don't speed. The big rub of driving here in America is that the archaic and often strictly enforced speed limits instituted during the gas crunch of the early 1970s remain in effect in many places.

There are paved roads in Iceland, but you're missing out if you stick to them. Iceland's otherworldly topography demands exploration in something with four-wheel-drive and lots of ground clearance ( may we suggest a Land Rover ?). It's easy to rent just the truck you'll need to follow the myriad rocky roads and dry riverbeds across the small island, and you can have a great time traversing river crossings to witness waterfalls, glaciers, hot springs, and volcanoes. You will seldom come across another traveler, yet there is a strange sense of safety on the island that'll keep you plodding along.

And you thought the United States was the painfully obvious recommendation for this list. Hey, Germany may be a predictable choice but it merits inclusion. There are the remaining stretches of unrestricted Autobahn your friends keep bragging about, sure, but don't miss the ancient architecture, rivers, and thick forests along Germany's many rural winding roads. While you can blast away with just your U.S. license in pocket, strict local licensing requirements ensure a refreshing level of sanity among the native drivers. Not sold? Consider this: The famed, harrowing Nürburgring racetrack is actually a public road that you can lap for a fee, although be sure your car rental agreement doesn't specifically disallow such behavior.

Saudi Arabia

No, we're not going to recommend jumping the vast sand dunes just outside Riyadh while howling at the moon. But if you were going to, may we recommend doing so in a 4x4 you can't buy in the U.S.? Maybe a hotted-up Nissan Patrol or a lifted Toyota Hilux? Or maybe skip that altogether in the interest of self- and vehicle preservation and stay on the pavement. Saudi Arabia is home to the world's longest straight road, and the roads are impeccably paved, too. To find good driving roads, head to the mountains outside Taif and prepare to be blown away by miles upon miles of twists and vistas.

Requirements: U.S. driver's license, International Driving Permit

Of course, the place that brought us Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Lamborghini makes the list. Seasoned scenic drivers are no doubt aware of Italy's famous Stelvio mountain pass, an undulating road that looks like a piece of yarn scattered over the Alps by a fevered cat. You can pretend to be a vintage rally car driver along the ridiculously scenic Amalfi Coast. Heck, you may even have driven the Great Dolomite Road and Via Aurelia in one fell swoop. Even if you have, you should probably go do it again, preferably in something fast and red.

Switzerland

If you thought Italy had a good mountain pass or two, its next-door neighbor Switzerland will leave you gobsmacked. Plan your route correctly and you can link one ridiculously good mountain road to the next, queueing up hours of driving nirvana until the Dramamine wears off or you run out of fuel (or both). Here are a few pass recommendations, in no particular order: Great St. Bernard, Furka, Simplon, Klausen, Susten, San Bernardino, Bernina, St. Gotthard. No matter which one you choose, it's just as easy to slow down and soak in the fact that you're cutting through hundreds of years of history, too. You could do worse than a car trip to the Swiss Alps.

A stark contrast from both the highly regulated American driving experience and the extreme civility and civil engineering you'll enjoy on European roads, Mongolia is where you go to do... almost whatever. Those seeking drivable areas, not roads, can head there for unending vastness capable of providing every view you can think of. It's advisable to spec a rugged vehicle with plenty of ground clearance and the stomach for a pothole or much worse. You'll contend with just about every climate imaginable, so factor that in, too. If you play your cards right (or wrong), you might just end up somewhere nobody else has been.

For its size, Australia offers a wealth of impressive roads. Gormanston Road on the west coast of Tasmania boasts the local nickname of "99 Bends" (locals pronounce that "binds") for the number of twists and turns it offers, and Victoria's Great Alpine Road and Great Ocean Road are also appropriately named. That's not to mention the legendary off-roading opportunities, should you get sick of the roads altogether. You can get really off the grid in Australia, and there is a vibrant overlanding (car camping) culture to back you up.

In Norway, long and snaking highways are the name of the game. More than 1300 miles of these are classified as state scenic routes for their architecture, design, and views. Whether you're looking for postcard-perfect fishing villages on the north coast, ancient archipelagos, or even a jaunt across the Arctic Circle, Norway offers it all. We won't bother trying to help you pronounce any of these routes, such as the Helgelandskysten or Gamle Strynefjellsvegen (pictured here), but be assured you'll have no trouble finding them.

If you're headed to northern Europe for Nordic adventures, why not tack on a stop in Finland? The country is frequently voted the happiest place on earth, and there must be something in the water, because they churn out world-class rally drivers like the U.S. Mint prints money. Those interested in drinking some of that mystery water can partake in some ice driving at one of the country's excellent rally schools. Afterward, consider a night drive through Lapland to catch the Northern Lights (pictured) before you head home.

Even though you will find no shortage of fine driving roads and world-class history anywhere in Spain, you should probably start in the north amongst the Pyrenees and against the northern Atlantic coast. After that, make your way southeast, near Barcelona, where the zig-zagging roads up to Montserrat (pictured) offer great driving and striking views of the sheer rock climb. And that doesn't mean you shouldn't check out the south of Spain; the mountain roads up to El Chorro can be a good time, though you might try a weekday morning to avoid traffic.

France has famous roads—Route Napoleon, the Millau Bridge, and the cyclist-jammed Col de Turini—but if you want to really drive, head near the Swiss border. The reason is as simple as it is in Italy: The Alps. Land somewhere like Annecy or Chamonix and get lost in the mountain roads. Finding your way out might just be the driving experience of a lifetime. Just keep an eye out for the cops—you're not in Spain anymore.

Requirements: U.S. driver's license, International Driving Permit to rent a car

A person can really get out of Dodge in Chile, and the country has the road network to pull it off. Light off-roading is easy (and sometimes necessary) in order to reach your destination, so it is an ideal environment for a little fun, rally-car-style dirt-surface hooning. The obvious destinations in Chile include Patagonia (it can't be oversold) and the Atacama desert. You should drive both, but before you get that out there, try some of the mountain roads outside Chollay such as the one to Punta Colorada, which is beautifully paved and features more than 30 hairpin turns.

Requirements: U.S. Driver's License

If Switzerland is the place to go for tightly coiled mountain passes, Scotland is where you find mile after mile of completely deserted, rolling country roads. Narrow and frequently lined with stone walls and packing hidden bumps and undulations, these roads demand that you choose your vehicle correctly and proceed with awareness. It isn't tough to plan a route that hardly ever touches a freeway, and you can lace one twisting road together with the next.

We'd be remiss if we didn’t suggest taking a proper SUV into the Sahara Desert. This is a place truly unlike anywhere else on earth. And there's nothing like seeing it off the road and with the freedom of your own transportation. It's not all vast swaths of sand in Morocco, however. Despite its relative fame, the "N9" highway doesn’t get that busy as it snakes through the Atlas Mountains from Marrakesh to Mhamid, offering incredible views to boot. Or trace the Atlantic down the coast, powering through the hard packed sand on the beaches. Just don't forget to slow down for checkpoints!

More for You

This Is How Long You Can Leave Butter On the Counter, According to Land O'Lakes

Dam Starts to Leak After 60-Foot Crack Sparks Urgent Warning

Warning for parents after Florida mom finds AirTag in son's sneaker

New doc uncovers racism and inappropriate behavior at popular retailer

Researchers make concerning discovery after observing 'unpredictable' behavior of African lions: 'We've already seen evidence of big changes'

I study people with high emotional intelligence for a living—8 things they never ever do when talking to others

Private Japanese Moon Lander's View Of Solar Eclipse Shadow And Earth

A major Burger King franchisee in California says he can't roll out order kiosks fast enough due to the state's new $20 fast-food minimum wage

Paramount shows 'Gladiator 2' as Disney goes R-rated

The Dumbest Things You Can Do With Your Money

Women Are Quiet Quitting Their Marriages

This common trait is a red flag of a toxic boss, says ex-IBM CEO: 'I used to think it was a great skill'

James Webb telescope finds origins of the biggest explosion since the Big Bang — revealing a new cosmological mystery

13 Menu Items McDonald's Employees Refuse To Order

New 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Footage Introduces Jenna Ortega's New Character

Masters neighbor refuses to sell home despite millions in offers from Augusta golf club

Senate Dems Finally Subpoena Supreme Court Puppetmaster

If you use any of these 4 phrases you have higher emotional intelligence than most

Broccoli Recall as Life-Threatening Warning Issued

9 Insider Secrets You Should Know From a Goodwill Employee

• AI Generator

family road trip

Family driving, back to school, 4,740 family car road trip stock photos & high-res pictures, browse 4,740  authentic family car road trip  stock photos, high-res images, and pictures, or explore additional family road trip  or  family driving  stock images to find the right photo at the right size and resolution for your project..

Traffic delays and other issues mark total solar eclipse day

Authorities on Monday reported traffic crashes and significant road delays across the country as thousands of people flocked to prime locations to gaze up at the rare solar eclipse – and then made their way home again.

Local roads and highways in states including Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Vermont and New Hampshire were impacted by the flood of drivers, many of whom were from out of state. The most intense bottlenecks appeared to be in the path of totality , a vast swath of the country – approximately 115 miles wide, crossing through 13 states – where people were able to view the total eclipse.

Traffic slowed on major highways in Indiana as the eclipse progressed Monday afternoon. State transportation officials posted video showing backups forming on Interstate 65 headed toward Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Star reported. The Courier & Press in Evansville reported delays after the eclipse ended.

Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine posted on X that traffic on state highways was flowing but rest stops along interstates in the path of totality are at or near capacity. 

Perrine said transportation officials planned to shut them down "once they are full and will not allow any more traffic in for the duration of the eclipse." One rest stop along I-74 near Veedersburg, northwest of Indianapolis, closed because it had reached maximum capacity from "eclipse viewing traffic." 

In Oklahoma, a crash around 7:30 a.m. local time narrowed eastbound lanes on I-40, a major transcontinental highway that runs from California to North Carolina. The crash occurred not far from several state parks that were hosting eclipse events, and was within driving distance of the full eclipse path, which included parts of southeastern Oklahoma and Arkansas.

"Crews estimate cleanup will take the majority of the day. Expect delays in the area and use extra caution. #trucking #eclipse," said a post on X by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation .

Multiple crashes were reported in Waco, Texas, a city in the path of totality, which hosted several festivities and eclipse viewing events. The crashes all occurred on I-35, which runs from southern Texas to Minnesota. The wrecks shut down multiple lanes.

"Expect major traffic delays in this area," the Texas Department of Transportation said in a statement around 9 a.m. local time.

Officials warn drivers of delays, dangers ahead of solar eclipse

In the weeks leading up to the celestial event, officials issued warnings about heavy traffic congestion and the danger of driving during the eclipse , including distracted pedestrians and the sudden change in light conditions. Eclipses have previously been tied with surges in traffic crashes, including fatal collisions.

In New York, extra troopers were staged throughout the entire state, especially in northern counties and cities, such as Buffalo, from which spectators can see a full eclipse, according to the New York State Police .

In Ohio, the state's Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission heavily staffed its toll booths, service plazas and maintenance buildings in anticipation of the eclipse, which it has designated as "a high-volume traffic event" like, for example, Thanksgiving.  The Ohio Emergency Management Agency estimates, for the solar eclipse, between 150,000 and 575,000 travelers will visit the state, which encompasses areas in the path of totality.

During the 2017 eclipse, congestion in some areas lasted for up to 13 hours after totality,  according to Transportation Research News , a National Research Council publication. An analysis of traffic patterns from that year suggests the worst of the traffic – on interstates and rural back roads alike – will kick off after the eclipse ends and everyone tries to leave all at once.

Contributing: Kayla Jimenez and Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY ; The Indianapolis Star

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Solar eclipse 2024: Follow the path of totality

Thinking of taking a last-minute drive to see the eclipse here's what to know.

Geoff Brumfiel

RV traffic sits at a standstill along a two-lane road near Madras, Ore., a few days before the 2017 total solar eclipse. Experts say traffic could be heavy, but eclipse watchers shouldn't necessarily be deterred. AFP Contributor/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

RV traffic sits at a standstill along a two-lane road near Madras, Ore., a few days before the 2017 total solar eclipse. Experts say traffic could be heavy, but eclipse watchers shouldn't necessarily be deterred.

NASA says that roughly 31.6 million people live in the path of this year's total solar eclipse, and a little under half of the U.S. population lives within 200 miles driving distance of the path of totality .

That could mean many millions of Americans will hit the road to get a better view on April 8. If you're still pondering whether or not you want to make the journey, here's what to consider.

Have some destinations in mind, and check the weather and cloud cover forecasts in advance

It's a good idea to scout out one or more locations within driving distance, so that you have some flexibility if traffic or weather is threatening your plans, says Jonathan Upchurch, a professor emeritus of civil engineering at Arizona State University who has studied travel around solar eclipses.

There are several interactive tools that show the path of totality, including Eclipse2024.org and the National Solar Observatory . You can use them to figure out what sites might work best for you.

In terms of weather, check not just the weather forecast, but also the cloud cover forecast. Some websites, such as Windy.com will predict cloud cover ahead of time, giving you a sense of whether you'll actually be able to see the eclipse in all its glory.

Everything you need to know about solar eclipse glasses before April 8

During the total solar eclipse in 2017, Upchurch says he chose to go to Idaho "because there were some great chances of having sunny skies, and I had the opportunity to be nimble and relocate if I wanted to."

Before driving into the path of totality, make sure your gas tank is full and that you've got everything you need

During the last total solar eclipse in 2017, it's estimated some 5 million people took to the roads, and those numbers will potentially be much higher this year.

Given all that, Upchurch says it's important to make sure you're taking what you need into the path of totality. You should make sure your car is gassed or charged up, and that you have plenty of snacks and water with you in case you get stranded for a while, especially when trying to leave.

Solar Eclipse 2024: Totality stretches from Texas to Maine

Simple tips to safely photograph the eclipse with your cellphone.

Also don't forget to bring eclipse glasses, which must be worn anytime you're looking at the sun, except for the few minutes when it is completely blocked by the moon.

Some state emergency planners also recommend bringing a paper map or road atlas in case cellular networks become overloaded with visitors seeking directions from their phones.

Don't forget your eclipse glasses everyone! Erika Goldring/FilmMagic hide caption

Don't forget your eclipse glasses everyone!

Arrive early and stay late

Once you figure out where you're going to watch the eclipse, and you've got your supplies, try to get there early. Although traffic is likely to be heavier than normal on the morning of eclipse day, it still should be possible to reach many destinations without too much hassle, says Upchurch.

"Leaving is definitely going to be more of a problem," he says. As the eclipse concludes, people will take to the roads all at once to try and get home as fast as they can. In 2017, that led to traffic jams that lasted many hours in some areas. If possible, Upchurch says, people should stay put for a while to try and avoid the worst of the post-eclipse rush, which in 2017 stretched even into the following day in some parts of the country.

Here's what time the eclipse will be visible in your region

And one more thing: If you do find yourself on the move near the time of the eclipse, state officials stress that you should not simply pull over to the side of the road or highway you're driving on. It's important to be parked legally and safely at the moment of totality.

If you're already in the path of totality: Relax and enjoy!

Several major metropolitan areas including Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Buffalo are already inside the path of totality, so there's no need to seek a better view, Upchurch says. You'll probably have the most fun simply staying where you are.

Shots - Health News

Watching a solar eclipse without the right filters can cause eye damage. here's why.

If you're on the edge of the path of totality, however, you might consider making a short trip to get closer to the center of the eclipse's path.

"If you're within about 40 miles of the center line, you'll have two-and-a-half minutes or more" of complete totality, Upchurch says. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth making the trip to a more central location.

Despite studying the potential hassles of traveling extensively, Upchurch says he's still looking forward to seeing the 2024 eclipse, which he plans to watch from Texas.

"Totality is absolutely spectacular," he says. "If you have a chance to witness it, I would do it."

• 2024 solar eclipse
• eclipse 2024
• 2024 eclipse
• Traffic patterns
• total eclipse

latest in US News

29 year old knocked unconscious, had shoes thrown off by...

Gay Jewish teen met up with his accused neo-Nazi killer because...

I saved $1,700 eating leftover food from NYC's top restaurants...

Labor group says California $20 min wage 'just the beginning'...

Orthodox Jewish man stabbed multiple times outside Rockland...

Spirit Airlines worker on 'power trip' caught on video hurling...

LA Times' Trump gaffe in OJ Simpson's obituary goes viral

Last known person to speak with Riley Strain comes forward to...

La mom fatally stabs boyfriend, kills baby before smashing suv into tree in twisted murder-suicide.

• View Author Archive
• Email the Author
• Get author RSS feed

Contact The Author

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

A deranged mother allegedly stabbed her boyfriend to death and threw her daughters out of a moving car — killing an infant — before smashing into a tree in a twisted murder-suicide that spanned several Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Police first learned of the mayhem when they found an 8-month-old and 9-year-old in the middle of the 405 Freeway around 4:30 a.m. Monday.

The baby girl was pronounced dead at the scene, but her older sister had managed to survive the fall with “moderate injuries,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Just half an hour later, the kids’ mother Danielle Johnson was found dead in her crushed car several miles away in Redondo Beach.

The 34-year-old had driven her SUV at a “speed in excess of 100 miles per hour” when she collided with a tree. Whether the crash was intentional or not is not yet clear.

Nearly three hours later, investigators discovered the body of 29-year-old Jaelen Allen Chaney in the luxury Woodland Hills apartment — where a one-bedroom fetches up to $5,000 per month — he shared with Johnson and her children.

Neighbors called 911 after spotting a trail of blood down the hallway toward the couple’s open door.

“Their door was wide open, there was blood on the floor leading into their apartment, and then a trail of it in the hallway leading up to the elevator, and I saw some blood on the walls,” a 26-year-old neighbor told ABC 7.

At the direction of an EMT, the neighbor’s father went into the unit to check on Chaney, who was found dead and “facedown on the floor.”

“And there was a lot of blood,” the man said.

According to police, Johnson stabbed Chaney to death when the two became involved in a verbal argument around 3:40 a.m.

Johnson allegedly grabbed a knife and attacked Chaney before piling her two daughters into a dark-colored Porsche SUV, which she plowed through the apartment complex security gate.

That’s when she peeled toward the highway, where “the minors fell or were thrown out of the moving vehicle,” according to the California Highway Patrol.

The 9-year-old child — the sole survivor of the horrifying attack — had witnessed her mother slay Chaney, sources told ABC 7.

Johnson killed herself more than 30 miles south of the site of Chaney’s murder.

The motive for the murder-suicide is not yet clear.

Investigators are also still working to determine if the baby had died before being thrown from the car.

Share this article:

Advertisement

Women’s Final Four recap: Iowa tops UConn to move on to title game against South Carolina

The Iowa Hawkeyes will face off against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA women’s championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

The undefeated Gamecocks maintained a healthy lead in their earlier game against NC State tonight, paving the way for them to end the season 38-0 if they can secure the trophy Sunday.

And the Hawkeyes battled it out against UConn in a nail-biter that came down to the final milliseconds. Ultimately, all-time scorer Caitlin Clark — with plenty of help from Hannah Stuelke — led her team to the ultimate stage.

Only four men's teams remain

Rebecca Cohen

If you’re looking for some more Final Four fun, tune into the men’s games tomorrow night, which will be at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 

• No. 1 Purdue will meet No. 11 NC State on the court at 6:09 p.m. ET. 
• No. 1 UConn will face No. 4 Alabama at 8:49 p.m. ET. 

The winner of each of those games will advance to the championship on Monday, also at State Farm Stadium. 

Clark and Stuelke a winning combo

Danielle Cranin Sr. Director Betting & Gaming for NBC Sports.

Clark and Stuelke combined for 44 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in the Iowa win that extends their season one more game.

After the game Stuelke praised her teammates, who she said "did a great job getting me the ball." “Caitlin here, she’s a great passer,” she said.

Clark said Iowa got off to a good start in the fourth quarter, "came up with some big baskets" and played “great offense.”

"Sometimes that’s just what you need to win, my teammates stepped up and did a really good job, made some great baskets when we needed it," she said.

Iowa wins, 71-69

Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes will face South Carolina in the championship game on Sunday.

A huge UConn 3

Jesse Kirsch

CLEVELAND — A huge Huskies' 3 brings them within 1 of Iowa with just 39.3 to go.

This might be the loudest the UConn section has been all night.

Hawkeye fans get loud

CLEVELAND — Iowa fans are using this break in the action as an opportunity to fire up the crowd. Chants of “Let’s go Hawks!” fill the arena.

How Iowa's been doing it all season long

The Associated Press

You can see how Clark impacts the team stats. Iowa ranks No. 1 in offensive rating and effective field goal percentage. The Hawkeyes are also at the top in 2-point field goal percentage, with Clark’s passing ability setting up easy opportunities for teammates.

This is the weakest defensive team left, even when you account for Iowa’s fast pace. The Hawkeyes are 22nd in the country in defensive rating. They’ll be trying to win in spite of that, counting on simply outscoring their opponents more than shutting them down.

In This Tournament: Only West Virginia, in the second round, has been able  to slow down  Iowa’s offense, and that came on a night the Hawkeyes shot 5 of 22 from 3-point range. Clark had only three assists in that game.

Sell-out crowd taking in the action

CLEVELAND — No surprise here: They've just announced that a sell-out crowd of 18,284 people has filled the arena here for this match-up.

Kristin Juszczyk brings her fashion talents to women’s college basketball

Stuelke sits atop the leaderboard.

Hannah Stuelke leads all scorers with 19 points for Iowa.

Caitlin Clark: 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Paige Bueckers: 14 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

Both teams are relying on their starters with the bench players contributing 3 points for each team.

It's anybody's game heading into final quarter

CLEVELAND — Iowa and UConn are tied heading into the 4th quarter ... Buckle up!

Rolling out the red carpet in Cleveland

A host of celebrities have made their way to Cleveland for tonight's games.

Cameras inside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse showed Darius Rucker, Jason Sudeikis, Machine Gun Kelly, and WNBA stars Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum in the stands.

Iowa goes out in front

The Hawkeyes briefly pulled ahead after a couple of free throws. It was their first lead since the first bucket of the game put them ahead 2-0 in the first quarter.

It's a major comeback for Iowa, who trailed by 12 in the second quarter.

But UConn quickly scored to even it up again.

All tied up

We have a tie game! Iowa erases a 7-point deficit with just over 3 minutes to go in the third quarter.

Breaking down the Huskies' game

The Huskies are well balanced, ranking fifth in offensive rating and second in defensive rating. Opponents are shooting only 36% from the field against them.

But UConn doesn’t get to the line very often. The Huskies average 15.3 attempts per game, and every other Final Four team is at 18.9 or better.

In This Tournament: UConn has held all four opponents under 34% from the field. The Huskies finally got to the line a good amount  against Southern California  in the regional final, but they shot just 17 of 27.

The foul factor

Will player fouls start to make the difference? UConn has 11 team fouls to Iowa’s 5.

Cleveland lights it up for women's hoops

CLEVELAND — The city has basketball fever, proudly lighting up the night sky with the teams playing in what is likely to be the most-watched women's Final Four ever.

There she goes

CLEVELAND — Clark gets her first 3 of the nights minutes into the second half.

Here’s how many points Clark has scored in every March Madness game so far

Round 1 vs. Holy Cross: 27 

Round 2 vs. West Virginia: 32

Sweet Sixteen vs. Colorado: 29

Elite Eight vs. LSU: 41

Final Four vs. UConn (so far): 6

Total points scored in the NCAA Tournament: 135 

Clark gets streaky during warmups

CLEVELAND — Is Clark about to get hot?

During warmups before the start of the second half, the All-Amercian drained three straight 3s. She's yet to hit one during this semifinal game.

KK Arnold is the game's leading scorer

UConn’s KK Arnold leads all scorers with 10 points and 4 steals in the first half of this Final Four matchup.

Even with the slow start, Clark is methodically working toward a triple-double with 6 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. She’s 0-6 from behind the arc.

Her pregame over/under for threes was 5.5.

The Huskies take a lead into the locker room

UConn is leading the Iowa Huskies 32-26 at the half.

UConn defense is making a difference: Iowa finished the first half on a 10-4 run to end the half down by six. Iowa's highest-scoring offense since 2014 has been held to just 26 points in the first half.

UConn is now the favorite (-180) on the moneyline.

Iowa fans trying to will their team to a lead

CLEVELAND — As the clock was winding down in the first half and Iowa got into more of a rhythm, the crowd seemed to come alive with the chants rising and falling based on how the Hawkeyes played at both ends of the court.

Though both teams are represented here in the stands, Iowa fans seem to be making more noise.

Just a couple of lifelong sports fans

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have clearly been sports fans their whole lives, cheering on football teams since they were too short to man the court.

The Kansas City Chiefs shared a photo of young Clark in Chiefs gear ahead of tonight's Final Four match, and the Minnesota Vikings did the same of Bueckers.

"She grew up cheering for us and now we're cheering for her," the Vikings posted on X.

Rough start for Clark

The superstar is ice cold, going 1-6 from the field with three rebounds, three assists and three costly turnovers.

UConn leads by 9 points with just under 7 minutes to go in the first half.

Michael Phelps ‘honored’ to be on Clark’s lock screen 

Caitlin Clark revealed in an interview this week that her iPhone lock screen is set to a photo of Michael Phelps swimming at the Olympics. “It’s pretty tough,” she said. 

Phelps said he was “honored” to hold that place. 

“This is so cool!” the Olympian wrote in a reply on X . 

Not many points on the board

It was a slow start for both Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, who combined for four points.

Clark, who hit nine threes in the last game, is 0-3 from behind the arc. Iowa is 2-9, while UConn is 4-7 from three-point land to start this contest.

UConn leads after the first quarter

After 10 minutes of play, UConn leads Iowa 19-14, but the Hawkeyes have 30 minutes to try to punch their ticket to the championship game.

Iowa was plagued by turnovers in the first quarter, giving UConn the ball back eight times.

Why women plays in quarters

Unlike their male counterparts, the NCAA women's basketball teams play games of four 10-minute quarters. The men play two 20-minute halves.

The women's rules were changed in 2015 to "enhance the flow of the game," according to a 2015 NCAA release announcing the change.

Prior to the 2015 announcement, women's college basketball also played in two 20-minute halves.

Both the NBA and WNBA play in quarters, as well: The NBA uses four 12-minute quarters, and the WNBA uses four 10-minute quarters.

The second game of the night will likely outscore the first

Expect a much higher scoring game for the second Final Four matchup between UConn and Iowa.

The total opened at 167.5 and has moved down to 162.5. A full 30-points more than the first game tonight.

How Iowa and UConn got here

The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated Holy Cross in the first round, West Virginia in the second round, Colorado in the Sweet 16 and LSU in the Elite Eight, in what ended up being a rematch of last year’s championship game. 

As for UConn, the Huskies barrelled past Jackson State in the first round, Syracuse in the second round, Duke in the Sweet 16 and USC in the Elite Eight to make it to Cleveland tonight.

Clark isn’t the only star on the court tonight. Watch out for UConn’s Paige Bueckers.

Powerhouse guard Paige Bueckers with the UConn Huskies has already racked up 112 points and 20 assists during the NCAA tournament, and she shows no signs of stopping. 

The 22-year-old guard announced in February that she will return to UConn for another year on the court, deferring her decision to enter the WNBA draft, a move that was likely expected of her.

Iowa on the board first

No surprise that Caitlin Clark scored the first points of the game for her Iowa Hawkeyes.

Will this be Caitlin Clark’s final college game?

All eyes have been on NCAA all-time scorer Caitlin Clark since she announced in February that she would be taking her talents to the WNBA after her senior season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. 

Still to be determined is whether tonight’s matchup against UConn will be the last game of her college hoops career. 

Already this year, she became Iowa’s leading scorer, the NCAA women’s leading scorer and even took the title as the highest scorer in the history of NCAA Division I basketball. 

Will she add a championship trophy to her list of college basketball achievements this year, too? 

Pregame player props

Ahead of the Iowa-UConn matchup, 69% of the handle (total money) and 69% of the bets (total transactions) are on Iowa to win; 77% of the handle (total money) and 69% of the bets (total transactions) are on Iowa to cover the spread (-3.5).

The Caitlin Clark points over/under total sits at 34.5 (-102) and 5.5 made threes. Big-time moment for a big-time player.

The Paige Bueckers points over/under total sits at 26.5 (-122) and 2.5 threes.

We know South Carolina is heading to the championship, now we'll find out who they'll face.

No. 1 Iowa and No. 3 UConn are about to face off for the final spot in the championship game at 9:30 p.m. ET.

The championship game is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

Cardoso finishes the night with double-double

Kamilla Cardoso leads all scorers and rebounders, finishing with a double-double, 22 points and 11 rebounds.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are headed to the championship

South Carolina snagged their spot in the championship game, beating NC State 78-59. They'll face the winner of UConn-Iowa, which starts next.

Their championship appearance isn't exactly unexpected — they are undefeated on the season, after all.

Can they keep their winning streak alive for one more game and claim the trophy Sunday?

Ted Lasso is a women's basketball fan

Spotted in the crowd: Jason Sudeikis. His Ted Lasso character may be big on soccer, but Sudeikis has been seen taking in several women's basketball games this season.

He was cheering on Iowa and Caitlin Clark in their win over LSU earlier this week.

South Carolina dominates in the third quarter

At the end of the third quarter South Carolina leads 61-37, and the spread has grown to SC -23.5.

NC State will need to start the final quarter fast to stay in the game. South Carolina is 10 minutes from the Championship game.

The Gamecocks built their lead thanks to a monster quarter, outscoring NC State 29-6 in the period. Seven players scored for South Carolina.

Gamecocks' D in a class all its own

Defensively, the Gamecocks are in a class by themselves. With the 6-foot-7 Cardoso protecting the basket, South Carolina is holding opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 36.4, the top defensive mark in the nation. The Gamecocks aren’t quite as dominant on the offensive glass as last year, but they’re playing at a faster tempo and have become more efficient overall on offense. An inability to shoot 3-pointers cost them in the Final Four last year, but that’s no longer a weakness with South Carolina making them at a 39% clip in 2023-24.

But they shoot just 69% from the free throw line and don’t do a particularly good job getting there.

In This Tournament: That improvement from beyond the arc came in handy for the Gamecocks in their one close game in this tournament. They shot 8 of 16 in  a 79-75 win  over Indiana in the Sweet 16.

A double-digit lead for South Carolina

The Gamecocks started pulling away after the half, nabbing the first double-digit lead of the game.

With just under 5 minutes to go in the quarter, they lead the NC State Wolfpack by 12.

Breaking down the Wolfpack's game

Coming in to tonight's game, The Wolfpack had the fourth-lowest foul rate in the nation, although given South Carolina’s spotty free throw shooting, that might not be much of an advantage for their semifinal. N.C. State has also done a good job on the defensive boards, which could be a more important asset.

The Wolfpack are just 25th in offensive rating. They aren’t great at forcing turnovers or getting offensive rebounds, and for a team with fairly middling shooting percentages, N.C. State’s inability to create extra chances could be a problem.

In This Tournament: Outside shooting was big for the Wolfpack the last two games. N.C. State went 16 of 35 from 3-point range against Texas and Stanford. The Wolfpack, however, had only four offensive rebounds against the Longhorns, six against Stanford and three in the second around against Tennessee.

South Carolina hasn't lost since last season

The Gamecocks took the court without a loss this year, touting their impressive 36-0 record.

The NC State Wolfpack, on the other hand, entered with a record of 31-6.

Cleveland mad for basketball and eclipse

CLEVELAND — People here have their eyes on the court — and the skies.

Between the women's championship and excitement over Monday's eclipse, the city is buzzing with energy.

The action kicks off on the hardwood tonight at 7 p.m., and the moon is expected to block out the sun here at 3:15 p.m. Monday.

Read here for more on the eclipse, including times it’s visible, path of totality, why glasses are essential and more.

South Carolina leads by one at the end of the half

The score sits at 32-31 at the end of the first half, in South Carolina's favor.

Kamilla Cardoso walked off the court, appearing to be injured, with just minutes left on the clock. We'll see if she makes it back after halftime.

Kamilla Cardoso is on a tear

The South Carolina center is already in double digits, racking up the last 10 points for the Gamecocks — and knocking in all of her team's points thus far into the second quarter.

Final 4 x 2 = UConn and NC State

Hearing a lot about UConn? Or NC State? 

That’s because both the men’s and the women’s teams made it to this year’s Final Four in their respective tournaments. 

The UConn men’s team will face Alabama and the NC State men’s team will play Purdue tomorrow night. The winners will advance to the men’s championship game. 

Tied up at the end of the first quarter

South Carolina and NC State will head into the second quarter knotted up 16-16.

Check the three-point line

Earlier in the tournament, there was an issue with the 3-point line for the at Moda Center. A discrepancy in distance at each end of the court went unnoticed through four games over two days before Texas and NC State were informed of the problem ahead of their Elite Eight matchup on Sunday.

The teams’ coaches agreed to play Sunday’s game as scheduled with the mismatched 3-point lines rather than delay it, the NCAA said in a statement. N.C. State beat Texas 76-66 to advance to the Final Four.

Tickets to the women’s Final Four are selling for twice as much as the men’s

The average price paid for a ticket on the resale market this week was twice as high for the NCAA women’s Final Four compared with that for the men’s semifinals, according to a technology company that analyzes prices across multiple platforms.

The average price of a ticket sold to the women’s semifinals was $2,323; the average sale price for the men’s was $1,001.21, Logitix reported Wednesday.

The women’s games Friday match Iowa against Connecticut and South Carolina against North Carolina State at the 19,432-seat Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. Including data from sales made a month ago and longer, the average price for the women’s semifinals is $1,131.78, compared with $400.29 for the same period in 2023.

Gamecocks get on the board first

The first points of the night go to the South Carolina Gamecocks, with guard Te-Hina Paopao sinking the first shot and helping get the team to a quick 5-0 start.

Girl power takes center court during intro videos

The Final Four teams introduced themselves in fresh female fashion, with teammate voiceovers hyping up "my girls" in pre-game videos that feature everything from beauty and lash tips to favorite on-court moves and nicknames.

Oh, and a sparkly basketball, of course.

Millions expected to tune in to the action

The Final Four is officially underway for the women, and more people than ever are expected to watch this weekend's games.

Ratings for the tournament are expected to reach well into the double-digit millions. 

Soaring interest in the women’s game is the product of two main phenomena, experts say: a new batch of stars, including a once-in-a-generation player; and the increasing coverage those players now receive, thanks to greater investment from networks in broadcasting the games.

At the top of the star wave stands Caitlin Clark, Iowa guard who has broken not only the most records for scoring in the women’s game, but earlier this year surpassed Pete Maravich as the all-time leading NCAA career basketball scorer, period. Yet other stars are primed to keep the momentum going for the women’s games.

Read the full story here.

Fans already feeling inspired

CLEVELAND — Rebecca Eskow said the women’s tournament “feels bigger this year,” adding that it’s “special” the women are getting so much attention.

AmberConnolly, from Iowa and a Hawkeyes fan, said “it’s pretty incredible” to see the excitement around women’s hoops.

“We grew up playing basketball and there was never this hype and following of it, so it’s pretty incredible to see it, see kids be able to see this stuff now too, it’s pretty cool,” she said.

Addyson McDermott said she thinks this hype will be an inspiration for young girls everywhere.

“I think it’s gonna really inspire them to work harder,” McDermott said.

Their paths to the Final Four: South Carolina and NC State 

The undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks beat Presbyterian in the first round, North Carolina in the second round, Indiana in the Sweet 16 and Oregon State in the Elite Eight to arrive at the Final Four stage. 

NC State had to knock out Chattanooga in the first round, Tennessee in the second round, Stanford in the Sweet 16 and Texas in the Elite Eight to make it to this year’s Final Four. 

A not-quite-perfect tourney: Racism hurled at Utah team

The University of Utah women’s basketball team found themselves the victims of multiple racist attacks while they were staying in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, ahead of their first NCAA Tournament game in Spokane, Washington, on March 23.

Coach Lynne Roberts said at a news conference on March 21 that her team of Black, white and Latina athletes were subject to a series of “racial hate crimes.”

On Wednesday, Coeur d’Alene police said a racial slur was used against the team, possibly on more than one occasion. 

“We’ve identified an audio recording where the use of a racial slur was clearly audible,” the police department said on Facebook. It added that it “appears the use of a racial slur occurred more than one time.”

The team was relocated to a hotel closer to Spokane for their safety, Roberts said. 

South Carolina and Iowa head into gametime as the favorites

Jason Abbruzzese

South Carolina is a heavy favorite tonight over NC State in the booming world of sports gambling.

Most sportsbooks favor the Gamecocks by 11 or 11.5 points.

Iowa vs. UConn is much closer.

Caitlin Clark’s Hawkeyes are favored by 2.5 to 3.5 points over Paige Bueckers and the Huskies, depending on the sportsbook.

The books are also expecting Iowa v. UConn to be a higher scoring affair. The over/under for that game (a prediction for the points scored in the game on which bettors wager whether total points will be over or under that number) has been around 162.5.

The over/under for Souther Carolina v. NC State has been around 139.5.

Fans are psyched about the hype around women's hoops this year

CLEVELAND — Fans are already reveling in tonight's Final Four glory at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, psyched to see all of the hype the women's game is finally getting.

For Jennifer Dunn, who said she played college basketball, seeing arenas sell out and knowing that tickets to the games are being sold for hundreds, if not thousands, "is generational and it’s one of those things that is super cool for these girls to see."

Makenna Dunn said it's "amazing" and "cool" to watch the women excel on the court.

"I want to be like them someday," she said.

The Dunns are rooting for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

More eyes than ever on women's hoops

No matter which team is crowned the national title, there's already one clear winner: women's basketball.

Earlier in the week, a record audience watched Iowa’s Caitlin Clark face off against LSU’s Angel Reese.

The Elite Eight game on Monday drew 12.3 million viewers, the most ever for a women’s college basketball game , easily topping the previous high of 9.9 million viewers who tuned in to last season’s championship matchup between the two teams, according to ESPN. 

The Iowa-LSU game was also its biggest betting event of all time for women’s sports, FanDuel told CNBC .

Final Four count: How many times has each team been to the semifinal round? 

None of these four teams are strangers to the Final Four, but some are more familiar with it than others. 

UConn has been to the Final Four 23 times since their first appearance in 1991. 

This is Iowa’s third Final Four appearance; their first was in 1993. 

N.C. State is in the Final Four for just the second time, with their only other appearance in 1998. 

And South Carolina has been quite familiar with the big stage recently — this is their sixth appearance since 2015.

Hyped for hoops: Steve Kornacki breaks down the Final Four!

Steve Kornacki

How and when to watch

The NCAA women's semifinals tip off tonight at 7 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Catch the action on ESPN and stream on ESPN+ and FUBO. Here's when to catch the action.

Top-seed South Carolina vs. 3-seed N.C. State, 7 p.m. ET

Top-seed Iowa vs. 3-seed UConn 9:30 p.m. ET

• Solar Eclipse 2024

‘20 or 30 Super Bowls.’ Drivers and Officials Brace for Massive Eclipse Traffic Jams

M elissa Schleig, a postmaster who lives in Strasburg, Virginia, drove more than 400 miles southwest to the Smoky Mountains to see the 2017 solar eclipse. The travel experience was miserable.

“It should have taken us about six to seven hours to go down there but it took us about a little over six hours just to go about two hours south of here. It was insane,” said Schleig, who began to drive down the day before the eclipse. 

At least 5 million people traveled for the 2017 eclipse, according to a journal by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, but even more are expected to gather to witness this year’s total solar eclipse on April 8. Already, an estimated 31.6 million people currently live in the roughly 115-mile wide path of totality —compared to the 12 million that did in 2017. 

“Having a total solar eclipse pass through the U.S. is kind of like having 20 or 30 Super Bowls happening all at once,” says Richard Fienberg, project manager of the American Astronomical Society's Solar Eclipse Task Force. “So many people are gathering for the spectacle over a long distance.”

Read More : How Cities Around the U.S. Are Celebrating the Eclipse

Transportation agencies are coordinating with the National Weather Service to spot areas of high interest for eclipse viewing to better prepare for traffic delays, but they say the impacts are unavoidable. “The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) knows that there is great interest in this rare solar event, and that’s why we want everyone to be aware of the real traffic and safety impacts,” FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt told TIME in an email. “We want people to remember this day and this experience—that may be once in a lifetime—for all the right reasons.”

This year Schleig, who is part of a Facebook eclipse chasing group, is traveling to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls to view the eclipse. And she’s hoping to learn from her 2017 mistakes: she’s planning to avoid the traffic by extending her trip from April 4 through the 10th, instead of driving the day before like she did last time.

How bad will traffic be? 

The FHWA says Schleig has the right idea. It is advising people to drive early, and stay longer in the town where they’re viewing the eclipse to avoid traffic. The FHWA says it's hard to predict which cities or states will be most impacted by the eclipse traffic-wise, but they predict up to 5 million people will be traveling to the path of totality between Texas and Maine.   

While drivers and officials are looking to the 2017 eclipse for hints of what is to come, traffic will likely be much worse this time. That’s because the 2024 path of totality—the area where the moon will completely obscure the sun—is a 3-hour drive away from 8 major cities with a population greater than 2 million, including Chicago, Houston, and Toronto. By contrast, the 2017 eclipse path of totality was a 3-hour drive away from only three larger metropolitan areas: St. Louis, Kansas City, and Portland, Ore.

Read More : How to Use Your Smartphone to Take Photos of the Solar Eclipse

If the expected 5 million visitors were to leave the path of totality as soon as the eclipse ends, the ensuing traffic would be equivalent to 71 sold out football games ending all at once, according to a journal by the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

Where are people traveling?

Several eclipse chasers, like 62-year-old photographer Beth Hutter, told TIME that they were planning to travel to Texas because it has the lowest chance of cloud cover. “We didn't want to take a chance that the day of the eclipse it [would be] overcast and rainy,” said Hutter, who is traveling from Michigan to Kileen, Texas five days before the eclipse. “We made the mistake of trying to drive home the same day [for the 2017 eclipse]... So thankfully, because we're going to be right there, I don't think we're going to have to deal with the traffic nightmares that most people are going to have.”

Texas Department of Transportation media relations director Adam Hammons says that up to one million out-of-state visitors may be traveling to view the eclipse, in addition to the millions that already live in the state and will likely also be driving to different areas/cities.  

Hammons says the eclipse runs through I-35, which is a significant corridor in the state that traverses through small towns as well as larger metro areas like Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth. “It really goes through a large portion of Texas,” he says. “There’s going to be some possible significant delays on these major corridors and/or farm roads…Give yourself extra travel time. Plan ahead your trip, plan your route,” Drivetexas.org, a website that shares real-time traffic updates, could be helpful in deciding which way to go. 

Regardless of where you choose to see the eclipse, Hammons says it's important to have a safe, designated place to park and enjoy the experience—as long as it's off the shoulder of the highway.

Read More : Here’s What Determines How Long the Total Eclipse Will Last in Your Location

Other states like Arkansas, which has a population of some 3 million people , could see anywhere from 300,000 to 1.5 million visitors. (State officials have cited varying estimates .) The most extreme traffic will be seen along AR Highway 70 to Benton, AR Highway 65 from Conway to Greenbrier, and more. "There’s no doubt our Interstates and highways could be tested," Arkansas Department of Transportation Director Lorie H. Tudor told TIME in a statement, "but we have put forth our best planning efforts and we are cautiously optimistic that we are as prepared as possible to address any foreseeable issues that may arise."

New York is another state expecting a high volume of visitors and traffic. Many residents and out-of-state visitors will be traveling to the western and northern regions of the state, with Niagara Falls being an area of high interest. "We are expecting as many as a million people to come to Erie County solely for the eclipse," says Peter Anderson, press secretary for the Erie County executive, where Niagara Falls is based. According to data collected by Priceline and shared with TIME, Buffalo, New York has the second highest average airfare price compared to the travel cost to seven cities along the path of totality— including Dallas, Indianapolis, and Cleveland—at $999, and the most expensive average nightly hotel room cost among those cities listed at $476.

Still, for many of the eclipse watchers, braving bad traffic will be worth it. “It's just one of those things where you just realize your place in the world, and how small you are in comparison to the rest of the universe,” says Hutter. “The world just kind of stops.”

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
• Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
• The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
• The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
• Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
• The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Contact us at [email protected]

You May Also Like

• International

Israel-Hamas war

2024 campaign

April 11, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war

By Heather Chen , Antoinette Radford, Tori B. Powell , Aditi Sangal and Elise Hammond , CNN

Our live coverage of Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza has moved  here .

UN committee fails to reach consensus on full Palestinian membership, Security Council president says

From CNN’s Richard Roth and Michael Rios

A specialized UN committee failed to reach a consensus Thursday on Palestinian membership in the United Nations, according to the president of the UN Security Council.

Two-thirds of the committee members were in favor of moving on with membership, with many countries arguing that “Palestine fulfills all the criteria that are required” to be granted full state member status, Malta's Ambassador and Security Council President Vanessa Frazier said. 

She added that no one explicitly objected to the membership qualifications.

Frazier also said she would circulate a draft report on the deliberations as soon as Friday. If the committee doesn’t agree on the report, it could hold another meeting to iron out any differences.

Asked whether the process of deliberating Palestinian membership in the committee is now over, Frazier said, “Unless the next step of agreeing (to) the report of the committee warrants another meeting to iron out the differences, it’s not foreseen that there would be any further committee action.”

But she noted that any UN Security Council member can still table a resolution to vote on Palestinian membership at any time, regardless of the committee's report.

The US and Middle East brace for a possible Iran attack that could escalate the conflict. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Concerns about a possible Iranian attack against Israel has prompted many diplomatic conversations around the globe.

Here are some developments on diplomacy around the threat of an attack:

• Iran's statement: The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.
• US and UK diplomacy: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers of Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night and Thursday morning to tell them that countries should be urging Iran not to escalate the conflict in the Middle East after  threats made by Tehran against Israel,  according to a State Department spokesperson. The top US general for the Middle East is also in Israel . Additionally, Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict .
• Israel receives US support: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The US officials expressed the country's support for Israel against Iranian threats. Gallant warned that such an attack could lead to a regional escalation.
• Travel restrictions: The US State Department restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran. “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted. US officials  are on high alert  for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Meanwhile, here's some other updates:

• Hamas on hostages: A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations. "Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza, Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose."
• Updates on aid to Gaza: It is clear that Israel is working to ramp up humanitarian aid to Gaza, but it has not yet implemented all of the measures it has announced, a top United Nations humanitarian official said. Aid coming in trucks from Israel has to be "segregated from water, from food, from medical items" before it goes into Gaza, said Jamie McGoldrick, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Jerusalem. “Getting 400 trucks from Kerem Shalom doesn't mean 400 trucks go into Gaza,” he said, adding that the logistical complications are numerous, and take time to resolve. He also said Israel’s restrictions on movement inside the strip complicate matters.

Anera charity resumes work in Gaza after pausing when Israeli strike killed 7 World Central Kitchen staff

From CNN's Tala Alrajjal and Mohammed Tawfeeq

American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) has resumed Gaza operations "after a temporary pause" following an airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers on April 1.

"As you know, the decision to temporarily pause our operations was not an easy one. We followed the direction of our staff in Gaza, who've faced death, loss, and destruction since the start of the war," Sean Carroll, the president and CEO of Anera, said in a statement on Thursday. "After the killing of Anera staff member Mousa Shawwa , followed by the attack that killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, we made the difficult but necessary decision to pause aid operations on April 2," Carroll added in the statement.

Carroll said Israeli authorities informed him during a meeting Thursday that "certain measures would be taken to protect humanitarian aid workers in Gaza – including Anera's staff."

"With the full support of our Gaza team, we have determined that the circumstances have changed sufficiently to resume our vital humanitarian work in Gaza," Carroll said. 

Anera on Thursday resumed "full operations in Gaza to deliver meals, food parcels, hygiene kits, tents, medical treatments, and more to families in dire need," according to the statement.

Iran says its imperative to punish Israel could have been avoided had UN Security Council condemned attack

From CNN’s Natalie Barr and Adam Pourahmadi

The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.

“Had the UN Security Council condemned the Zionist regime’s reprehensible act of aggression on our diplomatic premises in Damascus and subsequently brought to justice its perpetrators, the imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime might have been obviated," the  mission said on X.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on April 1, according to a statement from the UN spokesperson Stephan Dujarric. A Security Council discussion was held on April 2 to discuss the attack, but differences among members prevented any formal action or condemnation from taking place.

The United States is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region  in response to the strike in Damascus  that killed top Iranian commanders.

UK foreign secretary warns Iran not to draw Middle East into wider conflict

From CNN's Natalie Barr

Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict following a series of escalating threats made by Iran toward Israel.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that the United Kingdom was "deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence. Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks," according to a post on X .

Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency on Thursday reported that Amir-Abdollahian had told Cameron that the silence from the UK and the United States following Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week only served to encourage Israel to continue waging war in Gaza and expand its conflict in the region.

US and Israeli defense leaders discuss fears of Iranian attack

From CNN’s Michael Conte in Washington, DC, Tamar Michaelis in Jerusalem and Larry Register in Atlanta

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant today to “reaffirm the US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies,” according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

The call comes a day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel " must be punished and it will be" following a strike on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria that killed seven Iranian officials.

Israel “will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory,” the statement read, adding that the two defense leaders also discussed detailed preparations “for an Iranian attack against the State of Israel.”

Gallant said an Iranian attack on Israel could lead to a regional escalation.

It is the second discussion held between Gallant and Austin over the past week, according to the statement. Gallant expressed his appreciation for Austin’s personal commitment to the security of the State of Israel and for the deepening cooperation between the defense establishments of both countries, as well as between the Israel Defense Forces and US CENTCOM.

State Department restricts personnel travel in Israel amid concerns over Iranian threats

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The US State Department has restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran.

“Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice,” a  security alert  posted by the US Embassy Thursday said. “U.S. government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.” “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said he would not “speak to the specific assessments that led to us to restrict our employees and family members’ personal travel, but clearly we are monitoring the threat environment in the Middle East and specifically in Israel.”

“We have seen Iran making public threats against Israel in the past few days,” Miller said. “Israel is in a very tough neighborhood and we have been monitoring the security situation. You saw us slightly adjust for travel warnings at the beginning of this conflict and we conduct ongoing assessments all the time about the situation on the ground.”

US officials are on high alert for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.