quickest way to visit all 50 states

The perfect itinerary for an epic USA roadtrip (48 states at once)

• Post author: Andrew D'Amours
• Post published: December 28, 2022
• Post category: Travel inspiration / Trip itineraries & destination discoveries
• Post comments: 23 Comments

Do you like roadtrips? They happen to be a very American tradition and we found the perfect itinerary to visit every state in the continental USA during 1 epic roadtrip. A great trip idea for those who have a lot of time but want to stay closer to home .

Personally, I love roadtrips and I hit the road as much as I can, despite also being an aviation geek: you can like both, right? What matters is traveling and seeing new places , no matter how.

So here are the maps and details of the 2 itineraries that allow you to see all the lower 48 states at once, depending on your travel preference.

Basics of the 2 epic USA roadtrip itineraries

The USA is a huge country, almost as big as Europe (it’s even larger than Canada when considering land area alone).

So the USA has a lot of variety in terms of landscapes, but even in terms of culture too (even if many who aren’t from the country don’t realize that).

If you aim to eventually visit every state, any 1 of these 2 itineraries is a great way to almost all of them at once. The only 2 states you’ll have left to visit after this roadtrip will be Hawaii and Alaska.

There’s a version for national parks and points of interest and a version for cities.

I’m on the quest to visit all 50 states myself (in addition to also visiting every country obviously), and I’m not doing too bad with 47 already.

But let’s just say it would’ve been much quicker to get to 48 at once with this roadtrip instead of having to do it over dozens of trips.

Here are the details.

48-state roadtrip – national parks/points of interest version

Here’s a map of the 1st itinerary.

It was conceived by American Ph.D. student Randy Olson, on  his blog , and it was done scientifically to optimize the routing: each stop represents a national park or a point of interest.

So you’re not just seeing every state, you’re seeing cool parts of every state (which sadly wasn’t our case in North Dakota during our very random 1200-miles-nonstop-in-2-days Flytrippers roadtrip across the Midwest just for fun).

Good times. Roadtrips always make for great stories.

Anyway, the itinerary has also been optimized to be as efficient a route as possible to see all 48 states, so you can rest assured you won’t be wasting any time.

If you only stop to sleep, you can complete this roadtrip in only 9 days, but we recommend taking at least a couple of weeks to explore all these places obviously.

And gas is significantly cheaper in the US in case you were wondering. You can start anywhere, it’s a continuous loop, and it passes through many spots near the Canadian border.

You can even take a shortcut from Michigan to Vermont through Canada, as the stop in Cleveland is only to keep Americans without a passport from crossing into the Great White North.

Here is the complete list of all 50 landmarks (48 states + Washington, DC + a bonus stop in California):

1. Grand Canyon, AZ 2. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 3. Craters of the Moon, ID 4. Yellowstone National Park, WY 5. Pikes Peak, CO 6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM 7. The Alamo, TX 8. The Platt Historic District, OK 9. Toltec Mounds, AR 10. Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN 11. Vicksburg National Military Park, MS 12. French Quarter, LA 13. USS Alabama, AL 14. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL 15. Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA 16. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC 17. Lost World Caverns, WV 18. Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC 19. Mount Vernon, VA 20. White House, Washington, D.C. 21. Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD 22. New Castle Historic District, DE 23. Cape May Historic District, NJ 24. Liberty Bell, PA 25. Statue of Liberty, NY 26. The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT 27. The Breakers, RI 28. USS Constitution, MA 29. Acadia National Park, ME 30. Mount Washington Hotel, NH 31. Shelburne Farms, VT 32. Fox Theater, MI 33. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH 34. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY 35. West Baden Springs Hotel, IN 36. Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL 37. Gateway Arch, MO 38. C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS 39. Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA 40. Taliesin, WI 41. Fort Snelling, MN 42. Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE 43. Mount Rushmore, SD 44. Fort Union Trading Post, ND 45. Glacier National Park, MT 46. Hanford Site, WA 47. Columbia River Highway, OR 48. San Francisco Cable Cars, CA 49. San Andreas Fault, CA 50. Hoover Dam, NV

These are all very enticing attractions, for the most part. It seems I’ve only seen 14 of those, so maybe I should hit the road again after all.

How about you? Tempted?

48-state roadtrip – city version

Here’s a map of the 2nd itinerary.

If you’re more of a city slicker, the map’s author has created a 2nd version that routes you through amazing cities instead.

It is slightly shorter but quite as impressive: it makes you go through the “Best City to Visit” in each state, according to TripAdvisor .

But you won’t have all the lower 48 states, unlike the other itinerary. That’s because no city in Vermont, West Virginia, or North Dakota made the top 400 cities to visit ranking, unfortunately. So plan on making a few extra detours if you want to hit all states at once with this version of the itinerary.

Here is the complete list of all cities:

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Wichita, Kansas
• Denver, Colorado
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• San Francisco, California
• Portland, Oregon
• Seattle, Washington
• Boise, Idaho
• Park City, Utah
• Jackson, Wyoming
• Billings, Montana
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Chicago, Illinois
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Columbus, Ohio
• Detroit, Michigan
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Portland, Maine
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Providence, Rhode Island
• New Haven, Connecticut
• New York City, New York
• Ocean City, New Jersey
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Wilmington, Delaware
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Washington, D.C.
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Orlando, Florida
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Jackson, Mississippi
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Houston, Texas
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Branson, Missouri

I do a little better on this list, with 31 already visited. You can see I love cities. How about you?

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If you were looking for an excuse to go on a roadtrip, this is it. And since we always enjoy giving you more for your money, we think 48 states instead of only 1 or 2 is something you’ll enjoy!

What’s the coolest roadtrip you’ve ever been on? Tell us in the comments below.

See the deals we spot: Cheap flights

Explore awesome destinations : Travel inspiration

Learn pro tricks : Travel tips

Discover free travel: Travel rewards

Featured image: The itinerary (image credit: Randy Olson)

Original publication date: May 29, 2018

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Andrew D'Amours

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This post has 23 comments.

Hello Andrew, the PHD student suggests in the 1st Itinnerary that the one stop to make in Washington State is the Hanford Nuclear Reservation?! Flat out, that is a terrible idea. It is in the middle of nowhere, I am just shocked it’s mentioned. Out of all the beautiful and amazing places to see in such a diverse state as Washington, a Nuclear Site was chosen? Surely this student could have done so much better. Thank you for allowing comments.

Having been all around the Olympic Peninsula, I agree that’s there are better stops. But my understanding is that he really optimized for the quickest way to do all 48 and had to choose a point of interest that wasn’t too far off that optimal path, hence that choice (I think).

thanks for sharing this information with us.

I have taken a road trip from California to the the most northeastern part of theUS. west Quaby light house. it was my 1st trip across the us. .I seen so many amazing places.

Quite the drive for sure! Must have been epic.

Why do Americans always think the Statue of Liberty is in NY? it is in NJ. I’ve done road trips now that have taken in 39 states. Here’s a quiz to see how well you know the USA: Which state has only one syllable? Only one city has been name-checked on the moon. In which state is it? Which is the most Northerly of the contiguous states? In which state were Tennessee Williams and Elvis Presley born? Which was the last of the contiguous states to be admitted into the USA? Which four states all share a border with each other? Which state has the lowest population? Twelve cities are name-checked in “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” but only three states. Which? Which state has the longest name? Which two states have the most borders with other states? In which state is the geographical centre of the USA – and which one if you exclude Hawaii and Alaska? Which of the states of the USA has respectively the most Northerly, Southerly, Easterly and Westerly points?

The official Statue of Liberty address is Liberty Island, New York, NY, 10004.

Wow, these comments are very rude for no reason. Thanks for the article, maybe when I graduate from college I’ll consider hitting part of one of these itineraries.

“it’s a huge country (even larger than Canada when considering land area alone).”

Canada – 3.855 million mi² USA – 3.532 million mi² Where does this math fail you?

Where did reading fail you :P? It explicitly says “ when considering LAND area alone ” The quote you copied literally has a link provided under “even larger than Canada” and if you read that, it explains how Canada is only larger than the US due to water area being counted 🙂

There is no stop in North Dakota on the city version. You should stop in Fargo after Billings and before Sioux Falls

I’m 46 years old .. I have been to all 50 states and I’m 17 away from all 50 twice .. I have driven to 47 .. flown to Alaska, Hawaii and Washington..

Wow! That’s impressive :O

This is awesome

This is inspiring! Thank you for sharing!

“this roadtrip in only 9 days“ is extremely false statement. It is only 9 days if you are driving non stop, no breaks to even get out of your car, get gas, or actually see these places. From start to finish drive time it is 225 hours, 16 minutes = 9 days. Wow. Take some time to enjoy the view.

Yes, that’s what we said too 😛

Thanks for the tip 😊

Do you know the total distance of this itinerary? At what moment of the year doing this trip would be the best? Thanks!

Hi! It is 13,699 miles (22,046 km) for the landmarks itinerary and 12,290 miles (19,780 km) for the city version. You can even have the Google Maps links on the creator’s original post (I’ve reposted the link below). As for the timing, I guess it depends on your preferences, but I’d want to avoid that top half of the country (so half the itinerary) in the winter for sure! http://www.randalolson.com/2015/03/08/computing-the-optimal-road-trip-across-the-u-s/

Crappy itinerary! Does not even include Zion National Park… and so many stops in the North Eastern states?? Nobody cares about those places except maybe a couple of places.

As explained, the PhD student who built the itinerary wanted to have one stop per state, and there are many states in the North-East so that’s why there are many stops there. I agree that Zion is an iconic spot, but his goal was also to optimize a routing that was as short as possible so that’s why it’s billed as an itinerary to see all lower 48 states at once and not an itinerary to see *the best spots*. But those interested in doing this can definitely adapt it and add many interesting stops for sure 🙂

Curtis, you are crappy. Obviously this is meant as a guide that can be adapted to add spots. I think it’s awesome.

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How to Visit All 50 States in 12 Trips: Epic US Road Trip

If it’s been your dream to tour the entire US, you’ve come to the right place. Today, I’ll provide an overview of how to visit all 50 states in 12 trips.

I tried to keep these trips to a few days to two weeks at the most. If you take two trips in a year, you can visit all 50 states in 6 years!

How To Visit All 50 States in 12 Trips

My approach is to separate the 2 non-contiguous states (Hawaii and Alaska) into their own trips and then divided the 48 contiguous states into 10 regional trips.

These are listed from west to east and north to south, but the actual order you take these trips is completely up to you.

Trip 1: Hawaii

Kick off your journey to 50 states in the latest state to join the US.

Hawaii is a tropical paradise with plenty of beaches for different types of travelers, as well as history and culture that needs to be preserved and respected.

This trip takes you to beaches, volcanoes, historic villages, and a memorial to a war that changed the course of world history.

Google Maps Itinerary

Fly In: Daniel Inouye International Airport, Honolulu (HNL)

Days 1 to 2: Honolulu

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Iolani Palace

Waikiki Beach

Honolulu Zoo

Diamond Head

Days 3 to 4: North Shore, Oahu

Waimea Bay Beach

Haleiwa Town

Kaʻena Point State Park

Days 5 to 6: Kona, Big Island

Honokohau Beach (swim with manta rays)

Historic Kailua Village (Kailua-Kona)

Keauhou Bay (swim with the dolphins)

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Mauna Kea Observatory

Fly Out: Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA)

Alternative Day 7: Back to Honolulu

Fly Out: Daniel Inouye International Airport, Honolulu (HNL)

Other Information

Best time to visit: April to May, September to October

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 7 days

Related Articles:

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• Best Way to See Hawaii’s Manta Rays

Trip 2: Alaska

The 49th state is worlds away from the continental US, with its vast glaciers, dramatic snow-capped mountains, abundant wildlife, and northern lights.

Fly In: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)

Day 1: Anchorage

Anchorage Museum

Alaska Native Heritage Center

Days 2 and 3: Seward

Kenai Fjords National Park (spend one whole day here for whale-watching and exploring)

Alaska SeaLife Center

Lowell Creek Waterfall

Waterfront Park

Seward Mariner’s Memorial

Day 4: Denali National Park and Preserve

Stay overnight for a chance to see the northern lights

Days 5 and 6: Fairbanks

Running Reindeer Ranch

Museum of the North

Pioneer Park

Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge

Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Aurora Ice Museum

Chena Hot Springs (spend a night or two here for a chance to see the northern lights)

Day 7: Back to Anchorage

Fly Out: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)

Best time to visit: September to March if you’re after the northern lights; May to September is whale-watching season

• West Coast National Parks
• Best Places to See Northern Lights

Trip 3: Pacific Coast States

The Pacific Coast States feature mountains, waterfalls, forests, and of course, neverending beaches, all against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean.

I’ve included an eastward drive to Las Vegas because it’s close enough to Los Angeles to make it worthwhile. Its glamor amid the desert is also a nice break from all the beach cities.

Washington Oregon California Nevada

Fly In: Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

Days 1 to 2: Seattle, Washington

Space Needle

Chihuly Garden and Glass

Museum of Pop Culture

Pike Place Market

Seattle Aquarium

Seattle Great Wheel

Days 3 to 4: Portland, Oregon

International Rose Test Garden

Powell’s City of Books

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Oregon Maritime Museum

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Optional Side Trip: Columbia Gorge Waterfalls

Add one more day to your Portland stay if you plan to see the waterfalls along the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area.

Days 5 to 6: San Francisco, California

Golden Gate Bridge

Fisherman’s Wharf

Lombard Street

Day 7: Pacific Coast Highway, California

Half Moon Bay

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Santa Barbara

Days 8 to 9: Los Angeles, California

Santa Monica Pier

Venice Beach

Grauman’s Chinese Theater

Griffith Observatory

Days 10 to 11: Las Vegas, Nevada

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

Las Vegas Strip

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

Bellagio Fountain

High Roller

Fly Out: Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)

Best time to visit: September to October means great weather in Seattle, Portland, and Las Vegas, as well as fewer people; San Francisco and Los Angeles have great weather all year round

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 12 days to comfortably explore each city, but you can make this trip in 8 days if you stay in each city for only a day and drive the PCH without stopping or take the I-5 instead.

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Trip 4: Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains is one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on earth, featuring rugged landscapes surrounded by lakes, rivers, forests, and desert scenery.

This trip will take you around the national parks that preserve this magnificent geography and to the cities that thrive in this gorgeous backdrop.

Colorado Utah Idaho Montana Wyoming

Fly In: Denver International Airport (DEN)

Days 1 to 2: Denver, Colorado

Denver Art Museum

Larimer Square

Union Station

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

Days 3 to 4: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

The Stanley Hotel (if you’re a big fan of haunted places or movie sets, this is a great place to stay a night).

Trail Ridge Road

Days 5 to 6: Salt Lake City, Utah

Temple Square

Red Butte Garden and Arboretum

Natural History Museum of Utah

This Is The Place Heritage Park

Liberty Park

Days 7 to 8: Boise, Idaho

Old Idaho Penitentiary Site

Boise Whitewater Park

Freak Alley Gallery

Basque Block

Camel’s Back Park

Days 9 to 11: Glacier National Park, Montana

The drive here from Boise and from here to Yellowstone takes around 12 hours, so plan accordingly.

Lake McDonald

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Days 12 to 13: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Prismatic Spring

Old Faithful

Fly Out: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)

Optional Side Trip: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Add 2 more days to your trip if you plan to explore Grand Teton National Park

Fly Out: Jackson Hole Airport (JAC)

Best time to visit: September to October are the best months to go on this trip; fewer tourists in the cities, plus emerging fall colors and wildlife in the national parks

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 14 days, plus 2 days if you want to explore Grand Teton National Park

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• Best Things To Do In Grand Teton National Park

Trip 5: Southwest

The American Southwest is home to several natural wonders and historic cities. This trip takes you to the most visited national park in the country and to extraordinary cities.

Arizona New Mexico Oklahoma Texas

Fly In: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Day 1: Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona

Papago Park

Hole In The Rock

Desert Botanical Garden

Old Town Scottsdale

Days 2 to 3: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Days 4 to 5: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Petroglyph National Monument

ABQ BioPark

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Sandia Peak Tramway

Day 6: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe Plaza

Palace of the Governors

La Fonda on the Plaza

Canyon Road

Days 7 to 8: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Skydance Bridge

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Oklahoma City Zoo

Stars and Stripes Park

Days 9 to 10: Austin, Texas

University of Texas Tower

Bullock Texas State History Museum

Zilker Metropolitan Park

Lady Bird Lake

Greetings From Austin Mural

Fly Out: Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)

Best time to visit: March to May are the ideal months to take this trip; great weather, fewer crowds (especially in the Grand Canyon).

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 10 days

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Trip 6: The Great Plains

The Great Plains is literally a wide expanse of flatlands covered in prairie and grassland in the middle of the US. This trip takes you through the states comprised almost entirely of The Plains.

North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas

Fly In: Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS)

Days 1 to 2: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Painted Canyon

Days 3 to 5: The Great 8 , South Dakota

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial

Custer State Park

Jewel Cave National Monument

Wind Cave National Park

Badlands National Park

Missouri River

Days 6 to 8: Omaha, Nebraska

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge (Bonus State! Cross this bridge and you can be in both Nebraska and Iowa at the same time.)

The Old Market

The Durham Museum

Lauritzen Gardens

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Days 9 to 10: Wichita, Kansas

Great Plains Nature Center

O J Watson Park

Douglas Design District

The Keeper of the Plains Statue

Mid-America All-Indian Museum

Fly Out: Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT)

Best time to visit: Early fall (September to October) has the best weather, fewer tourists in the city, and wildlife are active in the national parks

How many days to allot (minimum): 10 days minimum

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Trip 7: Great River Road States

The Great River Road follows the mighty Mississippi River and encompasses 10 states. To keep this trip to less than two weeks, this trip will cover five out of the 10 states.

Minnesota Iowa Missouri Arkansas Louisiana

Fly In: Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)

Days 1 to 2: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minnehaha Park

Matt’s Bar and Grill – Home of the Original Jucy Lucys

Mill City Museum

Stone Arch Bridge

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Days 3 to 4: Des Moines, Iowa

Iowa State Capitol

East Village

Rotary Riverwalk Park

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Des Moines Art Center

Days 5 to 6: St. Louis, Missouri

Gateway Arch National Park

The St. Louis Wheel

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum

Forest Park

Days 7 to 8: Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs Mountain Tower

Buckstaff Bathhouse

Gangster Museum of America

Garvan Woodland Gardens

Mid-America Science Museum

Days 9 to 11: New Orleans, Louisiana

French Quarter

Jackson Square

New Orleans Jazz Museum

New Orleans City Park

The National WWII Museum

Fly Out: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Best time to visit: April to May and September to October (shoulder seasons) are the best time to go on this trip.

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 11 days

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• Best Things To Do In Louisiana

Trip 8: The Great Lakes

The Great Lakes—Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario—stretches across eight US states. The region features miles and miles of shoreline, thick forests, and pristine waters.

This trip takes you to five of the eight states of the Great Lakes region and two of the Great Lakes (Lakes Michigan and Erie).

Wisconsin Illinois Indiana Michigan Ohio

Fly In: General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)

Days 1 to 2: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mitchell Gallery of Flight

Harley-Davidson Museum

Milwaukee Riverwalk District

Veterans Park

Historic Third Ward

Days 3 to 4: Chicago, Illinois

Millennium Park

Chicago Architecture River Cruise

Lakefront Trail

The Art Institute of Chicago

Willis Tower

Days 5 to 6: Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Days 7 to 8: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Heritage Hill

Riveredge Trail

Grand Rapids Public Museum

Ah-Nab-Awen Park

Days 9 to 10: Cleveland, Ohio

Edgewater Park

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Cleveland Public Square

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Rockefeller Park & Greenhouse

Fly Out: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)

Best time to visit: April to May and September to October are the best months to visit this region (summer means mosquitoes and winter means road closures and unforgiving weather).

• Best Things To Do In Chicago, Illinois
• Ohio Showdown: Cleveland vs Columbus

Trip 9: Southeast A: Mountains, Music, and Culture

The Southeast states are known for their diverse experiences, making this region a memorable road trip destination.

This trip takes you through five of the Southeastern states, from the Appalachian Mountains, bluegrass country, Music City, the center of the civil rights struggle, and down to the former Seafood Capital of the World.

West Virginia Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Mississippi

Fly In: West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW)

Days 1 to 2: New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Days 3 to 4: Louisville, Kentucky

West Main Street ( Whiskey Row )

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

Old Louisville Neighborhood

Kentucky Derby Museum

Days 5 to 6: Nashville, Tennessee

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Honky Tonk Highway

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

The Gulch Neighborhood

Grand Ole Opry

Days 7 to 8: Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham Civil Rights District

Railroad Park

Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

Days 9 to 10: Biloxi, Mississippi

Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum

Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art

Biloxi Beach

Biloxi Shrimping Trip

Ship Island

Fly Out: Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT)

Best time to visit: April to May are the best month for all the cities on this trip; best weather, Kentucky Derby season, and fewer crowds. But there are more events in Nashville in the summer, plus Biloxi Beach is the perfect escape in winter from the colder weather up north.

• Best Things To Do In West Virginia
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• Best Things To Do In Alabama

Trip 10: New England

Beaches, lighthouses, chowder, lobster: yup, you’re in New England.

This trip takes you to cities, towns, and a national park rich with history, culture, and cuisine, all set against breathtaking natural scenery.

Maine Vermont New Hampshire Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut

Fly In: Bangor International Airport (BGR)

Days 1 to 2: Acadia National Park, Maine

Days 3 to 4: Burlington, Vermont

Church Street Marketplace

ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

Ethan Allen Homestead Museum

World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet

Days 5 to 6: Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Market Square

Black Heritage Trail

Strawbery Banke Museum

Prescott Park

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

Days 7 to 8: Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Common

Freedom Trail

Fenway Park

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Spectacle Island

Days 9 to 10: Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island Mansions Tour (the starting point is at Newport Mansions Welcome Center at The Breakers)

Days 11 to 12: New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University

Beinecke Rare Book Library

New Haven Green

Lighthouse Point Park

East Rock Park

Fly Out: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Best time to visit: New England weather is generally comfortable all year round (except Maine winters), but the spring months (April to June) mean fewer tourists (and maple syrup season in Vermont!), summer months (July to August) mean more events but also more crowds (baseball fever in Boston!), and fall months (September to October) present beautiful fall foliage.

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 12 days to thoroughly explore, but you can probably shorten it to 10 days

New England Wineries

Trip 11: Mid-Atlantic

The Mid-Atlantic states are surrounded by mountains to the north, lakes to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Within is a mix of hundreds of years of history, bustling industrial towns, and sprawling metropolitan areas.

This trip takes you through modern cities, serene beach towns, and historic neighborhoods.

New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland Washington, DC

Fly In: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Days 1 to 2: New York City, New York

Central Park

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Empire State Building

The National September 11 Memorial Museum

Statue of Liberty

Day 3: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Washington Square

Independence National Historical Park

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Penn’s Landing

Day 4: Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City Boardwalk

Atlantic City Beach

Tropicana Atlantic City (said to be the luckiest casino)

Day 5: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Cape May–Lewes Ferry (cross Delaware Bay)

Lewes Beach

Rehoboth Beach

Days 6 to 7: Baltimore, Maryland

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse

National Aquarium

9/11 Memorial of Maryland

Top of the World Observation Level

Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum

Fly Out: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

Optional Side Trip: Washington, DC

Add up to 2 more days to your trip if you plan to explore Washington, DC

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Best time to visit: Spring months (late March to May) are the perfect time to go on this trip; best weather, fewer crowds, especially for the beach towns.

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 7 days (up to 2 extra days if visiting Washington, DC)

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Trip 12: Southeast B: The Atlantic Coast States

This second set of southeast states borders the Atlantic Ocean, which means this is a beach road trip!

Along the way, you’ll get to experience each one’s unique charms. From urban beaches to rural, quiet ones, you’ll get to appreciate them all.

Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida

Fly In: Norfolk International Airport (ORF)

Day 1: Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Boardwalk

Neptune’s Park

Day 2: Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Emerald Isle Beach

Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier

Salty Pirate Waterpark

Days 3 to 4: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach

Broadway at the Beach

SkyWheel Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade

Day 5: Tybee Island, Georgia

North Beach

Tybee Island Light Station & Museum

Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Mid Beach, Tybee Island

Tybee Beach Pier

Days 6 to 7: Savannah, Georgia

Forsyth Park

Chippewa Square

Savannah City Hall

River Street Boardwalk

Leopold’s Ice Cream

Days 8 to 9: Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Jacksonville Beach Pier

Jacksonville Beach

Beaches Museum

Cradle Creek Preserve

South Beach Park and Sunshine Playground

Fly Out: Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)

Optional Side Trip: Miami, Florida and Miami Beach, Florida

Add at least 1 day to explore Downtown Miami, and 2 more days to explore Miami Beach (see our detailed 3-day Miami itinerary )

Optional Side Trip: Florida Keys

Add at least 5 days to drive through the Florida Keys and back north to Miami (see our detailed Florida Keys road trip guide )

Fly Out: Miami International Airport (MIA)

Best time to visit: Beach road trips are best driven during the summer months. But if you prefer to have the beaches all to yourself, early spring (avoid the spring breakers) and fall would be ideal.

How many days to allot (minimum): At least 9 days if your last stop is Jacksonville Beach, and at least 17 days if you plan to travel all the way through the Florida Keys.

• Best North Carolina Beaches
• Best South Carolina Beaches
• Best Georgia Beaches
• Best Things To Do In Savannah, Georgia

Which of These Trips Will You Take First?

It’s incredible that you can break down 50 states into 12 trips, and what’s even more amazing is that you can take them at your own pace!

Go on one or two trips a year, combine adjacent trips into a bigger trip, or take a few months off and go on a 50-state pilgrimage!

Go Out and Explore

One Day in Asheville, North Carolina

15 Best US Beaches for Sea Glass Collecting

The 8 Best Space Museums in the US

Kayaking in Yosemite: The Best Spots and Tours 

10 Spooky Ghost Towns of PA

The 10 Biggest Malls in US to Get Your Shop On

Epic USA Road Trip: Guide to Traveling All 50 States in 50 Days

Going on an incredibly ambitious journey, I set out to travel all 50 states of the United States in just 50 days after having traveled the world for free two years early (actually from Germany to Antarctica without money).

This new challenge would take me from the northeastern corner of the country in Portland, Maine, to the picturesque islands of Hawaii in the Pacific. As I started this adventure, my goal was to visit each state and face one unique challenge that embraced the spirit and essence of that particular state. 

I planned my route to ensure a smooth and efficient journey, considering the shortest path across the country. The route resembled the shape of a “W,” starting from the northeast and heading southeast, then south, traversing the Midwest to the north, and journeying south again across the majestic Rocky Mountains. 

Finally, I would head north along the breathtaking West Coast until I reached Seattle. From there, I would board a plane to Alaska and continue my journey to the magnificent state of Hawaii, where I would conclude my incredible adventure.

To make this audacious feat possible, I had to consider several vital aspects that would contribute to the success of my adventure. Let’s dive into the seven factors that made my travel work:

1. The Right Vehicle

Traveling all 14,000 miles within the 48 mainland states required careful planning and preparation. I acquired a well-equipped van that became my trusty companion throughout the journey.

The van was equipped with a mini kitchen, allowing me to prepare meals on the go and saving valuable time that would have otherwise been spent searching for restaurants or diners.

For example, in Montana, I enjoyed cooking a meal in my van using food from a supermarket, relishing the region’s flavors. Unfortunately, there was no time for a campfire or a farmer’s market to improve this.

Advice for you: Plan Your Route

Carefully plan your route, considering the most efficient path across the country. Consider visiting iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Arizona Grand Canyon , or the California Golden Gate Bridge—research lesser-known gems such as the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee or the stunning coastline of Oregon.

By planning your route strategically, you can include these must-see attractions. 

The shortest route across all 50 US states here

2. Choose Parking Options

I frequently parked and slept in Walmart parking lots for safety, convenience, and easy access to amenities.

These locations provided a secure place to spend the night, and they were situated next to their grocery stores, allowing me to stock up on supplies and use clean restroom facilities quickly. This strategy ensured a comfortable and hassle-free experience as I traveled from state to state.

In Ohio, I parked at a Walmart, took advantage of their free Wi-Fi to plan my next day’s challenges, and conveniently restocked my supplies before heading to the next destination. 

Advice for you: Overnight Accommodations

Consider a variety of overnight accommodations to suit your preferences and budget. While hotels and motels provide comfort and amenities, camping in national parks or RV parks can provide unique experiences and bring you closer to nature.

For example, you might find yourself camping under the stars in Yellowstone National Park or waking up to the sound of crashing waves at a beachfront campsite in Florida .

RV park guide for North America

3. Research and Plan

To execute my challenges efficiently, I meticulously pre-planned all 50 of them before setting off on my adventure.

Each challenge was carefully tailored to reflect the unique characteristics and offerings of the respective state.

For instance, in Tennessee, I decided to immerse myself in the rich musical heritage of Nashville by attempting to write and perform a country song within 24 hours. With the help of local musicians, I tried to compose a heartfelt ballad that captured the essence of the state’s vibrant music scene. The result was called “great entertainment” by the locals, not sure if I’ll make it one to become a country singer.

Advice for you: Start your Research Early

Before your trip, take the time to research each state and its unique characteristics thoroughly. Identify the key attractions, landmarks, and cultural aspects that define the shape.

This will help you tailor your challenges to reflect the essence of each location. Consider engaging with locals , browsing travel blogs, or consulting guidebooks to gather insights and ideas.

Seek Local Expertise and Support

Engage with locals who can provide valuable insights and guidance. Connect with musicians, artists, or experts related to your challenge. They can offer advice, share their experiences, and even collaborate with you to enhance your challenge.

In Tennessee, the assistance of local musicians helped create an authentic and memorable country song experience.

Ideas for planning your trip here

4. Set Necessary Boundaries

While there were numerous opportunities along the way, such as friendly invitations to people’s homes or exciting prospects to extend my stay in a particular state, I set firm boundaries to ensure I stayed on the quickest route.

It was essential to resist the allure of these detours and remain focused on my goal. In Utah, despite being tempted by invitation to experience the stunning beauty of Bryce Canyon National Park, I reminded myself of my time constraints.

I continued along the planned route, appreciating the park’s wonders from afar.

Advice for you:  Set Boundaries

While spontaneous invitations and opportunities may arise, setting boundaries is essential to stay on track. Consider prioritizing attractions and activities that align with your interests and goals.

For example, if you’re passionate about history, you might decline an invitation for a night out to ensure you have enough time to explore historical sites like Independence Hall in Philadelphia or the Alamo in Texas.

Let’s pause for a moment to enjoy Michael’s video trailer of this epic trip:

5. Time Management

To maximize my time and cover as much ground as possible, I devised a strategy to drive through at least two states daily, particularly in the smaller northeastern states. This approach allowed me to allocate more time to the vast and expansive states like Texas and California, where countless miles of driving awaited me. 

Advice for you: Time Management

Plan your time wisely to make the most of each state’s offerings. You can allocate a shorter amount of time in smaller states, allowing you to spend more days in larger states with extensive attractions.

For instance, you could spend an hour or two exploring Rhode Island’s charming coastal towns and then allocate two days or more to fully immerse yourself in California’s vibrant culture and natural beauty . 

6. Recover from the Pace of Traveling

The intense pace of the journey started to take a toll on my energy levels after reaching the 30th state, usually sleeping at most six hours and driving at least 500 miles a day. 

To combat extreme tiredness and maintain my stamina, I developed a routine. Along with the much-needed fuel from copious amounts of coffee, I made it a daily practice to jump out of the van for a 45-minute run.

Even in the scorching heat of Death Valley, I would lace up my running shoes at 7 am , embracing the solitude and tranquility of the early morning hours while marveling at the breathtaking desert landscape.

Advice for you: Combat Fatigue

Long journeys can be physically and mentally exhausting.

Take care of yourself by incorporating rejuvenating activities into your routine.

For example, enjoy a scenic morning jog along the beach in Florida or practice yoga in a serene park in Oregon.

Additionally, consider incorporating relaxation hours into your itinerary, where you can indulge in a (quick) spa treatment or enjoy a leisurely day exploring a quaint town.

Read also: Travel while you can (and not a second later!)

 7. Challenges

The adventure wouldn’t have been complete without embracing thrilling and exciting challenges. 

In New Orleans, known as the birthplace of jazz, I took on the task of learning to play the trumpet within a mere 60 minutes. With the guidance of a local marching band, I immersed myself in the city’s vibrant musical culture, creating harmonious melodies that resonated with the soul of New Orleans. 

Another remarkable feat was sprinting into the depths of the Grand Canyon within 60 minutes, conquering its 6,000-foot vertical descent and embracing the sheer grandeur of nature’s masterpiece. 

Additionally, I seized the opportunity to throw a memorable party in the quaint town of Boring, Oregon, infusing the city with life and joy through a festive celebration that brought the community together. About ten people may have joined my spontaneous party.

Furthermore, I sought to experience unique encounters in each state. I visited an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania, immersing myself in their traditional way of life and engaging in conversations in old German, connecting with a rich cultural heritage that still thrived in this modern age.

Ideas for your 50 States Challenges:

• Conquer a Hiking Trail : Challenge yourself to tackle a marked hiking trail in each state. Each trail offers breathtaking scenery and physical challenges, from the Appalachian Trail in Maine to the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington.
• Sample Local Delicacies : Indulge in the culinary delights of each state by trying a signature dish or local specialty. From clam chowder in Massachusetts to beignets in Louisiana or deep-dish pizza in Illinois, immerse yourself in the flavors that define each region.

• Take on a Water Adventure : Engage in water-based activities that showcase the unique waterways of each state. Try white-water rafting in Colorado, snorkeling in Florida’s vibrant coral reefs, or kayaking in Alaska’s pristine fjords .
• Attend a Local Festival : Time your trip to coincide with a traditional or cultural festival in each state. Whether it’s Mardi Gras in Louisiana, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, or the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, these events offer a chance to immerse yourself in the local culture and celebrations.

• Challenge Yourself in Outdoor Sports : Engage in exhilarating outdoor sports and activities . Go surfing in California, skiing in Colorado, zip-lining in Georgia, or rock climbing in Utah. Each state offers its adrenaline-pumping adventures.

• Explore National Parks : Visit iconic national parks and challenge yourself to explore their unique features. Hike the rugged terrain of Zion National Park in Utah, witness the geothermal wonders of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, or marvel at the towering sequoias in California’s Sequoia National Park.

• Engage in Historical Immersion : Learn about each state’s history by visiting significant landmarks and museums. Explore the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania, the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, or the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.

Additional Challenges for Visiting US Cities: 

• Explore Street Art : Discover various cities’ vibrant street art scenes nationwide. Challenge yourself to find and photograph unique and captivating street art pieces in cities like Miami , New York City, or San Francisco. Capture the creativity and cultural expressions found in these urban landscapes.
• Attend a Live Sporting Event : Immerse yourself in the electric atmosphere of a live sporting event in different cities. Whether it’s catching a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, experiencing the energy of an NFL game in Dallas, or cheering on a basketball match in the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City , join the local fans and embrace the excitement of American sports. Looking for more thrilling experiences? Consider these captivating day trips from Boston to complement your sports-filled itinerary.
• Engage in Music History : Dive into the rich music history of cities known for their musical legacies. Challenge yourself to explore iconic music landmarks, such as visiting Graceland in Memphis, the former home of Elvis Presley, or walking the historic streets of Nashville, known as the “Music City,” and soaking up the sounds of country music. Explore the birthplace of jazz in New Orleans or visit Motown’s Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit for a deeper appreciation of America’s musical heritage.

Remember, the key is to personalize the challenges to your interests and preferences. Whether you’re an adventure enthusiast, a foodie, or a culture lover, these challenges offer a fantastic way to create unforgettable memories and fully experience the diverse offerings of each state.

Embrace the spirit of adventure, and let the obstacles enhance your journey through all 50 states.

Wrapping up

In conclusion, my adventure to travel through all 50 US states in 50 days was an extraordinary journey that tested my endurance, planning skills, and ability to adapt to new challenges .

I completed this incredible feat by meticulously considering various aspects, such as traveling in a well-equipped van, utilizing Walmart parking lots, pre-planning challenges, setting boundaries, maximizing time, combatting fatigue, and embracing exciting experiences.

From the stunning landscapes and diverse cultures to the unique challenges and encounters, this adventure allowed me to explore the rich tapestry of the United States, eat lots of road trip snacks , and create memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.

Award-winning motivational speaker, Michael Wigge, specializes in documenting incredible stories about achieving victory over challenges. ‘How to Travel the World for Free’, ‘How to Barter for Paradise’ (where he turned an apple into a Hawaiian dream home through his skills in bartering for bigger, better things), and ‘How to Travel Europe Blindfolded’ are just three of his seven travel shows. He shared his amazing success stories on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (alongside co-guest Katy Perry) and the Today Show. His TV programs and books have been broadcast and published internationally.

Based on his incredible experiences overcoming challenges, Wigge began performing motivational speaking engagements and started CMW Coaching & Speaking. His most successful corporate keynotes are Challenge-4-Change Leadership Success and Challenge-4-Change Sales Success. He currently delivers presentations in the corporate arena, on college campuses, and for private clients in the US and as a speaker in Germany .

Keep reading about epic journeys:

• Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean
• Bike crossing the States
• Tru-hiking the Appalachian trail

Home » Roadside Attractions Blog » Road Trip Itinerary » The Perfect 48 State Road Trip Itinerary & Route

The Perfect 48 State Road Trip Itinerary & Route

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Have you ever wanted to take a 48 state road trip and drive through every one of the contiguous US states in one go? It might sound like a daunting undertaking, with so many things to see in each state and so many different possible routes. But what if I told you there was a scientifically perfect road trip that would take you on an optimized route that hits a top tourist spot in every locale?

It was American PhD student Randy Olson (now Dr. Randal S. Olson) who conceived this perfect road trip itinerary. The goal was to come up with the most efficient route while adhering to these three rules:

• The trip must make at least one stop in all 48 states in the contiguous U.S.
• The trip would only make stops at National Natural Landmarks, National Historic Sites, National Parks, or National Monuments.
• The trip must be taken by car and never leave the U.S.

You can see his maps and learn all about his process, tools, and machine-learning algorithms on his blog post, “ Computing the optimal road trip across the U.S. “

If you’ve always wanted to travel to 48 states at once, this road trip is for you. It would take about 224 hours of driving (9.33 days) to complete the whole thing. So you could probably do this entire drive in around three weeks…but you should probably take more time to enjoy the drive (and make a few extra detours). There are 50 stops on this 48 state road trip, one in each contiguous state, with the exception of California, that has two, plus a stop in Washington DC.

Of course, our 48 state road trip would probably look a little different. Here at Silly America we love one big thing: roadside attractions. So I’ve compiled his itinerary of 50 road trip stops and added our own below it. Of course, we didn’t use data to plan an optimal road trip route between our roadside attractions, so you’re on your own there.

Ready to hit the road and explore 48 states at once? Let’s explore what you would see on this perfect road trip itinerary.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Bryce canyon national park, utah, craters of the moon national monument, idaho, yellowstone national park, wyoming, pikes peak, colorado, carlsbad caverns national park, new mexico, the alamo, texas, the platt historic district (chickasaw national recreation area), oklahoma, toltec mounds (plum bayou mounds archeological state park), arkansas.

• Elvis Presley's Graceland, Tennessee

Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

French quarter, new orleans, louisiana, uss alabama, alabama, cape canaveral air force station, florida, okefenokee swamp park, georgia, fort sumter national monument, south carolina, lost world caverns, west virginia, wright brothers national memorial visitor center, north carolina, mount vernon, virginia, white house, washington dc, colonial annapolis historic district, maryland, new castle historic district, delaware, cape may historic district, new jersey, liberty bell, pennsylvania, statue of liberty, new york, the mark twain house & museum, connecticut, the breakers, rhode island, uss constitution, massachusetts, acadia national park, maine, mount washington hotel, new hampshire, shelburne farms, vermont, fox theater, detroit, michigan, spring grove cemetery, ohio, mammoth cave national park, kentucky, west baden springs hotel, indiana.

• Abraham Lincoln's Home, Illinois

Gateway Arch, Missouri

C. w. parker carousel museum, kansas.

• Terrace Hill Governor's Mansion, Iowa

Taliesin, Wisconsin

Fort snelling, minnesota, ashfall fossil bed, nebraska, mount rushmore, south dakota, fort union trading post, north dakota, glacier national park, montana, hanford site, washington, columbia river highway, oregon, san francisco cable cars, california, san andreas fault, california, hoover dam, nevada, 48 state road trip to major cities, 48 state road trip.

President Theodore Roosevelt called the Grand Canyon, “the one great sight every American should see.” And who are we to argue? Declared a national monument in 1908, this natural landform is a popular destination for day trippers wanting to take in the glorious expanse or adventurers wanting to hike, ride a mule, or go whitewater rafting.

Where we’d go in Arizona

The Grand Canyon is certainly the must-see attraction in Arizona. Conveniently, it is also a short detour from Route 66, where you’ll find such roadside attractions as Giganticus Headicus, the Rainbow Rock Shop Dinosaurs, Standin’ on the Corner, and Wigwam Village Motel No. 6.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Arizona.

Bryce Canyon National Park is known for its red, orange, and pink hoodoos: irregular shire-shaped columns of rock that jut out from the landscape. It has the largest concentration of these landforms anywhere on Earth. Take in the glorious Bryce Amphitheater and enjoy the prime overlooks at sunset and sunrise.

Where we’d go in Utah

Utah is also home to two more of the best national parks in America: Zion National Park and Arches National Park. But you’ll probably find us at Hole N” The Rock, a unique, 5,000 square-foot home carved out of a huge rock in Utah’s Canyonlands Country.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Utah.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve  is a U.S. national monument and national preserve in central Idaho. Walk (and drive) among desolate lava fields that date back millions of years ago. The lava field spans for over 750,000 acres (1,100 square miles) and 53,500 acres are preserved within the monument. Among the bleak backdrop you’ll find volcanic rifts, lava rivers, lava tube caves, cinder cones, tree molds, spatter cones, shield volcanoes, and lava beds.

Where we’d go in Idaho

For us, Idaho is about one thing: the potato. Catch us at the Idaho Potato Museum (taking photos with the world’s largest styrofoam potato, learning about the history of the potato, and exploring the unique displays), staying at the Big Idaho Potato Hotel , and chowing down on an ice cream potato (and probably a big bowl of mashed potatoes too).

See more of the best roadside attractions in Idaho.

Yellowstone National Park, America’s first National Park, features 3,500 square miles of wilderness: hundreds of animal species, dramatic canyons, scenic hiking trails, flowing rivers, lush forests, hot springs, and more than half the world’s geysers. The most popular and recognizable of Yellowstone’s features is Old Faithful, a geyser that shoots water 100 feet in the air.

Where we’d go in Wyoming

Sure Yellowstone is great, but we’re heading to Douglas to see some wildlife you probably won’t see in Yellowstone: the Jackalope, a mystical creature that has the body of a jack rabbit with the horns of an antelope. Here you’ll find the World’s Largest Jackalope, the Former World’s Largest Jackalope, and a Jackalope Hilltop Silhouette.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Wyoming.

Purple Mountains Majesty: Pikes Peak is such a glorious site that it came to inspire the song “America the Beautiful.” Explore the breathtaking scenery of the Rocky Mountsins at the top of the 14,115 foot summit and all the way there.

Where we’d go in Colorado

Pikes Peak is located just west of Colorado Springs, which also happens to be home to Herkimer, the World’s Largest Beetle.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Colorado.

Hidden beneath the surface of the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico are the more than 100 caves that make up Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The natural wonders were formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone, leaving behind caverns of all sizes. Look for Lechuguilla Cave: at 1,567 feet it is the nation’s deepest and fourth longest limestone cave.

Where we’d go in New Mexico

After exploring what is happening beneath the surface of New Mexico, explore what is happening above in Roswell. Roswell, New Mexico, is known for being the site of an alleged 1947 UFO crash and the town embraces their extraterrestrial ties. Everywhere you turn in Roswell you’ll find alien murals, alien streetlamps, and alien and flying saucer statues. Even the chain restaurants, like KFC, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts, get in on the theme with alien-centered decor. And don’t forget to stop at the Area 51 Museum, the International UFO Museum, and the space-age Roswell Welcome Sign.

See more of the best roadside attractions in New Mexico.

Remember the Alamo. This Texas landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site was originally known as Misión San Antonio de Valero Alamo and served as a way station between East Texas and Mexico. But it is probably best known as being the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where American folk heroes James Bowie and Davy Crockett died. Today you can take an interactive tour, explore exhibits, and experience frontier life in a Living History encampment.

Where we’d go in Texas

They everything is bigger in Texas, and they are right! There are so many weird roadside attractions to choose from. But if you are in San Antonio visiting the Alamo, make a detour to see the World’s Largest Cowboy Boots.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Texas.

The Chickasaw National Recreation Area in the Platt Historic District (formerly Platt National Park) provides scenic hikes with waterfalls, wildlife viewing, creeks, ponds, lakes, camping, and the historic Sulphur Springs. It is located in the foothills of the Arbuckle Mountains in Oklahoma, near the town of Sulphur. Platt National Park was combined with the Arbuckle Recreation Area in 1976 and became Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

Where we’d go in Oklahoma

Oklahoma contains the largest stretch of Route 66, so you can find us there, exploring the larger than life roadside attractions like the Blue Whale of Catoosa , Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park , Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios , and Pops 66 Soda Ranch .

See more of the best roadside attractions in Oklahoma.

Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park (formerly Toltec Mounds) is an archaeological site from the Late Woodland period. the park protects and preserves an 18-mound complex with Arkansas’s tallest remaining, prehistoric Native American mounds. Both a state park and an archeological research station, visitors can explore a visitor center with exhibits, an audiovisual theater, and an educational pavilion that overlooks the mounds. Self-guided and guided tours are offered along two trails.

Where we’d go in Arkansas

We’re probably heading to Fouke, Arkansas, which is home of the Fouke Monster Mart , which is home of the legendary Boggy Creek Monster. The Boggy Creek Monster is Fouke’s answer to bigfoot. The 8-foot-tall, 300-pound, hairy monster has been stalking the area since at least 1834 and had even inspired a series of horror films. Stop in to learn more about this local legend, pick up some souvenirs, and snap your picture with a Boggy Creek Monster photo op.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Arkansas.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Tennessee

Elvis Presley might just be the most famous resident of Memphis, if not all of Tennessee. There is no Elvis tourist attraction as popular as  Graceland : Elvis’s breathtaking mansion. Take a tour of the grounds, walk the gardens where he found peace, view the aircraft that took him from show to show, and experience Elvis Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex to see costumes, artifacts, and mementos.

Where we’d go in Tennessee

Honestly, Graceland is at the top of our list too. But we’d also probably take a trip to celebrate another famous recording artist: Dolly Parton. Visit the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge and the bronze Dolly Parton statue in Sevierville.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Tennessee.

Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg during the Civil War. Today you can visit the battlefield to see 1,400 historical monuments, tablets, and markers; 20 miles of reconstructed trenches and earthworks; a 16 mile tour road, emplaced cannons, the USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum, and the Vicksburg National Cemetery.

Where we’d go in Mississippi

If we’re in Mississippi, we’re visiting the remains of an entirely different historic relic. At Smitty’s Super Service in Sandy Hook you can experience a full 3-stage The Rock-afire Explosion band from the now defunct ShowBiz Pizza Place restaurant and arcade.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Mississippi.

The French Quarter is the heart and “Crown Jewel” of New Orleans. Lined with colorful buildings with cast-iron balconies, you’ll find history, nightlife, and gourmet food at every turn. From the jazz blasting through Bourbon Street to authentic Cajun eats at small restaurants to the gourmet food and crafts of the French Market to the beautiful and historic St. Louis Cathedral, there is something for everyone.

Where we’d go in Louisiana

We’re visiting the French Quarter too, and, while we’re there, we’ve visiting Mari Gras World to explore the workshop where Mardi Gras floats are made. Blaine Kern Studios has created parade floats for events across the country since 1947, but they are most famous for creating 80% of the giant moving sculptures you see at Mardi Gras. Take a tour of  Mardi Gras World  to get a glimpse into what it takes to make the annual parade a success. You’ll learn the history, see costumes, explore floats in progress, and get Instagram worthy photos of some of the most elaborate parade floats in the world.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Louisiana.

Find the WWII battleship USS ALABAMA at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Visit the ship, which is a National Historic Landmark, along with more than 25 historic planes and military vehicles.

Where we’d go in Alabama

Our 48 state road trip to Alabama would take us to a different attraction on water: Lady in the Lake & Bamahenge at Barber Marina in Elberta. George W. Barber’s marina is located on 800 acres on a peninsula between Wolf Bay and Ingram Bayou and it is covered in kooky, weird, and giant works of art. Two of the best finds here are Lady in the Lake (a fiberglass 50-foot woman whose head and knees can be seen floating in the bay) and Bamahenge (a 21-foot tall by 104-foot wide fiberglass Stonehenge replica). Sadly, in 2020, Lady in the Lake was damaged by Hurricane Sally, but it sounds like she’ll be returning to the water soon.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Alabama.

Florida’s Cape Canaveral is a site home to several launchpads and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. See where the US space program began and explore historic spacecrafts and memorabilia.

Where we’d go in Florida

The Kennedy Space Center is right up our alley, but, when in Florida, we’re more interested in things that come from the ocean over space.That’s why we’re visiting Big Betsy (the giant lobster in Islamorada), Swampy (the World’s Largest Alligator in Christmas), or the Weeki Wachee Mermaids in Spring Hill.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Florida.

Located in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the Okefenokee Swamp Park is a natural wonderland and swamp ecosystem. Spread over nearly half a million acres, you’ll experience islands, lakes, jungles, forest, prairies, and all the foliage and animals that come with them.

Where we’d go in Georgia

Nature makes me work up an appetite so we’re heading to KFC. But not just any KFC. We’re going to The Big Chicken in Marietta. The 56-foot tall chicken on Cobb Parkway in Marietta was originally built for Johnny Reb’s Chick-Chuck-‘N’-Shake in 1963. Known as “The Big Chicken,” this giant red bird-shaped building had rolling eyes and a moving yellow beak. In 1974, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) took over the spot and still occupies the (since renovated) spot today. Inside you can get a friend chicken dinner and peruse historical displays.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Georgia.

Located on an artificial island off Charleston, South Carolina (take a ferry to get there), Fort Sumter is a sea fort built to protect the city. It is recognized for being the site of the first battle of the American Civil War.

Where we’d go in South Carolina

When your 48 state road trip takes you through South Carolina, you just have to go South of the Border. Just south of the border between North Carolina and South Carolina you’ll find South of the Border: a campy village worth of shops, restaurants, motel rooms, and amusement rides. It’s hard to miss the over-the-top grounds decorated with a fiesta of flashing lights and fiberglass mascots.

See more of the best roadside attractions in South Carolina.

Discovered in 1942, Lost World Caverns is a series of underground natural caverns 120 feet below the Earth’s surface. See a vast display of stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations, including The Snowy Chandelier, a 30-ton compound stalactite — one of the largest in the nation!

Where we’d go in West Virginia

Trade in going underground for something you might see flying through the air. There is no greater monument in West Virginia that the Mothman Statue in Point Pleasant. The legend of Mothman has been popular in the Point Pleasant area since 1966 when locals started reporting sightings of a strange flying humanoid monster with red eyes, a 10-foot wingspan, and the face of an insect. A 12-foot tall polished steel Mothman statue was erected to celebrate its legacy.

See more of the best roadside attractions in West Virginia.

Visit the place where Wilbur and Orville Wright worked on and took their first flight. See the flight boulder & flight line (the spot of their first flight and landings), reconstructed 1903 camp buildings (to see a glimpse of what their life at the time was like), interactive exhibits at the Visitor Center, and monuments and sculptures devoted to the pair.

Where we’d go in North Carolina

The miracle of flight is one thing, but have you ever seen a 38-foot tall dresser? The World’s Largest Chest of Drawers in High Point was first built in the 1920s by the High Point Chamber of Commerce to pay homage to the town’s status as the “Home Furnishing Capital of the World.” The huge cartoon-like structure, complete with oversized drawers, golden pulls and a pair of mismatched socks, towers over tourists, the traffic lights, and the nearby buildings.

See more of the best roadside attractions in North Carolina.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon is the first president’s former estate where he lived before and after his time as a Revolutionary War General. Visit the preserved grounds, take a tour of the Mansion, stroll through the gardens, take in views of the Potomac River from the East Porch and Grounds, and learn more about American history.

Where we’d go in Virginia

When in Virginia, we’re visiting another historic site. Or, at least, a site that is based on a historic site. Foamhenge in Centreville is Virginia’s Stonehenge made of foam.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Virginia.

You can’t take a 48 state road trip and not also visit Washington DC. And, when in Washington DC, you have to see the White House. The White House serves as the home and workplace of the President of the United States and his or her family, and as a living museum of American history.

Where we’d go in Washington DC

We’re definitely taking in all the sites in DC, White House included. But the National Mall is full of monuments (like the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument) that we’d be occupied for a while. We’re also looking for weird things at the Smithsonian, like a giant squid, a presidential hair collection, and a folding bathtub.

The Colonial Annapolis Historic District is a historic district in the City of Annapolis, the state capital of Maryland. Designed in a European fashion and designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1965, the historic district feels like a blast from the past. Visit 18th-century buildings like St. Anne’s Episcopal Church and the Maryland State House (the oldest capital building in continuous use).

Where we’d go in Maryland

In Maryland we might head to a different sort of historical building. The Maryland Center for History and Culture in Baltimore features a giant 18-foot-tall statue of Nipper the Dog (a terrier tilting his head and staring into a phonograph, used to promote record company RCA) on its roof.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Maryland.

The riverside community of New Castle was founded by Dutch settlers in the 1650s and its Colonial-era historic district was designated as a National Landmark in 1967. Walk the cobblestone streets and visit historical properties and homes like the Old New Castle Courthouse, the Delaware Historical Society’s Read House and Gardens, the Dutch House ,and the Amstel House.

Where we’d go in Delaware

For a more modern architecture experience, were going to the Dover International Speedway to see Miles the Monster. Miles the Monster has served as the mascot for the Dover International Speedway since 2000. In 2008, a giant, 46-foot tall, 20-ton Miles the Monster was erected outside the complex, bursting from the roof.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Delaware.

“The Nation’s Oldest Seashore Resort,” Cape May is located at the southern tip of New Jersey. The Cape May Historical District is designated a National Historic Landmark and is home to the second-largest collection of Victorian houses in the US. Visit beautiful preserved buildings from the 1800s like the Christopher Gallagher House, The Colonial, and The Southern Mansion. Also make a stop at the Cape May Lighthouse in Cape May Point State Park, the country’s second oldest continually operating lighthouse.

Where we’d go in New Jersey

In New Jersey, we’re staying close to the water but heading about an hour north to see a different : LuNational Historic Landmark: Lucy the Elephant in Margate City. Standing at six-stories tall and weighing over 90 tons, Lucy the Elephant is the world’s largest elephant. Lucy was built in 1881 by real estate developer James V. Lafferty.

See more of the best roadside attractions in New Jersey.

The Liberty Bell is best known for being one of the most iconic symbols on American independence and for its wide crack. It rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House (now, Independence Hall) and is believed to be one of the bells rung when the Declaration of Independence was signed. See the Liberty Bell in person at the Liberty Bell Visitor center in Philadelphia and learn more about its historic journey.

Where we’d go in Pennsylvania

Driving through 48 states is probably pretty exhausting. So at this point in the journey we think it’s time for some caffeine. The Coffee Pot in Bedford is one of the best roadside attractions in Pennsylvania. David Berton Koontz built the big, 18-foot tall by 22-foot wide coffee pot in 1927 to attract customers to his adjacent service station.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Pennsylvania.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from France to the United States. Dedicated on October 28, 1886 and designated as a National Monument in 1924, it has become to be recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The giant neoclassical copper sculpture resides on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City. Admire from afar or take a ferry to see Lady Liberty up close.

Where we’d go in New York

The Statue of Liberty might be one of the most recognizable monuments in New York…but dod you know that there is a giant duck just a couple hours away? The Big Duck is a classic Long Island New York roadside attraction. The giant fowl was originally built in 1931 to serve as a duck-shaped poultry store. The 10-ton, 20-foot tall, 30-foot long, 18-foot wide bird is made of concrete and has the headlights of a Model T Ford for eyes.

See more of the best roadside attractions in New York.

Tour The Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, a 25-room Victorian mansion where Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) lived and wrote from 1874 to1891. It was here where the author wrote some of his most important works, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court .

Where we’d go in Connecticut

Mark Twain is a celebrated American author. And PEZ is a celebrated American candy. On our 48-state road trip we are heading to the PEZ Visitor Center in Orange. We all know PEZ, the delicious mini-candies that are best eaten from a cartoon-headed dispenser. At the PEZ Visitor Center you can learn the history of the popular candy, explore a huge selection of memorabilia and new, vintage, and rare dispensers, and watch the packing factory in action.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Connecticut.

The Breakers is a Gilded Age mansion located in Newport, Rhode Island. The opulent home was built between 1893 and 1895, and served as a summer “cottage” and status symbol for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.

Where we’d go in Rhode Island

We probably wouldn’t see any bugs in the well-maintained The Breakers, so let’s go check out the Big Blue Bug in Providence. The 58-foot long giant termite lives on top of Big Blue Bug Solutions in Providence. The business was originally called New England Pest Control but they renamed themselves in 2012 to honor their ever-popular mascot.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Rhode Island.

USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned ship in the United States Navy. Still manned, it operates to promote the Navy and America’s naval heritage through educational outreach, public access (you can take a free tour!), and historic demonstrations. Across the pier from the ship you can also visit the USS Constitution Museum full of hands-on experiences that educate on how the shop was built, sailed, and preserved.

Where we’d go in Massachusetts

You’ll find us just a couple miles away at grabbing some ice cream at the Hood Milk Bottle Building. The giant milk bottle was one of the first examples of novelty architecture in the United States. Built in 1930, ice cream maker Arthur Gagner had it built next to his shop to entice customers in to buy a sweet treat.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Massachusetts.

Acadia National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the United States. Open year round, the 47,000-acre park features stunning landscapes, rocky beaches, woodland hiking trails, and diverse wildlife (including moose, bear, whales and seabirds) on the coast of Maine. Nearby Bar Harbor is a quaint stop for restaurants, hotels, and shops.

Where we’d go in Maine

It’s hard to pick just one spot we’d go to in Maine. We’d probably do a road trip to eat lobster rolls everywhere and check out Wild Blueberry Land, Eartha (The World’s Largest Rotating Globe), and the Bangor Paul Bunyan.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Maine.

It’s good that there’s a hotel on this list because after all that driving on this 48 state road trip, it’s time for a good night’s sleep. The glorious Mount Washington Hotel opened in 1902. The white Renaissance Revival hotel features a distinctive red roof and a grand colonnaded veranda. Built by local industrialist Joseph Stickney it was immediately successful and considered the most luxurious hotel of its day. Today the hotel operates as a our-diamond resort with opportunities for skiing, golfing, or taking a spa day.

Where we’d go in New Hampshire

As lovely as that sounds, it might be a little out of our road trip budget here. Luckily, Chutters World’s Largest Candy Counter is only half an hour away. Let’s go spend our money on sweets!

See more of the best roadside attractions in New Hampshire.

Shelburne Farms is a working non-profit working with waling trails, produce, farm-to-table dining, local products (like farmstead cheddar and maple syrup), and educational workshops on everything from historic preservation to cheesemaking.

Where we’d go in Vermont

If you’re heading to Shelburne, Vermont stop at the Shelburne Museum to see the Landlocked Ship. The Shelburne Museum celebrates founder and eccentric spender Electra Havemeyer Webb who, after coming into an inheritance at 18, spent the rest of her life purchasing stuff. Stuff that is now on display for museum visitors. The Shelburne Museum features her 80,000 items (and more) spread across 39 buildings across 45 acres. One of the highlights to see is the Ticonderoga: a vertical beam sidewheel steamship that is 220-feet long and weighs 892 tons.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Vermont.

When Detroit’s Fox Theatre opened in 1928 it was the largest of the original Fox Theatres built by film pioneer William Fox. Today, it is the largest surviving movie palace of the 1920s. The theatre currently serves as a 5,000+ seat performing arts center that presents a variety of live performances.

Where we’d go in Michigan

We might take in a show, but we’re also going to go in search of the World’s Largest Cherry Pie(s). Two towns in Michigan claim to have the world’s largest cherry pie: Charlevoix and Traverse City. Charlevoix’s was built 1976, when the town baked the World’s Largest Cherry Pie as part of the their annual cherry festival. In 1987, Traverse City stepped up to the pie plate to outdo their neighbor. At their local cherry festival they made a 28,350 pound cherry pie. Both towns display oversized pie pans in rememberence.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Michigan.

Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio is the third largest cemetery in the United States (behind Calverton National Cemetery and Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery). The US National Historic Landmark was established in 1845 the 700-acre plot features lakes, island, footbridges, and wooded areas. Spend a peaceful day and visit the graves of historical figures buried there.

Where we’d go in Ohio

If we’re looking for stones buried in the ground in Ohio, it’s probably going to be in the shape of corn. A Field of Giant Corn Cobs can be found off the highway in Dublin, where stand 109 human-sized ears of corn each standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 m) tall and each weighing in at a whopping 1500 pounds (680 kg.).

See more of the best roadside attractions in Ohio.

With more that 400 miles of explored caves, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the world’s longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave was officially dedicated as a national park by 194, became a World Heritage Site in 1981, and was designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990. 10 miles of the cave is available for tours along with other opportunities for hiking, camping, kayaking, horseback riding, and fishing.

Where we’d go in Kentucky

Mammoth Cave is accessible through Cave City, Kentucky. And Cave City, Kentucky is home to a plethora is weird and wonderful stops. Here you can visit Big Mike’s Mystery House , Crystal Onyx Cave, Dinosaur World , Guntown Mountain, Treasure Trove Park, and Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 .

See more of the best roadside attractions in Kentucky.

West Baden Springs Hotel is the most historic and luxurious hotel in Indiana. Considered by some to be the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the luxury hotel hosts special events, entertainment, and historic tours (even non guests can take part). The turn-of-the-century National Historic Landmark features 243 guest rooms and suites over six circular stories plus numerous other amenities. The focal point of the property is the glorious 200-foot atrium.

Where we’d go in Indiana

West Baden Springs Hotel has a fireplace so big it takes 14-logs to burn. We know another place that could cause a whole lot of fire. We’re heading to the Warm Glow Candle Outlet in Centerville, Indiana to see the World’s Largest Candle !

See more of the best roadside attractions in Indiana.

Abraham Lincoln’s Home, Illinois

Before becoming the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln lived in his home in Springfield, Illinois from 1844 to 1861. Lincoln Home National Historic Site has restored and preserved this house and the surrounding areas to what they would have been in 1860.

Where we’d go in Illinois

There are other Abraham Lincoln roadside attractions to see in or near Springfield, like Abraham Lincoln’s Lucky Nose , the Abraham Lincoln The Railsplitter Statue , and the Giant Lincoln on the World’s Largest Covered Wagon . But if I’m going to see the best of the best roadside attractions in all of Illinois (regarless of presidential status), I’m heading to Big Things in a Small Town Casey, Illinois , home to 12 world’s largest things and a whole slew of other larger than life objects!

See more of the best roadside attractions in Illinois.

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri is the tallest monument in the US and the world’s tallest arch. The 630-foot-tall stainless-steel monument is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson’s and St. Louis’s role in the Westward Expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century.

Where we’d go in Missouri

We love the Gateway Arch too, but would probably also set our sights on another tall, silver object: the (former) world’s largest fork. Located in a Springfield parking lot, this 35-foot tall, 11-ton utensil was once the biggest fork in the world (but it is still impressive even since losing the title)!

See more of the best roadside attractions in Missouri.

Through the years, Charles Wallace Parker and his company produced around 1,000 carousels. Only 16 of those are known to to still be in operation and two of them can be found at the C. W. Parker Carousel Museum in Leavenworth, Kansas. See those and more carousels (like the oldest primitive carousel in the United States and a 1950s aluminum Paul Parker Carousel) and learn about C.W. Parker at this fun museum.

Where we’d go in Kansas

This Carousel museum would be at the top of our list too. But, when in Kansas, there’s, “no place like home.” and so we’d just have to visit Dorothy Gale, the character who wanted nothing more than to return to her farm there in the book and film  The Wizard of Oz . In 1981 the town of Liberal declared itself to be the home of Dorothy and imported a house from a nearby town that resembled the one in the movie. You can visit Dorothy’s House and the Land of Oz and follow the yellow brick road to the house, take a tour through an animate retelling of the story.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Kansas.

Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, Iowa

Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion (also known as Hubbell Mansion, Benjamin F. Allen House or the Iowa Governor’s Mansion), is the official residence of the governor of Iowa. The 18,000 square foot home was built in a Second Empire architecture style in 1869.

Where we’d go in Iowa

Terrace Hill might be the governor’s home, but another place in Iowa is home to someone even more well known. Or, at least, someone who will be even more well known. We’re heading to Riverside, Iowa: the Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk .

See more of the best roadside attractions in Iowa.

Taliesin was the 37,000-square-foot home, studio, school, and estate of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site features buildings that span Wright’s career from the 1890s to the 1950s. Guests can enjoy tours, special programming, a gift shop, and a cafe.

Where we’d go in Wisconsin

While Taliesin is an impressive home, it is certainly not the most eccentric house in WIsconsin. That’s while you’d find us at House on the Rock. Alex Jordan built a house on a 60-foot chimney of rock in Wisconsin in the 1940s. Today, House on the Rock is perhaps the most well-known tourist attraction in Wisconsin. Filled to the brim with collections of lanterns, musical instruments, lights, dollhouses, and more, the 14-room house will take you hours to explore. Be sure to visit the world’s largest indoor carousel and its 269 carousel animals, a highlight of the kooky attraction.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Wisconsin.

Fort Snelling is a former military fortification in Minnesota. Located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, this National Historic Landmark features fort tours and reenactments. The fort doesn’t shy away from its painful history of the Native people original to the lade, trade, soldiers, immigrants, and enslaved people.

Where we’d go in Minnesota

There’s one site every roadside attraction love should see on this 48 state road trip: the Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox Statues in Bemidji. Minnesota legend says that its 10,000 lakes were formed when Paul Bunyan’s footprints were filled with water. So it’s not wonder that at least two of Minnesota’ best roadside attractions revolve around this folklore giant.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Minnesota.

This unique Nebraska park is situated on 360 acres of land that was once covered from a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. Left behind were the fossil skeletons of animals of the time. The fossil bed is being excavated and fossil skeletons are left in place for public viewing

Where we’d go in Nebraska

There is one place you can’t miss in Nebraska: Carhenge. Carhenge  is a replica of England’s Stonehenge… but made from cars. Standing at 96 feet in diameter and made up of thirty eight gray-painted cars, the roadside attraction was created in 1987 by experimental artist Jim Reinders.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Nebraska.

Find four presidential busts carved into the side of a mountain in Keystone, South Dakota. The 60-foot-high granite faces depict U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln and represent the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country.

Where we’d go in South Dakota

No road trip to Mount Rushmore would be complete without a stop at Wall Drug . Trust me, you can’t miss the barrage of road signs leading the way. The Western-themed shopping mall features a drug store, gift shop, restaurants, travelers church, taxidermy, a giant Jackalope, an 80-foot brontosaurus, and free ice water for all.

See more of the best roadside attractions in South Dakota.

Fort Union served as an important fur trading post between 1829 and 1867. Here, Assiniboine, Crow, Cree, Ojibway, Blackfeet, Hidatsa, and other tribes exchanged buffalo robes and small furs for goods from around the world. Today, the site has been partially reconstructed and operates as a National Historic Site.

Where we’d go in North Dakota

We’d go see a buffalo that would have produced one mighty large robe to trade: The World’s Largest Buffalo Monument in Jamestown. The World’s Largest Buffalo Monument (nicknamed Dakota Thunder) is a must-see road trip stop for any roadside attraction lover! At 26 feet tall, 46 feet long, and weighing in at 60 tons, this big bison is certainly a site to behold!

See more of the best roadside attractions in North Dakota.

Glacier National Park is a 1,583 square mile wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains. Established as a National Park in 1910, you can explore a range of majestic landforms: alpine meadows, waterfalls, deep forests, carved valleys, spectacular lakes, and about 25 glistening glaciers. With over 700 miles of trails, there is a wonderment of beauty to take in.

Where we’d go in Montana

There is plenty of wildlife to see at Glacier National Park (like grizzly bears, mountain goats, and beavers), but, above all else, you have to look for this penguin. Near Glacier National Park, Cut Bank, Montana claims to be the “Coldest Spot in the Nation” (or at least in the lower 48). The town celebrates their moniker with 27-foot tall, 10,000 pound giant penguin statue (Penguin Colossus). The friendly penguin was constructed by Ron Gustafson in 1989 and (at least in theory) talks!

See more of the best roadside attractions in Montana.

The Hanford Site is a decommissioned nuclear production complex operated by the United States federal government. For nearly 30 years at this site, The U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Energy produced plutonium for the atomic weapon program. In doing so, they produced large quantities of waste containing hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials, some of which leaked into the land and water. The site is now open for tours.

Where we’d go in Washington

If exploring a former nuclear testing site is a little too dystopian for you, head to Seattle’s most quirky neighborhood instead: Fremont. There are plenty of weird, wacky, and peculiar things to see in Fremont , a weird wacky and peculiar neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Look for the Fremont Troll , the Fremont Rocket , and a statue of Lenin , among others.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Washington.

The historic Columbia River Highway is a 75-mile long scenic highway that stretches between Troutdale and The Dalles in Oregon. It was the first scenic highway in America to be named a National Historic Landmark. The drive isn’t long, but it is picturesque, with plenty of things to see along the way. Visit majestic waterfalls (including Multnomah Falls, the most visited natural site in Oregon), temperate rainforests, and 900-foot cliffs.

Where we’d go in Oregon

We love a good scenic highway, but we want to explore a different type of forest in Oregon, an Enchanted Forest. Oregon’s Enchanted Forest is a fairy-tale-themed theme park that’s been open since 1971. You can ride bumper cars or walk through a haunted house, but the real star of this attraction is Storybook Lane, where you can explore Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole, visit Humpty Dumpty, and slide down a giant witch’s hair.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Oregon.

When you 48 state road trip takes you through San Francisco, you have to ride a cable car. The San Francisco cable car system is the world’s last manually operated cable car system. Take in scenic views of the city as the iconic cars take you up and down the hills.

The San Andreas Fault forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. It spans around 745 miles through California and is more accessible than any other fault in the world. Though some viewing spots require a hike, others are accessible by car. Look for fault sites near Palm Springs, Frazier Park, Pinnacles National Park, and San Francisco.

Where we’d go in California

This 48-state road trip chose two locations in California, so we’re going to choose two California roadside attractions as well! First is Trees Of Mystery in Klamath. Trees of Mystery opened in 1931 and is one of California’s oldest roadside attractions. The mountainside park offers panoramic scenic views of California redwoods with a side of kitsch. But we are here for the 49-foot tall Paul Bunyan statue and 35-foot companion Babe the Blue Ox.

Next is the Cabazon Dinosaurs in Cabazon. The Cabazon Dinosaurs feature two giant dinosaurs (a 150-foot-long Brontosaurus and a 65-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex) that are visible from Interstate 10. They were constructed in 1964 to bring in business to the adjacent, now closed, Wheel Inn.

See more of the best roadside attractions in California.

The Hoover Dam spans over the Colorado River between the border of Nevada and Arizona. The concrete arch-gravity dam was constructed during the Great Depression, from 1931 to 1936, and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Nearly seven million visitors a year come to see and walk across this great engineering marvel.

Where we’d go in Nevada

We’re going to end this 48 state road trip with a good night’s sleep in Nevada. Or, maybe not. A night at Tonopah’s Clown Motel might be too much for anyone with even a bit of coulrophobia. It isn’t just the iconic sign out front that features a clown: clowns are everywhere in this motel! There are shelves full of figurines in the lobby and paintings in the rooms. If that isn’t creepy enough, this motel was built right next to a closed cemetery.

See more of the best roadside attractions in Nevada.

If cities are more your thing, Olson also developed another route that stops at the TripAdvisor-rated Best City to Visit in every contiguous US state. It contains an extra stop in Ohio to force the route around Canada and omits stops in North Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia, which contain no top-rated cities. View his route here and see the list of stops below.

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Wichita, Kansas
• Denver, Colorado
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• San Francisco, California
• Portland, Oregon
• Seattle, Washington
• Boise, Idaho
• Park City, Utah
• Jackson, Wyoming
• Billings, Montana
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Chicago, Illinois
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Columbus, Ohio
• Detroit, Michigan
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Portland, Maine
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Providence, Rhode Island
• New Haven, Connecticut
• New York City, New York
• Ocean City, New Jersey
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Wilmington, Delaware
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Washington, D.C.
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Orlando, Florida
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Jackson, Mississippi
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Houston, Texas
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Branson, Missouri

Pin this Perfect 48 State Road Trip

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Valerie Bromann

Founder & road trip expert.

Valerie Bromann is a a website manager, content creator, and writer from Chicago, Illinois (currently living in Dallas, Texas). As an avid road tripper who has visited hundreds of roadside attractions, Val always pull over for a world’s largest thing. Founder of Silly America and author of The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book , she visits, photographs, and writes about all the weird tourist destinations she visits and offers road trip planning advice and inspiration based on her own travels so you can hit the road for yourself.

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Last modified: February 26, 2023 Category: Road Trip Itinerary

25 Best Road Trip Games for Two

Best usa road trip ideas and routes, share this post ⤵.

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything you need to have and record an epic road trip, by valerie bromann.

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

The road trip you’ve been dreaming of starts here! Journal about your stops and get to know your fellow passengers with activities and exercises designed to pass the time and bring you closer together. Instead of “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself asking, “We’re there already?”. Complete with prompts you can turn to while driving between locations, this journal will one day be a memento of your life-changing trip.

Silly America

Silly America is a roadside attractions blog designed to help travelers find unique stops for their next road trip. The website is a tribute to the great American road trip, devoted to all that is odd in America: roadside attractions, tourist traps, peculiar destinations, bizarre events, road food, fun festivals, and more! It’s a travel website and trip planner for those seeking an offbeat road trip.

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See all 50 states in 160 hours

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If you’re considering a seriously crazy summer road trip, check out the route data-blogger Stephen Von Worley created that starts in South Berwick, Maine, and ends in Taft, Mont.

The Fifty, Swiftly route he created a few years ago outlines the fastest way to see all 50 states and Washington, D.C. — not that he’s ever done it or knows anyone who has.

“Average 55 mph with stops, swap in fresh drivers as necessary, and you’ll traverse every member of the contiguous U.S. in just under 124 hours,” Von Worley writes on his Data Pointed blog . His Google map marked with driving legs that you can view on your smartphone covers 6,813 miles.

For those pushing for the grand sweep, fly from Spokane, Wash., to make a “three-legged loop to Honolulu, Anchorage, and back” to bag Alaska and Hawaii, adding 36 hours to the journey. The grand total: 160 hours to tag every state in the union.

How much time is that? Well, there are 168 hours in a week.

But don’t expect to go souvenir shopping on this journey. On the Lower 48 ride, you’ll average 2.6 hours per state during this drive-a-thon. With Alaska and Hawaii added in, you’ll spend “anywhere from a few seconds to eight hours in each state,” Von Worley says in an email.

The recommended vehicle for the trip isn’t a cushy SUV but a box truck, preferably used, outfitted with a bed and a fridge for your team of drivers. Yes, a team of drivers and cheerleaders is what you’ll need to do the Fifty, Swiftly.

Other road-trip ideas to check out: MotorcycleRoads.US challenges two-wheelers with a Nifty Fifty list that points to the most scenic rides to conquer in each state. (Mulholland Highway is the entry for California).

It’s also worth consulting 2014’s Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips from WalletHub, which provides insight into which states you want to be road-tripping in and why.

Info: Google map with directions of Fifty, Swiftly driving route

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The Fifty, Swiftly

How fast could you visit all 50 states.

Ah yes, the end of summer, and with only a month ’til school starts, August heat segues to Autumn chill, and all of your coworkers return from their big vacations, it’s time to answer that burning question:

How fast could you visit all 50 states?

My inspiration? Blog Twelve Mile Circle’s article on the most state-tudinous 24-hour road trips, which I’ve tweaked and expanded into this all-encompassing route across America:

A very short route that touches each of the Lower 48 states.

Altogether, that’s a pleasant 6,813 mile drive , starting at South Berwick, Maine and ending in Taft, Montana, and passing, if ever so briefly, through each of the remaining Lower 48 states and the District of Columbia.

A lovely box truck.

Up for it? First, score a used box truck on Craigslist. Next, cut some windows through the sides, bolt in a bed and a fridge, and wire for sound. Then, with promises of one helluva rolling party, recruit a team of like-minded comrades. Now, tank full and fridge stocked, you’re ready to cover some asphalt.

Average 55 mph with stops, swap in fresh drivers as necessary, and you’ll traverse every member of the contiguous U.S. in just under 124 hours.

To complete the fifty, you’ll need to bag Alaska and Hawaii. Curb the truck at Spokane and fly a three-legged loop to Honolulu, Anchorage, and back, which adds about 36 hours , including layovers, for a total travel time of:

Just under one week: 160 hours, or 3.2 hours per state.

That’d be an awesome achievement, and about as fast as us little people can do it.

However, if you’re that someone special, like Mitt Romney – who can bounce to the Caymans on a whim and wouldn’t be caught dead in the back of a box truck – the modern miracle of corporate jet travel opens a frontier far beyond the highway-addled imagination of the unwashed masses.

Romney don't need no stinkin' box truck.

You see, Mittens doesn’t need to arrive two hours before his scheduled flight. With a chortle, he glides past the cattle queue at the airport Rent A Wreck. And, this morning, his secretary wired orders to the Bain Capital logistics hit squad: “optimize Big Willard’s next trip for speed.”

Now, she confirms, all the resources are in place: two Learjet 45s , working in tandem – one for the current hop, and the other to fly ahead and be ready for the next – and a limousine pre-positioned at each of his twenty airstrip stops, to whisk him to/from neighboring states in fully-stocked ( if unquaffable ) minibar style.

Romney’s route mirrors the proles’, except that flyovers replace the mind-numbing intrastate parts. Cruising at 460 knots, his pilots deftly retire the 6200 air miles in just 11.7 hours, and at fifteen over the speed limit, his drivers navigate the 440 road miles in 6.3 hours. Add ten minutes per takeoff and landing, and 14 hours for the chartered Alaska-Hawaii Boeing 777, for a total of:

39 hours, or 47 minutes per state.

“Not bad for old money,” booms a charismatic voice from on high. Hey, that’s Mr. Executive Privilege, Barack Obama .

Obama on supercruise.

Our Commander-In-Chief reminds us that he can clear the airspace with a wag of his finger. Then, outfitted with the appropriate military hardware – a pair of souped-up fighters and a squadron of Apaches – he can buzz the same route more than twice as fast. The exact details are classified, but the jet can sustain Mach 1.6 and the helicopter 150 knots, so if we add five minutes to touch down and fully enjoy each state, it’ll take a total of:

18 hours, or 21 minutes per state.

Every member of the union in a single day, with six hours to spare! And, going into November, Obama can toss off a sonic boom or two – oops! – to shatter a few windows and show those pesky Red States who’s boss.

It’s good to be King on vacation.

Don't miss a beat:

• North America
• This Map Shows The Quickest...

This Map Shows the Quickest (and Ultimate) Road Trip Across America

Planning holidays in USA? This map has got you covered for a great American road trip this year. Did you know you can now travel with Culture Trip? Book now and join one of our premium small-group tours to discover the world like never before. A few years back a savvy University of Michigan researcher figured out the fastest route to drive across the US, hitting all the country’s major landmarks before coming full circle.

Using a carefully calculated algorithm, it would take about nine days of driving – or 224 total hours – to complete the 13,699-mile (22,046-kilometre) journey across the United States, according to Randy Olson ‘s calculations.

If you’ve got the time to complete the full circuit, you’ll encounter some of the United States’ most famous sights, including Arizona’s Grand Canyon, Washington DC’s White House, New York’s Statue of Liberty and Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park. And if you were curious, Randy calculated the whole thing in less than a minute. Genius.

Here’s a full list (in order) of everything you’ll encounter on your holidays in USA for an epic road trip:

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Pikes Peak, Colorado

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

The Alamo, Texas

The Platt Historic District, Oklahoma

Toltec Mounds, Arkansas

Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Tennessee

Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana

USS Alabama , Alabama

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Okefenokee Swamp Park, Georgia

Fort Sumter National Monument, South Carolina

Lost World Caverns, West Virginia

Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, North Carolina

Mount Vernon, Virginia

White House, Washington DC

Colonial Annapolis Historic District, Maryland

New Castle Historic District, Delaware

Cape May Historic District, New Jersey

Liberty Bell, Pennsylvania

Statue of Liberty, New York

The Mark Twain House and Museum, Connecticut

The Breakers, Rhode Island

USS Constitution , Massachusetts

Acadia National Park, Maine

Mount Washington Hotel, New Hampshire

Shelburne Farms, Vermont

Fox Theater, Michigan

Spring Grove Cemetery, Ohio

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

West Baden Springs Hotel, Indiana

Abraham Lincoln’s Home, Illinois

Gateway Arch, Missouri

C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, Kansas

Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, Iowa

Taliesin, Wisconsin

Fort Snelling, Minnesota

Ashfall Fossil Bed, Nebraska

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Fort Union Trading Post, North Dakota

Glacier National Park, Montana

Hanford Site, Washington

Columbia River Highway, Oregon

San Francisco Cable Cars, California

San Andreas Fault, California

Hoover Dam, Nevada

Love maps? Check out this handy map that shows you every single airport’s Wi-Fi codes across the world !

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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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50 States / 10+ Countries #TravelGoals

How to Travel All 50 States

Hands on experience is one of the best ways to learn and grow, and there is nothing better at this than travel. Here is how to travel all 50 states…with kids!

Your 50 State Travel Goal Timeframe

How you approach your fifty state travel goal will all depend on how much time you have to get it done. If you have teenagers that you want to START a 50 state travel goal with, then your travel plans might look like longer road trips with many states visited in one go.

If you have lots of time (i.e. retirement or homeschooling) and can take your sweet time, then we encourage you to read more about the benefits of slow travel.

For my family, we started right when our youngest was born, and are ending right when our oldest graduates high school, so we have roughly 15 years. (As of now, we are 3.5 years in and have traveled to 14 states). I would call that a good amount of time. So, when we want, we can take our travel slow and really get to know a region.

Your Travel Goal & Your Geography

Your travel plan will also be different depending on where you live, where you can drive to, and where you need to fly to.

My family lives smack-dab in the middle of the country. We had a plan to hit the states easiest to drive to in the Midwest first – when our kids were little. We flew with the kids only to a few states when we had family events, or to the beach as necessary. I do love living in the Midwest, but beaches are not drivable!

You can see our 50 State Travel Journal on this page in detail. But, in here is a general map of our leisurely last 4 years of fifty state goal travel.

We have flown to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to Destin, Florida / Orange Beach, Alabama. The rights of the states so far, we drove to.

We have ten years left to get to our goal, and we are enjoying every minute of it! It is great to be able to have the time to find the best each state has to offer. Moreover, we do not fret about visiting some states more than once. For example, we will be back again in Florida this year for the beach, and we will be back again in 2022, for Disney World. (Pandemic Willing!)

As my two girls get older, we will be flying to hit west coast states one or two at a time. Additionally, we will be flying to the east coast to hit one or two states at a time. However, when it comes to the states in New England, our plan is to hit multiple states, as the geography allows.

We are saving bigger cities (like New York City) for when our girls are bigger. Moreover, certain states we already visited when the girls were younger, as they might not be quite as exciting, and it’s okay that the photo albums might serve them better than their actual memories. (Like South Dakota? Sorry, South Dakota… We did have a lot of fun in Souix Falls, and we will be back!)

How to Travel 50 States in 5 Years

For those of your that say, “Hey! That’s great that you have 15 years. Good for you, but what about us adventures that want to knock out this goal in five years or less?”

You are amazing. Yes, you can totally travel to all fifty United States of America in less than five years. You will just need a bucket of money for plane tickets, or you will need to be willing to drive long hours! This is perfect for those families that love a good road-trip.

Road Trips Across America

The United States of America is 2,800 miles wide and 1,582 miles top to bottom (according to Mapsoftheworld.com) and 3.797 million square miles in area. We have a lot of ground to cover. Here are some example road trips to help you plan how you can get to each and every state.

East Coast Road Trips

Trip one: the northeast.

• New Jersey – Fly into Newark, drive two hours to Atlantic City
• Pennsylvania – Drive one hour to Philadelphia
• New York – Drive 1.5 hours to New York City
• Connecticut – Drive 1.5 hours to New Havel
• Rhode Island – Drive roughly 2 hours to Newport
• Massachusetts – Drive about 1.5 hours to Boston
• Maine – Drive almost 2 hours to Portland
• New Hampshire – Drive 2.5 hour to Mount Washington
• At this point, you have driven a total of about 16.5 hours. Then drive back for 5 hours to the Newark airport (and hit up Albany, NY on the way.)

Trip Two: The Middle Eastern States

• West Virginia

Trip Three: The Southeast

• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Mississippi

Southern Road Trips

Trip four: the south, trip five: the southwest, midwestern road trips, trip six: the north midwest, trip seven: the midwest.

• North Dakota
• South Dakota

West Coast Road Trips

Trip eight: the mountains, trip nine: the west coast, flying-only trips.

• Hawaii – You just cannot road-trip your way to Hawaii. Sorry, but it will be worth the flight! May I suggest the Big Island and Maui? The kids will love the contrast in topography and it will give them a very good feel for Hawaii as a diverse whole.
• Alaska – I suppose you can drive to Alaska! However, most of you will fly or even take a cruise.

Your Planning, Traveling, Documenting

There isn’t just one solution to fifty state travel. You will need to do a lot of planning, traveling and then documenting to meet your goals and enjoy the process.

You can read about my favorite tools for planning and documenting, here.

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How to visit all 50 states

This land is your land, this land is my land…

By Mary Kearl | Published Feb 21, 2020 7:36 PM EST

When I was a teenager, I stumbled across a Xerox copy of a blank U.S. map. There, my parents had written down the years I first visited each state, and I realized I was well on my way to spending time in all 50 of them.

I visited the remaining 10 before I turned 22, checking that item off my bucket list, and now, I’m reliving the experience as my husband and toddler cross states off their lists. They’re at 35 and 15, respectively.

What does it mean to “visit” all 50 states?

That’s up to you to decide, but you’ll definitely run into a lot of people with lots of opinions about it. The debate always centers around questions such as whether or not it counts if you don’t spend the night, if you only drive through a state, or if you just have a long layover.

Googling the topic will lead you down a deep rabbit hole, but my family’s rule of thumb has always been simple: Visiting a state means at least getting out of the car (or leaving the airport) and buying something, even if it’s just a snack from a gas station. Sure, that’s a pretty low bar—but it’s the one I grew up with and I’ve stuck to.

I later discovered there’s a membership organization called the All 50 Club , which helps travelers achieve and celebrate the goal of visiting all 50 states. They have their own official definition of what it means to actually visit a state, and as it turns out, my parents’ rule is quite close to that.

According to the All 50 Club, you’ve only visited a state after having “set foot on the ground of that state and breathed the air.” They’re also adamant that neither layovers nor flying over a state counts as visiting.

Depending on how hard you want to make things for yourself, you can either stick to this definition (or any other you find out there), or come up with your own. As long as a rule makes sense to you and whoever is accompanying you on your adventure, it works.

Planning and budgeting

For $5 in the off-season and $10 during peak season, you can pay to visit (or stand in four states at once) at the Four Corners Monument .

So how much does it cost to visit all 50 states? That will depend on how many you can fit into one trip, your method of transportation, and whether you opt for budget, mid-range, or luxury accommodations and travel options.

According to Budget Your Trip , the average budget traveler spends $82 per day in the U.S., not including airfare. This jumps up quite considerably to $224 for mid-range, and $663 for luxury travelers.

In 2016, my husband and I spent slightly less than $5,000 on a 44-day road-trip across the U.S. by bike , where he crossed seven new-to-him states off his list. This is well around the average 30-day budget U.S. trip for a couple, according to Budget Your Trip. If you’re looking to drive, Investopedia says you can go from New York City to Los Angeles in seven days for about $1,100. That’s not only cheaper, but also way faster. (Just remember to buy a piece of gum or something every time you hit a gas station in a new state.)

For those living in the contiguous U.S., the big-ticket items will be Alaska and Hawaii, so you’ll probably have to plan dedicated trips to both these destinations. A 7-day Alaska vacation can cost around $3,000 per person , while a 7-day Hawaiian vacation costs about $5,300 for two . To check these items off your list, putting some money on the side and planning ahead is the best alternative.

Keep track and exercise your bragging rights

Bullet holes are apparently commonly found among state border-crossing signs

While my parents’ map was a great analog method of keeping track of our state visits, there are now many other options that range from physical to digital. My sister gifted us with a scratch-off state map for our baby, but we use Google Docs for logging states on the go. Doing so gives us both (and eventually our little one) editing privileges.

There are other more specialized apps, like Polarsteps , that help you take a closer look at the exact trajectory of your trips. Polarsteps is good for tracking any trip on your mobile device, but if you use it for keeping tabs on the states you’ve visited, you’ll know exactly which ones you set foot in during a particular trip. The All 50 State Club also recommends their own Travel Goal Getter app , plus other physical options for keeping track.

For even more bragging rights, you can pick up a souvenir at each location. I collect bells, my husband collects patches, and our baby gets magnets. We also try, where possible, to take a picture in front of the state sign when crossing the border.

Embark on further adventure

If you’ve already visited all 50 states or the idea sounds too easy or bland, there’s more you can do. If you’re feeling creative and ambitious, here are more elaborate options you can challenge yourself with:

• Visiting a national park in every state.
• Running a marathon in every state—there’s a club with specific guidelines for this one. It includes almost 5,000 members who’ve run more than 318,000 marathons.
• Visiting all 50 by motorcycle , like Guinness World Record holder Danell Lynn.
• Paddling in all 50, like Eric Straw did in his Canoe 50 Campaign.
• Biking in all 50 , like 71-year-old retired school teacher Dianne Franz.
• Doing a speed tour of all 50 . These are dubbed “cannonball runs” and have been accomplished by a select few All 50 Club members. They’ve visited all states in as little as 6 days, 17 hours, and 31 minutes.
• Accomplishing the task with babies. Two of the youngest known travelers to see (or nap through?) all 50 states did so at 42 days old and six months old .

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This Man Planned the Most Efficient U.S. Road Trip of All Time (Video)

All the state capitols in the lower 48, in one trip.

Jordi Lippe-McGraw is a freelance writer and editor covering travel, parenting, and wellness. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries on all seven continents (including Antarctica while five months pregnant) and equally loves penguins and truffles.

Hitting the open road and driving into the sunset is a romantic notion, but most of us need a little planning before road trip .

Do you go north? Do you go south? Do you take a week? Do you take a month? What are the best stops to make? And there are a million more questions to be asked.

Randy Olson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, mapped out a super-efficient — and super-ambitious — way to see the contiguous United States. He devised his cross-country road trip , combining algorithms and Google Maps, so he could visit 48 capitol buildings.

“For this road trip, there is one goal: to take a picture at as many U.S. state capitols as possible,” Olson wrote on his blog. “We will travel only by car, so that rules out Alaska (too far away) and Hawaii (requires a plane flight) and leaves us with the 48 contiguous states (excluding the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. ).”

“Whenever possible, we will avoid routes that require us to travel through foreign countries, as entering/leaving the country requires a passport and border control tends to slow things down.”

To start, he found the “true” distance between all of the capitols by car, and then the shortest route by roadbetween every capitol, amounting to 2,256 directions. He did a lot more math — you can read that here — before determining his final itinerary.

The algorithm “reached an optimized solution that makes a complete trip to all of the U.S. state capitols in only 13,310 miles (21,420 km) of driving,” he wrote. That came out to visiting those 48 U.S. state capitols in 8.5 days.

“The best part is that this road trip is designed so that you can start anywhere on the route,” he noted. “As long as you follow the route from wherever you start, you’ll hit every state capitol in the 48 contiguous U.S. states.”

• By Jordi Lippe
• By Jordi Lippe-McGraw

Plenty of people say they'd like to see all 50 states, whether that goal is within their lifetime or within a few years. While it's easy to say, actually visiting every state can be a daunting process — especially when you consider how many miles of travel that actually includes. That said, if it really is your goal to visit all 50 states, we've put together a few tips to help you get it done.

Think About Your Timeline

One of the first things you'll want to consider is what timeline you're looking at for your goal. If you only want to visit them in your lifetime and you're only in your twenties, you can move at a relaxed pace. If you want to visit them all in a year, you're going to have to move much faster. If you're older, chances are you've already been to quite a few states, so this is an advantage. There's no reason you can't revisit a few favorites along the way, but if you're looking at a shorter timeline, don't let this get in the way of making progress.

Also take into account what you consider "visiting" a state. Do you merely want to cross the border? If so, strategic layovers might work in your favor. But if you actually want to spend the night in each state and experience it fully, your trips may require more careful planning.

Group States Together

Unless you're planning to tackle every state or at least most of them in a single massive trip, you'll probably want to plan your visits by area. You'll find one of the easiest ways to rack up the state count is to group states together by region.

Of course, this is easier in some regions than others. Out west, states are much larger, so visiting a few is going to mean some serious travel time (though there are exceptions, like checking off the four states at the Four Corners). In the Northeast however, you can easily visit a few states a day if you want to. When it comes to the larger states, careful planning can help.

Plan Ideal Routes

While most people traveling throughout the U.S. take every opportunity to visit landmarks and scenic locations, you may not want to if you're looking to cover several states in a short period. If you really want to see states efficiently, you need to plan routes, which may take you away from the standard tourist routes.

You don't need to be efficient to a fault, but keep in mind that tools like Google Maps can make your life a whole lot easier. Moreover, you could make your goal cities ones that are close to other states to help cut down on travel time even further.

Travel Based on the Time of Year

Time of year is something that can make travel easier and more difficult depending on where you are. When you're making your way to every state, make sure this is working for you instead of against you. The easiest way is to think about how weather may affect you.

Traveling in the northern parts of the contiguous 48 states in the dead of winter, for example, will likely mean you could run into less-than-ideal or even hazardous weather. On the other hand, this is a great time to travel through the Southwest. If you're visiting Alaska, mid-May through September is prime visiting season, while November is when you'll find the cheapest flights.

Take Advantage of Layovers

Speaking of flights, visiting all 50 states is a great way to take advantage of long layovers. If a layover has you stuck in a city for more than a few hours, see if there are any nearby states you can check off your list.

For example, a layover in New York could let you easily check off New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, or Rhode Island. Depending on how long your layover is, you may even be able to make it further.

Join a Club

If you're looking for more help hitting all the states you want to visit, consider joining a club. Groups like the All Fifty States Club are dedicated to helping people make it to every state. You'll find people of all ages with different goals. Some want to take their time while others are less patient.

If you're the type who likes a challenge, these clubs will even measure record times. There are people who have visited all 50 states in five and a half days. Do you think you can do better? There's only one way to find out.

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Visiting All 50 States (My Checklist)

If there’s one thing that COVID taught me, it’s that there’s a lot to see closer to home. 

I’ve always done more travel in the US than internationally, but I tend to be drawn back to the same places and there’s just soooo much to see in this country. Visiting all 50 states has always been a loose goal of mine, but when I started to plan out my travel schedule this year, I decided to really prioritize travel within the continental US and start picking away at travel to new states. 

I’m not really a bucket list traveler. I don’t have rules on what counts as a state visit, but my goal isn’t just to cross states off my list. It’s to actually spend time in each state (in multiple places especially if it’s a large state) and really get a feel for what that state is all about. 

In 2022, one of my big travel focuses is to drive the full Route 66 (all 2500 miles) from Chicago to LA which will bring visits to a few new states, but mostly visits to new areas of states I’ve already visited. 

I’ll keep this list updated, not just as I visit new states, but as I add more content to this blog for states that I’ve already visited (like I said before, I like to go back to places multiple times). 

Where I’m From & Where I’ve Lived (2)

Oklahoma : I’m born and raised in Oklahoma so I’ve done and seen a bit here, but like it often is wherever you’re from, you tend to spend your time just working and living and spend your travel time going to other places. But I’ve been making more of an effort to see and do things closer to home. I’m spending more time in Oklahoma City since it has so much to offer, but I’m also planning trips to places farther from home like Broken Bow and the Wichita Mountains. And I’ve got a list of Native American cultural sites that are maintained by certain tribes like the Cherokee complex in Tahlequah and the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur. Find all of my Oklahoma posts here . 

Hawaii : I lived on Maui for a while and spent my time exploring all of the different islands and then started this travel blog that was originally only about Hawaii so I’ve traveled back and forth to Hawaii a LOT. I’ve visited all six visitable islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii, Molokai, and Lanai and I’ve written a lot about it. Find all of my Hawaii posts here . 

States I’ve Visited (22)

Alabama : This has been mostly a drive through (or overnight stop on a road trip) state for me on the way to Florida gulf coast, but I have spent a couple of days in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area. A trip to Birmingham is high on my list as I’m a huge Southern Living fan and I’ve also heard that it’s one of the best places to shop for French antiques outside of France. I also keep hearing a lot about Huntsville so I’d like to check that out as well. 

Arkansas : Despite being so close to Oklahoma, I haven’t done much in Arkansas yet except drive through on the way to somewhere else. I love Bentonville though! And I have been to a Razorbacks game (pig sooie!) and that seems like an Arkansas right of passage. I’d like to spend some time in Little Rock to see the Clinton Presidential Library and the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. I also want to visit Hot Springs (the National Park here looks amazing) and dig for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park. 

California : I’ve made it a goal to up my blog coverage of California like I have for Florida because there are DOZENS of places I want to go in California. I’ve done a bit of Socal including Disneyland, Laguna, the typical LA/Hollywood things, and San Diego but always in a bit of a whirlwind. High on my California list are Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Napa, and about a million other places. 

Colorado : I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Colorado as it was one of the states we traveled to most when I was a kid. I’ve visited mostly in the summer, but one of my goals is to learn how to snowboard (well) so I have more of an incentive to go during the winter. I’ve spent quite a bit of time around Steamboat Springs and Ouray/Silverton/Telluride but also been to the Breckenridge/Keystone area a couple of times. I’d like to spend more time in Aspen and Vail (who doesn’t?) and check out Colorado Springs and Boulder. 

Florida : Florida is hands down the state I’ve traveled to the most and I’ve made a big push in the last 18 months or so to cover it well for my blog. I’ve been to Disney a million times since I was a kid (I’m often an annual passholder), and we’ve always gone for family vacations to the gulf coast (30a is one of my favorite places in the world), to Longboat Key near Sarasota, and to Sanibel. I’ve traveled up and down the gulf coast pretty extensively, but I haven’t spent much time on the Atlantic coast. I did a couple of trips to Miami in 2021 and really started to like it (not a fan of South Beach on the first trip), and I’m still planning to go back to visit the Keys plus I want to go to Palm Beach, St Augustine, and Amelia Island. Find all of my Florida posts here . 

Indiana : I’ve been to Indianapolis a few times to work the NFL Combine, but haven’t seen much beyond a downtown hotel, the convention center, and the stadium. 

Illinois : This is a recent one for me. On my Route 66 trip to St Louis I crossed over to Illinois to see the Chain of Rocks Bridge. I’m planning my Route 66 Illinois road trip for later this summer and it will include plenty of time in Springfield to see all of the Abraham Lincoln sites plus of course, Chicago. 

Kansas : Another state that despite being so close to where I live, I haven’t spent much time here. I’ve driven through it quite a bit, and spent some time in Kansas City, but I most recently clipped the corner on my Route 66 Kansas trip . 

Louisiana : I’ve been to New Orleans a couple of times (only for a couple of days on road trips), but it’s been awhile. 

Mississippi : So far this is a drive through state for me. But I’ve got my eye on Tupelo and Oxford and I’d like to see the new Civil Rights museum in Jackson. 

Missouri : My grandparents live in Springfield, so I’ve spent quite a bit of time around there and Branson plus St Louis. And I’ve seen a lot more recently on my Route 66 Missouri road trip. Kansas City and St Louis are both cities that I’d like to spend more time in. Find all of my Missouri posts here .

Montana : One of my friends lived in Billings for a while and I visited several times. Montana is so beautiful! I’ve been to Yellowstone a couple of times, but it’s still on my list to make it all the way up to Glacier National Park. 

Nebraska : I’ve only driven through Nebraska, but it’s surprisingly high on my list of states to visit again. My dad was born in Scotts Bluff and I’d like to check out Lincoln and Omaha. 

Nevada : I did a quick trip to visit a friend near Reno and LOVED Lake Tahoe. I’d like to go back and spend more time there. And of course, I still need to go to Las Vegas. 

New Mexico : I’d been to Santa Fe and through Albuquerque a few times when I was a kid, but my aunt and uncle just bought a house in Angel Fire so I’ve been spending more time in that area and it’s so beautiful! I really love Taos. I’m very excited for my Route 66 New Mexico road trip to finally get to stay at the Blue Swallow in Tucumceri and see more areas in western New Mexico. FInd all of my New Mexico posts here . 

New York : I’ve been to NYC quite a few times and really love it. I’m planning to go back for the US Open this year. I’ve also spent quite a bit of time upstate around the Hudson Valley and Saratoga Spring. It’s a state that I’d like to spend more time in. I could go just to NYC multiple times a year and never be bored. 

Pennsylvania : I’ve spent the day in Philadelphia as a day trip from Washington DC to see all of the historic sites like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross’ House, etc. But there’s so much to see in Pennsylvania that I feel like I definitely need a full trip (maybe a few). 

South Dakota: It surprised me how much I liked South Dakota. We went mostly to see Mount Rushmore (which I LOVED), but everything I saw in the few days I was there made me want to go back for longer. Mount Rushmore was where I got my first National Parks Passport stamp!

Tennessee : I’ve been to Memphis a couple of times when the University of Tulsa played in the Liberty Bowl and I’ve seen Graceland and the ducks at the Peabody Hotel, but I’ve really been wanting to get back to Memphis lately. I did my first trip to Nashville earlier this year and overwhelmed myself with ALL of the country music things. I think I’ll be back. And I HAVE to see the Smoky Mountains and Dollywood at least once in my life. Find all of my Tennessee posts here . 

Texas : Being so close to Oklahoma, I’ve been to quite a few places in Texas, but it’s such a huge state and I’ve got a long list of places I want to go and go back to. I recently visited Fort Worth for the first time and fell in love. I’ve made it a habit of shopping in Dallas (trying to do more there lately). And I’ve been to Austin, San Antonio, and the Hill Country. Find all of my Texas posts here . 

Virginia : I visited Arlington and Mount Vernon when I was in DC, but Virginia definitely needs a full trip.

Wyoming : What’s not to love about Wyoming? I’ve been to Jackson and Yellowstone and they’re places that I would never get tired of visiting over and over. I’ve also been to Cody one of the times I did Yellowstone. 

Washington DC : I’ve been to DC a few times and it just might be one of my favorite cities in the US. There is an endless amount of things to see and do and it’s one of those places that I could visit multiple times a year. It’s on my lifelong bucket list to visit when the cherry blossoms are blooming. 

States I Haven’t Visited YET (26)

Connecticut

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

North Carolina

North Dakota

Rhode Island

South Carolina

West Virginia

A Detailed Overview Of The Best U.S. States To Visit With Kids

• Published on November 17, 2022
• by The Mom Trotter
• in North America , Travel , Travel Destinations , USA States

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Table of Contents

We love traveling as a family and exploring the world, within the United States of America and Internationally as well. However, It was never a goal for our family visit all 50 states.

“Mom, I want to travel around all of America. I want to visit allllllll the states in America. Can you please take me Mom” Aiden Akpan, 5 Years Old

When Aiden first told me that he wanted to visit all the states in America, I giggled and thought, how awesome. but didn’t put much thought into it.

But then, I thought to myself, why not? What was stopping us from doing it? Nothing at all. If Aiden wanted to travel the United States of America, then I’ll do my best to make sure that he gets to do that.

The more we began to look at the map of the United States as a family, the more I realized how attainable this goal was. And so I decided that we should definitely make it a family goal.

That’s when we decided we were going to visit ALL 50 states in America.

The first state Aiden visited was Nevada at just 6 months old. He was excited to be someplace new, taking in all the sights and sounds. People always ask me “Why bother? He’ll never remember it anyways.”

And my response is always the same “It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t remember this trip or any trip we take because I do, and that matters too.” In fact, I remember him looking everywhere, I remember the memories I made with him on this trip. I remember him enjoying being in a different place other than home, and smiling, giggling and everything.

Those memories of our first trip matter to me! My memories count too. We are always so quick to think about kids forgetting things, but what about the parents memories too?

When we decided to take on this challenge as a family, Aiden had already visited about 15 states at just five years old, so I knew we were on the right track. I also decided that I will make sure to include my nieces and nephew on as many trips as we could.

How To Visit All 50 States?

The United States of America are made up of 50 states, 1 federal district ( Washington D. C. ), and 5 territories. Our goal is to travel all 50 states, however I decided to include the 5 territories. Might as well right?

So far, we have been able to visit over 20 states by traveling on a major budget. If you’ve been following my blog for some time now, then you know that budget travel is my thing.

I want to travel the world, but I don’t want to be broke or knee deep in debt. Plus, I’m not a millionaire, so budget travel is the only way to go for me.

We have no exact method, plan drawn out or exact order in which we will do this. We will just travel to as many states as we can and then continue to add it to the list below.

Below are a few tips on how we plan to visit all 50 states:

Following The Sale

My motto is “Follow the sale, Not the location” simply meaning we will travel to whatever state is affordable and whatever state has affordable airfare to get to. We will use that as our basis to visit all 50 states.

Visiting Nearby States On One Trip

When we visited Chicago , the cost of our round trip tickets were $40 on Frontier Airlines . After spending a few days in Chicago, we took a Greyhound bus to Wisconsin which was just 3.5 hours away. By doing this, we were able to knock out two states on one trip.

Taking A Road Trip

Our family loves going on road trips. And by doing this we are also able to visit several states on our bucket list in one trip. On our most recent RV trip, we visited all 5 National Parks in Utah, as well as Nevada and Arizona.

Living in an RV

We sold our home and moved into an RV so that we can spend more time together, become financially independent and travel the US as well. Living in an RV has made it so easy for us to see the US.

You can refer to these blog posts for all your budget travel needs

What is the Fastest Way To Visit All 50 States?

As I mentioned above, for us we decided to choose which states to visit based on cost first, location second. However if your goal is to visit all 50 states in a specific timeline, here are my tips:

• Plan ahead. Coordination is going to be key: Any time spent in indecision will just slow you down.
• Go by region: This cuts your travel time in half, so you can typically knock out a couple of states at a time. For example, plan your trip to New England, the South, West Coast, North, etc.
• Use long layovers efficiently OR avoid them altogether. If you have an extremely long layover, use it as a chance to see that state or city as a part of your trip plan. Otherwise, avoid them altogether so you don’t waste precious time.
• Utilize red eyes. Whether it’s flying or driving, traveling while you sleep is an efficient use of time. If you swing it and not be too exhausted and have enough energy for your day trip. You can travel, sleep, wake up, and be ready to explore!
• Make exploring via car a part of your travel plans. This one works great for National Parks. But basically you can plan your route so that you get to see the National Park or parts of National Parks, on your way to your next location.

What States Have We Been To?

Each state is listed below in alphabetical order. Eventually, I plan to have at least one blog post for each state, so that if you are planning a trip, you’ll have a list of kid friendly things to do there with or without your kids.

United States

• Things To Do In Huntsville, Alabama With Kids

• Things To Do In Hot Springs, Arkansas With Kids
• Things To Do In Little Rock, Arkansas With kids

• Things To Do In Los Angeles With or Without Kids
• Los Angeles to San Diego On The Amtrak Train

• Winter Park Ski Trip With Kids
• How To Spend The Weekend In Denver With Kids
• Things To Do In Breckenridge In The Summer With Kids

Connecticut

• The Best Things To Do In Miami With Kids
• Fun Things To Do And See In Orlando With Kids
• The Best Things To See, Do And Eat In The Florida Keys
• 60+ Things To Do In Orlando With Kids Besides Theme Parks
• Tips For Planning Your First Trip To Disney World
• How To Visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom In One Day
• Complete List Of Items Banned At Disney World

• 16 Of The Best Things To Do In Atlanta With Kids

• Things To Do In Chicago With Kids

• Things To Do In Indianapolis, Indiana With Kids

• Best Things To Do In Kansas City, Kansas With Kids

• Things To Do In New Orleans + New Orleans Itinerary

• Things To Do In Portland, Maine

Massachusetts

• Things To Do In Minneapolis With Kids

Mississippi

• Things To Do In Jackson, Mississippi With Kids

• Best Things To Do In Kansas City, Missouri With Kids

• Family Friendly Things To Do In Las Vegas
• Budget Friendly Things To Do In Las Vegas

New Hampshire

50+ Best Things to Do in New York City with Kids: Where To Stay, Play & Eat

North Carolina

North Dakota

• Things To Do In Cleveland, Ohio With Kids

• Things To Do In Portland Oregon

Pennsylvania

• Things To Do In Pittsburgh

Rhode Island

South Carolina

• Things To Do In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina With Kids

South Dakota

• Deer Valley Ski Resort With Kids
• RVing Through All The National Parks In Utah

West Virginia

• Things To Do In Door County
• Things To Do In Wisconsin Dells
• Best Wisconsin Dells Water Parks
• Must Try Wisconsin Dells Restaurants

Federal District

Washington, district of colombia, united states territories.

American Samoa

Capital – Pago Pago

Capital – Hagatna

Northern Mariana Islands

Capital – Saipan

Puerto Rico

• Best Caribbean Islands For Kids That Are Affordable

U.S. Virgin Islands

St croix island.

• Things To Do In St Croix

Island of St John

• Things To Do In St John

The Island of St Thomas

• Things To Do In St Thomas

Hey Fam, I’m so glad you’re here! I am an entrepreneur and travel enthusiast who is passionate about sharing an alternate way of living surrounding travel, homeschooling, parenting and financial independence, with a mission to inspire other families.

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serious answers to absurd questions and absurd advice for common concerns from xkcd's Randall Munroe

Visit Every State

How fast could you visit all 50 states?

—as discussed by Stephen Von Worley on Data Pointed

This week's article is a little different. Instead of answering one of your questions, I'm going to look at someone else's answer to a question, and how thinking about that answer raised some new questions of my own. Eventually, the whole thing sucked me down a rabbit hole of calculations from which I barely escaped.

In the summer of 2012, the blog Twelve Mile Circle posted an article about the search for a 24-hour-long Google Maps route that visits as many US states as possible. They found that the maximum was about 19 or 20 states.

If you can visit 19 or 20 states in 24 hours, how long would it take to visit all 50? Stephen Von Worley read the article and did some calculating. He came up with a 6,813-mile route that visited the contiguous 48 states, then wrote an article on Data Pointed discussing how long the journey would take using different types of transportation.

His conclusion:

• • 160 hours by car (plus airline flights to Alaska and Hawaii)
• • 39 hours by private jet (landing in each state)
• • 18 hours by F-22 fighter jet and helicopter (landing in each state)

And he stopped there.

Recently, someone sent me Stephen's article. I enjoyed it, but I got curious: Were there faster ways?

First of all, there are technically faster planes than the F-22. The SR-71 Blackbird is, by some measures, [1] Rocket planes are faster, but only over short distances, and usually don't take off on their own. Orbital rockets are much faster because getting to space is mainly a problem of going as fast as possible . ​ [2] The X-15 rocket plane, was about twice as fast as the SR-71, and is the only aircraft to fly up to space. the fastest plane. It holds the record for the fastest trip from New York to London. It's fast enough that if you fly it along the Equator going west, even with pauses to refuel, you'll see the Sun rise in the west and set in the east. [3] I just came across this positively stunning firsthand account by Bill Weaver, an SR-71 test pilot. In 1966, Weaver was flying an SR-71 at full speed, Mach 3.18, when it abruptly and catastrophically disintegrated. Somehow, he survived the breakup. He didn't eject; the plane just tore itself apart around him and scattered in all directions. In other words, he suddenly found himself flying along at Mach 3.18 ... without his plane. It's a mind-boggling story. If you relax the requirement to land—so you just need to pass over the borders into the state—an SR-71 using aerial refueling could fly Stephen's route—plus trips to Juneau and Honolulu—in about 7 hours. [4] Or possibly more. It couldn't fly his route exactly, since at full speed the plane's turning radius is something like 100 miles.

And if we're not bothering to land in each state—if we're just trying to through the state's airspace—some new possibilities open up. This is where I got thoroughly nerd-sniped .

Satellites in orbit are an order of magnitude faster than even the SR-71. An object in low Earth orbit can cross the entire US in minutes. Furthermore, a satellite in a polar orbit will eventually pass over every state, since the Earth turns slowly under its orbital path, but hitting all 50 states this way would take many days.

I started to wonder how many orbits were required, and whether a satellite doing carefully planned course corrections could pass over all 50 states faster than the 7+ hours needed by an aircraft.

If you allow the satellite to change course an unlimited number of times, it can just forget about orbits completely, following a twisty course that stays over the US. At that point, it simply becomes a question of how much fuel you're allowing it to have.

Instead, I started considering another version of the problem: What if your satellite that had to coast while near the US, but could fire thrusters on the far side of the Earth once per orbit, putting it on a new course for each pass? How many passes would be required to visit every state then?

I had previously written some code for analyzing airplane routes to help me answer the question in "Flyover States" chapter in the What If book . I repurposed this code to tackle my satellite question.

For a while, the best my math could come up with was a set of six orbits that crossed all 50 states:

I decided that 6 was probably the limit; I just couldn't figure out a way to do it with 5. But I left my computer churning on the problem for an evening, searching through combinations of orbits, and yesterday morning ...

... it came up with a solution that does it in 5.

Those 5 orbits cross over all 50 states ... and DC, for good measure. They're all slightly curved, since the Earth is turning under the satellites, but it turns out that this arrangement of lines also works for the much simpler version of the question that ignores orbital motion: "How many straight (great-circle) lines does it take to intersect every state?" For both versions of the question, my best answer is a version of the arrangement above.

I don't know for sure that 5 is the absolute minimum; it's possible there's a way to do it with four, but my guess is that there isn't. Perhaps there's a way to get just the 48 contiguous states with 4 lines, but I haven't found it yet.

If you want to play with arrangements of lines, you can use the Google Earth path-drawing tool. It's a little clumsy, but it works. If anyone finds a way (or proof that it's impossible) I'd love to see it!

Bringing things back to Stephen's original question, the 5 orbits (four, really, since you could start and end over on the US side) would take just over six hours to complete, including the three maneuvers over the Indian Ocean. In other words, in a spacecraft, you could beat even the fastest airplane.

Of course, those right-angle turns would take a lot of fuel—and, as mentioned before—if you were really trying to set this record, you would just need to get as much fuel as possible and fly a space figure-8 that stayed above the country. [5] Or in a hyperloop, I guess.

Either way, one thing's for sure: In the time I spent doing all that calculation, I probably could have just visited all those states by walking.

But the calculating was fun.

Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

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