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

Planning a great American road trip this year? This map has got you covered.
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.
It’s been a pretty tough year so far, what with Trump, the impending doom of Brexit and Ryan Gosling not winning that BAFTA for Best Actor, so we wouldn’t blame you if you were planning an epic road trip across the United States to banish those cerebral cobwebs.
To help you on your way to inner peace, 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.
To see the full interactive map, click here.
Here’s a full list (in order) of everything you’ll encounter on the epic road trip:
Grand Canyon, Arizona

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Visit more national parks on our adventurous eight-day trip to Utah and Colorado – highlights include hiking in Arches National Park and spotting black bears in Rocky Mountain National Park.
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
Looking for travel inspiration outside of the US? Browse our collections of Epic Trips, Mini Trips and Sailing Trips to explore the world with the help of our Local Insiders.
Love maps? Check out this handy map that shows you every single airport’s Wi-Fi codes across the world!
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.


KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
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.