The United States is a huge country. Its total area is no less than 3,796,742 square miles (9,833,517 square kilometers). That includes 3,531,905 square miles (9,147,593 square kilometers) of land and 264,837 square miles (685,924 square kilometers) of area covered with water.
This whole area has been subdivided into 50 states. The final 2 states to join the Union were Alaska followed by Hawaii. They both joined in 1959.
In addition to the 50 states, there is also the District of Columbia, which is the capital of the United States. Althouth this is not officially a state, it has many of the same powers as a state.
How long will it take me to travel across the United States from West to East or otherwise from North to South?
If you want to set up a new world record and don’t mind not experiencing much of the country’s sights, sounds, and cultures, you can, for example, decide to drive across the U.S. from West to East or from North to South (or vice versa) as quickly as possible.
How long this will take depends on quite a few factors. If you drive across the United States from North to South, the shortest route is about 13,699 miles (22,046 kilometers) long. This route would take at least nine days of driving or 224 hours in total.
The shortest possible route to drive across the United States from East to West is around 2,736 miles (4,401 kilometers). This route would take somewhere in the region of 38 hours of driving, or 7.6 days.
There are, however, many factors that can affect the amount of time it takes to drive across the U.S., including the following:
– The time of year you choose to do the trip. If you travel during the summer, you’ll likely have more traffic and longer driving times.
– The weather. If you’re traveling during the winter, however, you may need to factor in delays caused by snow and ice.
– Your interests. If you’re interested in hiking, camping, or other outdoor activities, you should allow more time for the journey.
– The speed limit. The speed limit on the majority of interstate highways in the U.S. is 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour). There are, however, a couple of sections of highway where it is lower.
– The number of stops you make. If you make a lot of stops along the way, your trip will obviously take longer.
If you want to save time, you can try to avoid driving during peak traffic hours and always take the most direct route. You can also plan your trip so that you’re not driving during the winter months.
Visiting every state in the U.S.
It’s one thing to drive at breakneck speed across the United States from North to South or from East to West. It’s quite another thing to visit all 50 states.
The current record for driving non-stop into every single one of the forty-eight southern states was set in July 2021. The trip (in a Mercedes S class) covered 6677 miles and took just over 86 hours.
The team only stopped for fuel, definitely not to smell the roses. The latter might have been accomplished by a guy called Randy Olson, who was a postdoctoral researcher at the time. His trip across the U.S. involved a total of 2,256 direction changes, but it got him to all the state capitals in the lower 48 states by covering a total distance of ‘only’ 13,310 miles. His travel time was around 8.5 days, but he added quite a bit of time to explore.
If you are able to keep up an average speed of not less than 55 mph, do only the necessary stops, and have more than one driver, it is (at least in theory) possible to visit every contiguous state in the U.S. in around 124 hours.
This trip cuts as many corners as humanly possible. It begins at South Berwick in Main and the last stop is Taft in Montana. In many instances, it merely covers the outer limits of states such as the Four Corners of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Here one would have only enough time to quickly jump out of the vehicle and stroll around the Four Corners without driving deeper into New Mexico and Arizona at all.
If this sounds like the way you would like to experience the United States, probably the most practical mode of transport would be a smallish box truck that is fitted with at least a small gas stove, a fridge, and sleeping space for the 2 or more drivers.
Getting to Alaska and Hawaii
One can of course not drive to the island of Hawaii, you will have to fly there. If your goal is to visit all the U.S. states as quickly as possible, that is also the fastest way to get to Alaska. Flying to both these states would take about 36 hours (if there are no delays).
If you would like to make the whole trip by road, however, then it’s quite possible to travel by road via British Columbia in Canada.
How long would it take to travel around the U.S. while exploring what every state has to offer?
The amount of time it will take to travel around the U.S. and explore all the tourist sites depends on how much of the country you want to see, how you plan to travel, and how much time you have available.
If you want to see the entire country and explore all the major tourist sites, it could easily take years of traveling.
Irrespective of how much time you have, there are (in our opinion) just too many amazing places to see in the United States for a single trip.
Particularly if you’re on a tight schedule, you might instead focus on a specific region or city and still have a great time.
Here are a few examples:
New York City and the surrounding area
You could spend a week or more exploring New York City, including visiting the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and Central Park. You could also take day trips to places like Philadelphia, Washington DC, and the Catskills.
The U.S. West Coast
Another option is to spend two weeks or more exploring the West Coast, including places like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Grand Canyon. You can also take day trips to places such as Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, and Napa Valley.
The South
Here we recommend two weeks or more exploring places like New Orleans, Memphis, and the Great Smoky Mountains. A good idea would be to also take day trips to places like the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Natchez Trace Parkway, and the Gulf Coast.
Here are a couple of tips for planning a trip to the United States:
– Start by deciding how much time you have and what you want to see. This will help you narrow down your options and create a realistic itinerary.
– Do proper research and make a list of the places you want to visit. This will help you stay organized and help to ensure that you don’t miss anything.
– Book your accommodation, flights, and activities well in advance. This will help to save money and avoid disappointment.
Perhaps most importantly, however, have fun! The United States is a great country to visit, so make sure you enjoy your trip.