Randal S. Olson · Optimal road trips
The optimal road trip across the USA according to machine learning
Restored in 2026 with open data. Originally published March 8, 2015. Read the original post . Routes are recomputed on OpenStreetMap, so distances can differ from the original.
Stops 47round trip
Distance 12,245 mi19,707 km
Time driving 235 hours9.8 days nonstop
Legs 47all by road
The original post quoted 12,290 mi.
Take the route with you
Google Maps Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Apple Maps Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Stops in order
1 Oklahoma City 159 mi (256 km), 2 h 51 min driving to 2. Wichita 2 Wichita 520 mi (837 km), 8 h 54 min driving to 3. Denver 3 Denver 446 mi (718 km), 7 h 48 min driving to 4. Albuquerque 4 Albuquerque 419 mi (674 km), 7 h 55 min driving to 5. Phoenix 5 Phoenix 286 mi (461 km), 6 h 1 min driving to 6. Las Vegas 6 Las Vegas 567 mi (913 km), 10 h 35 min driving to 7. San Francisco 7 San Francisco 634 mi (1,020 km), 12 h 14 min driving to 8. Portland 8 Portland 174 mi (281 km), 3 h 30 min driving to 9. Seattle 9 Seattle 491 mi (790 km), 9 h 7 min driving to 10. Boise 10 Boise 371 mi (597 km), 6 h 11 min driving to 11. Park City 11 Park City 254 mi (409 km), 5 h 8 min driving to 12. Jackson 12 Jackson 284 mi (457 km), 6 h 55 min driving to 13. Billings 13 Billings 661 mi (1,064 km), 11 h 31 min driving to 14. Sioux Falls 14 Sioux Falls 181 mi (292 km), 3 h 14 min driving to 15. Omaha 15 Omaha 134 mi (216 km), 2 h 30 min driving to 16. Des Moines 16 Des Moines 244 mi (393 km), 4 h 31 min driving to 17. Minneapolis 17 Minneapolis 337 mi (543 km), 6 h 14 min driving to 18. Milwaukee 18 Milwaukee 89 mi (144 km), 1 h 53 min driving to 19. Chicago 19 Chicago 181 mi (291 km), 3 h 39 min driving to 20. Indianapolis 20 Indianapolis 114 mi (183 km), 2 h 9 min driving to 21. Louisville 21 Louisville 208 mi (334 km), 4 h 5 min driving to 22. Columbus 22 Columbus 199 mi (320 km), 4 h 2 min driving to 23. Detroit 23 Detroit 169 mi (272 km), 3 h 16 min driving to 24. Cleveland 24 Cleveland 631 mi (1,016 km), 13 h 11 min driving to 25. Manchester 25 Manchester 95 mi (153 km), 1 h 56 min driving to 26. Portland 26 Portland 107 mi (171 km), 2 h 10 min driving to 27. Boston 27 Boston 50 mi (80 km), 1 h 8 min driving to 28. Providence 28 Providence 104 mi (168 km), 2 h 6 min driving to 29. New Haven 29 New Haven 81 mi (130 km), 2 h 2 min driving to 30. New York City 30 New York City 129 mi (208 km), 2 h 47 min driving to 31. Ocean City 31 Ocean City 65 mi (105 km), 1 h 26 min driving to 32. Philadelphia 32 Philadelphia 28 mi (45 km), 45 min driving to 33. Wilmington 33 Wilmington 74 mi (119 km), 1 h 33 min driving to 34. Baltimore 34 Baltimore 40 mi (64 km), 1 h 1 min driving to 35. Washington 35 Washington 208 mi (335 km), 4 h 7 min driving to 36. Virginia Beach 36 Virginia Beach 346 mi (557 km), 6 h 53 min driving to 37. Charlotte 37 Charlotte 208 mi (335 km), 3 h 59 min driving to 38. Charleston 38 Charleston 379 mi (609 km), 7 h 18 min driving to 39. Orlando 39 Orlando 438 mi (704 km), 7 h 57 min driving to 40. Atlanta 40 Atlanta 247 mi (397 km), 4 h 40 min driving to 41. Nashville 41 Nashville 191 mi (307 km), 3 h 29 min driving to 42. Birmingham 42 Birmingham 237 mi (382 km), 4 h 21 min driving to 43. Jackson 43 Jackson 186 mi (299 km), 3 h 30 min driving to 44. New Orleans 44 New Orleans 348 mi (560 km), 6 h 33 min driving to 45. Houston 45 Houston 434 mi (699 km), 8 h driving to 46. Little Rock 46 Little Rock 170 mi (274 km), 3 h 49 min driving to 47. Branson 47 Branson 325 mi (523 km), 5 h 49 min driving to 1. Oklahoma City