Randal S. Olson · Optimal road trips
An optimized road trip to 21 U.S. state capitols
Restored in 2026 with open data. Originally published June 5, 2016. Read the original post . Routes are recomputed on OpenStreetMap, so distances can differ from the original.
Stops 21round trip
Distance 3,594 mi5,785 km
Time driving 72.6 hours3 days nonstop
Legs 21all by road
Take the route with you
Google Maps Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Apple Maps Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Stops in order
1 State House 164 mi (264 km), 3 h 14 min driving to 2. Maine State House 2 Maine State House 181 mi (291 km), 4 h 26 min driving to 3. Vermont State House 3 Vermont State House 170 mi (273 km), 3 h 55 min driving to 4. New York State Capitol 4 New York State Capitol 291 mi (469 km), 5 h 51 min driving to 5. Pennsylvania State Capitol Building 5 Pennsylvania State Capitol Building 361 mi (581 km), 6 h 51 min driving to 6. West Virginia State Capitol 6 West Virginia State Capitol 164 mi (263 km), 3 h 21 min driving to 7. Ohio State Capitol 7 Ohio State Capitol 175 mi (282 km), 3 h 25 min driving to 8. Indiana State Capitol 8 Indiana State Capitol 164 mi (265 km), 3 h 8 min driving to 9. Kentucky State Capitol Building 9 Kentucky State Capitol Building 207 mi (334 km), 3 h 55 min driving to 10. Tennessee State Capitol 10 Tennessee State Capitol 281 mi (452 km), 5 h 11 min driving to 11. Alabama State Capitol 11 Alabama State Capitol 161 mi (259 km), 2 h 59 min driving to 12. Georgia State Capitol 12 Georgia State Capitol 212 mi (342 km), 3 h 57 min driving to 13. South Carolina State House 13 South Carolina State House 225 mi (363 km), 4 h 17 min driving to 14. North Carolina State Capitol 14 North Carolina State Capitol 154 mi (248 km), 3 h 11 min driving to 15. Virginia State Capitol 15 Virginia State Capitol 140 mi (225 km), 2 h 51 min driving to 16. Maryland State House 16 Maryland State House 66 mi (106 km), 1 h 34 min driving to 17. Legislative Hall: The State Capitol 17 Legislative Hall: The State Capitol 113 mi (182 km), 2 h 22 min driving to 18. New Jersey State House 18 New Jersey State House 171 mi (276 km), 3 h 56 min driving to 19. Connecticut State Capitol 19 Connecticut State Capitol 76 mi (122 km), 1 h 42 min driving to 20. Rhode Island State House 20 Rhode Island State House 49 mi (79 km), 1 h 8 min driving to 21. Massachusetts State House 21 Massachusetts State House 68 mi (110 km), 1 h 24 min driving to 1. State House