Randal S. Olson · Optimal road trips
An optimized road trip to 26 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 26round trip
Distance 4,877 mi7,848 km
Time driving 97.2 hours4.1 days nonstop
Legs 26all 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 116 mi (186 km), 2 h 19 min driving to 2. Vermont State House 2 Vermont State House 170 mi (273 km), 3 h 55 min driving to 3. New York State Capitol 3 New York State Capitol 197 mi (318 km), 4 h 9 min driving to 4. New Jersey State House 4 New Jersey State House 125 mi (202 km), 2 h 27 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 187 mi (301 km), 3 h 40 min driving to 8. Kentucky State Capitol Building 8 Kentucky State Capitol Building 163 mi (263 km), 3 h 8 min driving to 9. Indiana State Capitol 9 Indiana State Capitol 209 mi (336 km), 3 h 59 min driving to 10. Illinois State Capitol 10 Illinois State Capitol 339 mi (546 km), 6 h 17 min driving to 11. Iowa State Capitol 11 Iowa State Capitol 191 mi (308 km), 3 h 32 min driving to 12. Nebraska State Capitol 12 Nebraska State Capitol 167 mi (269 km), 3 h 23 min driving to 13. 300 SW 10th Ave 13 300 SW 10th Ave 219 mi (352 km), 4 h 1 min driving to 14. Missouri State Capitol 14 Missouri State Capitol 337 mi (542 km), 7 h 3 min driving to 15. Arkansas State Capitol 15 Arkansas State Capitol 256 mi (412 km), 5 h 21 min driving to 16. 400-498 N West St 16 400-498 N West St 248 mi (399 km), 4 h 51 min driving to 17. Alabama State Capitol 17 Alabama State Capitol 161 mi (259 km), 2 h 59 min driving to 18. Georgia State Capitol 18 Georgia State Capitol 212 mi (342 km), 3 h 57 min driving to 19. South Carolina State House 19 South Carolina State House 225 mi (363 km), 4 h 17 min driving to 20. North Carolina State Capitol 20 North Carolina State Capitol 154 mi (248 km), 3 h 11 min driving to 21. Virginia State Capitol 21 Virginia State Capitol 140 mi (225 km), 2 h 51 min driving to 22. Maryland State House 22 Maryland State House 66 mi (106 km), 1 h 34 min driving to 23. Legislative Hall: The State Capitol 23 Legislative Hall: The State Capitol 276 mi (445 km), 5 h 54 min driving to 24. Connecticut State Capitol 24 Connecticut State Capitol 76 mi (122 km), 1 h 42 min driving to 25. Rhode Island State House 25 Rhode Island State House 49 mi (79 km), 1 h 8 min driving to 26. Massachusetts State House 26 Massachusetts State House 68 mi (110 km), 1 h 24 min driving to 1. State House