Thrillist - An optimized road trip to the most beautiful places in the USA

Stops

48round trip

Distance

14,869 mi23,929 km

Time driving

306 hours12.8 days nonstop

Legs

48all by road

Take the route with you

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Stops in order

1. 1Ceasar's Head State Park70 mi (113 km), 1 h 53 min driving to 2. Craggy Gardens
2. 2Craggy Gardens247 mi (397 km), 5 h 1 min driving to 3. Ruby Falls
3. 3Ruby Falls268 mi (432 km), 5 h 25 min driving to 4. Natural Bridge State Park
4. 4Natural Bridge State Park218 mi (350 km), 4 h 24 min driving to 5. New River Gorge National River
5. 5New River Gorge National RiverReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Grandview Visitor Center (3.2 mi away)183 mi (295 km), 3 h 26 min driving to 6. Monticello Wine Trail
6. 6Monticello Wine Trail194 mi (312 km), 4 h 33 min driving to 7. St. Michaels Inn
7. 7St. Michaels Inn72 mi (116 km), 2 h driving to 8. Cape Henlopen State Park
8. 8Cape Henlopen State ParkReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Seaside Nature Center (1.2 mi away)211 mi (339 km), 4 h 29 min driving to 9. Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
9. 9Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park110 mi (178 km), 2 h 34 min driving to 10. Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park
10. 10Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park81 mi (130 km), 2 h 1 min driving to 11. Newport
11. 11Newport340 mi (548 km), 7 h 31 min driving to 12. Acadia National Park
12. 12Acadia National ParkReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Sand Beach lot on the Park Loop Road (2.3 mi away)219 mi (353 km), 5 h 39 min driving to 13. Cog Railway
13. 13Cog Railway30 mi (49 km), 44 min driving to 14. Northeast Kingdom
14. 14Northeast Kingdom163 mi (263 km), 3 h 19 min driving to 15. 66 Thunder Mountain Rd
15. 1566 Thunder Mountain RdReached by road via a separate drive point 0.7 mi away362 mi (582 km), 7 h 48 min driving to 16. Niagara Falls
16. 16Niagara Falls238 mi (382 km), 4 h 52 min driving to 17. Mount Washington
17. 17Mount Washington289 mi (465 km), 5 h 39 min driving to 18. Cincinnati Museum Center
18. 18Cincinnati Museum Center277 mi (446 km), 5 h 17 min driving to 19. Indiana Dunes State Park
19. 19Indiana Dunes State Park50 mi (80 km), 1 h 14 min driving to 20. Willis Tower
20. 20Willis Tower191 mi (308 km), 3 h 59 min driving to 21. Maquoketa Caves State Park
21. 21Maquoketa Caves State Park435 mi (701 km), 9 h 5 min driving to 22. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
22. 22Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore250 mi (402 km), 5 h 34 min driving to 23. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
23. 23Apostle Islands National Lakeshore218 mi (351 km), 5 h 9 min driving to 24. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
24. 24Boundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessReached by road via a separate drive point 19 mi away634 mi (1,021 km), 12 h 22 min driving to 25. Painted Canyon Visitor Center
25. 25Painted Canyon Visitor Center319 mi (514 km), 6 h 4 min driving to 26. Badlands National Park
26. 26Badlands National ParkReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass (26 mi away)245 mi (394 km), 4 h 57 min driving to 27. Courthouse Rock
27. 27Courthouse Rock518 mi (833 km), 10 h 24 min driving to 28. Yellowstone National Park
28. 28Yellowstone National ParkReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: West Thumb Geyser Basin parking (26 mi away)118 mi (190 km), 3 h 13 min driving to 29. Paradise Valley
29. 29Paradise Valley371 mi (597 km), 7 h 25 min driving to 30. Shoshone Falls
30. 30Shoshone Falls473 mi (761 km), 8 h 26 min driving to 31. Columbia River Gorge
31. 31Columbia River Gorge239 mi (384 km), 5 h 31 min driving to 32. Crater Lake
32. 32Crater LakeReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Rim Village Visitor Center (3.1 mi away)351 mi (565 km), 7 h 50 min driving to 33. Lake Tahoe
33. 33Lake TahoeReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Sand Harbor Visitor Center (9.9 mi away)310 mi (499 km), 6 h 14 min driving to 34. CA-1
34. 34CA-1636 mi (1,023 km), 12 h 11 min driving to 35. Frazier Wells
35. 35Frazier Wells414 mi (666 km), 8 h 24 min driving to 36. Bryce Canyon National Park
36. 36Bryce Canyon National ParkReached via the fixed 2026-09-26: Bryce Canyon Visitor Center on UT 63 (4.9 mi away)450 mi (725 km), 8 h 25 min driving to 37. Marble
37. 37Marble433 mi (697 km), 9 h 51 min driving to 38. Sandia Mountains
38. 38Sandia Mountains548 mi (882 km), 11 h 29 min driving to 39. Santa Elena Canyon
39. 39Santa Elena Canyon709 mi (1,141 km), 13 h 20 min driving to 40. Chickasaw National Recreation Area
40. 40Chickasaw National Recreation Area254 mi (409 km), 5 h 11 min driving to 41. Elk Falls
41. 41Elk Falls204 mi (329 km), 4 h 52 min driving to 42. Table Rock Lake
42. 42Table Rock Lake76 mi (122 km), 2 h 14 min driving to 43. Whitaker Point Trail (Hawksbill Crag)
43. 43Whitaker Point Trail (Hawksbill Crag)Reached by road via a separate drive point 1.1 mi away404 mi (650 km), 8 h 23 min driving to 44. Tishomingo State Park
44. 44Tishomingo State Park453 mi (729 km), 9 h 7 min driving to 45. Atchafalaya National Wildpark Refuge
45. 45Atchafalaya National Wildpark Refuge283 mi (456 km), 5 h 34 min driving to 46. Gulf Shores
46. 46Gulf Shores825 mi (1,328 km), 15 h 57 min driving to 47. Seven Mile Bridge
47. 47Seven Mile Bridge598 mi (963 km), 11 h 38 min driving to 48. Savannah Historic District
48. 48Savannah Historic District287 mi (462 km), 5 h 44 min driving to 1. Ceasar's Head State Park