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[getemngo]

I was thinking about how quickly you could drive through all of the lower 48 states, and that evolved into how many states you could visit by car in one day.

21 States in One Day

Barry Stiefel's 2003 record was a 26 hour "day" (midnight EDT to midnight CST, because he started on the night that DST ends)... so it was 21 states in one calendar day, but "only" 19 states in 24 hours. I feel like 24 hours is the only objective way to measure this. Is 20+ states in 24 hours possible?

I came up with a route that gets you 19 states in 1530 miles or 23:13, tying the record, one that goes far north of all the previous records' routes. If you could find a way to sneak in Vermont or Virginia, or drive like hell to Alabama on US 78, you'd have it... but you need to consider where you'd be during the morning and evening rush hours.

Does DC count as a state? Let's count it as a tiebreaker.

I think the two keys here are New England (get at least 5 of the 6 - a couple previous records skipped Vermont, but you could also probably also start on I-89 at the NH/VT border and skip Maine) and the cluster of TN/MS/AR/MO/IL/KY around Memphis. The best route between the two is the big question.

I've been trying different south/west ends too, like a Southern strategy, going through the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, the northwestern corner of Florida, and so on, ending on I-10 in Louisiana... but it looks much harder to pull off.

[Duke87]

Slight modification to include Virginia. 20 states, 1562 miles in 23:46.

Or in 1534 miles, 23:33.

And if we count DC, here's a way to get that plus 20 states in 23:49.

[Alps]

The more you're on freeways, especially in the Northeast, the more you'll beat Google's time by. I would bet there's a 21st state that can fit in a 24 hour window.

[getemngo]

Thanks for your work, Duke87! I never would have thought staying in Ohio for that long would actually save time. (No anti-Buckeye sentiment intended.)

The more you're on freeways, especially in the Northeast, the more you'll beat Google's time by. I would bet there's a 21st state that can fit in a 24 hour window.

Hard to say. Adding Vermont (i.e., moving your start point, and making I-95 in Maine your second point) adds 117 miles from I-89 at the NH border, or 133 miles from I-91 at the MA border. Adding Alabama (via US 78, coming from Memphis) adds 124 miles.

Conventional wisdom is that you can't average more than 60 mph on a long trip, factoring in gas and bathroom stops and unexpected traffic. I've done 65, and the previous record averaged 66, but we're talking 68-70 with these modified plans. Everything that day would have to be perfect.

[agentsteel53]

Conventional wisdom is that you can't average more than 60 mph on a long trip, factoring in gas and bathroom stops and unexpected traffic. I've done 65, and the previous record averaged 66, but we're talking 68-70 with these modified plans. Everything that day would have to be perfect.

I don't think I've averaged more than ~58 out east.  I've done 78 out west; that was about as exciting as it sounds.

[jeffandnicole]

If you read "The Big Day" in the OP's link, including PA in his planned routing is really where Stiefel fouled up.  Even if the PA Turnpike/I-95 connection was there, it still would've been faster for him to remain in NJ, cross over to 295 at Exits 7A, 7, or 4, then continue south to US 322 and then crossed the Commodore Barry Bridge into PA.  (I-76's Whitman Bridge would've worked as well)  That route is more direct, and he wouldn't have needed to go several miles into PA to pick up 95. (again, assuming the connection even existed).  And...he would've been on 65 mph roadways vs. 55 mph roadways for a longer period of time.

Barry Stiefel's 2003 record was a 26 hour "day" (midnight EDT to midnight CST, because he started on the night that DST ends)... so it was 21 states in one calendar day, but "only" 19 states in 24 hours. I feel like 24 hours is the only objective way to measure this. Is 20+ states in 24 hours possible?

That's OK...His '50 States In a Week' trip took 10 days.

[agentsteel53]

That's OK...His '50 States In a Week' trip took 10 days.

I'd like to see how he drove to #50.

the generally accepted record for 49 is something like 7 days, 1 hour.

[jeffandnicole]

I was thinking about how quickly you could drive through all of the lower 48 states, and that evolved into how many states you could visit by car in one day.

Not too long ago I started thinking this myself.  I based it on that I would need to return home on the same trip...not just a trip where I start in one state and end up somewhere else.

I came up with a basic route that not only hit all 48 states, but DC too.  And...Canada & Mexico as well.  11 or 12 days, and no doubling back (ie: not entering a state just to say I hit it, then making a u-e and returning back to the route I was on.  But...that was non-stop driving - not even for gas, sleep or food.  So it would be a bit longer than that.   Removing Canada and Mexico really doesn't save too much time surprisingly. Of course, waiting to cross the border checkpoints, taking the time to purchase car insurance for Mexico, and how you explain yourself to the border patrols may impact that time!

I then added Alaska onto the route too. I guess I forgot how far away Alaska was from Washington State, and the route necessary to get there.  That adds over 72 hours, round trip. Again - not including stops.  And that route would involving doubling back.  (Well, assuming one doesn't begin or end their trip there)

That's OK...His '50 States In a Week' trip took 10 days.

I'd like to see how he drove to #50.

Technically, I don't think he ever said driving all 50 states, or driving all 50 states continously.  Although if I did the trip, I would've rented a car in Hawaii just to say I drove in all 50 states.  I think he flew into Alaska as well.

[agentsteel53]

Blaine, WA to Hyder, AK is under 1000 miles.  not by much, but under.

[Brandon]

I was thinking about how quickly you could drive through all of the lower 48 states, and that evolved into how many states you could visit by car in one day.

Not too long ago I started thinking this myself.  I based it on that I would need to return home on the same trip...not just a trip where I start in one state and end up somewhere else.

That's OK...His '50 States In a Week' trip took 10 days.

I'd like to see how he drove to #50.

Technically, I don't think he ever said driving all 50 states, or driving all 50 states continously.  Although if I did the trip, I would've rented a car in Hawaii just to say I drove in all 50 states.  I think he flew into Alaska as well.

I think it could be done, but you'd need three to four people to do it right.  You rent a small class C RV and start the clock in Hyder, Alaska.  Basically, you could have one or two sleeping while one drives and one keeps the driver company.  You then have a toilet and shower on-board (necessities making fewer stops) as well as a real bed for sleep and a fridge.  We used one of these in 2010 when we moved my parents and their cats out to California from Illinois and were able to drive straight through in under 38 hours.

You then go through the northern tier to Maine, and then the southern tier back to California.  In California, you then make a beeline for LA or San Diego to hop a plane to Hawai'i and complete the drive.

I'll have to look later at a potential route, but I am convinced it could be done in this fashion.

[Brandon]

BTW, we did discuss this earlier: shortest road trip to include all lower 48 states and DC.

[wxfree]

I remember as a child thinking about driving to Hawaii, and how to be able to say you did it.  My conclusion was that it would require a boat with a large strong flat deck.  You'd drive the car around the deck an equal distance that the boat travels at the same speed.  It's about equivalent to a floating bridge; you'd drive the distance, and the car would end up actually being in Hawaii.

Obviously it would be very expensive and bring very little real value in return for the cost, but perhaps some eccentric roadgeek millionaire would do it.

[getemngo]

BTW, we did discuss this earlier: shortest road trip to include all lower 48 states and DC.

Didn't see that, but I was trying to avoid rehashing old topics, including the "most miles you've driven in a day" thread.

So, back on track, here's another article about this: Busy Days

Lots of talk about how to do this with European countries. Nothing for Australia, because the most you can do (4 states + 1 territory) is pretty boring.

Apparently, the record for Canada is 5 provinces.

• British Columbia to Ontario
• Ontario to Prince Edward Island
• NL to Prince Edward Island (my own invention)

Google claims you can do 6, but good luck with the ferry schedules.
I think 5 provinces + 1 territory could be feasible in one calendar day, using the DST and time zone tricks, but not in 24 hours.

There were also comments about the most states west of the Mississippi you could reach in a day, but not many people understood what "west of the Mississippi" means. I came up with 13.

• Louisiana to North Dakota, with lots of backtracking toward the end
• Minnesota to Four Corners

Another fun task: try the most states in 24 hours without including the original 13 colonies (since beginning or ending each record in New England loses its excitement). I found four methods to get 14, but only Minnesota to Florida looks cool and doesn't involve major backtracking. I suspect 15 is possible somehow.

[jbrocato]

I was thinking about how quickly you could drive through all of the lower 48 states, and that evolved into how many states you could visit by car in one day.

21 States in One Day

Barry Stiefel's 2003 record was a 26 hour "day" (midnight EDT to midnight CST, because he started on the night that DST ends)... so it was 21 states in one calendar day, but "only" 19 states in 24 hours. I feel like 24 hours is the only objective way to measure this. Is 20+ states in 24 hours possible?

This website has been taken down.  Does anybody know if there is another link to Barry's 21-state day description somewhere?

John Brocato

[ftballfan]

For European countries:
https://goo.gl/maps/hkrSKYnrNH7V8SUk6 - Portugal > Spain > France > Belgium > Luxembourg > Germany > Austria > Czechia
https://goo.gl/maps/c5ZfFBgawuX2BiHd9 - Spain > Andorra > France > Monaco > (France) > Italy > Slovenia > Croatia > Bosnia and Herzegovina > Montenegro > Albania

[Ketchup99]

I got:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/50.7621695,5.7045543/Skopje+%D0%A1%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%98%D0%B5/@46.98029,10.6501057,4.74z/data=!4m34!4m33!1m25!3m4!1m2!1d6.3788298!2d49.1377277!3s0x4794e3da348386c9:0xcb1234893fedec7a!3m4!1m2!1d13.6066279!2d46.5079521!3s0x477a7051fa6da2e7:0x8bce8a5a87184563!3m4!1m2!1d18.0043992!2d45.1491894!3s0x475db9fa48ade409:0x5bfdbc30b29f9646!3m4!1m2!1d21.683706!2d42.4842399!3s0x1354e573963f5183:0xc65c0ca25ecc0baa!3m4!1m2!1d21.6855724!2d42.4857539!3s0x1354e57424d254db:0xed358ac0191bc186!1m5!1m1!1s0x135415a58c9aa2a5:0xb2ed88c260872020!2m2!1d21.4254355!2d41.9981294!3e0 (2227km=1384mi=58mph, certainly doable especially with high European limits. If you can beat Google Maps and average 65, nothing like a quick jaunt to Bulgaria).
For states: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/43.0931149,-70.7660485/34.9949948,-90.0025379/@38.3439515,-90.0657848,5.02z/data=!4m39!4m38!1m35!3m4!1m2!1d-71.1202183!2d42.5025408!3s0x89e374b8f154e57d:0x8edf338d370ffec2!3m4!1m2!1d-71.6104395!2d41.6505994!3s0x89e5cae5464f04b5:0xb4b596f40bdfc72b!3m4!1m2!1d-77.0608862!2d38.8885368!3s0x89b7b6ff0f5970f1:0x1cf0d8ea2c6e9fae!3m4!1m2!1d-78.5897609!2d39.7238945!3s0x89ca60954d19e833:0x37ae4bb21cdaa0e1!3m4!1m2!1d-80.504996!2d38.9955765!3s0x884a344e45ae5f87:0x317c14c57d1a795e!3m4!1m2!1d-82.4846681!2d38.4131747!3s0x88460a0793b68fc1:0x49ac8d538120aab!3m4!1m2!1d-86.4715229!2d38.2401302!3s0x886ec712918ac8d5:0x58c580d36e5bfeea!1m0!3e0 at 66mph average.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

For European countries:
https://goo.gl/maps/hkrSKYnrNH7V8SUk6 - Portugal > Spain > France > Belgium > Luxembourg > Germany > Austria > Czechia
https://goo.gl/maps/c5ZfFBgawuX2BiHd9 - Spain > Andorra > France > Monaco > (France) > Italy > Slovenia > Croatia > Bosnia and Herzegovina > Montenegro > Albania

Good luck in that second route with customs. I know a group did 15 countries in 24 hours.

[dlsterner]

I was thinking about how quickly you could drive through all of the lower 48 states, and that evolved into how many states you could visit by car in one day.

21 States in One Day

Barry Stiefel's 2003 record was a 26 hour "day" (midnight EDT to midnight CST, because he started on the night that DST ends)... so it was 21 states in one calendar day, but "only" 19 states in 24 hours. I feel like 24 hours is the only objective way to measure this. Is 20+ states in 24 hours possible?

This website has been taken down.  Does anybody know if there is another link to Barry's 21-state day description somewhere?

John Brocato

Courtesy of the "Wayback Machine":   https://web.archive.org/web/20180828060143/http://www.barrystiefel.com/21_states_in_one_day/21_states_in_one_day.htm

[dkblake]

One possibly interesting offshoot of this is reading this as most states you, from your location, could drive through in 24 hours. From near Burlington VT, planning a weekend day with ideal weather/traffic, I think I could get 19 (counting DC). A sample route would be:

VT
I-89 south (entering NH)
I-93 south to NH 101 east to I-95 north (enter ME and turn around)
I-95 south (entering MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA)
I-495 to I-66 west to I-81 south, out and back US 48 (get WV)
I-81 south (entering TN)
I-26 south (entering NC)
US 25 south (entering SC)
I-85 south (entering GA)
I-20 west (entering AL)

Google Maps puts entering Alabama at just over 23 without traffic.

[CoreySamson]

From my location in southern Houston, I was able to get more in 24 hours than I thought I could, at 13 states using dkblake's idea.

Here's the route:
US 59 north to Carthage (Texas)
I-20 east to Shreveport (Louisiana)
I-220 and I-49 north to Texarkana (Arkansas)
I-30 west and US 259 north to southeast corner of OK and back (Oklahoma)
I-30 and I-40 east to Memphis (Tennessee)
I-55 south to Southaven (Mississippi)
I-55 north to Sikeston (Missouri)
US 62 east to Paducah (Illinois and Kentucky)
I-24 and I-69 north to Evansville (Indiana)
I-64 east to Huntington (West Virginia)
US 52 over the Ohio River and back (Ohio)
I-64 and I-77 south to the Appalachians (Virginia)

Total driving time is 22 hr and 36 min, assuming good conditions.

[NWI_Irish96]

One possibly interesting offshoot of this is reading this as most states you, from your location, could drive through in 24 hours. From near Burlington VT, planning a weekend day with ideal weather/traffic, I think I could get 19 (counting DC). A sample route would be:

Starting from home, I swing over a block to jut into Illinois and then back into Indiana on my way to I-80/94.
East on I-80/94 to Indiana Toll Road
Exit ITR at IN 9 and swing north just into Michigan, then back down to the ITR
East on ITR and into Ohio on the turnpike to I-90
East on I-90 through Pennsylvania and New York to I-87
North on I-87 to NY 7
East on NY 7 continuing into Vermont on VT 9 through into New Hampshire
South on NH 119 and NH 63 into Massachusetts on MA 63
Shortcutting on Gulf Rd to MA 2 and east to I-190
South on I-190 to I-290 and I-395 into Connecticut
Quick side strip into Rhode Island on US 44 and back to I-395
South again on I-395 to I-95 through New York into New Jersey onto the Turnpike
Follow NJ Turnpike through to I-295 and into Delaware and back to I-95
South again on I-95 through to Maryland to MD 295
South on MD 295/B-W Pakrway through to District of Columbia on DC 295 and I-295 back into Maryland
West on I-495 into Virginia to I-66
West on I-66 to I-81 and briefly south to US 48
West on US 48 and into West Virginia just before my 24 hours are up.

So 16 states + DC

[webny99]

I'm planning on going through this with a bit more rigor later, but I think from Rochester, NY I could swing into New England and pick up those six states and still get NJ, PA, MD, DE, VA, WV... at least.

[JayhawkCO]

As boring as it is, the best I can figure is that I could do 11 states (if you include DC) by basically just doing the quickest possible way to DC from here.  I-70 east to Pennsylvania (with the northern bypass of St. Louis), US40 down to I-68, back to I-70, I-270, I-495, GW Parkway.

CO-KS-MO-IL-IN-OH-WV-PA-MD-VA-DC

Or I could do a southern route and go CO-KS-OK-MO-AR-TN-MS-AL-GA-SC-(GA)-NC by:

I-70, I-135, KS196, Local Roads, US400, Visit KS/MO/OK tripoint, US400, I-44, MO360, US60, US63, I-555, I-55, I-269, I-22, I-65, I-20, I-85, SC11, SC28, GA28 to the GA/NC border.

It's tough out here in the big states.

Chris

[KEVIN_224]

A baseball friend of mine from Bristol, CT did the "circle route" of the 6 New England states one Sunday. I believe he went CT>RI>MA>NH>ME>NH>VT>MA>CT (I don't know how much of Maine he drove, only that he didn't leave ME on I-95.)

He also took the risk and drove to Game 2 of the 2020 World Series in Arlington, TX. He did a "northern" route there and a "southern" route back. I think he touched a minimum of 20 states. He decided to add NJ at the last minute heading back, likely via I-78. Both drives took more than 24 hours each though.

Sadly, I've never been in more than 6 states and DC in one day though (train was CT/NY/NJ/PA/DE/MD/[DC]/VA via Amtrak and METRO). The most I touched in one day by flight looks to be 4 in 2009 (CT/MD plane change/PA plane stop/IL).

[ethanhopkin14]

This thread got me thinking of a child subject to this.  Excluding the Four Corners Monument, what route can you see at least 4 states the quickest?  I was thinking of Cimarron County, Oklahoma while reading this, it being the only county in the US to border counties from five different states.  I think in an hour and a half you can see all five.  I know New England has a string you can see real quick, and I think I-95 is the best way. 

The reason I bring this up is in any "try to see as many states as quick as possible" task, you reach a point where the new states start to level out as it takes a bit of time to get across the bigger ones, so you start eating hours driving through a state.  Take the above example.  You start in NM, dip into TX, drive across OK to dip in CO and KS, then what.  You are either on the west side of OK or KS and there are many hours to go to get out of either one.