US Country Guide

The 48 contiguous states of the USA cover a land mass that is 4,000 km wide from east to west and nearly 3,000 km from north to south. The huge seperated landmass known as the state of Alaska lies over 4,000 km north of the other states. Driving across the USA or between widely seperate sites can be quite a daunting task.

Driving along the East Coast from New York City in the North to Miami Florida at its southern tip is a typical journey for vacationing motorists. The trip is about 2,000 km long and requires nearly 20 hours of continuous driving. It can be done in a single day if you forgo sleep and stop only for refueling, eating and restroom breaks. Some adventuresome people, such as carloads of students on Spring Break during March, have done this, but it tends to be a grueling and exhausting pace. Most people take two days to complete the trip with an overnight stop near the midpoint. It still requires two days of extensive driving. If you are on a leisurely vaction, and prefer to see many of the attractions along the way, this becomes a three-day drive.