This Coast-To-Coast Road Trip Route Surpasses America's Longest Continuous Highway

Every year there's a new travel trend, like "kid-influencing" in 2026 (where your child plans your vacation). But there's something to be said about the tried-and-true vacations, like a classic road trip. Road trips are especially popular in the United States thanks to the endless landscapes, wide-open spaces, and a whole lot of highways. When it comes to that quintessential American road trip, there are a variety of different routes, depending on where you want to go. You can stick to these beautiful stops along the Pacific Coast Highway or journey through iconic vistas in the Southwest like Monument Valley. You can also level even further this year by seeing the full country, from coast-to-coast.

While you could follow the country's longest continuous highway, U.S. Route 20, which spans 3,365 miles, you could also take a longer but more scenic route from Maine to California. From the upper reaches of Maine in Fort Kent to famous San Francisco, expect to traverse a full 3,528 miles of American countryside. In other words, this trip is a commitment with a capital C. 

Although the total driving time is approximately 52 hours, aim to take at least two weeks for this trip to fully enjoy the sites and to make sure you're driving safely. Experts recommend taking a break every two hours and driving under eight hours a day — legally, the threshold for passenger-carrying drivers is 10 hours in a 24-hour period. However, for a better road trip, travel extraordinaire Samantha Brown suggests driving "no more than 4 hours...this road trip should be fun, not just about getting from Point A – B." 

With that in mind, schedule in a lot of stops along the route from Fort Kent to San Francisco (and leave time for spontaneous adventures, one of the great joys of a road trip). Enjoy the beauty of Maine as you pass through cities like Portland, a fun coastal city with tons of attractions. The route will then take you through a corner of New Hampshire before entering Massachusetts and cruising through upstate New York. As you pass through Buffalo, make sure to visit Niagara Falls, one of the country's most iconic landmarks. Drive along the shores of Lake Erie through Pennsylvania and Ohio, then traverse the Michigan-Indiana border on your way to Chicago.

After Chicago, the route takes you deep into the Midwest through Iowa, Nebraska, and southern Wyoming. Pass through Salt Lake City, Utah, before continuing through northern Nevada to Truckee, California — in your 13th and final state. As a gateway to both Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you'll probably want to stop there. The tail end of your trip will take you through the Sierra Nevadas and through Sacramento before ending in San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S. This is a long trip that's certainly not for the faint of heart, but will definitely be the adventure of a lifetime!