The Ultimate 2 Month USA Road Trip Itinerary

Last Updated on 21st May 2024

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Are you planning to spend 2 months road-tripping across America or are you just looking for inspiration for the best USA road trip routes? I’ve got you covered with my ultimate 2 month road trip across the USA itinerary!

This awesome 2 month USA road trip itinerary takes you from the West Coast to the East Coast through roughly 25 US states (depending on the exact route you take), with stops in dozens of cities, plus numerous national and state parks such as Bryce Canyon, Zion, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and more!

Inspired by my own road trips in the US, as well as the many USA road trip holidays that Original Travel has to offer, I’ve put together an incredible itinerary for driving across America for 2 months!

If you’re planning an incredible 2 month US road trip, I’ve got just the itinerary for you!

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2 month USA road trip itinerary map

Based on the approximate route above, there will be more than 100 hours of driving during this 2 month USA road trip.

I’ve allocated approximately 57 days from Seattle, Washington all the way to New York City, but you can easily add or remove some stops depending on how many places you want to visit, how long you want to spend in each place and how many hours you’re willing to drive.

For example, if you want to reduce the driving time on this trip, I would suggest skipping Memphis, St. Louis, Chicago, Nashville and Atlanta, and just heading straight from New Orleans to Savannah to save 10-11 days instead.

However, if you want to visit as many places as possible on your American road trip, then this itinerary will ensure that you experience as many incredible places as possible!

Read more: The Ultimate 1 Month USA Road Trip Itinerary – California To Texas

2 month USA road trip itinerary summary

• Seattle – 2 days
• Portland – 2 days
• Redwood National and State Parks – 1 day
• San Francisco – 3 days
• Yosemite – 1 day
• Los Angeles – 3 days
• San Diego – 2 days
• Las Vegas – 3 days
• Grand Canyon – 2 days
• Zion National Park – 1 day
• Bryce Canyon National Park – 1 day
• Dead Horse Point State Park – 1 day
• Arches National Park – 1 day
• Colorado Springs – 2 days
• Santa Fe – 1 day
• White Sands National Park – 1 day
• Austin – 3 days
• Houston – 2 days
• New Orleans – 2 days
• Memphis – 2 days
• St. Louis – 1 day
• Chicago – 3 days
• Nashville – 3 days
• Atlanta – 2 days
• Savannah – 2 days
• Charleston – 2 days
• Washington D.C. – 2 days
• Philadelphia – 2 days
• New York City – 4 days

Don’t have time to read this 2 month USA road trip itinerary now? Pin it for later using the images below!

Seattle – 2 days

This 2 month USA road trip itinerary begins in the very top of the northwest corner of the United States in Seattle, Washington.

Famed for being the birthplace of Starbucks, as well as being one of the biggest tech hubs in America, Seattle is an awesome place to begin your two month road trip in the US.

Best things to do/see in Seattle on a 2 month USA road trip

• Head to the top of the iconic Space Needle
• Visit the world’s first Starbucks
• Go on a walking food tour of Pike Place Market
• Check out the Museum of Pop Culture
• Take a day trip to Mount Rainier National Park

Where to stay in Seattle

Hotel Theodore and the Mayflower Park Hotel are both great hotel options in the city centre of Seattle as they both offer onsite/nearby parking options (for an additional fee).

How to get to Seattle

If you’re travelling from overseas (or from anywhere else in America), you can fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from most major airports in the world.

I always check Skyscanner, Kiwi.com, and Trip.com for the best flight prices all over the world.

Once you arrive in Seattle, you can collect your hire car directly from the airport. During our 3 month USA road trip in 2022, we hired a car from Budget Rentals and paid approximately £1,000 ($1,300) for 28 days.

Portland – 2 days

The next stop on your 2 month US road trip is the city of Portland, approximately 180 miles south of Seattle.

Portland is renowned for its incredible food and culture scene, as well as plenty of beautiful outdoor spaces such as the Portland Japanese Garden and Washington Park.

I’d recommend spending two days in Portland, but if you’d rather skip the city and explore more of the Pacific Northwest’s incredible nature instead, you can head straight to Redwood National and State Parks.

Best things to do/see in Portland on a 2 month USA road trip

• Take a lunch cruise on the Willamette River
• Spend time in the Portland Japanese Garden
• Go on a day trip to the Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls
• Visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden
• Take a day trip to Mount Hood

Where to stay in Portland

You can get relatively affordable accommodation in Portland for as little as $50 a night. Hotel Lucia in Downtown Portland offers nearby valet parking for an additional fee and is located close to many of the city’s top sights.

Driving time from Seattle

The drive from Seattle to Portland should take around three hours, depending on traffic, which makes it a nice and easy drive to kick off your USA road trip.

Redwood National and State Parks – 1 day

Once you cross the border from Oregon into California, your first stop will be the world-famous Redwood National and State Parks.

The California Redwoods are some of the most famous (and tallest!) trees in the world, so you can spend a full day inside the national park exploring these giant beauties. As well as seeing these remarkable trees, you can also enjoy many hiking trails, beaches and plenty of incredible wildlife.

Best things to do/see in Redwood National and State Parks on a 2 month USA road trip

• Explore Enderts Beach and Crescent Beach Overlook
• Try and spot the grey whale migration from the Klamath River Overlook
• Hike the Trillium Falls Trail
• Drive Howland Hill Road
• Hike to the Grove Of Titans

Where to stay in Redwood National and State Parks

When it comes to finding a place to stay in the Redwood National Forest, it depends on how far you’ve driven and where you want to spend the night. You can find a list of hotels located within the national and state parks here.

Driving time from Portland

The driving time from Portland to the Redwood National and State Parks depends on which parts of the park you want to visit, but you can expect it to take around six hours to get to the start of the national park in Northern California.

From there, you will likely spend a few hours driving to different spots inside the park throughout the day.

San Francisco – 3 days

San Francisco is one of my favourite cities in the US and I’m a firm believer that it should be on every American road trip itinerary.

There is so much to see and do in San Francisco, from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz Island to the sea lions on Pier 39, you could easily spend a whole week in San Fran as part of your 2 month USA road trip, but I would suggest at least 2-3 days to try and see as much as possible.

Best things to do/see in San Francisco on a 2 month USA road trip

• Take a tour of Alcatraz Island
• See the Golden Gate Bridge
• Ride on the famous cable cars
• See the sea lions on Pier 39 near Fisherman’s Wharf
• Drive down Lombard Street

Read more: The Ultimate San Francisco 3 Day Itinerary

Where to stay in San Francisco

During our 3 month US trip, we spent three nights at the Alpha Inn & Suites which is very much a budget option. It’s located close to some of the city’s top sights such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street, so it’s a good option if you don’t want to spend a fortune on accommodation in San Francisco.

Driving time from Redwoods National and State Parks

The driving time to San Francisco depends on where you stay in the Redwood National Park as it’s such a huge area, but it will likely take you between 5-6 hours to get into the city centre of San Francisco.

Yosemite National Park – 1 day

Yosemite National Park should 100% be on your cross country road trip itinerary! It’s one of my favourite national parks in America and I only wish I could have spent longer there!

If you have more time to spend on your US road trip, I would suggest allocating two full days to exploring Yosemite, but if not, one full day should allow you to see a good chunk of the park.

Best things to do/see in Yosemite National Park on a 2 month USA road trip

• Check out the insane height of El Capitan (The Dawn Wall)
• Appreciate Yosemite Falls
• Enjoy the incredible scenery of Tunnel View
• Admire the breathtaking Bridalveil Falls
• Attempt the hike to Half Dome

Where to stay in Yosemite National Park

Similarly to the Redwood National and State Parks, your accommodation options in Yosemite depend on whether you want to stay inside the national park itself or in a nearby town.

We spent one night at the 5th Street Inn in Mariposa before heading into Yosemite and one night at the Days Inn Merced/Yosemite Area after a busy day exploring the park.

Driving time from San Francisco

You can drive to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco in 3-4 hours, depending on traffic, so it’s not a super long drive at all, especially compared to some of the longer driving routes featured throughout this itinerary!

Los Angeles – 3 days

It’s no secret that LA is one of the most sought-after cities in the US and it makes for a great addition to any American road trip itinerary.

Similarly to San Francisco, you could easily spend an entire week in Los Angeles, but if you’re limited on time during your 2 month USA trip, I would suggest allocating 3 days to exploring the city.

Read more: The Ultimate 3 Days In Los Angeles Itinerary

Best things to do/see in Los Angeles on a 2 month USA road trip

• See the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign
• Hike (or drive) to Griffith Observatory at sunset for incredible views
• See the end/start of Route 66 on the Santa Monica Pier
• Drive through the famous homes of Beverly Hills
• Spend an afternoon at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Where to stay in LA

Choosing where to stay in Los Angeles is almost impossible as it’s such a vast city with so many areas and neighbourhoods. It’s also not a super walkable city, so wherever you decide to stay, you will still need to use your car to get around or rely on public transport/Uber/Lyft.

We stayed at the Park Cienega Motel which is a simple and relatively affordable motel with free parking.

Driving time from Yosemite National Park

The drive from Yosemite to Los Angeles takes around five hours, but you should be aware that the traffic going into LA will always be super busy and hectic, so you should allow for a little longer, just in case.

San Diego – 2 days

San Diego might not be quite as popular as San Francisco or LA, but it’s still a worthy destination for your 2 month USA road trip if you have time to spend there.

If you’re not too bothered about San Diego, however, I’d recommend skipping it and driving straight from LA to Las Vegas instead as this will not only save you a couple of hours of driving, but it will also give you more time to dedicate to other places on your road trip.

If you do decide to spend two days in San Diego, there are plenty of things to see and do!

Best things to do/see in San Diego on a 2 month USA road trip

• Take a cruise along the harbour
• Eat delicious burgers from Hodad’s Downtown
• Spend a few hours at the San Diego Zoo
• Enjoy an evening in the Gaslamp Quarter
• Go on a kayaking tour of the caves from La Jolla

Where to stay in San Diego

We stayed at the Baymont by Wyndham San Diego Downtown which I wouldn’t actually really recommend (it was one of the cheapest options which is why we chose it as we were trying to keep our road trip budget as low as possible!).

Instead, I would recommend checking out TownePlace Suites by Marriott San Diego Downtown or The Westin San Diego Bayview, both of which are located in Downtown San Diego and are much better rated than where we stayed.

Driving time from Los Angeles

The drive from LA to San Diego should take just over two hours, giving you plenty of time to arrive in the city and enjoy two full days of exploring!

Las Vegas – 3 days

Las Vegas is a city that people either love or hate, so if it’s not suited to your US road trip itinerary, skip the three days here and head straight to the Grand Canyon from San Diego.

If you do want to spend some time in Sin City as part of your road trip, you’re sure to have an incredible time seeing all the fascinating sights, extravagant hotels and bustling casinos!

Read more: The Best Casino Hotels In Las Vegas

Best things to do/see in Las Vegas on a 2 month USA road trip

• Go to the top of the Strat Observation Deck
• Watch the famous Bellagio Fountain Show
• Take a helicopter flight over The Strip at night
• Get a refreshing cocktail from Fat Tuesdays and walk along The Strip
• Take a day trip to see the Hoover Dam

Where to stay in Las Vegas

I would highly recommend staying at the SAHARA Hotel in Vegas during your 2 month US road trip as it’s one of the more affordable hotels located directly on The Strip. You can get rooms for as little as $40 a night (plus taxes and fees) in the off-season months of January and February.

Driving time from San Diego

The drive from San Diego to Las Vegas takes between five and six hours and the most efficient route is to go almost all the way back to LA, so as I mentioned above, if you don’t want to detour to San Diego, you can just go straight from LA to Las Vegas.

Alternatively, you can add a stop at Joshua Tree National Park to your 2 month USA itinerary to break up the journey a bit.

The Grand Canyon – 2 days

The next section of this 2 month USA road trip itinerary includes visits to some of America’s greatest national parks.

The Grand Canyon is arguably the most famous national park in America and it should definitely be on your road trip itinerary.

You can experience a lot of what the Grand Canyon has to offer in just one day, but I’ve allocated two days inside the national park on this itinerary to ensure that you have plenty of time to see as much as possible.

Best things to do/see in the Grand Canyon on a 2 month USA road trip

• Spend plenty of time in the South Rim
• Hike The Canyon Rim Trail
• Admire the views from Mather Point
• Ride along Desert View Drive
• Walk along the Bright Angel Trail

Where to stay in the Grand Canyon

We spent the night in Flagstaff, Arizona (at a place called The Travellers Inn – which I definitely wouldn’t recommend!) before heading into the Grand Canyon, but if you want to spend the night in/closer to the national park, I’d recommend checking out some of the accomodation options on Booking.com instead.

Driving time from Las Vegas

It takes approximately four and a half hours to drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. In theory, it should be much quicker, but due to the giant canyon in the way, it takes a lot longer than if you could just drive directly there`1

Zion National Park – 1 day

You could easily spend a few days in Zion National Park exploring the many hiking trails and epic viewpoints, but if you only have one day to dedicate to the national park, I would really recommend trying to fit as much in as possible.

Best things to do/see in Zion National Park on a 2 month USA road trip

• Experience the breathtaking view from Observation Point
• Ride along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
• Check out Angels Landing
• See the incredible gorge known as The Narrows
• Hike along the Grotto Trail

Where to stay in Zion National Park

During our 3 month road trip in the US, we actually visited Zion and Bryce Canyon in one day (it was a very busy day!) and then we spent the night in a little town called Panguitch which is relatively close to both national parks.

We stayed at the Color Country Motel and even though there is literally nothing to see or do in Panguitch, it’s a good place to base yourself for a night or two to see both parks.

Driving time from the Grand Canyon

It takes between four and five hours to drive to Zion National Park from the Grand Canyon.

Bryce Canyon National Park – 1 day

Before I visited Bryce Canyon National Park for the first time, I had only ever seen pictures of it during the summer months, but during our 3 months in the US in early 2022, I was lucky enough to see it covered in snow.

It’s one of my favourite national parks and while you can definitely spend a lot longer in Bryce Canyon, you can also just enjoy it for a couple of hours if you don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to it.

Best things to do/see in Bryce Canyon on a 2 month USA road trip

• See the remarkable Bryce Amphitheatre
• Drive the Southern Scenic Drive
• Walk the Rim Trail
• Admire the views from Sunrise and Sunset Point
• Hike the Navajo Loop Trail

Where to stay in Bryce Canyon

As I mentioned above, I would recommend heading to Panguitch after spending the day at Zion National Park and you could also stay there after spending the day at Bryce Canyon to save you from having to find another hotel/motel nearby.

Driving time from Zion National Park

Despite Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon being situated pretty much right next to each other, because of the huge canyons and mountains in each of the national parks, it actually takes around two hours to drive between them.

Dead Horse Point State Park – 1 day

My good friend Nele introduced me to Dead Horse Point State Park and I’m so glad she did so that I can recommend it in every single USA road trip itinerary that I write!

Dead Horse Point State Park really reminds me of the Grand Canyon and it’s a great alternative if you don’t have the time to spend two full days at the Grand Canyon; instead, split your time between the two epic parks!

Best things to do/see in Dead Horse Point State Park on a 2 month USA road trip

• Admire the views from the Rim Overlook
• See the Shafer Canyon Overlook
• Check out the Big Horn Overlook
• Enjoy the Dead Horse Point Overlook
• Hike the West Rim Trail

Where to stay in Dead Horse Point State Park

The small city of Moab is a great place to base yourself for exploring both Dead Horse Point State Park and Arches National Park (see below).

We stayed at The Inca Inn in Moab which was a simple and relatively cheap place to stay, though it’s really not anything fancy, so if you want to find somewhere a bit nicer to stay in the area, check out this list of hotels in Moab here.

Driving time from Bryce Canyon National Park

The drive from Bryce Canyon to Dead Horse Point State Park should take just over four and a half hours.

Arches National Park- 1 day

Arches National Park is another one of my favourite national parks in the United States and it’s somewhere I could happily revisit over and over again.

It’s also less than 30 miles from Dead Horse Point State Park, so you can easily travel between the two on your 2 month road trip. There are so many awesome things to see at Arches and if you can, I would highly recommend dedicating an entire day inside the national park to ensure you see and do as many things as possible.

Best things to do/see in Arches National Park on a 2 month USA road trip

• Admire the magnificent Double Arch (my favourite place in the park!)
• See Face Rock
• Drive along the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
• Hike to the Delicate Arch viewpoints
• Check out Balanced Rock

Where to stay in Arches National Park

As I mentioned above, I’d recommend spending two nights in Moab as it’s conveniently located close to both Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.

You can find a list of the best hotels in Moab here.

Driving time from Dead Horse Point State Park

It only takes around 30 minutes to drive from Dead Horse Point State Park to Arches National Park, so you don’t have to travel very far at all, especially compared to some of the longer routes on this itinerary.

Colorado Springs – 2 days

Once you’ve explored the many incredible national parks of Arizona and Utah, you can head into the next state on your 2 month US road trip; Colorado.

I’ve decided to skip the state’s capital of Denver for this itinerary as I personally don’t think it’s worth visiting, especially if you’re quite strict on time for your road trip. I would, however, recommend spending a night or two in Colorado Springs.,.mhlb

You can probably see/do most things in just one day, but I’ve allocated two days for Colorado Springs to give you the chance to break up the driving for a little while.

Best things to do/see in Colorado Springs on a 2 month USA road trip

• Spend an afternoon at the Garden of the Gods
• Take a day trip to Pikes Peak
• Visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
• Check out the US Olympic & Paralympic Museum
• Wander around Prospect Lake

Where to stay in Colorado Springs

We stayed at the ColoRADo Adventure Hostel in Colorado Springs which was a really cute and fun place to stay where we met lots of other travellers.

If the hostel life isn’t for you, take a look at some other accomodation options in Colorado Springs instead.

Driving time from Arches National Park

The drive to Colorado Springs from Arches National Park will take just over six hours, but you can take a route that goes directly through Denver to break up the journey a bit.

Santa Fe – 1 day

Santa Fe isn’t necessarily a place that I think really needs to be on a US road trip itinerary, but it is a great place to stop to break up the lengthy journeys.

Best things to do/see in Santa Fe on a 2 month USA road trip

• See the Santa Fe Original Route 66 signs
• Wander around Santa Fe Plaza
• Go to the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA)
• Spend time at the New Mexico Museum of Art
• Check out the Palace of the Governors

Where to stay in Santa Fe

The only reason why I’m writing the name of the place we stayed in Santa Fe (Motel 6 Santa Fe) is to tell you not to stay there on your 2 month USA road trip as it was probably the worst place we stayed during our entire trip! We only chose Motel 6 as everywhere else seemed to be pretty expensive at the time and Motel 6 was by far the cheapest option.

Instead of subjecting yourself to the horrors of Motel 6, I’d suggest checking out either Pueblo Bonito Santa Fe or Hotel Santa Fe as these get much better reviews and are located less than a mile from the centre of Santa Fe.

Driving time from Colorado Springs

The drive from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe will take between five and six hours depending on the route you take.

If you have time, I’d also suggest stopping at Great Sand Dunes National Park on your way to Santa Fe from Colorado Springs as it’s pretty much halfway between the two places.

White Sands National Park – 1 day

Once you’ve explored Santa Fe for the day, you can head back on the road to White Sands National Park, which is completely surrounded by the infamous White Sands Missile Range.

The park is also home to the world’s largest collection of fossilised footprints, making it such a cool and unique place to visit on your American road trip!

Best things to do/see in White Sands National Park on a 2 month USA road trip

• Hike The Dune Life Nature Trail
• See the views from the Interdune Boardwalk
• Walk along the Backcountry Camping Trail
• Hike The Playa Trail
• Check out the views from Alkali Flat Trail

Where to stay in White Sands National Park

We actually spent the night in Roswell before heading to White Sands National Park but as this itinerary doesn’t include a stop in Roswell, I’d recommend checking this list of hotels in nearby towns instead.

Driving time from Santa Fe

The drive from Santa Fe to White Sands National Park takes approximately four hours.

Austin – 3 days

Austin is one of my favourite cities in America. It’s got a great food scene (hello Texas barbecue!) and it’s a city that generally has a really lovely feel to it.

You probably don’t need to spend three full days in Austin, but I’ve allocated this amount of time to break up the journey a bit as the drive from New Mexico all the way to Austin is very long…

Best things to do/see in Austin on a 2 month USA road trip

• Go on a sunset kayak tour to watch the famous bats
• See the Texas Capitol
• Take part in a haunted pub crawl walking tour
• Eat some barbecue at Black’s Barbecue
• Visit the Museum of Ice Cream

Where to stay in Austin

We stayed at the Days Inn by Wyndham Austin/University/Downtown for three nights in Austin and while I have no complaints about this motel as such, it is a little far out of the city centre.

Therefore, I’d suggest checking out the Club Wyndham Austin or the Hotel Indigo Austin Downtown hotel instead as these are much more conveniently located.

Driving time from White Sands National Park

The drive from White Sands National Park all the way to Austin takes over ten hours, which is obviously a very long drive to complete in one go. There aren’t too many notable places to stop on the way, however, so I would recommend breaking your journey up with multiple rest stops at service stations and food outlets.

If you want to take a slight detour and add a few more stops to your road trip, I’d recommend driving to Austin via Roswell, New Mexico and/or Dallas, Texas.

This would, of course, add more hours of driving to your itinerary, but it will also give you the chance to break up the journey more frequently and you’ll get to explore even more places in the US.

Houston – 2 days

Houston is probably most renowned for its close connection to space exploration, as well as numerous sports teams and a rich food scene.

There are also plenty of museums to discover, and I think two days is a great amount of time to spend in Houston to get a feel for the city.

Best things to do/see in Houston on a 2 month USA road trip

• Visit the Space Center Houston
• Watch a sports game
• Check out the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Head to the Houston Zoo
• Take a day trip to Kemah Boardwalk theme park

Where to stay in Houston

The Hyatt Regency Houston or the Holiday Inn Houston Downtown are both good options for hotels located right in the Downtown area of the city.

Driving time from Austin

The drive to Houston from Austin is only two and a half hours, so it’s a much easier drive than the previous journey to get to Austin!

New Orleans – 2 days

New Orleans is actually one of my least favourite places in the whole of America as I didn’t have a very good experience there.

However, I know that it’s a city that’s on many people’s US bucket lists, so I wanted to include it on this 2 month road trip itinerary to give you the option to experience it for yourself.

Best things to do/see in New Orleans on a 2 month USA road trip

• Eat a famous beignet from Café du Monde
• Take an evening jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez
• Explore Bourbon Street at night
• Go on a ghost and vampire tour of the French Quarter
• Explore New Orleans City Park

Where to stay in New Orleans

While I didn’t love New Orleans as much as I wanted to, I did enjoy our stay at the Balcony Guest House and I would recommend it as a place to stay on your 2 month USA road trip itinerary.

Driving time from Houston

It takes just over five hours to drive from Houston to New Orleans, but you can stop in places such as Lafayette and Baton Rouge to break up the drive.

Memphis – 2 days

Memphis is famous for being the home of the blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and it’s arguably most famous for being home to Elvis Presley’s Graceland home.

If you’re a music lover, you’ll definitely want to add Memphis to your itinerary!

Best things to do/see in Memphis on a 2 month USA road trip

• Explore Beale Street
• Visit Graceland
• Pay a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum
• Spend an afternoon at Shelby Farms Park
• Tour the Stax Museum of American Soul Music

Where to stay in Memphis

There are plenty of great hotels in Memphis, many of which are less than $100 a night.

I would recommend checking out La Quinta by Wyndham Memphis Downtown or Comfort Inn Memphis Downtown as both of these hotels are just a few hundred metres from the city centre.

Driving time from New Orleans

It takes around seven hours to drive from New Orleans to Memphis, so you might want to take several rest stops along the way to break up the journey.

St. Louis – 1 day

St. Louis isn’t a place that you necessarily have to include on your 2 month USA road trip itinerary, but I’ve suggested stopping there for one day to break up the long journey from Memphis to Chicago as it’s pretty much directly in between the two cities.

The Gateway Arch National Park and the Missouri Botanical Garden are two beautiful places to check out if you only have one day in St. Louis.

Best things to do/see in St. Louis on a 2 month USA road trip

• See the iconic Gateway Arch
• Spend some time in the Forest Park
• Visit the City Museum
• Explore the Missouri Botanical Garden
• Check out the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

Where to stay in St. Louis

The Last Hotel is a wonderful place to stay in St. Louis as it boasts a stunning outdoor rooftop pool and beautiful rooms right in the city centre.

Driving time from Memphis

The drive from Memphis to St. Louis takes between four and five hours, depending on the route you take.

Chicago – 3 days

Chicago is another one of my favourite cities in America, but I was super unwell on my first visit, so I didn’t get the chance to see and do quite as much as I would have liked to.

If you have the time, I would recommend spending at least three days in Chicago to get a good feel for what the city has to offer.

Best things to do/see in Chicago on a 2 month USA road trip

• Take an architecture cruise along the river
• Explore Millenium Park and the “bean” (Cloud Gate)
• Head to the top of the 360 Chicago Observation Deck
• See the city from the beautiful Riverwalk
• Check out the views from the Willis Tower Skydeck

Where to stay in Chicago

We stayed at the Warwick Allerton Hotel in Chicago for three nights and apart from the fact that I was really ill during our time in the city, I would highly recommend this hotel as it was one of the more affordable options in a city as expensive as Chicago.

Driving time from St. Louis

It takes between four and five hours to drive from St. Louis to Chicago.

Nashville – 3 days

From Chicago, it’s time to head back into the state of Tennessee to the incredible city of Nashville.

Nashville is famous for many things, but it’s arguably most well-known for its exciting live music and hot and spicy chicken!

I think three days is more than enough time to explore Nashville, but if you don’t want to spend that long there, you can allocate more days to different places on this itinerary instead.

Best things to do/see in Nashville on a 2 month USA road trip

• Go on a Music City Pub Crawl
• Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
• Check out the Johnny Cash Museum
• See the Grand Ole Opry
• Take a street food tour of the city

Where to stay in Nashville

The Moxy Nashville Downtown hotel is one of the best places to stay in the city as it’s super centrally located and it’s also one of the more affordable options.

Driving time from Chicago

The drive from Chicago to Nashville takes approximately seven and a half hours, but the most efficient route takes you through Indianapolis and Louisville, so you can break the journey up a few times with stops in each of these cities.

Atlanta – 2 days

It’s time to tick off yet another new state on this epic 2 month USA road trip as you make your way into Georgia to the state’s capital of Atlanta.

If Atlanta doesn’t take your fancy, you can just drive straight through the city and head straight to Savannah, but I think it’s worth stopping in for a night or two to experience even more places in America on your road trip.

Best things to do/see in Atlanta on a 2 month USA road trip

• Explore the World of Coca-Cola
• Relax in the Centennial Olympic Park
• Visit the Georgia Aquarium
• Learn at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights
• Ride the SkyView Ferris Wheel

Where to stay in Atlanta

Accommodation in Atlanta seems to be pretty pricey compared to many of the other places featured on this itinerary, but the Hyatt Place Atlanta Centennial Park and The Darwin Hotel seem to be two of the more affordable options in the city centre.

Driving time from Nashville

It should take between four and four and a half hours to get to Atlanta from Nashville.

Savannah – 2 days

During our 3 month road trip in America in 2022, I fell in love with Savannah and it’s definitely a city that I would recommend adding to your own road trip itinerary.

Two days should be more than enough to see the highlights of the city before making your way to the next destination on this trip.

Best things to do/see in Savannah on a 2 month USA road trip

• Spend an afternoon at Pour Larry’s Bar
• Explore the River Street Market Place
• Stroll through Forsyth Park
• Admire the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist
• Wander through the City Market

Where to stay in Savannah

We spent two nights at the Days Inn by Savannah Airport as it was the cheapest hotel at the time of our visit. However, we ended up having to take an Uber into the city on both days which actually ended up costing us more than just staying in a centrally located hotel.

Therefore, I’d recommend checking out The Marshall House or The Thunderbird Inn for cheap and super conveniently located options instead.

Driving time from Atlanta

You can get usually get to Savannah in around four hours from Atlanta.

Charleston – 2 days

Similarly to Savannah, Charleston is another city that took me by surprise in America, but it turned out to be one of my favourite stops on our trip.

You can see most of the city in a jam-packed two days, including highlights such as a plantation tour, Fort Sumter National Monument and Rainbow Row.

Best things to do/see in Charleston on a 2 month USA road trip

• Explore the city’s Historical Downtown
• Visit Charleston City Market
• Tour Magnolia Plantation
• Stroll around The Battery
• See Rainbow Row

Where to stay in Charleston

Our stay at the Wingate by Wyndham Charleston Coliseum was one of the most enjoyable from our US road trip as the room was huge and the bed was so comfy! It’s not super central, but the hotel makes up for that with its comfort and size!

Driving time from Savannah

The drive from Savannah to Charleston should only take two hours, so it’s a very pleasant journey compared to some of the longer drives on this itinerary!

Washington D.C. – 2 days

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Washington D.C. three times so far and every time I visit, I fall more and more in love with it.

There are so many incredible free museums to see in D.C. and while you could definitely spend a lot longer there, I think two days is a great amount of time for this particular itinerary.

Best things to do/see in Washington D.C. on a 2 month USA road trip

• Walk along the National Mall
• Check out the White House
• Explore the United States Capitol
• Visit the Washington Monument
• See the Lincoln Memorial

Read more: How To Spend Two Days In Washington D.C. – Best Things To Do & See

Where to stay in Washington D.C.

I really loved our stay at the Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center. It’s in such a great location for exploring the city, the staff are super friendly and it’s also a relatively affordable hotel in Washington.

Driving time from Charleston

It’s a long eight-hour drive from Charleston to Washington D.C. and whenever I’ve been in the US and completed this journey, I’ve always broken it up by staying at my family’s house in Richmond, Virginia.

You can also break this journey up by taking a detour to places such as Myrtle Beach , Wilmington, Raleigh and even Virginia Beach if you have more time.

Philadelphia – 2 days

Philadelphia is known for its incredible cheesesteaks, the Rocky Steps and the Liberty Bell.

It’s a good city to spend two or three days in as part of your 2 month road trip across the USA.

Best things to do/see in Philadelphia on a 2 month USA road trip

• See the Liberty Bell
• Check out the Independence National Historical Park
• Visit the Museum of Illusions
• Run up the famous “Rocky Steps”
• Eat a delicious Philly cheesesteak

Where to stay in Philadelphia

The Hilton Garden Inn Philadelphia Center City and the Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia are both great options if you want to be right in the heart of the city.

Driving time from Washington D.C.

It should take around two and a half hours to get to Philadelphia from Washington D.C.

New York City – 4 days

This 2 month road trip across the USA itinerary concludes in my favourite city in the world; New York!

I really think that there’s never enough time to spend in New York to see and do everything, but if you want to finish your American road trip on an excellent high, I would suggest spending at least four days in New York City.

Read more: 111 Bucket List Things To Do In NYC

Best things to do/see in New York City on a 2 month USA road trip

• Admire the views from Summit One Vanderbilt
• Spend a few hours in Central Park
• Enjoy drinks at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
• Head to the Top of the Rock at sunset
• Cruise around the Statue of Liberty

Where to stay in New York City

There are so many amazing places that I could recommend in New York and I already have a huge list of the best hotels near Times Square and a guide to the best areas for first-time visitors to the city on my blog.

If I could suggest just a handful of hotels in New York for your US road trip, I’d highly recommend the New York Marriott Marquis, Pod 39 and Moxy NYC Times Square.

Driving time from Philadelphia

It should take around two hours to drive to New York City from Philadelphia, depending on the traffic in both cities.

2 month USA road trip itinerary – conclusion

I really hope you’ve found this itinerary for a 2 month USA road trip useful and inspirational and I hope it inspires your next road trip in America!

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• One Month In New York – Cost Of Living In NYC For A Month
• 7 Days In New York Itinerary – Ultimate 7-Day NYC Itinerary
• The Best 4-Day Universal Studios Orlando Itinerary

Pin for later – 2 month USA road trip itinerary

Would you like to embark on an epic road trip across America for 60 days? Which other places would you add to this itinerary? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.