Northeast (Short Drives – Under 6 Hours)
These states are close to Niagara Falls, NY or Niagara Falls, Ontario and can be reached in one day with minimal stops.
1. New York (6-7 hours from NYC)
• Route: I-81 N → I-90 W to Niagara Falls
• Stay: Rochester or Buffalo (affordable stays)
• Stop: Letchworth State Park (“Grand Canyon of the East”)
2. New Jersey (6-7 hours)
• Route: Garden State Pkwy → I-80 W → I-81 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Binghamton or Rochester
• Stop: Delaware Water Gap, Corning Museum of Glass
3. Pennsylvania (5-6 hours from Philly)
• Route: I-476 N → I-81 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Williamsport or Erie, PA
• Stop: Pocono Mountains, Kinzua Bridge State Park
4. Connecticut & 5. Rhode Island (6-7 hours)
• Route: I-84 W → I-81 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Scranton, PA
• Stop: Mystic, CT or Poconos
6. Massachusetts (6-7 hours from Boston)
• Route: I-90 W (Mass Pike) → I-90 W through NY
• Stay: Albany or Syracuse, NY
• Stop: Berkshires or Cooperstown
7. Vermont & 8. New Hampshire (6-8 hours)
• Route: I-89 S → I-90 W or I-91 S → I-90 W
• Stay: Albany, NY
• Stop: Lake George or Green Mountains
9. Maine (7-9 hours)
• Route: I-95 S → I-90 W
• Stay: Springfield, MA or Albany, NY
• Stop: Portland, ME or Finger Lakes
Mid-Atlantic & South (Medium Drives – 8-12 Hours)
10. Maryland & 11. Delaware (7-9 hours)
• Route: I-95 N → I-476 N → I-81 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Williamsport, PA or Binghamton, NY
• Stop: Gettysburg or Hershey, PA
12. Virginia & 13. West Virginia (8-10 hours)
• Route: I-81 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Harrisburg, PA or Erie, PA
• Stop: Shenandoah National Park
14. North Carolina (10-12 hours)
• Route: I-77 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Pittsburgh, PA
• Stop: New River Gorge or Cleveland, OH
15. South Carolina & 16. Georgia (12-14 hours)
• Route: I-85 N → I-77 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Charleston, WV or Columbus, OH
• Stop: Charlotte, NC or Great Smoky Mountains
17. Florida (14-17 hours)
• Route: I-95 N → I-77 N → I-90 W
• Stay: Charlotte, NC or Pittsburgh, PA
• Stop: Savannah, GA
Midwest (Short-Medium Drives – 4-10 Hours)
18. Ohio (4-5 hours)
• Route: I-90 E
• Stay: Cleveland or Erie, PA
• Stop: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
19. Michigan (5-7 hours from Detroit)
• Route: I-75 S → I-90 E
• Stay: Cleveland or Erie
• Stop: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
20. Indiana & 21. Illinois (7-9 hours)
• Route: I-90 E
• Stay: Toledo, OH or Erie, PA
• Stop: Chicago or Cedar Point Amusement Park
22. Wisconsin & 23. Minnesota (9-12 hours)
• Route: I-94 E → I-90 E
• Stay: Chicago or Cleveland
• Stop: Milwaukee or Indianapolis
Central U.S. (Medium-Long Drives – 10-16 Hours)
24. Kentucky & 25. Tennessee (10-12 hours)
• Route: I-75 N → I-90 E
• Stay: Cincinnati, OH or Cleveland
• Stop: Mammoth Cave National Park
26. Missouri (11-13 hours)
• Route: I-70 E → I-90 E
• Stay: Columbus, OH
• Stop: St. Louis Gateway Arch
27. Arkansas & 28. Louisiana (13-16 hours)
• Route: I-55 N → I-70 E → I-90 E
• Stay: Nashville, TN or Columbus, OH
• Stop: Memphis or Great Smoky Mountains
29. North Dakota & 30. South Dakota (14-17 hours)
• Route: I-94 E → I-90 E
• Stay: Chicago, IL or Cleveland, OH
• Stop: Badlands National Park
West & Southwest (Long Drives – 16-30 Hours, Best for Flights)
31. Texas (18-24 hours)
• Route: I-35 N → I-70 E → I-90 E
• Stay: St. Louis or Columbus
• Stop: Dallas, Memphis, or Nashville
32. Oklahoma & 33. Kansas (16-20 hours)
• Route: I-44 E → I-70 E → I-90 E
• Stay: St. Louis or Pittsburgh
• Stop: Kansas City BBQ
34. Colorado (22-24 hours)
• Route: I-70 E → I-90 E
• Stay: Chicago or Columbus
• Stop: Rocky Mountain National Park
35. California, 36. Nevada, 37. Arizona (25-30 hours)
• Best Option: Fly to Buffalo or drive via I-80 E
• Stay: Denver, Chicago
• Stop: Grand Canyon, Route 66
38. Montana, 39. Idaho, 40. Utah, 41. Wyoming (20-26 hours)
• Route: I-90 E
• Stay: Minneapolis or Chicago
• Stop: Yellowstone National Park
42. Washington, 43. Oregon (25-30 hours)
• Route: I-90 E
• Stay: Chicago
• Stop: Mount Rushmore
44. Alaska & 45. Hawaii
• Best Option: Fly to Buffalo or Toronto
46-50: U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.)
• Best Option: Fly to NYC or Buffalo
Final Tips
✔ Best Budget Stay: Airbnb, Motels, or Camping
✔ Most Scenic Route: Through Finger Lakes, NY
✔ Alternative Transport: Amtrak, Megabus, or budget flights
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