The Best Driving Route From California to New York

If you’re moving from California to New York then driving is a great way to do it. This picturesque drive takes you through a wide variety of the country’s stunning landscapes, with plenty of opportunities for making stop offs to check out specific cities or sites. The specific driving route from California to New York that you’ll want to take depends largely on what your starting and ending towns are and what you’re hoping to see along the way, but we’ve covered the basics below to help get you started on planning out your trip.

How Long is the Driving Route From California to New York?

It will take you about 43 hours to drive from California to New York, plus time for stops like bathroom breaks, food breaks, gas breaks, and overnight stays. The total distance is around 2,900 miles and traverses 10 different states as you travel from coast to coast. Add on another hundred miles if you’re heading out from San Francisco, and subtract a hundred miles if you’re leaving from Los Angeles. If your final destination is in northern New York as opposed to New York City, you’ll want to add on about an additional five hours in the car.

Which Route Should You Take?

There are multiple ways that you can choose to go when mapping out your driving route from California to New York.

The fastest route is to take Interstate 80, which runs from San Francisco to Teaneck, New Jersey, which is just outside of New York City. This route will take you across Nevada, Utah, and Colorado up into the Midwest and on to New York, with lots to see along the way.

Some things to keep in mind when opting for I-80 as your driving route from California to New York include tolls (you’ll face quite a few up in Indiana and Ohio) as well as weather. Since this interstate takes you north, it might not be the best pick for winter, when you may find yourself facings snow. The rest of the year however it’s a gorgeous drive, especially in the autumn if you want to check out some awe-inspiring fall foliage.

The shortest route is to take Interstate 40, which runs from the Mojave Desert in Barstow, California to Wilmington, North Carolina (don’t worry, you’ll head north long before that onto Interstate 44 and then Interstate 70). I-40 parallels Route 66 through much of the western states, so if you have a classic American road trip in mind you could make a point of checking out those stops along the way.

Note that I-40 is a toll-free road, but you’ll still hit a number of tolls on your drive. As for timing, it’s a decent road to travel all year round, since a large portion of it is through more southern states.

Planning Out Your Trip

No matter what driving route from California to New York you end up taking, plan for about seven to nine hours of driving a day—or a few more hours if have multiple drivers and/or you don’t intend to stop and see any sights. At a standard driving speed and with a few overnight stops, you should be able to make the full drive in about six to seven days.

Your exact route is up to you, but if you want some inspiration for the trip, here’s our recommendation for the best route from California to New York, assuming you’re leaving from the middle of the state.

Day One: Los Angeles, California to Flagstaff, Arizona. Head down to Los Angeles to hop onto Interstate 40 and drive the seven hours to Flagstaff. With good restaurants, ample lodging options, and an impressive cultural history, it’s a great first stop and worth spending some time exploring.
Day Two: Flagstaff, Arizona to Amarillo, Texas. This is a long driving day (about nine hours) so start your drive early in the morning. In Amarillo, you’ll have a chance to check out some Route 66 highlights, as well as to enjoy some must-try Texas barbecue. Take a quick detour to check out the Cadillac Ranch, a world famous art installation and sculpture.
Day Three: Amarillo, Texas to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This is a shorter drive—about four hours—which gives you a bit of time for all those Amarillo attractions. Once you hit Oklahoma City, head to Bricktown Entertainment District for a fun evening of good food and some sightseeing along the Bricktown Canal.
Day Four: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to St. Louis, Missouri. Leaving Oklahoma City you’ll say goodbye to I-40 and transfer over to I-44. Drive it north east for seven and a half hours to reach St. Louis, where you can take a look at the famous Gateway Arch and spend an evening enjoying some famous St. Louis blues music.
Day Five: St. Louis Missouri to Columbus, Ohio. Hop off I-44 and onto I-70 as you make your way further east. The drive to Columbus is about six hours, and gives you an opportunity to explore one of America’s favorite college towns and what’s known as the best municipal park district in the country.
Day Six: Columbus, Ohio to New York, New York. You’re in the final stretch! The drive from Columbus to New York City is about eight and a half hours along I-70, I-76, and I-78, but at least it’s your last long day in the car. If you want to do some sightseeing along the way, make a stop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, home to the National Civil War Museum.

Rather see different sites along the way? With such a long distance to travel and so many states and cities along the way, the driving route from California to New York offers near limitless options for maximizing your time in the car. Some additional places you might want to make a point of adding to your list include Las Vegas, Denver, Indianapolis, and Chicago.

Make sure to bring along money for the tolls, and, if possible, tackle the drive with at least one other person. Even broken up over the course of a week it’s an incredibly long drive, and it helps to have someone else who’s able to split up the time behind the wheel. To keep costs down and shave off time, bring along lots of snacks too so that you don’t have to stop for a restaurant meal every time you get hungry. We also recommend booking your hotels in advance, however each of the stops along the route we’ve detailed are population-heavy areas with lots of accommodation options, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a place to stay if you leave it until the last minute.

Hire Movers For Your Move From California to New York

We’ve gone into lots of details on how to drive a moving truck cross country, but if you’d rather someone else deal with the truck while you get the freedom of a car, then consider hiring a professional moving company. Visit our free online moving company directory to quickly and easily search reputable interstate movers in your area, and be sure to get quotes from at least three different companies before booking so that you can be sure to get the best deal.