Most people fly this distance. The ones who drive it don’t regret it. This guide covers the complete 3,189-mile route from Miami to Seattle — every stop plotted with highway routing, what’s worth the detour, what isn’t, and everything you need to plan and book before you leave.
At a glance
- Total distance: 3,189 miles (5,130 km)
- Total drive time: ~49 hours (split over 7 days)
- Best months to drive: May–September
- Fuel cost (2024 avg): ~$545
- Starting point: Miami, FL (alternatives: Tampa or Jacksonville — see adjustments below)
- Destination: Seattle, WA
- Primary highway spine: I-75 → I-24 → I-64 → I-70 → I-29 → I-90
Open the interactive route map →
Why this route — and not the Pacific Coast or Southwest?
There are three broad ways to drive from Florida to Washington State. Each suits a different traveller.
| Route | Via | Distance | Best for |
| Northern Plains (this guide) | Atlanta → Nashville → Kansas City → Black Hills → Montana | ~3,190 miles | Landscape variety, history, city stops, year-round flexibility |
| Southwest | New Orleans → Dallas → Albuquerque → Grand Canyon → Las Vegas → I-5 | ~3,500 miles | Desert landscapes, national park density, warmer in winter |
| Pacific Coast | Same start, finish on CA–1 and US-101 north | ~4,200+ miles | Ocean scenery, highest coastal drama, longer and more expensive |
This guide follows the Northern Plains corridor. It threads together Appalachian foothills, Mississippi river cities, the Great Plains, the Black Hills, the northern Rocky Mountains, and finally the Cascade Range — more landscape types per mile than either alternative. It also stays largely on two interstates (I-29 and I-90 for the northern half), making navigation straightforward.
If the Grand Canyon or Pacific coast is your priority, this is not your route. Both of those alternatives are worth their own guide.
Route at a Glance
| Leg | From | To | Distance | Drive time | Highway |
| 1 | Miami, FL | Atlanta, GA | 663 miles | ~9.5 hrs | I-75 N |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | Nashville, TN | 250 miles | ~3.5 hrs | I-24 W |
| 3 | Nashville, TN | St. Louis, MO | 310 miles | ~4.5 hrs | I-24 N → I-64 W |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO | Kansas City, MO | 250 miles | ~3.5 hrs | I-70 W |
| 5 | Kansas City, MO | Sioux Falls, SD | 360 miles | ~5 hrs | I-29 N |
| 6 | Sioux Falls, SD | Rapid City, SD | 350 miles | ~5 hrs | I-90 W |
| 7 | Rapid City, SD | Billings, MT | 225 miles | ~3 hrs | I-90 W |
| 8 | Billings, MT | Missoula, MT | 345 miles | ~4.5 hrs | I-90 W |
| 9 | Missoula, MT | Seattle, WA | 480 miles | ~7 hrs | I-90 W |
Starting from Tampa instead of Miami? Pick up I-75 N from Tampa — Atlanta is roughly 460 miles (6.5 hours) rather than 663. Starting from Jacksonville? Take I-10 W to I-75 N; Atlanta is 346 miles, about 5 hours.
Stop 1: Atlanta, Georgia — Day 1
Leg: Miami → Atlanta via I-75 N | 663 miles | ~9.5 hours
This is the longest driving day on the route. Leaving Miami early gives you enough afternoon to explore before resting overnight.
Atlanta rewards the history-minded traveller above all else. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park anchors the Sweet Auburn neighbourhood — the birthplace, church, and crypt of Dr. King are all within walking distance of each other and take roughly two hours to do justice.
For a change of pace, Piedmont Park (189 acres in midtown) hosts a Saturday Green Market from spring through autumn, with local vendors selling Georgia peaches, sheep’s milk cheese, and smoked meats. The park’s Aquatic Center is open to the public from May through August — worth knowing if you’ve been driving since sunrise.
The Atlanta History Center consolidates four distinct sites on a 33-acre campus: the Swan House, the Centennial Olympic Games Museum, the Civil War Museum, and Smith Family Farm. Budget three to four hours here.
Where to stay: The Canopy by Hilton Midtown Atlanta sits in the heart of the restaurant district. For something quieter, the Barclay Hotel in downtown offers straightforward rooms within a short walk of the history park.
Stop 2: Nashville, Tennessee — Day 2
Leg: Atlanta → Nashville via I-24 W | 250 miles | ~3.5 hours
Nashville earns its place on this route as much for what surrounds it as for the city itself.
In the city, the Tennessee State Capitol stands on a limestone hill above downtown and is one of the few working state capitol buildings open for self-guided tours — admission is free. The Country Music Hall of Fame is thorough and well-curated; if you only visit one museum here, make it this one rather than one of the paid honky-tonk experiences along Broadway.
Outside the city, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is 2.5 hours east on I-40 — the most-visited national park in the United States, and one of the few diversions on this route genuinely worth a full extra day. The Clingmans Dome road and the Alum Cave Trail offer views the interstate cannot replicate. If you go, plan for it: it adds a day and you can’t see it properly in a rushed half-afternoon.
Where to stay: The Noelle Nashville (downtown, walkable to Broadway) or the Kimpton Aertson Hotel (midtown, quieter) are both well-positioned. Book in advance on summer weekends — Nashville hotel prices spike sharply on Friday and Saturday nights.
Stop 3: St. Louis, Missouri — Day 3 (morning)
Leg: Nashville → St. Louis via I-24 N then I-64 W | 310 miles | ~4.5 hours
St. Louis is best treated as a half-day stop rather than an overnight — there’s enough to see without the city demanding a full day.
The Gateway Arch(630 feet) is the dominant landmark and worth the tram ride to the top, which takes roughly 45 minutes including queuing. The Gateway Arch National Park grounds along the Mississippi riverfront are free to walk.
The Missouri Botanical Garden is genuinely one of the oldest and most significant botanical institutions in North America — founded in 1859, it covers 79 acres and houses a Japanese strolling garden and the iconic Climatron greenhouse. Entry is around $14 for adults. If you’re travelling with children, the Saint Louis Zoo in Forest Park is free and well-regarded.
Note on timing: I-64 through St. Louis carries heavy commuter traffic during rush hours (7–9am and 4–6pm). If your drive from Nashville is arriving in the late afternoon, consider the I-44 bypass.
Stop 4: Kansas City, Missouri — Day 3 (afternoon/evening)
Leg: St. Louis → Kansas City via I-70 W | 250 miles | ~3.5 hours
Kansas City is one of the most underrated stops on the entire route. Arrive by late afternoon, eat well, and stay overnight.
The barbecue here is not hype. Kansas City-style barbecue — low, slow-smoked meat finished with a thick sweet-tomato sauce — is distinct from Tennessee, Texas, or Carolina styles, and Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (three locations; the original is inside a gas station in Westport) is consistently ranked among the best in the country. Expect a queue. It is worth it.
Beyond the food, three museums are worth your time:
The National World War I Museum and Memorial is the most comprehensive WWI museum in the United States and is built around a glass floor beneath which more than 9,000 poppies represent the dead. It is affecting and carefully curated, and most visitors spend two to three hours inside.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art holds one of the strongest Asian art collections in the country alongside significant American, African, and European holdings. Entry is free.
The Arabia Steamboat Museum tells the story of a riverboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856 carrying 200 tonnes of frontier supplies, and was excavated intact 132 years later. The recovered cargo — every boot, comb, and bottle still in its original condition — is displayed as found. Unusual and genuinely fascinating.
Where to stay: The Hotel Indigo Kansas City Downtown (2.7 km from the Power and Light District) or the Sonesta Select Kansas City Overland Park for a quieter, more affordable option on the southern edge of the city.
Stop 5: Sioux Falls, South Dakota — Day 4
Leg: Kansas City → Sioux Falls via I-29 N | 360 miles | ~5 hours
I-29 north from Kansas City is a flat, fast drive through Iowa and into South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the transition point between the midwest and the west — and the landscape starts to open up noticeably around the time you cross the state line.
Falls Park is the reason Sioux Falls is named what it is: the Big Sioux River cascades 100 feet over pink Sioux quartzite into a gorge in the middle of the city. The falls are free to visit and lit at night; the observation tower gives a clear view of the full drop.
The Butterfly House and Aquarium on the east side of the city is a legitimate stop for families — roughly 800 live butterflies in a glass conservatory, plus a marine touch tank. Allow 90 minutes.
For summer visitors, Wild Water West Waterpark (west of the city on I-90) is South Dakota’s largest waterpark and a sensible stop if you’ve been driving for four days and need something mindless and physical.
Practical note: Sioux Falls is on Central Time. If you’ve been tracking time zones since Florida, this is not your first change — Nashville is Central too — but it’s worth confirming your phone has updated before making dinner reservations.
Stop 6: Rapid City, South Dakota — Day 5
Leg: Sioux Falls → Rapid City via I-90 W | 350 miles | ~5 hours
The drive from Sioux Falls to Rapid City is the first leg on I-90, which carries you most of the way to Seattle from here. The terrain changes completely as you cross the Missouri River at Chamberlain — the rolling plains flatten and then, around Wall, the Badlands begin.
Do not skip the Badlands. Badlands National Park is a 45-minute detour south of I-90 at Exit 110, and it is one of the most otherworldly landscapes in the country — eroded buttes, fossil beds, and prairie grasslands that look like nowhere else on earth. The 30-mile loop road can be driven in two hours. Entry is $25 per vehicle (valid for 7 days).
In Rapid City itself, the Black Hills National Forest surrounds the city and offers 1.2 million acres of hiking, cave systems, alpine lakes, and ponderosa pine forest. The forest’s Jewel Cave National Monument (one of the longest known cave systems in the world) and Wind Cave National Park are both worth half a day.
Mount Rushmore is 25 miles south of Rapid City on US-16 A. It is genuinely impressive in person, and the memorial’s lighting ceremony at night is less crowded than the daytime visit. Parking is $10 per vehicle.
Dinosaur Park (free, on a ridgeline above downtown) gives children a concrete-and-paint experience with seven life-sized dinosaur sculptures. Cheesy but beloved.
Where to stay: The Hotel Alex Johnson (a 1928 landmark downtown) or the Grand Gateway Hotel near the airport.
Stop 7: Billings, Montana — Day 6 (morning)
Leg: Rapid City → Billings via I-90 W | 225 miles | ~3 hours
This is the shortest driving leg on the route and the best reason to linger in Rapid City or add a side trip before moving north.
Billings is Montana’s largest city and a practical overnight rather than a destination in itself. Lake Elmo State Park (10 minutes from downtown) is a clean, calm reservoir park with fishing, swimming, and non-motorised boating. It is one of those underrated urban parks that rewards a short detour when you need to stop moving.
If you have extra time in Billings, the Rimrocks — 400-foot sandstone cliffs that rim the north edge of the city — offer a five-mile walking trail with views across the Yellowstone Valley. The Billings Trailhead at the end of Airport Road is the easiest access point.
A major optional detour from Billings: Yellowstone National Park (90 miles south on US-212). If your itinerary has a spare day, Yellowstone is the single most significant natural attraction on or near this entire corridor. Old Faithful, the Grand Prismatic Spring, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — this is not a place to rush. A minimum of two days is needed to see it properly.
Where to stay: The Hilton Garden Inn Billings (downtown, walking distance to the Rimrocks trailhead) or Boothill Inn and Suites (good for families, outdoor pool).
Stop 8: Missoula, Montana — Day 6 (afternoon/evening)
Leg: Billings → Missoula via I-90 W | 345 miles | ~4.5 hours
The drive from Billings to Missoula on I-90 is the scenic highlight of the entire route. The interstate cuts through the Clark Fork river valley, flanked by the Garnet Range to the north and the Bitterroot Range to the south. The section between Deer Lodge and Missoula is especially striking — pull off at Warm Springs or Garrison if you want to stop and take in the valley properly.
Missoula itself is a university town (home to the University of Montana) with a strong arts scene, independent bookshops, and more coffee shops per capita than almost anywhere in the Mountain West.
Montana Snowbowl (12 miles northwest of downtown) is operational from late November through April for skiing and snowboarding across 950 acres of terrain. Outside ski season, the access road provides access to summer hiking trails with wide views of the Rattlesnake Wilderness.
The Missoula Farmers Market runs from May through October on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings at Caras Park, along the Clark Fork riverfront. Local produce, baked goods, and handcraft — one of the better farmers markets in the Mountain West.
The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness — 1.3 million acres of roadless land immediately south of the city — is the second-largest wilderness area in the contiguous United States. Backpackers use Missoula as a base for multi-day routes into the Bitterroot Range. Day hikers can access the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area (free, 5 minutes from downtown) without venturing deep into the wilderness.
A detour worth building a day around: Glacier National Park is 150 miles north of Missoula on US-93. The Going-to-the-Sun Road (open approximately late June through mid-October, subject to snowpack) is widely regarded as the most dramatic mountain road in the United States. Vehicle reservations for the road are required between late May and mid-September — book as early as possible at recreation.gov as slots fill months ahead.
Stop 9: Washington State — Day 7
Leg: Missoula → Seattle via I-90 W | 480 miles | ~7 hours
The final day on I-90 is long but rewarding. The highway climbs through the Coeur d’Alene mountains in the Idaho Panhandle, drops into Spokane (the second-largest city in Washington State), then crosses the Cascade Range via Snoqualmie Pass before descending into the Seattle basin.
Spokane (about 3 hours west of Missoula) is worth an hour’s stop. Riverfront Park, on an island in the Spokane River in the centre of the city, was the site of the 1974 World’s Fair and remains a well-maintained urban park with walking paths and a cable-car gondola over the falls.
Palouse Falls State Park is a 50-mile detour south of I-90 at Spokane (take WA-261 south from Washtucna). The falls — a 198-foot freefall into a basalt canyon — are Washington’s official state waterfall and completely unknown outside the Pacific Northwest. If you have the time, it is one of the most dramatic single stops on the entire route.
Snoqualmie Pass (3,022 feet), about 50 miles east of Seattle on I-90, is where the Cascades announce themselves properly. Pull off at the Hyak Sno-Park or the Franklin Falls trailhead (easy 2-mile walk to a waterfall) if you want a final stretch of the legs before the city.
After 3,000 miles, Seattle is not a transit stop — it’s the payoff. Give it at least two nights. Key starting points for a first-time visit:
- Pike Place Market (downtown, open daily) is the oldest continuously operating public market in the United States. The famous fish toss is performed every day; the attached lower market has some of the best independent food stalls in the city.
- Olympic Sculpture Park (free, waterfront) integrates large-scale sculpture into a nine-acre park with views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
- Mount Rainier National Park is about 80 miles southeast of Seattle on WA-706. At 14,411 feet, it is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States. The Paradise area (open year-round, accessible by car to 5,400 feet) gives non-hikers access to subalpine meadows and close-range glacier views. A full day is the minimum.
- North Cascades National Park (two hours northeast of Seattle on WA-20) is one of the least-visited national parks in the country, despite containing more glaciers than any other park outside Alaska. The North Cascades Highway (WA-20) is one of the genuinely great American scenic drives.
Best time to make this drive
May to September is the safest and most scenic window for the full route.
Spring (May–June):Wildflowers on the Great Plains and Montana, waterfalls at full volume, lower tourist density in the Badlands and Glacier. Some high-elevation roads (Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier, North Cascades Highway) may still be closed in early May — check conditions at nps.gov before planning detours.
Summer (July–August): Peak season everywhere, but the full route is fully open and the days are long — 15+ hours of daylight in Montana means after-dinner hikes are entirely practical. Book accommodation in Rapid City, Missoula, and Seattle well in advance.
Autumn (September–October): Arguably the best conditions for driving. Reduced crowds, lower hotel rates, golden light across the plains, and full foliage in the Appalachian segments. Snoqualmie Pass occasionally sees early snow in late October — monitor conditions.
Winter (November–April): not recommended for inexperienced mountain drivers. The Rapid City to Missoula segment crosses multiple passes where ice and snow regularly close roads. I-90 itself is kept clear, but side trips (Badlands, Going-to-the-Sun Road, North Cascades Highway) are either inaccessible or hazardous. If you must travel in winter, stick to the interstate and carry chains or have all-weather tyres.
Budget guide
| Category | Estimated cost (7 nights, 2 adults) | Notes |
| Fuel | ~$545 | Based on 25 mpg, $3.50/gal average; adjust to your vehicle |
| Accommodation | $840–$1,400 | $60–$100 per person per night; varies significantly by city and season |
| Food | $560–$840 | $40–$60 per person per day including one sit-down meal |
| Attractions | $100–$300 | Badlands ($25/vehicle), Mount Rushmore parking ($10), Glacier ($35/vehicle) |
| Total (estimated) | $2,045–$3,085 | Per couple; excludes flights home from Seattle |
To reduce costs: Rapid City and Billings offer the best value accommodation on the route. Kansas City and Nashville are the most expensive overnight stops, particularly on weekends. Camping is viable in the Badlands, Black Hills, and Glacier areas — full hook-up sites run $25–$45 per night and bring total trip costs down substantially.
Practical tips
Navigation: The route follows I-75, I-24, I-64, I-70, I-29, and then I-90 for the majority of the western half. Download offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me) before you lose cell coverage — service is patchy between Sioux Falls and Billings.
Time zones: Florida and Georgia are Eastern Time. Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Sioux Falls are Central. Rapid City is Mountain Time. Washington State is Pacific. Your phone will update automatically, but keeping a mental note matters when booking accommodation and restaurant reservations.
Vehicle check: This is a 3,200-mile drive. Have tyres, brakes, and coolant checked before departure — the stretch between Billings and Missoula has limited services between towns.
Packing for conditions:Even in summer, Montana nights can drop to 40°F. Bring a mid-layer regardless of season. If you’re driving in May or October, pack for genuine cold and check mountain pass conditions at 511.mt.gov and 511.wsdot.gov.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Florida to Washington State? The total drive time is approximately 49 hours (3,189 miles at typical highway speeds). Split across 7 days with stops, the daily driving averages 6–7 hours, leaving enough time to actually see each city.
What is the most scenic part of the drive? The stretch from Rapid City, SD to Missoula, MT on I-90 is the most visually dramatic sustained section. The Billings-to-Missoula leg through the Clark Fork river valley is particularly striking. For single-stop scenery, the Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier (detour from Missoula) and Palouse Falls near Spokane are the standouts.
Can I do this drive in winter? The interstates are ploughed and passable, but the mountain passes in Montana and the Cascades can be hazardous between November and April. Winter is feasible with the right vehicle and tyres, but the Badlands, Glacier, and North Cascades Highway detours will be unavailable. May through September is the recommended window.
Should I take the Pacific Coast route instead? If ocean scenery is your priority, yes. The Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1) and US-101 north are more visually dramatic along the coast, but the full route from Florida is longer (4,200+ miles) and more expensive. This northern plains route offers greater landscape variety and better access to the Badlands, Black Hills, and Glacier.
What national parks are on or near this route? Great Smoky Mountains (detour from Nashville), Badlands (detour from I-90), Wind Cave (near Rapid City), Theodore Roosevelt (two hours north of Rapid City), Yellowstone (detour from Billings), Glacier (detour from Missoula), North Cascades and Mount Rainier (near Seattle). You could, with careful planning, visit four to five of these on a single trip.
Where should I start if I’m not in Miami? From Tampa: pick up I-75 N from the city centre. Atlanta is 460 miles (~6.5 hours). From Jacksonville: take I-10 W to I-75 N. Atlanta is 346 miles (~5 hours). From Orlando : I-4 W to I-75 N. Atlanta is 430 miles (~6 hours). All three connect cleanly to the main route at Atlanta.
Plan your trip
The interactive map covers all nine stops with exact waypoints, highway routing, and distance calculations per leg. You can adjust the starting city, add or remove stops, and save the route to your phone or GPS before you leave.
Open the full interactive map →
Planning a different segment of this corridor? The Florida to Colorado route takes the southwest diagonal, and the Palm Springs to San Diego guidecovers the Pacific end.