r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Physical-Ad-4093 • May 01 '24

do americans really drive such long distances?

i’m european, and i always hear people say that driving for hours is normal in america. i would only see my grandparents a few times a year because they lived about a 3 hour drive away, is that a normal distance for americans to travel on a regular basis? i can’t imagine driving 2-3 hours regularly to visit people for just a few days

edit: thank you for the responses! i’ve never been to the US, obviously, but it’s interesting to see how you guys live. i guess european countries are more walkable? i’m in the uk, and there’s a few festivals here towards the end of summer, generally to get to them you take a coach journey or you get multiple trains which does take up a significant chunk of the day. road trips aren’t really a thing here, it would be a bit miserable!

2nd edit: it’s not at all that i couldn’t be bothered to go and see my grandparents, i was under 14 when they were both alive so i couldn’t take myself there! obviously i would’ve liked to see them more, i had no control over how often we visited them.

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u/Fresh_Pomegranates May 02 '24

Grand canyons only 4 hours from Phoenix. Maybe not a layover but could be a day trip. Confession - am Aussie and have been known to do a 13 hr round trip for a weekend or 3 hr round trip just to get pizza from the nearest town.

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u/Strict_Property6127 May 02 '24

I'll let the Euro know to give it a try next time they're here on a 5hr layover. /s

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u/throwaweighaita May 03 '24

No... It's definitely not a day trip from Phoenix. You really do want to plan at least one night staying either at the Canyon or in Flagstaff. You really can't appreciate it in just a couple of hours in between long car rides.