Go to a mapping website such as Google Maps or MapQuest. Click on "Get Directions." Type in your starting address and the destination address. Or simply type the names of the two cities and states you are traveling between. Click "Get Directions" again and a map will appear, along with the distance and estimated driving time.
Visit a specialized website it if you want to know how far it is from one city to another without consideration for roads, water bodies and other obstacles. On FreeMapTools, for example, click on "How Far Is It Between" and type in the names of your two cities and states or two cities and countries. Click on the "Show" button to get the linear distance, or distance "as the crow flies," along with the "distance by land transport." You can also use TimeandDate to calculate linear distance. Once on this site, scroll down to "Other Planning Tools" and click on "Distance Calculator." Choose from the list for each of your locations and then click "Calculate Distance."
Determine the distance between cities by using the navigation tool on your GPS to get to the correct city and state and type in an address. The GPS will suggest street names based on the first letter you type in, then you'll type in the street number. If you just want to get to the city center, you can usually choose from a list of addresses that are categorized under "City Center." The GPS will tell you both the distance to your next turn and the distance to your destination.
Check the table in the back of your road atlas to determine the distance between cities. An atlas will generally list the distances between larger cities such as New York and Atlanta and may list much smaller cities. Determine the distance between two cities on a map by using the map scale. Draw a line on a sheet of paper that roughly follows the roads on the map to your destination. Put this line up against the scale to calculate distance. If the scale shows 50 miles and your line measures five times longer than the scale line, you have 250 miles to go.
