Where in the U.S. Is Interstate Travel Restricted?

Rural states and those with large tourism industries are the first to put restrictions on all interstate visits as coronavirus case numbers continue to rise in many places in the United States. This is according to a list compiled by CNN.

Hawaii, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Wisconsin and, as of Aug 11, Alaska ask all travelers to ensure they are not importing the virus. While Maine and Hawaii give visitors the option of quarantining or producing a fresh negative coronavirus test, Vermont, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and New Mexico opt for travelers staying home and Alaska – as well as Maryland – are testing visitors or require that they bring a negative test result.

While some states make quarantine a requirement, others – like Wisconsin – merely “ask” visitors to stay put for two weeks. Either way: With quarantine enforcement weak or non-existent across states, it is mostly up to travelers whether they stick to their quarantine – even though some states like Hawaii have announced fines.

Quarantine mandates only for travelers coming from places with a high number of coronavirus cases are common across states in the Northeast and also exist in Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, South Carolina and the city of Chicago. Again, directives vary widely across states: While Florida only regards Connecticut, New York and New Jersey as hot spots, Rhode Island requires anyone from a state with a positive testing rate of 5 percent or more to quarantine (or produce a negative test.) This currently applies to 35 states, according to Johns Hopkins University and the COVID Tracking Project.

Within the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, many states make exceptions to the rules for their neighbors. Vermont is also allowing a creative approach for their visitors: Quarantine in your home and then drive straight to Vermont and enjoy your visit. Again, it is up to the traveler to take these rules seriously.