Two miles is a unit of distance, equivalent to 3.22 kilometers. It’s commonly used to measure longer distances in countries following the imperial system.
Understanding how long 2 miles is can help you plan a running route, estimate travel time, understand the length of a hiking trail, or gain a sense of scale for a specific journey or activity.
This post will help you understand this distance through visualization by comparing it to familiar items such as sports fields and famous landmarks so you can make informed decisions in your endeavors.
The post will also shed light on the time it takes to cover this distance when walking, running, and driving.
Read: How Big is Half An Acre? 14 Common Comparisons (+Pics)
Let’s jump in!
Table of contents
13 Common Comparisons For 2 Miles
Before diving into the comparisons, how long is a 2-mile walk?
Using the average walking speed of 3 to 4 mph, you’d cover 2 miles in 30 to 40 minutes. And when running, most people take between 10 and 30 minutes, according to the Marathonhandbook.
And how far is 2 miles by car?
Assuming your car is efficient and there’s no traffic congestion, you’d take approximately two minutes to cover two miles on highways where the average speed is usually about 60 mph.
However, in urban and suburban areas with an average speed of 30 mph, driving 2 miles would take about four minutes, while in cities averaging 20 mph speeds, you’d need two more minutes.
To put it into perspective, compare two miles to the following items.
1. 10 Laps Around a Standard Soccer Field
Soccer fields are an easy way to conceptualize distances, especially when discussing outdoor spaces or planning events where a soccer field’s size is a familiar metric.
Although soccer fields vary in dimensions, most are about 100 meters long and 60 meters wide. That’s a perimeter of 320 meters or approximately 0.2 miles.
So, since one lap around a soccer field is 0.2 miles, two miles is comparable to ten laps around the pitch.
2. 10 Laps Around an American Football Field
What if you use an American football field as the benchmark instead?
It’s the same story. Ten laps around an American football field equals two miles.
Including the two end zones, an American football field is almost the same size as a soccer field, measuring 360 feet long and 160 feet wide. So, it has a perimeter (one lap around the pitch) of 1,040 feet or approximately 0.2 miles.
3. 8 Laps Around a Standard Running Track
Standard running tracks are typically oval-shaped facilities for athletic competitions, training, and fitness activities.
One lap around a standard running track is usually 400 meters or about 0.25 miles.
And if you make eight laps instead? You’d have covered a distance of two miles.
4. 19 Laps Around a Hockey Rink
Hockey rinks are comparatively smaller than soccer and American football fields. They’re usually 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, meaning one lap around equals 570 feet or around 0.108 miles.
As such, running around a hockey rink, you’d need as many as 19 laps to reach a distance of two miles.
5. 37 Laps Around a Standard Basketball Court
A basketball court is the smallest of the sports grounds we’ve seen above. It typically measures 94 feet long and 50 feet wide, meaning one lap around it is 288 feet or 0.0545 miles.
So, if you use a basketball court as your reference frame, envision 37 laps around it to understand how long two miles span.
6. 32X A 100-meter Dash
The 100-meter dash is a popular and exciting sprint event in track and field, known for its explosive nature, requiring athletes to reach maximum speed quickly. It’s often within a running track.
Since the distance spans 100 meters (0.0621371 miles), to visualize two miles, you can think of it as approximately 32 times the length of a 100-meter dash.
Alternatively, imagine running from the starting point to the finish point and back in a 100-meter dash as many as 16 times to get a sense of two miles.
7. The Entire Length of the National Mall
The National Mall in Washington, DC., is a central hub for public gatherings, events, and national celebrations, making it a prominent cultural and historical landmark in the United States.
The Mall spans approximately 2 miles (if you’ve been wondering what’s 2 miles long, look no further).
So, think about walking from one end (Capitol Building) to the other end (Lincoln Memorial). It would give you a sense of covering a 2-mile distance.
8. A Little Over 2 Laps Around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is another way to visualize 2 miles at the National Mall.
This rectangular pool lies between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument and measures 2,028 feet by 167 feet.
So, one lap around it is 4,390 feet or approximately 0.83 miles.
Hence, you could imagine completing a little over two laps around the pool to get an impression of two miles.
9. Half the Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a famous section of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Nevada and a major tourist destination.
The Strip stretches along Las Vegas Boulevard South, showcasing a dazzling array of hotels, resorts, and entertainment venues to cover 4.2 miles.
So, envision a walk or journey covering roughly half the length of the iconic Las Vegas Strip to conceptualize the distance of 2 miles.
10. Halfway Across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is an excellent way to visualize two miles, especially for those living in or visiting Florida, where it’s located.
Spanning Tampa Bay, connecting St. Petersburg in Pinellas County to Terra Ceia in Manatee County, the iconic bridge stretches 6.7 kilometers or roughly four miles.
So, two miles is a walk or drive halfway across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
11. One Round Trip Along the Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is another iconic suspension bridge you can use to visualize two miles.
Connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge spans about 1.1 miles when measured from the curbs in Park Row in Manhattan to Sand Streets in Brooklyn.
So, you can compare two miles to one round trip along the bridge.
12. 11X A Large Ocean Cruise Ship
Cruise ships have varying dimensions, with smaller vessels typically ranging from around 200 to 600 feet, while most large ocean cruise ships are about 1,000 feet long.
Since 1000 feet is about 0.0189 miles, you can compare two miles to a series of eleven large ocean cruise ships lined up end-to-end.
Read: How Long is 500 Km? 13 Common Comparisons (+Pics)
13. 3X The Navy Pier
Navy Pier, located in Chicago, is a popular tourist destination known for its iconic Ferris wheel, scenic views of Lake Michigan, attractive restaurants, and entertainment options.
It’s one of the longest piers in the United States, extending approximately 3,300 feet (0.625 miles) along Lake Michigan’s shoreline.
Two miles is approximately three times as long as the Navy Pier.
