Gamehelptendaysinusa

Overview

In 10 Days in the USA, players plan a journey across the United States using State and Transportation cards.

Players: 2–4 Playing Time: 30 minutes Age: 8+

The first player to arrange a valid, continuous 10-day journey wins.

Components

• 1 Game Board showing the United States
• 50 State Cards (one for each state)
• 10 Airplane Cards (two each in dark blue, light blue, green, red, and tan)
• 6 Automobile Cards (neutral color)
• 8 Card Holders (two per player)
• 1 Card Tray
• 1 Travel Guide

State Cards come in five colors: dark blue, light blue, green, red, and tan. Alaska and Hawaii are white.

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table.
2. Place the card tray beside the board.
3. Give each player two card holders, displaying Days 1–10 in order.
4. Mix all State and Transportation cards face down.
5. Each player draws one card at a time and places it into any empty day slot.
6. Continue until every player has 10 cards.
7. Place the remaining cards face down to form the draw pile.
8. Reveal three cards to form three separate face-up discard piles.
9. The player who traveled most recently goes first. Play proceeds clockwise.

Important: Once placed, cards cannot be rearranged within the card holders. They may only be replaced during a turn.

Players should keep their journeys hidden from opponents.

Taking a Turn

Each turn consists of drawing a card, optionally replacing a card, and discarding a card.

1. Draw a Card

Choose one of the following:

• Draw the top card from the face-down draw pile.
• Take the top card from any of the three face-up discard piles.

2. Place or Discard

Choose one of the following:

• Replace any one of the 10 cards in your journey with the drawn card.
• Keep your journey unchanged and discard the drawn card.

You may replace a card in any day slot, regardless of whether it currently forms a valid connection.

3. Discard a Card

Place the removed card, or the unused drawn card, face up on any of the three discard piles.

If a discard pile is empty, you must place your discarded card there.

Empty Draw Pile

If the draw pile runs out, shuffle together all cards from the three discard piles except the top card of each pile.

These shuffled cards form the new draw pile.

Completing a Journey

To win, your 10 cards must form a continuous journey from Day 1 through Day 10.

A completed journey must satisfy all of these requirements:

• Day 1 must be a State Card.
• Day 10 must be a State Card.
• Every consecutive day must form a valid connection.
• Transportation cards cannot be placed directly next to one another in a completed journey.
• Airplanes and automobiles are optional. A journey made entirely of bordering states is allowed.

There are three main methods of connecting states: walking, driving, and flying.

Traveling by Foot

Two State Cards connect directly if their states share a valid border.

The cards must be in consecutive day slots.

Example:

Day 1: California Day 2: Oregon

California and Oregon share a border, so this connection is valid.

No Transportation Card is required.

Traveling by Automobile

An Automobile Card allows travel between two states through a third state that borders both.

The Automobile Card must be placed directly between the two State Cards.

Example:

Day 1: Oregon Day 2: Automobile Day 3: Arizona

This connection is valid because Nevada borders both Oregon and Arizona.

The Automobile Card represents travel through Nevada. A Nevada State Card is not required.

Important:

• Automobiles can only connect states when a third state borders both.
• Automobile Cards do not connect directly to other Transportation Cards.
• Automobile Cards cannot connect to Alaska or Hawaii.

Traveling by Airplane

Airplane Cards allow travel between states of the same color.

For a standard flight:

• Both State Cards must have the same color.
• The Airplane Card must match that color.
• The Airplane Card must appear directly between the State Cards.

Example:

Day 1: Red State Day 2: Red Airplane Day 3: Red State

This is a valid connection.

The states do not need to share a border.

Alaska and Hawaii

Alaska and Hawaii are special states because their cards are white.

They can only connect to other states using Airplane Cards.

Flying to Alaska or Hawaii

The Airplane Card must match the color of the state from which the player departs.

Example:

Day 1: Green State Day 2: Green Airplane Day 3: Alaska

This connection is valid.

Flying from Alaska or Hawaii

The Airplane Card must match the color of the destination state.

Example:

Day 1: Hawaii Day 2: Blue Airplane Day 3: Blue State

This connection is valid.

Flying Between Alaska and Hawaii

Any color Airplane Card may connect Alaska directly to Hawaii, or Hawaii directly to Alaska.

Example:

Day 1: Alaska Day 2: Red Airplane Day 3: Hawaii

This connection is valid even though Alaska and Hawaii are white.

Special Travel Rules

Four Corners

Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico meet at the Four Corners.

For travel connections, states must share an actual horizontal or vertical border.

Touching only at a corner does not count.

Therefore:

• Colorado and Utah share a valid border.
• Colorado and New Mexico share a valid border.
• Utah and Arizona share a valid border.
• Arizona and New Mexico share a valid border.
• Colorado and Arizona do not count as bordering states.
• Utah and New Mexico do not count as bordering states.

Michigan

Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas are considered connected for purposes of travel.

A player may travel by foot from Ohio to Michigan and then from Michigan to Wisconsin.

Maine and New Hampshire

Maine and New Hampshire share a border and may connect by foot.

However, an Automobile Card cannot connect them because there is no third state bordering both.

Automobile Travel Between Bordering States

An Automobile Card may be used between two states that already share a border, provided a third state also borders both.

Example:

California and Oregon share a border.

They may also connect using an Automobile Card because Nevada borders both states.

Winning the Game

At the end of your turn, check whether your entire journey is valid.

If all 10 cards form a continuous journey:

1. Announce "10 DAYS!"
2. Reveal your completed journey.
3. Place your cards on the game board in the designated review spaces.
4. The remaining players verify every connection.

If all other players agree that the journey is valid, you win immediately.

Quick Rules Reference

Walking: Two consecutive State Cards must share a border.

Automobile: State → Automobile → State. A third state must border both endpoint states.

Airplane: State → Airplane → State. The airplane and both states must match in color, except for the Alaska and Hawaii rules.

Alaska/Hawaii: Airplane travel only. Match the airplane color to the other state, or use any airplane color between Alaska and Hawaii.

Card Placement: Cards cannot be rearranged. Replace one card per turn or discard the drawn card.

Victory: Complete 10 connected days, beginning and ending with State Cards.