Which panhandle region of a state is the best? (largest, compared, places)

[Borntoolate85]

We've discussed how while certain states provide a panhandle, from the most obvious Oklahoma to marginal ones such as Connecticut and Alabama, I want you to provide/even rank the panhandles of states from best to worst on various criteria.

My ranking:

1. Florida Panhandle- The state capital and lots of great beach towns/cities.
2. Alaska Panhandle- Great scenery with the mountains and less harsh winters than the rest of the state.
3. West Virginia Panhandles- Good scenery, and both bedroom communities for two (Pittsburgh, DC) major metropolitan regions; lots of good recreation nearby.
4. Alabama Panhandle- Mobile a decent small city, with lots of beaches nearby and New Orleans is less than 2 hours away.
5. Maryland Panhandle- Quiet compared to the rest of the state with good recreation/outdoor activities.
6. Texas Panhandle- Amarillo and Lubbock save this from becoming just high plains grazeland and ranchland.
7. Idaho Panhandle- Cieur D'Alene may be just outside of the panhandle, but Kanisku National Forest is another great scenic place with good skiing. Calgary is less than 4 hours away.
8. Connecticut Panhandle- Loses points for marginallity but the wealthiest of them all.
9. Lousiana Panhandle- If you like southern culture, it's for you, but for others, there's not much to do there.
10. Nebraska Panhandle- Some rolling hills, but pretty bland.
11. Oklahoma Panhandle- The most clearly defined of the panhandles, but typlical bland High Plains with only a few small towns.
12. Pennsylvania panhandle- Marginal and just rust belt- the worst combination.

[Smtchll]

I only think of Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho, Nebraska, and Florida. I pick Florida, by far. All the others are so desolate. If we count Connecticut, then I'd live there definitely. That's a really nice part of the state

[BigCityDreamer]

Maryland's panhandle is very scenic. It's a part of Appalachia and there's Deep Creek Lake, a ski resort, a historic industrial and railroad town, state parks, a major civil war battle site and much more.

[stillkit]

Lubbock isn't in the Panhandle. It's on the High Plains, usually called "The Caprock."

[bobsmith]

Huh? Pennsylvania doesn't have a panhandle. Are you talking about Erie, because that's not really a panhandle at all...

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by stillkit

Lubbock isn't in the Panhandle. It's on the High Plains, usually called "The Caprock."

Thank you. I was just about to say that (though we actually call the area on top of the Caprock Escarpment the South Plains). The Texas Panhandle isn't the most scenic place in the world, but it's very important agriculturally (there actually isn't as much ranching as farming there). One of the surprising things about the area is that it has the largest canyon in the US outside of the Grand Canyon, Palo Duro. Some of my favorite memories are of my great-grandparents farm in Wheeler County, so it has to get my vote.

[city_data91]

My favorite panhandle I've been to is Oklahoma. I've never been to the Florida panhandle but I would like to go. I don't think of Louisiana as having a panhandle, but I'd like to go to Louisiana

[Chriscross309]

The Eastern Panhandle of WV

"Potomac Highlands"

[Ben Around]

You define panhandle rather broadly by including LA and especially, AL and PA. If you are going to use that definition, you should also include NH, MN, MO, and MS. (Could even make the argument for IA and NY for that matter!)

[knrstz]

I grew up in Oklahoma. The eastern part of the state is beautiful. There are some neat rock formations u can find under google images, that are located in the western part of the state. Other than that it's got to be one of the most misreable places I can think of to live.