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Please note that I am asking for your PERSONAL OPINION so I'd hope people can refrain from debating and arguing - I'd like to keep this thread positive!
My three favorite states - in order of preference - are:
Virginia
Texas
And....
OK, the third one was tough because I have several favorite states that could be #3, but I finally settled on...
North Carolina
Here are my reasons:
Virginia - Virginia has everything I like - four pretty evenly spaced seasons, many historical sites, beautiful beaches, gorgeous mountains, lots of pleasantly meandering rivers and rolling hills and valleys, Southern charm, vibrant metro areas, close proximity to states with more of the same, enough transplants to keep the culture shifting and interesting, great food traditions, and it's nostalgic to me because not only did I live there as a child, but my daughter and her family also lived in the very same area for several years - AND our ancestors actually settled in Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown in the 1600s and 1700s (one of our ancestors was Nicholas Martiau who was the main city planner for Yorktown. So I feel a lot of personal connectivity with the state.
I love the Tidewater region especially. Seafaring and living near a coast are both in my blood and I spent many a childhood day laying in the bottom of a flat bottom boat dozing among the cattails as the boat drifted along the little tidal pools and eddies.
One of my earliest childhood memories is of standing at the water's edge on a windswept Virginia beach, looking eastward and thinking, "My ancestors came from that direction." My parents instilled a love of family history early!
Texas - I freely admit - I didn't like Texas at ALL the first year or two that I lived here! In fact, I hated it with a passion. I think it started with my alarm at waking up to the morning "Livestock report." What the heck was I doing living in a place that necessitated a livestock report???????? I couldn't get my head around the whole cowboy persona of the state. But one day I realized, "It's not so bad here." Then a year or so later, I realized, "I really like it here." Within three years I was LOVING ME SOME TEXAS.
I love the people of this state - the heady mixture of cultures. Here in East Texas we have a good mixture of Anglo, African American, and Mexican influences and I'm a big fan of the results. The Texas mentality seems to be friendly but independent - Texans are more than willing to help anyone, as long as that person is trying their best. I like that mentality.
I really like that native Texans are quick to share their state - and the title of Texan - with anyone who appreciates and respects the state. You don't have to have been born here to be considered a Texan.
I love the big Texas cities - Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston are some of my favorite destinations. I also really like the different landscapes in Texas (with the exception of south Texas - not too fond of that scruffy look) - from the green, rolling hills and pastures of East Texas to the striking beauty of the Texas Hill Country, to the windswept western plains of Texas. I like it all - and everywhere I go I see that gorgeous canopy also known as the Big Texas Sky.
I love love love love East Texas winter, spring and fall. I tolerate Texas summers - but since I'm southern born and bred, the heat doesn't really get to me till July and August. Small price to pay for these gorgeous, mild, mostly sunny winters!
I also love that my family is close by. After many nomadic years, we're all settling down in Texas and building our lives here and I love having my parents, my kids, and my grandkids close by. Well - relatively close - Texas is a big state!
North Carolina - I love NC for many of the same reasons I love Virginia. NC strikes me as the country cousin of an elegant Virginian. And I mean that in a good way. I really like the atmosphere of rural North Carolina - especially the Appalachian influences. But NC also has some very fine metro areas which manage to combine the best elements of urban and southern cultures. Great mix.
I think they would have to be the three states I've spent the most time in: Florida, California and New York. I was born and raised in Florida and love it for its good weather and awesome beaches. I lived in California for a little bit, and its a great diverse state with a little bit of everything and also awesome weather. And although I've never lived in New York, I love NYC and have spent so much time there.
States I haven't checked out but would probably like are Oregon and Minnesota.
I've been to 45 U.S. states (currently missing Alaska, Dakotas, New Mexico, and Hawaii) but thus far, I can safely say that I could live in each state I've been to. Each has something wonderful to offer so it's difficult to pick 3 favorites.
I think Arizona, California, and Florida would be it, though. I'm an old soul.
Right...but usually it has something else to be considered as having a great location instead of the fact they are just in a particular region. So I was just curious.
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