Stepped foot in 46 of 50 States...best of what I saw
In life you gotta connect the dots by taking a number of periodic adventures...could be accidental or could be planned...either way you add these as places you have touched ground.
Alabama (in 1994 and 2002) - Huntsville Space and Rocket Center (went to that space camp as a kid and loved it. They have virtually everything to simulate the feeling of embarking on a space mission...especially the twist museum and dormitory design like a space station...great IMAX theater as well!!!
Alaska (in 2009) - Loved Anchorage, Denali Highway midnight sun drive.... Kenai peninsula an absolute must....Skaguey and White Pass Rail....driving Glenn Highway
Arizona (in 1997, 2001, 2007) - Grand Canyon, 4 corners monument, Sedona pink jeep tour broken arrow route, more sunshine hours than anywhere in the US
Not been to Arkansas but Eureka Springs a must
California (1997, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014) - Bay Area and SoCal but really amazing is go to the redwoods, go to highway 1 Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-sea
Colorado (2002, 2007) - saw the southwest portion Durango and Telluride...ascended over that windy road and the towns below the passes...also the piece that borders Wyoming ... Wish to see Boulder and Colorado Springs
Connecticut (all years since 2010) - this state you don't have to drive too far to see geological variety. NW corner Litchfield is highland country...NE highland country has organic summer creameries and great Hosmer Birch Beer....SW is New York City commute towns with great shopping outlets and Mystic and Norwalk beautiful views of the Sound...and Windsor is historic and spectacular in summer and fall foliage....love Simsbury Inn and Avon
Delaware (2008, 2009, 2010) - Love the Delmarva eastern shore and the peaceful relaxed feel...very mellow
Florida (1985 to 2006 mainly) - Born and raised ...speaks for itself... Love Miami Beach nightlife, the keys, Disney theme parks never get old...Palm Beach Gardens is really upscale...great year-round weather
Other unique spots
"Vilano Beach -St Augustine
Cedar Key
Keaton Beach
Ginnie Springs
Gainesville, Florida life at UF...great school...that's where I got my degree
Georgia (1999, 2004) - Love Savannah and SCAD
Love Psychedelic town of Athens, GA ...getting there is half the fun...home of B52s by the way
Atlanta has a great downtown as well
Hawaii (2014) - LOVE Maui-Wailea Lahaina and road to Hana
Love Oahu Waikiki beach and Honolulu and North Shore
Love Kauai - The dry southern coast vs Hanalei Bay napaali coast
Mahalo!
Idaho (2007)- Drove out to Twin Falls along Oregon Trail path and love the waterfall they have there and the in-between Nevada Desert and woodland mixture
Illinois (1993, 2007, 2013) - Well Chicago Lake shore Drive and The river walk system...and the pier ...fun fun fun city with a great sense of place!
Indiana (2005) - on a job interview trip to Cincinnati back in 2005, drove out to Brooksville Indiana...this I found to be the true American Heartland...the tradition of American flag held over every foundation and the Honoring of our freedom, supporting our troops
Iowa (2007) - I saw Mitchell County...actually these are the enlightened Scandinavian pioneers who came to US in search of opportunity mid-19th century with a strong work ethic and today Iowa is doing well in these tough times...lots of financial opportunity in Hawk Eye. There was a casino on the stateline but Iowans tend not to gamble cheaply...they gamble by taking on more informative risks with their dollars...entrepreneurship
Kansas - Not been there but I want to see Witchita and Dodge City and a tribute to Wizard of Oz
Kentucky (1996, 2005) - You've been there if you flew into Cincinnati. I saw the towns on the other end of the Ohio River and it has a unique Civil War history. Today it's archival landmarks that we all can learn a lot from.
Lousiana (2002)-Love love love New Orleans Bourbon Street and French Quarter and just walking from the Greyhound station. Honestly the crime isn't what the news makes it to be. I found the people to be friendly...I love the French -creole influence and the Zydeco music!!! And the old hint of colonial french settlement!
Maine (1991, 2009, 2010, 2011) - Love the lakes out in Casco and the artsiness of Portland... I like the drive east into New Brunswick along the Acadien woodlands
Maryland (Lived 2006 to 2010) - Love that cute little capital Anapolis...try Chick ang Ruth's chocolate shakes...like the eastern shore, like harper's ferry...love the Patomac and Great Falls MD Billygoat trail, like the road ascend Cumberland to Frostberg..3500 feet up
Love the Battlefields
Love the Blair witch woods (the spooky-looking town is called Berkitsville and it's between Frederick and Harper's Ferry NW of Washington, DC)
Love the diners
Love the towns on the metro connecting to DC
And Baltimore museums
And Ocean City
Like Havre de Grace
Massachusetts (2009 thru 2015) - Love the berkshires and the Cape and Nantucket and Boston and Wrentham outlets...and for a feel of a thriving progressive place you wouldn't ordinarily see on the East Coast
Northampton
Michigan (1992 thru 1996 summers, 2009) - I like Ann Arbor, Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Went to camp at Interlochen Arts Camp up near Traverse City. I want to see the Upper Peninsula
Minnesota (1997, 2007, 2008, 2013)- Love Minneapolis and the lakes up in Cook, the cute city of Duluth...I did the Bob Dylan walk in Hibbing.... Also Moorehead has great Scandinavian roots and it's Hempkost fest
Mississippi (2002)- I like the delta but I saw mainly the Gulf Coast "Biloxi and Gulfport...great hospitality and lovely properties on the water !!!
Missouri (2007) - flew into St Louis...it is a great town for 20-somethings...great vibe---great beer, great support for the sports teams...great sense of "this is where im from"...
Montana (1997) - Love the crisp blue skies...Saw Yellowstone and Gardiner/Great Falls...it's where mountain foothills turn to Prairies and where old native tales you read about in books...their culture is archived all around you as far the eye can see
Nebraska - never been but sooo close when I was in Rapid City, SD
Nevada (1997, 2001, 2005, 2007)- Vegas and Reno ...and the part that borders Utah...Love the Sunshine and the hotels on the Vegas strip and Grand Slam Canyon
New Hampshire (1984, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) - Family owned breakfast inns, Mount Washington Auto-route, Dartmouth, Portsmouth on the ocean...great biking and Hiking on those white stone mountain tops
New Jersey (1991, sporadic, and all years since 2010)- too much to love here...love Morristown, Livingston, Roseland, love Cape May, really love Ocean Grove (Methodist sleeping tents of it and old beach homes) and Asbury Park Boardwalk contrast ...atlantic city boardwalk
New Mexico (2002, 2007) - Saw the part near Four Corners and bus from El Paso to Tucsan, AZ but need to see more of it ...the red rock monuments and Roswell...and Navajo ruins
New York (frequent but mostly to the city) - Like the Big Apple but also upstate...Catskills, Lake George, Syracuse, Saratoga, Adorondacks...it is a great contrast from the city...then I need to see the Hamptons at some point
North Carolina (1987, 2006, but frequent other times) like Asheville and the smoky mountains but also I have to see the coastal outter banks at some point. Need also to see Chapel Hill
North Dakota: (2007, 2008) Been to Fargo and Grand Forks...very lovely Sky images when fronts move through the plains...great friendly people and oil boomtowns!
Ohio:(2005, 2009) Cincinnati and Marymont...try skyline chilli... Columbus Ohio is the perfect American City....love the coasters at Cedar Point Sandusky
Oklahoma: Haven't been but I want to see Tulsa and OK City. One of the founding fathers of progressive acoustic American folk movement was Woody Guthrie, the father of Arlo. He saying "this land is your land...this land is my land..." And he was from neither California nor the New York Islands...he was a native Oklahoman.
Oregon: (2008) Made the 101 highway drive from Bay Area California up to Brookings, Oregon. I need to see way more of Oregon but I got a CD in Brookings about stories from Oregon and played it over and over again the whole drive back to SF. Even at an Oregon gas station I got to hear it (in Oregon all gas stations were full service)
Pennsylvania (1981 thru 1985 and periodically since (Lived near Philadelphia as a toddler and made a trip to revisit Penn Valley...King of Prussia Mall, also I like Lancaster County and I have seen Valley Forge and Allegheny mountains
Rhode Island: (at least once a year since living in New England since 2010) Providence theatre, pizza on scituate, Newport RI is really fun...block Island by ferry
South Carolina: (1985, 2003, and 2006) Charleston's King Street....south of the border in Dylan...Hilton Head...(need to see Myrtle Beach)
South Dakota:(1997) Rapid City, Mount Rushmore, Wall drugs, Badlands Natl Park
Tennessee: (2003, 2006)Cherokee National Forest (In winter with snow on top!). Johnson City
Texas: (2002 and tons of times in DFW and Houston airports) Been to Houston, San Antonio (Alamo and riverwalk), El Paso, Beamont)...need to see Austin
Utah (1996, 1997, 2007): Salt Lake, Zion, Bryce Canyon, park City snowbird 12,000 feet up...Ogden
Vermont: (many times since 2010 and also a 2009 trip) Burlington B-town, Rutland, Brattleboro, Derby Line border town with Quebec...love the contrast along the Plattsburgh River the towns vs wilderness on the other side
...great ice cream and not just Ben and Jerry's!
Virginia: (2006 thru 2010 many times) Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and the bridge from Delmarva to Norfolk, the northern VA (GW Parkway to Oldtown Alexandria), the Richmond Fan District, the blue ridge parkway towns along from Mount Royal down to Roanoke
Washington state: (1996, 1997) Seattle and the Cascades by way of Victoria Clipper from
british columbia. (Pikes place, space needle) and in July it is plenty of blue sky days and you can see Mount Reineer)
West Virginia: (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) I like the Dolly Sods park for hiking and I like just driving those mountains and backroads...it's real country. UWv Morgantown is a great Little town. One obscure thing in West Virginia Is the 4-lane unfinished highway that Senator Robert Byrd tried so hard to Fund but never was completed.
Instead you see an amazing express highway in the middle of nowhere that ends out of nowhere. Some call it the ultimate example of Govt wasteful spending, but for me it is just something very uncommon to see so when you see it, it is utmost intriguing.
Wisconsin: (2007, 2013) Saw Lambeau Field in Green Bay, drove down to Madison and loved it...I like that Ella's Diner a lot in Madison with trains running across the delicatessen. Very friendly people! Great dairy store in Appleton!
Also I saw the piece of Wisconsin on I94 just across the Minnesota stateline
Wyoming:(1997, 2007) Love jackson hole, Yellow Stone and Grand Tetons, the Big Horn Mountains, the little town of Green River... The drive towards Salt Lake from
Cheyenne
So there you have it. The only states I haven't stepped foot in are Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma!
I saw most of these rather quickly, tied into other trips, or airport stops, or bus transfers. Or sometimes I saw something and came back to it when more time and a little bit of money made it possible.
I think every American should see as much of the US as possible in a lifetime, even if it means everyone get in one large rental and split the gas 20 ways and stay at KOA campgrounds. However dirty or hungry you get, I promise you you will have few regrets.
Alabama (in 1994 and 2002) - Huntsville Space and Rocket Center (went to that space camp as a kid and loved it. They have virtually everything to simulate the feeling of embarking on a space mission...especially the twist museum and dormitory design like a space station...great IMAX theater as well!!!
Alaska (in 2009) - Loved Anchorage, Denali Highway midnight sun drive.... Kenai peninsula an absolute must....Skaguey and White Pass Rail....driving Glenn Highway
Arizona (in 1997, 2001, 2007) - Grand Canyon, 4 corners monument, Sedona pink jeep tour broken arrow route, more sunshine hours than anywhere in the US
Not been to Arkansas but Eureka Springs a must
California (1997, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014) - Bay Area and SoCal but really amazing is go to the redwoods, go to highway 1 Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-sea
Colorado (2002, 2007) - saw the southwest portion Durango and Telluride...ascended over that windy road and the towns below the passes...also the piece that borders Wyoming ... Wish to see Boulder and Colorado Springs
Connecticut (all years since 2010) - this state you don't have to drive too far to see geological variety. NW corner Litchfield is highland country...NE highland country has organic summer creameries and great Hosmer Birch Beer....SW is New York City commute towns with great shopping outlets and Mystic and Norwalk beautiful views of the Sound...and Windsor is historic and spectacular in summer and fall foliage....love Simsbury Inn and Avon
Delaware (2008, 2009, 2010) - Love the Delmarva eastern shore and the peaceful relaxed feel...very mellow
Florida (1985 to 2006 mainly) - Born and raised ...speaks for itself... Love Miami Beach nightlife, the keys, Disney theme parks never get old...Palm Beach Gardens is really upscale...great year-round weather
Other unique spots
"Vilano Beach -St Augustine
Cedar Key
Keaton Beach
Ginnie Springs
Gainesville, Florida life at UF...great school...that's where I got my degree
Georgia (1999, 2004) - Love Savannah and SCAD
Love Psychedelic town of Athens, GA ...getting there is half the fun...home of B52s by the way
Atlanta has a great downtown as well
Hawaii (2014) - LOVE Maui-Wailea Lahaina and road to Hana
Love Oahu Waikiki beach and Honolulu and North Shore
Love Kauai - The dry southern coast vs Hanalei Bay napaali coast
Mahalo!
Idaho (2007)- Drove out to Twin Falls along Oregon Trail path and love the waterfall they have there and the in-between Nevada Desert and woodland mixture
Illinois (1993, 2007, 2013) - Well Chicago Lake shore Drive and The river walk system...and the pier ...fun fun fun city with a great sense of place!
Indiana (2005) - on a job interview trip to Cincinnati back in 2005, drove out to Brooksville Indiana...this I found to be the true American Heartland...the tradition of American flag held over every foundation and the Honoring of our freedom, supporting our troops
Iowa (2007) - I saw Mitchell County...actually these are the enlightened Scandinavian pioneers who came to US in search of opportunity mid-19th century with a strong work ethic and today Iowa is doing well in these tough times...lots of financial opportunity in Hawk Eye. There was a casino on the stateline but Iowans tend not to gamble cheaply...they gamble by taking on more informative risks with their dollars...entrepreneurship
Kansas - Not been there but I want to see Witchita and Dodge City and a tribute to Wizard of Oz
Kentucky (1996, 2005) - You've been there if you flew into Cincinnati. I saw the towns on the other end of the Ohio River and it has a unique Civil War history. Today it's archival landmarks that we all can learn a lot from.
Lousiana (2002)-Love love love New Orleans Bourbon Street and French Quarter and just walking from the Greyhound station. Honestly the crime isn't what the news makes it to be. I found the people to be friendly...I love the French -creole influence and the Zydeco music!!! And the old hint of colonial french settlement!
Maine (1991, 2009, 2010, 2011) - Love the lakes out in Casco and the artsiness of Portland... I like the drive east into New Brunswick along the Acadien woodlands
Maryland (Lived 2006 to 2010) - Love that cute little capital Anapolis...try Chick ang Ruth's chocolate shakes...like the eastern shore, like harper's ferry...love the Patomac and Great Falls MD Billygoat trail, like the road ascend Cumberland to Frostberg..3500 feet up
Love the Battlefields
Love the Blair witch woods (the spooky-looking town is called Berkitsville and it's between Frederick and Harper's Ferry NW of Washington, DC)
Love the diners
Love the towns on the metro connecting to DC
And Baltimore museums
And Ocean City
Like Havre de Grace
Massachusetts (2009 thru 2015) - Love the berkshires and the Cape and Nantucket and Boston and Wrentham outlets...and for a feel of a thriving progressive place you wouldn't ordinarily see on the East Coast
Northampton
Michigan (1992 thru 1996 summers, 2009) - I like Ann Arbor, Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Went to camp at Interlochen Arts Camp up near Traverse City. I want to see the Upper Peninsula
Minnesota (1997, 2007, 2008, 2013)- Love Minneapolis and the lakes up in Cook, the cute city of Duluth...I did the Bob Dylan walk in Hibbing.... Also Moorehead has great Scandinavian roots and it's Hempkost fest
Mississippi (2002)- I like the delta but I saw mainly the Gulf Coast "Biloxi and Gulfport...great hospitality and lovely properties on the water !!!
Missouri (2007) - flew into St Louis...it is a great town for 20-somethings...great vibe---great beer, great support for the sports teams...great sense of "this is where im from"...
Montana (1997) - Love the crisp blue skies...Saw Yellowstone and Gardiner/Great Falls...it's where mountain foothills turn to Prairies and where old native tales you read about in books...their culture is archived all around you as far the eye can see
Nebraska - never been but sooo close when I was in Rapid City, SD
Nevada (1997, 2001, 2005, 2007)- Vegas and Reno ...and the part that borders Utah...Love the Sunshine and the hotels on the Vegas strip and Grand Slam Canyon
New Hampshire (1984, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) - Family owned breakfast inns, Mount Washington Auto-route, Dartmouth, Portsmouth on the ocean...great biking and Hiking on those white stone mountain tops
New Jersey (1991, sporadic, and all years since 2010)- too much to love here...love Morristown, Livingston, Roseland, love Cape May, really love Ocean Grove (Methodist sleeping tents of it and old beach homes) and Asbury Park Boardwalk contrast ...atlantic city boardwalk
New Mexico (2002, 2007) - Saw the part near Four Corners and bus from El Paso to Tucsan, AZ but need to see more of it ...the red rock monuments and Roswell...and Navajo ruins
New York (frequent but mostly to the city) - Like the Big Apple but also upstate...Catskills, Lake George, Syracuse, Saratoga, Adorondacks...it is a great contrast from the city...then I need to see the Hamptons at some point
North Carolina (1987, 2006, but frequent other times) like Asheville and the smoky mountains but also I have to see the coastal outter banks at some point. Need also to see Chapel Hill
North Dakota: (2007, 2008) Been to Fargo and Grand Forks...very lovely Sky images when fronts move through the plains...great friendly people and oil boomtowns!
Ohio:(2005, 2009) Cincinnati and Marymont...try skyline chilli... Columbus Ohio is the perfect American City....love the coasters at Cedar Point Sandusky
Oklahoma: Haven't been but I want to see Tulsa and OK City. One of the founding fathers of progressive acoustic American folk movement was Woody Guthrie, the father of Arlo. He saying "this land is your land...this land is my land..." And he was from neither California nor the New York Islands...he was a native Oklahoman.
Oregon: (2008) Made the 101 highway drive from Bay Area California up to Brookings, Oregon. I need to see way more of Oregon but I got a CD in Brookings about stories from Oregon and played it over and over again the whole drive back to SF. Even at an Oregon gas station I got to hear it (in Oregon all gas stations were full service)
Pennsylvania (1981 thru 1985 and periodically since (Lived near Philadelphia as a toddler and made a trip to revisit Penn Valley...King of Prussia Mall, also I like Lancaster County and I have seen Valley Forge and Allegheny mountains
Rhode Island: (at least once a year since living in New England since 2010) Providence theatre, pizza on scituate, Newport RI is really fun...block Island by ferry
South Carolina: (1985, 2003, and 2006) Charleston's King Street....south of the border in Dylan...Hilton Head...(need to see Myrtle Beach)
South Dakota:(1997) Rapid City, Mount Rushmore, Wall drugs, Badlands Natl Park
Tennessee: (2003, 2006)Cherokee National Forest (In winter with snow on top!). Johnson City
Texas: (2002 and tons of times in DFW and Houston airports) Been to Houston, San Antonio (Alamo and riverwalk), El Paso, Beamont)...need to see Austin
Utah (1996, 1997, 2007): Salt Lake, Zion, Bryce Canyon, park City snowbird 12,000 feet up...Ogden
Vermont: (many times since 2010 and also a 2009 trip) Burlington B-town, Rutland, Brattleboro, Derby Line border town with Quebec...love the contrast along the Plattsburgh River the towns vs wilderness on the other side
...great ice cream and not just Ben and Jerry's!
Virginia: (2006 thru 2010 many times) Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and the bridge from Delmarva to Norfolk, the northern VA (GW Parkway to Oldtown Alexandria), the Richmond Fan District, the blue ridge parkway towns along from Mount Royal down to Roanoke
Washington state: (1996, 1997) Seattle and the Cascades by way of Victoria Clipper from
british columbia. (Pikes place, space needle) and in July it is plenty of blue sky days and you can see Mount Reineer)
West Virginia: (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) I like the Dolly Sods park for hiking and I like just driving those mountains and backroads...it's real country. UWv Morgantown is a great Little town. One obscure thing in West Virginia Is the 4-lane unfinished highway that Senator Robert Byrd tried so hard to Fund but never was completed.
Instead you see an amazing express highway in the middle of nowhere that ends out of nowhere. Some call it the ultimate example of Govt wasteful spending, but for me it is just something very uncommon to see so when you see it, it is utmost intriguing.
Wisconsin: (2007, 2013) Saw Lambeau Field in Green Bay, drove down to Madison and loved it...I like that Ella's Diner a lot in Madison with trains running across the delicatessen. Very friendly people! Great dairy store in Appleton!
Also I saw the piece of Wisconsin on I94 just across the Minnesota stateline
Wyoming:(1997, 2007) Love jackson hole, Yellow Stone and Grand Tetons, the Big Horn Mountains, the little town of Green River... The drive towards Salt Lake from
Cheyenne
So there you have it. The only states I haven't stepped foot in are Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma!
I saw most of these rather quickly, tied into other trips, or airport stops, or bus transfers. Or sometimes I saw something and came back to it when more time and a little bit of money made it possible.
I think every American should see as much of the US as possible in a lifetime, even if it means everyone get in one large rental and split the gas 20 ways and stay at KOA campgrounds. However dirty or hungry you get, I promise you you will have few regrets.
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