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Realistically, any state would work. They are all different, but in a way, all the same as well. Pick one that has things you want to see. Your suggestion of Oregon is a very good pick, it has cities, attractions, rural small towns, etc... and it is very beautiful. It is also home to rain forests which are rare in this country.
There is another thread about which region best typifies American culture, there is a pretty consistent consensus that it is the Midwest. If you made your home base somewhere like Chicago, Indianapolis, or St. Louis... you would be pretty central in the country and withing a couple hours to a day of A LOT of stuff.
I am sure that you will have a good time wherever you go, good luck on your trip.
No, they are not "all the same as well". Just look at MA vs MS. Politics have a huge impact on the culture and lifestyle of a state. MS may as well be in a diff country politically from MA or New England in general. A person visiting New England and one visiting MS and AL would have completely diff takes on what America is like.
No, they are not "all the same as well". Just look at MA vs MS. Politics have a huge impact on the culture and lifestyle of a state. MS may as well be in a diff country politically from MA or New England in general. A person visiting New England and one visiting MS and AL would have completely diff takes on what America is like.
Ugh, cause politics are the ONLY measure in which a place could be similar or different.
Small town America is pretty much the same everywhere, with slight differences such as accents and small cultural differences, but to say there are no similarities is just absurd.
I love how you cherry-pick the quote, without cherry-picking it says, "they are all different,BUT IN A WAY, they are all the same as well." That means that there are glaring differences across the board, but in CERTAIN WAYS, most places in the country share similarities.
Are you saying they don' t share a predominate language? Traffic rules? Do people in MA drive on a different side of the road and speak a different language than those in Mississippi? Do small towns not have the same focus on main-street?
If there is nothing common to most Americans, why the hell is it a country to begin with?
I hope you enjoy your stay in America. If you are looking for a typical American experience, Texas (or anywhere in the Midwest) would be closer to that than Oregon.
You will find that America has a harsh climate (with the exception of the Pacific coast). We are politically conservative, and are religious.
I would also agree, largely, that any state would be a good pick. But some of them are more "average American" than others. Such an example would be Ohio.
Compared to New Zealand. With the exception of the Pacific coast, the climate is harsh.
The most liberal and nonreligious parts of America are probably more conservative and more religious than New Zealand.
Agreed. The country was founded by religious fanatics that were basically thrown out of England for their zealotry. We will never get past religion in this country.
I have to laugh at the absurd climate map you posted. Spend a winter in Philadelphia and you will never believe you live in a "subtropical" climate. Map is seriously flawed.
I've got to agree with the above post. California is the state to go. Has everything-American and foreign. You can get a real "American feel" in places like Orange County and San Diego, which offer some of the best weather and beaches in the country. If you want something more world-class, Los Angeles and San Francisco will offer you more diversity and culture. And there are plenty of places in nature to enjoy. Big Sur and Monterey in NorCal, deserts and Mediterranean-esque valleys for hiking in SoCal, and mountains along the entire state.
If you can't go to California, New York would be best...because you can see anything and everything in New York City. That said, not much else to do in New York State. Upstate New York is beautiful and great for nature, but may be too cold to really enjoy the experience if you'll be there in winter. And places like Albany and Buffalo are very lackluster.
Albany and Buffalo would offer something in terms of the variation within even smaller cities and both have decent nightlife in relation to their size. Both are very accessible to nature within minutes. I'd say that coming in the winter may actually let the OP see what life is really like versus hearsay and could allow for them to take in activities that they wouldn't do otherwise.
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