The last few days I picked up a vehicle out in Portland Oregon and drove back home to Indiana. As part of the trip, I drove the length of North Dakota from west to east. It was the last of the 50 United States for me to visit. I don’t know how many folks actually make it to all 50, but it was a bit of a challenge to do it. I would recommend everyone try to see as many as you can.

So now that I have visited all 50 of the states, I have a few observations. The first is that any American who complains about not being able to travel abroad may not be taking advantage of what this great country has to offer. There are so many beautiful and wonderful places, just in the 48 states, and they are just a few days car ride away from anywhere. Yes, some of the distances are long, but there’s nothing keeping you from visiting every one of the states.

My favorite states to visit:

  1. Washington – I had a chance to live there for several months in the late 1990’s when I was working at Boeing and it is a wonderful state. There is so much outdoors to do. Seattle is a great city. The Puget sound is wonderful. The ferrys and the islands are fantastic. The Olympic peninsula is a wonder by itself, with the mountains and rain forest and windswept beaches. Then there are the big mountains – Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt. St. Helens, the Cascades. This is one state that everyone should visit.
  2. Hawaii – I’ve been to Hawaii three times and I would put all three visits on my top ten list of vacations. That’s pretty impressive. The first thing you notice about Hawaii is the weather. It’s about 77 to 78 degrees every day. It might get up to 82 or down to 70 or so and it can get cold on top of the mountains, but generally it’s perfect weather all the time. Then you notice the terrain. Beautiful sand beaches, backdropped by huge mountains. Rugged coastlines. Volcanos. Palm trees hanging over the beach. 7 islands that all have a slightly different character. I’ve heard some of the south Pacific islands are better, but I don’t know how they could be.
  3. California – It’s so nice, you go there despite the Californians that live there. It is probably the most diverse state of all. It has sun and beaches, big cities and big mountains. It has the largest trees in the world and desolate deserts. There is history and Hollywood. And on top of all that is Yosemite valley – only one of the most beautiful spots on earth. I would like to explore northern and northeastern California some more.
  4. Michigan – Some might ask why can I put Michigan on this list – but those folks haven’t been there. I went to college in Michigan and have spent a great deal of time there. Michigan is another state that has so much to diversity and so much to do. It has cities and colleges and the great lakes and the upper peninsula. It has resort areas for summer and winter – with snow sports – skiing and snowmobiling. It has one not widely known secret that is Mackinac Island. Detroit is the center of industry. The Henry Ford museum and Greenfield Village tell the history of America better than any other museum – with the possible exception of the Smithsonian.
  5. Florida – If you like sun, warm weather and beaches, then Florida is your place. It seems like every beach town has it’s own vibe. There is a reason so many people retire there. And then there is Orlando – the family playground of the world. Everything from Disney to Gatorland.

So that’s it – my top 5 – what are yours? Leave a comment below. I do have a couple more I could have easily put on the list:

Alaska – I’ve only seen a small portion of it, which is why it didn’t make my favorites, but the parts I’ve seen are wondrous. We took a cruise and visited the southern towns Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway. Glacier bay and College Fiord – they are spectacular. And in the interior we saw Anchorage, Denali park and Fairbanks. You could spend a lifetime exploring it – we just tapped the surface. It’s hard to get to and supposedly the weather is brutal in the winter – but when we were there in July it was perfect. I’d like to visit more.

Vermont – We spent one rainy day driving through Vermont. Hardly enough to get much more than a first impression. But my first impression was that it is as picture perfect as people claim. There were beautiful hills and farms and fall colors that even a cloudy drizzly day couldn’t hide.

British Columbia – Yeah it’s not a state, it’s a Canadian Province. But if it were it would be at the top of my list. Think of Washington state on steroids. Vancouver is a jewel of a city – more beautiful than Seattle. More islands, more mountains, and more scenery. If you haven’t been there, book a trip, now.

Any least favorites? Well I’m from Indiana, which might be on some folks’ list of least favorite states. But those folks probably have driven across northern or central part of the state which is uninteresting and pancake flat. Or maybe they drove through Gary Indiana which is one of the ugliest towns in the country. But take them to spend a few days in southern Indiana – Brown or Monroe counties, or down on the Ohio river, and they might have a totally different opinion. I’ve been to Sonoma County California, and Acadia national park in Maine and I would say that southern Indiana rivals them for beauty. So just like Indiana, I’m sure those states I’d put on my least favorite list, have some spots which would change my opinion.

My must see places in the US in no particular order:

  1. Moab Utah – So different than anywhere else I’ve been. Fantastic natural scenery for miles in every direction. Arches national Park is just outside town and Canyonlands is not far.
  2. Yosemite Valley – The most picturesque valley in the United States – maybe in the world.
  3. Mackinac Island – Wonderful place to spend a summer weekend. You reach it by ferry and there are no motor vehicles allowed. You get around by foot, bicycle or horse. The island has wonderful geography and history as well. There are three forts from the war of 1812 and a battle was fought here. The Grand hotel is amazing and there are dozens of other places to stay.
  4. Maui – It’s a pretty big island – spend a week there and tell me you didn’t love it.
  5. Tucson – Southwestern city surrounded by the Sonoran Desert – Check out Tanque Verde Ranch
  6. Olympic Peninsula – Fairly large area west of Seattle with snow capped mountains and a rain forest full of huge trees.
  7. Washington DC – The capitol with history, monuments and museums – a must see.
  8. Yellowstone – If you can only go to one national park – it would be a coin-flip between this and Yosemite. This one is sprawling and chock full of wonders – I think Artist’s point is the most beautiful spot in America that I’ve been to, and the geysers are amazing.
  9. Denali – The largest mountain in North America – the park is huge and very interesting. See if you catch a glimpse of the mountain.
  10. Glacier Bay – This is where dozens of Glaciers tumble down into the sea and “calve” off in giant splashes. Nearby is the town of Juneau Alaska where you can stand near a glacier and see the immensity.
  11. Nashville/Bloomington, Indiana – OK I put this on here because I’m from Indiana. You will not be disappointed however – the hills of Brown and Monroe counties are legendary. A visit to Bloomington includes Indiana University, one of the most beautiful college campuses.
  12. Shenandoah Park – Western Virginia meets the Appalachian range and the Blue Ridge Parkway here. Walk a portion of the Appalachian trail and visit the nearby town of Lurey.
  13. New York City – Yes, no list would be right without this city on it. I’m not really a city guy, but there is more to do here and more history than you can imagine.
  14. Niagara Falls – It’s not the highest falls, but certainly one of the most impressive in terms of the amount of water flowing.
  15. Na Pali Coast – Stunning coastline on the island of Kauai. Hike the Kalalau trail and you will be amazed.
  16. Taos, NM – The town itself is a quaint little artist community, which is nice to visit. The area is fantastic. The mountain loop nearby has many great places to visit, including a little town called Red River. Santa Fe is nearby.
  17. Orlando – If you have kids, this is the place. Even if you don’t have kids, you will find something to like. Disney came to town 50 years ago and transformed the orange tree capitol to the entertainment capitol. Of course there are the Disney parks, but Universal, Sea World and an endless variety of add-on activities are there- we flew in WWII trainer planes at the Kissimmee airport – and yes, for some old Florida entertainment, Gatorland cannot be beat.
  18. Boston – Full of history that is easy to access along the “red line” trail. They’ve connected all the major historic sites with a red line built into the sidewalk. You can do it in one long day, but I recommend splitting it into two. Interesting revolutionary war era history is around every corner.
  19. San Francisco – Another historical city. Visit the Golden Gate Bridge, the beach near Cliff House, the Wharf area and Alcatraz. Take in the many great restaurants and ride a cable car.
  20. Outer Banks – These windswept beaches of North Carolina are a great place to visit. The north end is where the Wright Brothers discovered flight, the south ends at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse.
  21. Mt. St Helens – I haven’t been there in a long time. This postcard perfect mountain exploded in 1980, causing unimaginable damage to the surrounding area. You can see what it looked like before and what it looks like today.
  22. San Juan Islands – These beautiful islands are just north of Seattle in the Puget Sound. You can take a ferry over and drive on some of them – seeing old forts, parks and a place called deception pass. Another ferry ride will take you to Friday Harbor, home to Orca Whales and views in every direction.
  23. New Orleans – Interesting because it’s so much different than any other city in the US. Take a city tour and of course visit the French quarter.
  24. Rocky Mountains – The Rocky Mountains of Colorado are a sight to behold. I don’t claim to be an expert on them. I’ve mostly been skiing or mountain biking. You could spend years exploring here.
  25. Grand Canyon – Another must visit National Park.
  26. Sanibel Island – I could pick a dozen beaches in Florida for my favorite list, but Sanibel, on the gulf side has fantastic powder beaches made for playing and sunning during the day and lazily watching the sunset in the evening. The Gulf beaches of Florida are more relaxed. The Atlantic side is a little more wild – more suited to surfing and seashell searching. You can’t go wrong with either.
  27. Los Angeles – Another must-see city. Hollywood is a bit more seedy than you thought before you visited, but nearby Griffith park is fantastic. The museums are first rate. The beaches are wonderful – stop in one of the beach towns and get lunch or dinner.
  28. Smoky Mountain National Park – Take a walk in the wooded smoky mountains. There are streams and waterfalls and plenty of nature to absorb. Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge are tourist traps, with every glitzy tourist amenity available if you like that kind of thing. I want to visit in June when the synchronized fireflies light.