Traveling isn’t just about visiting a certain number of countries or checking off items on your imaginary bucket list. At least for us, it isn’t about either of these! However, when you have the opportunity to achieve a certain goal, you should embrace this. To visit all 50 states, for example, is not something that everyone has the opportunity to do. By the end of 2016 (or early 2017), we are hoping to have visited every US state and want to celebrate this achievement by reviewing each one that we have visited over the last 5 years.
A Collaborative Review
What better way to celebrate our achievement than by collaborating with some of our travel blogging friends from around the world who have also experienced each state (some of which have visited all 50 also!).
Over the next few weeks and months, we will be introducing a series of posts titled “5 Epic Reasons You Should Want to Visit [INSERT STATE]”. Each post will focus on promoting each state across America and specifically highlight 5 reasons why visitors should experience them.
We will update this list periodically with links to every post so that you can quickly access your favorite state and share your thoughts on why you love visiting there.
Why Travel USA?
If you read our article a couple of months ago discussing the difficulties in visiting all 50 states, you will realize that it isn’t as simple as it sounds. Distance, cost, time among other factors are all reasons why many people never accomplish the dream of exploring all 50 states.
But by the time we had visited around half of them, we realized that it was an achievable goal to experience all 50 and we want to celebrate this by hopefully inspiring others to visit as many of these as possible.
States such as New York, California and Florida will always attract visitors due to their iconic attractions, but what about the lesser known states such as Arkansas, Nebraska, and Delaware.
Are you aware of landmarks and attractions in these states? Have you ever considered visiting some of these lesser known locations? Over the next few months you will be introduced to a variety of states you may be unfamiliar with but hopefully, you will be encouraged to add some of them to your upcoming travel plans.
Let’s start by sharing five generic reasons why we think you should explore all of the States. Be prepared to take your time traveling around because for those of you unfamiliar with the geography of North America, USA is an incredibly large country and each state is directly comparable with countries in Europe for example!
1. Natural Beauty
The United States of America is full of natural beauty. From the gorgeous landscapes throughout Yellowstone National Park to the Everglades in Florida, there is plenty to keep you interested as you explore everything the States has to offer.
2. Local Cuisine
Whether you want to sample some cajun delicacies in Louisiana or perhaps some local Texas barbecue, the majority of States have something unique that represents the community. We encourage you to taste local restaurants rather than the typical chain establishments that you can find across America.
3. City vs Small Town
If you love the hustle and bustle of city life or simply prefer to relax in small town America, there is something for everyone. The ultimate 24-hour city of the world or a typical historic town along Route 66, USA has everything you could want to experience.
4. History
Although America is a relatively new nation in comparison to other countries around the world, if you an avid historian there is plenty here to keep you interested. From the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the Civil Rights Movement in Little Rock, Arkansas there is a plethora of history waiting to be uncovered.
5. Melting Pot
The USA is a proud nation but at the same time is a melting pot of cultures. Diverse neighborhoods are prevalent throughout the country making this an attractive aspect for visitors who want to experience different cultures while exploring this beautiful nation.
Why Visit Each State?
We would like to thank everyone in advance for contributing to this series! We will update the following links as we publish each post.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-california/
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-georgia/
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-kentucky/
- Louisiana – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-louisiana/
- Maine – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-maine/
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-minnesota/
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-new-hampshire/
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-rhode-island/
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-washington/
- West Virgina
- Wisconsin – https://abritandasoutherner.com/visit-wisconsin/
- Wyoming
Summary
How many US states have you experienced? Which is your favorite? Whether you have a fond appreciation for natural beauty or perhaps you want to enjoy a little retail therapy on 5th Avenue in New York City, the United States has it all!
We started our journey in Arkansas and our final state will be either Hawaii or Alaska (at the time of publishing this post we are not sure which will be our final one!) but all 50 offer something unique. We hope that you enjoy all our reviews and perhaps you can add some of your favorite experiences in each of the states around this historic nation.