I recently got back from a two-week trip to Alaska. When I mentioned to people ahead of time that it would complete my checklist of visiting all 50 US states, the #1 question I got was, “what was your favorite?” I was then forced to admit I didn’t have an answer. In fact, I’d never really thought about them as something that could be ranked. Novelty is a big part of the appeal for me. I don’t think I necessarily travel to see the “best” places, but to see all the different places. But, yes, I can recognize that we want to travel where we’ll get the most out of it and the question is a valid one.
So I’m going to endeavor to go all out and actually rank the 50 states based on my personal experience visiting each one. Even then, of course, it’s impossible to quantify the differences between the beauty of the Hawaiian island of Kauai vs the impressive metropolis of New York City. But, hey, I do it with movies every year, so let’s rock and roll.
Disclaimer – this is completely subjective and just for fun. I will almost certainly anger someone with how low their favorite state is or how high I ranked a state they had a horrible experience with. And my criteria are rather nebulous. The primary factor is my experience in each state, mostly through the lens of traveling. I’m also breaking ties with “regrets.” That is, places in each state I most desire to still travel to. This also got way longer than I intended. Turns out 50 is a lot of states. Anyway… here we go.
Tier VI – States I’ve done next to nothing in.
50. New Jersey – Its reputation doesn’t do it any favors and my experience is simply as a pitstop/home-base for a 2008 trip to New York City. Trash on the highways and a sketchy hotel stay leave New Jersey stranded as my least favorite state. I did just meet someone from southern New Jersey who said they lived in a beautiful, rural lake community and that New Jersey is far more than the Newark area. So, it has room to move up in the future but, for now, it’s last.
49. Nebraska – So, don’t tell anyone, but I didn’t put Nebraska at 50 just because it’s infinitely more likely someone from Nebraska will read this and now I can say, “at least you’re not New Jersey.” I’ve been to Lincoln. I’ve been to Omaha. They are cities. I ran some races in college there. The UNL cross country meet was actually pretty fun. Driving across the state on I-80 is considered torture by the Geneva Convention. I-29 north out of Kansas City goes through Iowa and into South Dakota. It also does something the rest of us should do as well – avoid Nebraska altogether.
48. Delaware – The 1st state to ratify the Constitution and the 49th state I visited. While traveling from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. in 2018, I made a point to stop in Wilmington, Delaware for an hour or two. It was completely uneventful, but I have now been to Delaware. I hear they have some beaches, but I’m not really a beach guy, so sorry, Delaware, not interested.
47. West Virginia – As an adult I’ve only driven through the panhandle on I-70 that takes you in and out of West Virginia in about 10 minutes going from Ohio to Pennsylvania. As a kid we did road trip through the heart of the state on our way to D.C. and did, I believe, stay in Charleston overnight. I vaguely remember a really sharp, like 270 degree turn to get on the highway. It gets a few more points than those below it because I might be more interested in the forests and stuff it has to offer and learning about the history of the coal industry, etc.
46. Alabama – I have only driven through it a few times on the way to and from Florida. Popular for beaches in the south that I’ve never visited. Going to a ‘Bama football game some time might be fun.
45. Ohio – I’ve been through it a few times. Through it. That’s Ohio’s job – to be driven through. But it’s up from the bottom because I am actually interested in visiting at least all the NFL-related things in the state (Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Canton).
44. Mississippi – Same as Alabama, but I actually have a couple distinct memories of Mississippi from driving through with my dad on the way to Florida in 2009. We were driving in a thunderstorm so heavy that our visibility was next to zero on the Interstate and we had to get off the road. We used that as an excuse to eat at Waffle House and wait it out. I had been to Waffle Houses (Waffles House?) before in other states, but don’t think my dad had. I actually enjoy the quaint simplicity of a Waffle House and it’s the first place I ever had grits (in college, not in Mississippi). Maybe it just makes me feel a little connected to my Southern roots (tenuous as those may be).
43. North Dakota – My dad has a lot of family in Montana so we’ve gone up there countless times, usually driving through either Colorado or South Dakota. In 2012 I convinced my family to take the detour up through North Dakota and, to my surprise, they all agreed. None of us had been to North Dakota before and I-94 goes right through Teddy Roosevelt National Park which gave us an actual destination in North Dakota as well. Every national park I’ve ever been to has been worthwhile and definitely set aside for a reason. BUT… if you’re going to skip one, you can skip this one… and North Dakota altogether. I’d be curious to visit Fargo… but just because of the Coen brothers movie.
Tier V – I mean, sure, it’s a state.
42. Nevada – Vegas. Twice. Once just passing through as a kid. Once for my brother’s 30th birthday. Not really my scene, but the food was great. The lights are cool, but the artificiality of the whole city is kinda depressing. I do need to hit Great Basin National Park. Is Lake Tahoe worth a visit?
41. Maryland – Basically only used for D.C. visits. Once as a kid; once in 2018. I think the Terrapin is a pretty cool mascot and remember visiting the University of Maryland campus as a kid. Hung out in Baltimore for a day in 2018 and mostly liked the vibe – at least by the water and Camden Yards. I went to a ballgame my one night there and it’s a really cool facility.
40. Iowa – Not quite the heaven advertised in Field of Dreams. Some might say this is a little high, but I kinda like it. The corn fields are pretty. I had a memorable regional CC race in the snow at Iowa State in college. I went to Grinnell College for a distance clinic and it’s a nice town. And, I mean, I-29 through Iowa is what lets you skip Nebraska. Good work, Iowa. (I’m just realizing that the state with the Cornhuskers as a mascot probably has some good cornfields too, but they aren’t in my memory and Iowa’s are, so…).
39. Oklahoma – Obviously I’ve been to Oklahoma tons of times for a myriad of reasons – family, track/cross country, the way to drive to Texas. OKC isn’t a bad place to visit. The OSU cross country meet is one of my favorite events. Lawton is one of the sketchiest towns I’ve ever had the displeasure to stay in..
38. Arkansas – Highlight was my 10K cross country PR in college at the incredibly fun/flat/fast course at the University of Arkansas. Outside of that I’ve mostly just passed through, but I’m also interested in checking out the nature stuff here with the Ozarks, etc.
37. Virginia – Similar to Maryland, just a couple times in conjunction with D.C. I visited Arlington National Cemetery in 2018. The family stopped by Monticello when I was a kid. Still a lot more I’d like to explore here from both a history and nature perspective. Feels like a state that has the potential to move up a lot for me.
36. Kentucky – I associate Kentucky with the color green for the forests lining its highways. Other states have this too, but I always think of Kentucky. After spending the week of Spring Break in Arizona for track in 1999, I remember thinking how much I missed the color green upon returning to Kansas. Then next time I happened to drive through Kentucky I had the epiphany – Oh! Kansas is NOT green. Kentucky is green. I have been through Louisville, but it left no impression on me.
Tier IV – If you have time.
35. Rhode Island – 2011 trip. Flew into Boston, rented a car, got the 6 New England states checked off the list. Stayed the night in Newport. Walked by the mansions along the water. Got caught out in a sudden downpour. Pretty place. Small state.
34. Connecticut – Same 2011 trip with my mom. Feel like there’s plenty more we could have got to in Connecticut. Basically just went to Mark Twain’s House in Hartford and that was about it. New England states get points just for being pretty.
33. Idaho – Drove through once as a kid then again in 2019 on a massive road trip. Stayed in Idaho Falls before heading to Yellowstone the next day. It’s a pretty state with plenty more I’m sure I could get to. As is, I did visit the Potato Museum in Blackfoot. It’s not worth the $6 admission fee. But I do love potatoes!
32. Indiana – Mostly just driving through, but I went to a track clinic in Indianapolis in 2016 and the city really surprised me. I toured Lucas Oil Stadium and really enjoyed the downtown area. That was honestly enough to move Indiana ahead of everything thus far.
31. Georgia – I actually haven’t spent much time in Atlanta other than driving through. Did stop and tour Savannah with my parents in 2019 and that was nice. Still feel like there would be a lot more to do here.
30. South Carolina – First dipped down in 2013 for just a couple hours on a North Carolina road trip just to check it off the list. But I went through again in 2019 coming home from Florida with my parents. If Indiana gets points for Indianapolis, South Carolina earns its spot for Charleston.
29. New Mexico – Been through several times. It’s a state that is shockingly close to Kansas when you look at a map. Only the width of Cimarron County, Oklahoma separates us. Had a really bad college race in Albuquerque in 1999 due to the altitude. But what I most remember about that trip is the coconut cream pie at the Owl Cafe there. It was so good I was insisting my teammates all try it. I never forgot. In 2022, I drove through again and made a point to stop at the Owl to get their coconut cream pie. There was no way it could live up to my memory… but it did. A beautiful state, but the only one that earns its rank for a single food item from a single restaurant.
28. Louisiana – Drove through on the way to Florida in both 2009 and 2019. It beats out Mississippi and Alabama, however, because of New Orleans and the cool French creole history of the state. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
27. Minnesota – In 2015, I flew to Chicago, rented a car and drove around Lake Michigan over the course of a week. I took a detour west to check Minnesota off the list. It was neat seeing tons of lakes off the side of the road in this Land of 10,000 Lakes. I went through Minneapolis to check out the Mall of America, which is honestly underwhelming – it’s a mall… but bigger. So it’s really only this high because I feel like I’m missing a lot here with the wilderness. Would like to see Voyageurs National Park, etc. I’m sure there’s more to do in Minneapolis. If Indianapolis won me over, I feel like Minneapolis would too.
26. Missouri – St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. Been to both several times. I made a point on my way home from Indianapolis in 2016 to hangout a bit in downtown St. Louis and enjoyed that. Had some great street tacos. I hadn’t really done much in downtown Kansas City until 2018, but it’s been fun exploring that city as well. Tons of college races in the state including my 8K cross country PR in Missouri State (then it was Southwest Missouri State). And my first and only sub-2:00 800m race was at UMKC in 2000.
25. Kansas – I mean… I live here and had to put it one spot ahead of Missouri out of spite. But, yeah, it was hard to figure out where to put Kansas and I ultimately figured right in the middle was fair. This is where most of my life has happened. I always say it’s a great place to live, but I wouldn’t want to visit. The sunsets are legit. It’s in the middle of the country geographically, it can be in the middle of the rankings as well.
Tier III – Would go again.
24. Tennessee – Three trips to Nashville; twice on the way back from Florida, once as its own destination. Cool city and I’m not a country music guy. Actually, the first trip there in 2001 was kinda crazy. The short version is two other guys and I drove straight through overnight for a Seven Mary Three concert because one of them was a huge fan and they never came to Wichita or Kansas City. We were even on the pass list because we drove so far. When it came time to leave, our vehicle broke down. So what was supposed to be basically a 36-hour round trip ended with us in a hotel for a week trying unsuccessfully to get it fixed and my friend’s parents had to drive from Cheney, load up the vehicle, and drive us home. Memorable if nothing else.. and Seven Mary Three came to Wichita the following year.
23. North Carolina – First went in November of 2013. Flew into the Raleigh/Durham area and rented a car to road trip around the state. Between family and friends I had three different places to stay and never actually needed to book a hotel so that was nice. Made brief visits to the UNC and Duke campuses then drove across the state toward Asheville. Though the town of Boone along the way impressed me more. It’s a town of less than 20,000 in the Blue Ridge Mountains and home to Appalachian State University. Just a beautiful, chill place to hang out. I toured the Biltmore estate outside of Asheville, the famed home of the Vanderbilt family.
22. South Dakota – Several times, mostly the Black Hills area on the way to/from Montana. Cool area that I could still spend more time in. Loved the Badlands as well. Drove through Sioux Falls in 2019 and it was cool too.
21. Pennsylvania – Philly cheesesteaks. Maybe not as good as the pie at the Owl Cafe, but a more interesting city than Albuquerque. Philadelphia doesn’t have the best reputation, but I kinda thought there was a charm to its gruffness. I’ve been to Gettysburg a couple of times. Drove through Pittsburgh as a kid and need to revisit. I’m curious to visit the forests upstate as well.
20. Wisconsin – This one really stood out on my trip around Lake Michigan in 2015. It really felt like the Midwest meets Canada with big red barns and evergreens. Toured Lambeau Field in Green Bay. And, hey, I love cheese.
Tier II – Lots to do.
19. Florida – Fortunately for Florida, this isn’t ranking state governors. The first time I went was for a wedding in 2008 and I’ve been back, I believe, three times since. The wedding was on the beach by St. Augustine so I got to explore that old Spanish town. The first time visiting Disney’s EPCOT was so cool. Great experience especially as no one I was with had been there before either and we were all kinda just blown away together. It’s less impactful on subsequent visits, but I still recommend a day there. I also went to a track clinic in Orlando in 2009. I really want to check out southern Florida as well too.
18. New Hampshire – 2011 New England trip with Mom. Vermont and New Hampshire as a collective surprised me. They’re so easy to ignore on a map, but when you’re there you realize they’re almost all mountainous forests with little towns hidden here and there. One fun hidden gem is Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, NH.
17. Illinois – Been here a bunch. My dad’s sister lives in Moline. My mom had uncles in Springfield. College track and cross country. Driving through to the east coast. And a 2015 trip to Chicago. All positives. No notes. You should visit Illinois.
16. Maine – 2011 New England trip. The highlight here is Acadia National Park. Only spent half a day there and the weather wasn’t great and it’s still one of my favorite national parks. We realized we don’t really care for lobster or Maine might move up the list. Mom really wanted to visit the main L.L. Bean store which is actually pretty impressive. And we got to see the iconic Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, ME. I’ll also throw Maine a few additional points for being home to Stephen King.
15. Texas – Any Texans reading this will no doubt feel 15th is an insult, but it’s not intended as such. I don’t know that I ever did more than drive through the panhandle as a kid, but had at least one college meet there at Baylor and got to see Michael Johnson race. Drove through with Dad on the way to Florida in 2009 and met up with family down there. Some he’d met before and some we never had. Multiple cemetery visits including the grave of my great, great, great grandpa Simmons who was born in 1816. I’ve stopped through Houston once or twice. The best was a 2018 winter road trip where I stopped in Dallas and saw the JFK route and toured the Cowboys stadium, got some famous Franklin’s BBQ in Austin, saw the Alamo and River Walk in San Antonio, and camped in Big Bend National Park. LOTS of empty space in Texas. Driving west from San Antonio for hours through nothing was eerily isolated – like no cell service and what-would-you-do-if-your-car-broke-down kinda thing. But, yeah, guessing it’s hard to be bored in Texas.
14. New York – Been to New York City twice, in the summer of 2008 and winter of 2015. Would go back anytime, though I don’t think I could live there. Also went to West Point for a graduation on that 2008 trip. I have it this high both because I do appreciate the grandeur of NYC and because upstate New York is probably my current #1 priority to visit next in the U.S.
13. Michigan – The highlight of my 2015 trip to Chicago and driving around Lake Michigan. The separate Upper Peninsula is essentially just one big forest. Those in the Lower Peninsula (the “Mitten”) derisively call them “Uppers.” Like you’ll even see stickers on the backs of cars of the state with the Upper Peninsula not included. The Mackinac Bridge on I-75 is the only road connecting the two halves of the state and was both scary and impressive to drive across. I timed my whole trip so I’d be in Traverse City during their annual film festival. It’s a nice town famous for growing cherries. Near that is the Sleeping Bear Dunes which ended up being one of my all-time favorite hikes. Over a mile through sand so thick it felt like three or four miles but the reward was Lake Michigan itself, so vast it felt like an ocean. The sound of the water drowned out any nearby conversations of other hikers. One of the coolest spots I’ve ever been. That’s all basically, but I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface in Michigan which keeps it pretty high in my ranking.
12. Massachusetts – Boston might be my favorite major city in the U.S. No other city that size felt as clean or safe. Add in all the U.S. history stuff and Boston alone earns Massachusetts its high standing. I also got a kick out of Plymouth Plantation (now called Plymouth Patuxet) with historians in costume giving you a glimpse of the lives of early settlers. Stopped briefly by Cape Cod and the basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.
11. Vermont – Sorry, Massachusetts, but I have to give the top New England spot to Vermont. I don’t have a strong argument other than maybe it most outperformed my expectations going in. Maybe even the fact that we drove through it before New Hampshire gives it an edge. It’s that same mountainous forest dotted with beautiful towns. We also toured the Ben and Jerry’s facility and I’ve been a fan ever since. It’s probably the New England state I’m most excited to explore further.
Tier I – Must-see.
10. Wyoming – I feel like Wyoming is tragically underrated as a destination. I’ve been through tons of times on the way to Montana my whole life. Yes, no one lives here – because it’s hard to farm acres of beautiful rock formations. Yellowstone National Park is the king of our national park system – not necessarily my favorite due to the crowds and the smell, but there’s no denying its awesomeness. But even outside of that – just the drive out of Yellowstone along the highway toward Cody is some of the most impressive scenery in the U.S. Same with the drive in from Idaho toward Jackson. I took the Beartooth Pass out of the park toward Montana in 2019 and felt lucky to make it through alive (the road was closed a few hours after I took it), but it was amazing. I even enjoy the drive up I-25 in the “less scenic” part of the state. Just set your cruise at 80-85, enjoy the views, and maybe stop for lunch in Buffalo.
9. Montana – Again, I couldn’t even tell you how many times I’ve been to Montana (Dad could; he keeps track). I’ll guess an even dozen; from childhood trips in the 1980s to, most recently, a family wedding in 2022. Even just the small towns we hang out in with family have spectacular views of the Rockies. But it was adding in Glacier National Park with my parents in 2014 that really sets Montana apart for me. Probably my #1 hike of all-time was here. Three feet of snow covered the official path yet it was shorts-and-a-t-shirt weather out; all set in possibly the most picturesque part of the Rocky Mountains I’ve seen. Then, just minutes away, in another part of the park is a completely different amazing hike where you can’t even tell you’re in the same place. So, Montana is nice, but Glacier National Park should be your destination.
8. Washington – I’ve only been once. I flew to Portland from Billings, MT in 2012 and rented a car. I drove up through Washington state, into Vancouver, BC, then back down to Oregon for the Olympic Trials. I did the Space Needle in Seattle and, unfortunately, showed up to the iconic Pike Place Market just after it closed up for the day. But the nature stuff is what I most appreciate in Washington. Mt. Rainer and North Cascades National Parks. I also swung by Snoqualmie Falls that was featured in the opening of the TV series Twin Peaks back in the day. I even went out briefly to the Orcas Islands which most people don’t think about being off the coast of Washington. But the biggest surprise came at Mount Saint Helens. I’ve seen lots of mountains. But I’d never stood before one whose top had literally blown off in my lifetime. The trees destroyed in the blast still lay out perpendicular to the mountain. It was the most humbled I’d ever felt by nature. Great state and I still need to go back for Olympic National Park.
7. Oregon – Washington’s partner in the best state border in the nation. The Columbia River that divides Oregon and Washington includes an 80-mile gorge. Each side is lined with mountainous forests and waterfalls. The iconic Multnomah Falls is on the Oregon side. I also went out to the coast by Tillamook Cheese and to the idyllic town of Astoria where The Goonies was filmed. Eugene, Oregon is “TrackTown USA.” I mentioned the Olympic Trials. I also went by the 2017 NCAA National Championship and got to see a former athlete compete. And, of course, the city of Portland has so much to see and is easy to get around. The first highlight that comes to mind is Powell’s Books, a bookstore that essentially takes up an entire city block. All this and I still need to check out Crater Lake and Mt. Hood.
6. Alaska – My most recent adventure lived up to the hype. Glaciers, moose, sea otters, etc. Inland the state is so sparsely populated it’s the closest I felt to being in the 19th century. Everything just has to happen at a slower pace up there. I could go back dozens of times and never do the same thing twice; absolutely massive and gorgeous. Just loses a few points for mosquitos, too much/too little daylight, and just being so hard to get to.
5. Hawaii – Family trip in 2009 to celebrate Dad’s retirement. One memorable and scenic week. Pretty much everything you’d imagine it would be. Unlike Alaska, I saw like three insects the entire time. This might be the trip that made me fall in love with hiking. I also got up early one day to go snorkeling by myself. I only went to Kauai, but want to make it to the other islands at some point. They’re farther apart than you realize so it’s not just a short ferry ride to go from one to the next or anything.
4. Arizona – Lots of times. Stopped at the Grand Canyon as a kid on the way to California. Went back in college with friends only to realize it was even bigger than I had remembered. And a third time just last year. And that’s just Grand Canyon visits. I spent a week in Phoenix (a different year) over Spring Break leading to a meet at Arizona State (actually ran my one and only 70-mile there). During my 2022 trip, it was the first time I explored more of the state. I drove in from Utah to the Lake Powell area and went to Horseshoe Bend. Never had something in real life looked so impressive that I couldn’t convince my brain that it was real. Took a day or two to go down to Tombstone and Bisbee, coming back through Tucson and Saguaro National Park. Got just glimpses of Prescott and Sedona; stopped at Meteor Crater. And I still feel like I left so much on the table. Arizona is amazing. Only #4 because… it’s hot y’all.
3. Utah – No, seriously. Why don’t you ever hear about Utah as a marquee travel destination in the U.S.? It has repeatedly surprised me with views that make me say, “I didn’t know stuff like that existed.” I had been through Salt Lake City once as a kid. Then on the way home from the Grand Canyon in college in 2000 we went to Arches National Park and camped by the Colorado River in Moab. I swear I hadn’t even heard of Arches before this trip. We ran on petrified sand dunes and made my first pilgrimage to Delicate Arch. It may be my favorite single location in the country (though I’m still too scared to stand under it). I went back through Utah on a road trip in 2019 and hit all five national parks in the state. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. just to be one of the first to Delicate Arch. Later Bryce Canyon was another mind-blowing experience. Flooding made Zion a little underwhelming, but I made it back in 2022 and hiked the Narrows. So cool. And all this doesn’t include just the scenic drives throughout the state (Monument Valley, etc). Move Utah up your priority list.
2. California – I’ve been to California several times and feel like I’m just getting started. Twice to L.A. and Disneyland as a kid – and a Dodgers game where I learned how boring baseball is. But my first trip as an adult was for a track clinic in the Bay Area in 2013. This was where it fully hit me how maps fail to do reality justice. The San Francisco Bay is just this tiny little notch out of California when looking at a map of the U.S. When you’re there it’s this massive sea, sixty miles from the north to south end, with nearly 10 million people living in the area around it. I got to ride the trolly cars, tour Alcatraz, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, and see the redwoods north of the city. In January of 2016 I ran a half marathon in Carlsbad just north of San Diego. The whole thing runs alongside the ocean; it was perfect. I returned to the area in 2019 adding in L.A./Hollywood and Santa Barbara with a scenic drive up Highway 1. With California it’s all about the diversity. What do you want to do? Yes, you can do that in California. And I still haven’t been to Yosemite National Park or Palm Springs or a million other places.
1. Colorado – When people started asking what my favorite state was, Colorado did not come immediately to mind. But the more I thought about it, I realized it was the obvious answer staring me right in the face. The state next door. The state I was born in. But the best experiences have all been in recent years. I ran the Pikes Peak ascent in 2016 and it was an unreal experience. Boulder is a cool city. I had a track clinic there in 2009 and passed through again in 2014 as a base to visit the amazing Rocky Mountain National Park. Another great sandy hike similar to the one in Michigan was at Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa in 2019. From there I cut through the middle of the state for the first time to get to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. I attended a running camp in 2005. I was scared out of my mind in a snowstorm on I-70 in 2000. My ol’ Denver Broncos are here too, which almost feels silly to mention, but Colorado’s beauty, proximity, and ties to my personal history put it at number one. And there’s still so much I need to do.
(The map at the top shows every U.S. county I’ve passed through. Here’s a full resolution version).