One of my goals is to visit all of the states in the United States at least once. In order for a visit to count, I must visit some place within the state boundaries other than the airport or train station. Pretty simple.
Lately I’ve noticed that I’ve made almost no progress on my travel goals in the past few years and it’s time to change that. My travel bucket list is admittedly huge, but it’s the journey that counts. So, I’ve decided just to focus on the U.S. list for the next year and cross some of these local places off the list.
To be honest, I’m far less excited about visiting any place in the United States. Europe is where it’s at for me right now. Plus, I admit, some U.S. states have actually managed to completely turn me off with their politics and/or culture. For example, some of the Southern states still run rich with racial tension. The air is thick with hate, and honestly, I don’t like being around it.
However, I do still have an overall goal of visiting all of the United States and have quite a few to go. So, why visit those places first and get them out of the way.
Here’s where I’m at… I’ve visited 22 of 50 states so far and I’m hoping to hit Colorado next.
U.S. States I’ve Visited
Visited 22 out of 50
Visited States in Pink
States Not Visited in Green
Alabama
Alaska
- Denali National Park
- Gates of the Artctic
Glacier Bay National Park (UNESCO)- Katmai National Park
- Kenai Fjords National Park
- Lake Clark National Park
- Wrangell – St. Elias National Park (UNESCO)
Take an Alaskan cruise and see the glaciers
Arizona
- Grand Canyon National Park (UNESCO)
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Saguaro National Park
Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park
California
- Channel Islands National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- Redwood National Park (UNESCO)
- Sequoia National Park
- Yosemite National Park (UNESCO)
Colorado
- Explore the Denver Zoo
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO)
- Rocky Mountain National Park
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
- Biscayne National Park
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- Everglades National Park (UNESCO)
- Kayak to Mound Key Archaeological State Park, a Native American-made shell island
Georgia
Hawaii
- Haleakala National Park
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (UNESCO)
Idaho
- Yellowstone National Park (UNESCO)
Illinois
- Cahokia (UNESCO)
Indiana
- Ride the world’s largest water coaster at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana.
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Mammoth Cave National Park (UNESCO)
Louisiana
- Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point (UNESCO)
Maine
- Visit Acadia National Park
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
- Isle Royale National Park
Minnesota
- Voyagers National Park
Mississippi
Missouri
- Play at St. Louis’s whimsical City Museum
- Dive in the Bonne Terre Mine in Missouri
Montana
- Glacier National Park
- Yellowstone National Park (UNESCO)
Nebraska
Nevada
- Death Valley National Park
- Great Basin National Park
- Participate in Burning Man
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park (UNESCO)
- Taos Pueblo (UNESCO)
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park (UNESCO)
New York
- Niagara Falls, New York
- Statue of Libery in New York (UNESCO)
Attend a broadway musical, Manhattan, New York, New York
North Carolina
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (UNESCO)
North Dakota
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Ohio
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Oklahoma
Oregon
- Crater Lake National Park
Pennsylvania
- Visit Independence Hall in Pennsylvania where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776
Rhode Island
South Carolina
- Conagree National Park
South Dakota
- Badlands National Park
- Wind Cave National Park
Tennessee
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (UNESCO) (also in Tennessee)
Texas
- Big Bend National Park
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Visit the Missions of San Antonio, including the Alamo (UNESCO)
Utah
- Arches National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef
- Zion National Park
Vermont
Virginia
- Shenandoah National Park
- Monticello and the University of Virginia (UNESCO)
- Visit Williamsburg, Virginia
Washington
- Mount Rainier National Park
- North Cascades National Park
- Olympic National Park (UNESCO)
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
- Grand Teton National Park
- Yellowstone National Park (UNESCO)
US National Parks Not Located in the 50 United States:
- American Samoa, Virgin Island, Reef, Islands, Congaree, Lake, Valley, Isle Royale, Tree, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kings Canyon, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, National Park of American Samoa, North Cascades, Redwood, Rocky Mountain, Saguaro, and the Virgin Islands
