50 States - Ranked

Tara and I recently returned home from a trip. We flew to Boston and visited my brother in Gloucester, MA and visited several NPS sites. We rented a car and traveled to Connecticut and Rhode Island. Tara and I have now visited all 50 states as a couple! 

In honor of America's 250th anniversary, I have decided to rank the 50 states, from favorite to least favorite. This purely subjective (but ultimately correct 😉) list is based on our personal travels and experiences in each state.

What are some of your favorite states?

1. Alaska

 

Northwestern Arm, Kenai Fjords National Park

"The Last Frontier" is jaw-dropping incredible by every conceivable metric. Alaska is one of the greatest natural wonders that I have ever been to. Period. Hands down. So expansive, adventurous, full of incredible mountains, scenery, wildlife. Caveat: I have only visited in the summer, so my feelings might be different if I spent a winter here, a place where the sun hardly rises. I might not be able to live in Alaska, but I can't wait to vacation there again. A truly wonderful place. 

 2. Hawaii

sunset on the beach in Kihei, Maui

Tara and I have been to three islands in the state (Oahu, Maui, and Big Island), and each one has its own unique flavor and distinct culture, but there are some things you'll find no matter which island you visit: fantastic beaches, incredible volcanos, a fun laid-back atmosphere, and friendly people. Watching the sunrise at the top of Haleakala was a surreal, spiritual experience. 

3. California

Nevada Falls along the John Muir Trail, Yosemite National Park

This may sound cliche, but California is truly a magical state. It's a magic you feel as soon as you cross the border. It boasts nine national parks (more than any other state); a wide variety of ecosystems (deserts, mountains, rainforest, coasts, lakes: California has it all); one of the most beautiful and interesting urban centers in the world (San Francisco), incredibly remote and wild coastlines (Big Sur/Lost Coast/Redwood NP); and the happiest place on earth (Fresno...jk...Disneyland! 😁)

4. Idaho

dinner cruise on Lake Coeur d'Alene

Need to show some love for my adopted state. My roots are here (my mom was born and raised in the small farming town of Parma), and I have lived here since 2009 (I went to school up in the Palouse region in Moscow, and then lived in Pocatello, Soda Springs, Rupert, and now Boise). Tara was born and raised in Rupert. Idaho may be one of the nation's best kept secrets. With incredibly diverse landscapes, Idaho is full of surprises: Shoshone Falls (the "Niagara of the West"), Redfish Lake in the Sawtooths, Craters of the Moon, Island Park, and lots of potatoes! We are so glad that we have made Boise our home, the perfect base to explore this great state.

5. Maine

Somes Sound, Acadia National Park

Maine, you got moxie! Here's another state that we have only visited in the summer, so again, it might not rank so high if we spent a long, cold winter here 😁 Maine is a fabulously wild state, with dramatic coastlines and never-ending forests. Oh, and lob-stah! Lobster rolls, lobster bisque, lobster ravioli, lobster ice cream! Lobster everything! 

6. Arizona

south rim, Grand Canyon National Park

Now some love for my home state. I grew up in Yuma (down by the border with Mexico) and Mesa (suburb of Phoenix), and attended my freshman year of college at University of Arizona in Tucson. The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and an absolute must-see. Arizona in the summer is brutal, but there are ways to escape the heat (stay indoors and blast the A/C) 😄 That said, there is more to Arizona than desert, such as the red rocks of Sedona or the pine forests of Flagstaff.

7. Washington

Mt. Rainier

I was born in Washington (near Lacey), but my family moved to Arizona when I was only 2 years old. However, we have visited several times to see the fabulous National Parks in the state (Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades), and to visit Tara's aunt on Whidbey Island. 

8. Oregon

Heceta Head Lighthouse, near Florence

I love the rugged, rocky coast of Oregon. My Dad was born and raised on the extreme eastern edge of the state (small town of Nyssa), which may as well be a world away from the coastline. But from Ontario to Astoria, Oregon is full of scenic wonders and diverse landscapes.

9. Utah

Devils Garden, Arches National Park

I lived in Utah for a few years (2004-2007), and it is spoiled with natural wonders. Utah's Mighty Five (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Arches National Parks) packs a big punch. 

10. Minnesota

Split Rock Lighthouse

Rounding out the top ten is Minnesota. When they named it "Land of 10,000 Lakes" they were not kidding. Tara and I were impressed with the scenic landscape of Minnesota, dotted with lake after lake after lake, and then, one of the biggest lakes of them all (Lake Superior) is an absolute gem. We would love to go back and explore more of the Gopher State.

11. Montana

lonely dirt road south of Chinook

It's fun to lose oneself in the remote wilderness of the "Big Sky Country," where the azure sky runs uninterrupted for miles and miles. We love the pleasant isolation of Montana. Glacier National Park (the "Crown of the Continent") is not to be missed.

12. New York

Brooklyn Bridge, looking towards Manhattan

With a seemingly endless variety of restaurants, world-class museums, and Broadway shows, New York City is truly the greatest city in the world. And the state also offers so much more with the spectacular Niagara Falls, the serene Finger Lakes, and the beauty of the Catskills and Adirondacks to enjoy. 

13. Colorado

Kawuneeche Valley, Rocky Mountain National Park

Mountains just seem to be a little more majestic in Colorado.

14. Vermont

Lake Champlain

Little, hearty Vermont punches above its weight when it comes to scenery. 

15. Virginia

Monticello

Virginia's scenic beauty is nothing to sneeze at, but what really cements Virginia's high ranking is the incredible amount of historical sites.

16. Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park

Driving through I-80 through Wyoming is a bit of a chore, but if you venture off the interstate, Wyoming is full of incredible underrated gems. And then there is a pinnacle, Wyoming's northwestern corner, where you find two of the greatest national parks in the country: Yellowstone and Grand Teton. 

17. New Mexico

Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon

New Mexico is a sacred place, full of impressive ancient dwellings that pre-date Columbus by hundreds of years. 

18. Texas

Fort Worth Stockyards

They say everything is bigger in Texas. This is true. Now, that may not necessarily mean that it is better, but it is certainly bigger. 😄 Their BBQ is the best though, no question. 

19. Iowa

Along the Lincoln Highway in the Loess Hills region

Tara and I have not spent much time in Iowa as a couple (basically just "dipped our toe" by crossing the Missouri River and spending an hour or two in the state), but I spent a fair amount of time in Iowa and drove across the state during a family vacation over twenty years ago. I love it. To me, it is the epitome of the Midwest. Rolling hills, beautiful farms, quaint villages, and nice people.

20. South Dakota

Mt. Rushmore

Tara and I have only really visited a corner of South Dakota, the Black Hills region, but what a corner it is. Full of beautiful scenery, National Parks (Wind Cave and Badlands), and impressive landmarks, like Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, it's a great place for a family vacation. 

21. Nevada

Bellagio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

Vegas is one of the those places that every person should visit at least once, but I don't really have a strong desire to go back. There are lots of gems in Nevada outside of Vegas though, such as Great Basin National Park (one of our most underrated national parks) and Lake Tahoe (along the border with California). 

22. Wisconsin

Devils Island, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Wisconsin is another state where we only got a small preview (the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior), but we are excited to revisit and explore more.

23. New Hampshire

Crawford Notch

New Hampshire is a beautiful state. Taking the cog railway to the top of Mt. Washington was one of the highlights of our Upper New England trip.

24. North Dakota

badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (south unit)

Theodore Roosevelt found peace in the badlands of North Dakota during a tumultuous period of his life. There is a contemplative beauty here. North Dakota may have a reputation for being a boring, featureless state, but it is undeserved. 

25. Massachusetts

hydrangeas in bloom at a house in Nantucket

Massachusetts (like Virginia) is full of history and is essentially the birthplace of our nation. That bumps it up quite a few spots. Tara and I have been all over the state, from the Berkshires to Martha's Vineyard, from Gloucester to Springfield, it's an incredible state.

26. Pennsylvania

Philadelphia skyline from the Museum of Art (the so-called "Rocky" steps)

We enter the bottom-half of the rankings, but we still really enjoyed visiting these states as well. Pennsylvania has Gettysburg, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. Oh, and cheesesteaks 😃 

27. Rhode Island

entering Rhode Island along US Highway 44 (town of Gloucester)

this marked all 50 states!

along the Cliff Walk in Newport

We saved the smallest state for last! Rhode Island was our 50th state together as a couple. And this little state packs a big punch. Newport is a great place to vacation and see how the "other half" lives in the Breakers and the other famous Newport "summer cottages" (i.e. extravagant mansions) 😄

28. Michigan

Lanphere-Pratt House in Coldwater

We have only seen small slices of the state (the extreme southern edge of the state, and Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior), but we have been very impressed so far. Definitely need to revisit to explore further.

29. Florida

manatee at Blue Spring State Park

Florida's an interesting place. I enjoyed seeing wildlife at Everglades, snorkeling at Dry Tortugas, and trying amazing Cuban food in Miami. Disneyworld is fun, but a bit overwhelming, one and done for me (I like Disneyland better), and the humidity...whew! 

30. Tennessee

The Parthenon in Nashville

Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Dolly Parton Stampede Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Can you be more southern? Maybe, but not much more. We enjoyed spending time in Tennessee. 

31. Nebraska

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Nebraska is one of those states that has a reputation for being flat and featureless, but if you wander off the beaten path a bit, there are lots of hidden gems and interesting attractions. One of our favorite memories is spending a quiet night in the small town of Alma and seeing fireflies in the park along Harlan County Lake. 

32. Louisiana

Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie 

The typical Louisiana countryside is frankly unremarkable, but the city of New Orleans and surrounding bayous is very interesting and unique. Also, great cuisine. That moves up the Pelican State a few spots in our rankings.

33. Missouri

Gateway Arch, St. Louis

Missouri is the crossroads of America, not quite the South, not quite the Midwest, not quite the East, not quite the West. It's just "in the middle" 😀 And the state is book-ended by two great cities; Kansas City (outstanding BBQ) and St. Louis (love toasted ravioli, but St. Louis-style pizza? no thanks) 😅

34. Georgia

on top of Stone Mountain

Georgia has lots of history and southern hospitality. Make sure to get some chili dogs at The Varsity in Atlanta "What'll ya have? What'll ya have?"

35. Indiana

Pres. Benjamin Harrison home in downtown Indianapolis

Highlights of our visit to Indiana were swimming in Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes National Park, and eating a big breaded pork tenderloin sandwich for dinner. 

36. Ohio

Cleveland skyline along Lake Erie

We enjoyed visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and trying buckeyes (chocolate peanut butter treat) and a decadent gourmet grilled cheese sandwich at Melt. 

37. North Carolina

Biltmore Estate in Asheville

We enjoyed touring the Biltmore Estate and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

38. South Carolina

Congaree National Park

South Carolina was similar to North Carolina, but less mountains...and more mosquitos. 

39. West Virginia

Harpers Ferry

There is so much more in the Mountain State for us to explore, but we liked what we saw. 

40. Mississippi

Vicksburg, overlooking the Mississippi River

These are the bottom 10 states, but we still enjoyed our travels here. Loved exploring Civil War history in Vicksburg and trying fried okra! 

41. Kentucky

entrance to Mammoth Cave

Kentucky is home to Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the entire world.

42. Arkansas

Little Rock skyline

The Ozarks and the Ouachita Mountains offer some interesting landscapes for this southern state.

43. Alabama

Ardmore Welcome Center, along I-65

Alabama is a state that we have visited. ... 😄

...ok, I better say something about it. We need to do more in this state. We've really only driven through, although we did stop at one NPS site here (Russell Cave National Monument) back in 2017. 

44. Oklahoma

Oklahoma City skyline from the Memorial grounds

The National Memorial (site of the infamous 1995 bombing) is a must visit.

45. Illinois

Cahokia Mounds

Illinois is yet another state that we have visited. Do we need to go back and explore more? Certainly. Am I in a rush to do so? Not necessarily. 

46. Connecticut

Colebrook Lake

We only got a small sample of Connecticut and drove through for about an hour or so. It was pretty scenic, but it gets overshadowed by surrounding states.

47. Maryland

Antietam National Battlefield

Although Maryland kind of feels like one big suburb of Washington DC, there are lots of scenic areas throughout and also historical sites near Baltimore. Maryland is low on the list simply because we haven't explored too much of it. We look forward to returning soon. 

48. Delaware

Biden Welcome Center along I-95 near Newark

Delaware was my 50th state visited (back in 2019). We basically only clipped the state (drove on the interstate through the northern edge of the state) and stopped at the rest area to gas up, eat, and use the restroom. Don't feel that I can give it a true ranking since we saw so little of the state. 

49. New Jersey

(not pictured)

I scoured our Google photos and Shutterfly. Unfortunately, it appears that we did not take any photos in New Jersey as we drove through the state. ... oops ... but trust me, we have been there. 😁 We have to go back, at the very least to get photographic evidence. We drove on the interstate from Camden to Carneys Point, and once, we had a terribly delayed layover in the Newark airport. Believe me, we have experienced New Jersey.

50. Kansas

World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City

Well, one state has to be last on the list, and it's Kansas. We have driven through the state several times, and spent the night in Abilene to see the Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library (which is totally worth a stop), and Tara is just not too impressed with the state. She describes driving through as "long, flat, and boring." Well, Tara, your description is apt. But, hey, they do have the world's largest ball of twine (but the claim is disputed. Darwin, Minnesota also claims to be home to the world's largest ball of twine). 😆

Having put this list together, I have been reminded of the many wonderful things that we have seen and experienced in this great country. And I have realized that although we have reached all 50 states, there is still much more to see and do. Happy 250th birthday, America!