Travel awakens the soul, engages the spirit, and allows us to see things in a new and unusual way. It allows us not only to learn about new people, customs, cultures, and histories - but also allows us to interact, engage, and become a part of these amazing experiences. Travel teaches us tolerance, love, kindness, and joy.
But travel doesn't mean you have to trek across the globe! Yes, international travel is amazing and wonderful and I would love to see more of the world, but there are so many things to do, see, and enjoy in our backyard.
For as long as I can remember, I have traveled the open road. As a child, all of our family vacations involved packing up the car and driving 1000+ miles in a weekend. A short trip was usually 4-6 hours and the longest day I've ever spent in a car driving (or riding as a passenger) was 14 hours. I grew up in a time before televisions in cars, iPod, and handheld video games were used by parents to help distract their children; to help pass the time until you reach your destination. My parents taught me that the journey is the destination - that there are so many beautiful, wonderful, and amazing sights, people, attractions, and natural wonders that you'll miss unless you look out the window, pull off on that dirt road, and literally take the road less traveled.
My extended family is much the same way. Many of my aunts and uncles have traveled extensively throughout the United States and even some amazing destinations across the globe. Because of my upbringing and familial influences, it has been a personal challenge of mine, for as long as I can remember, to visit all 50 states.
Ok. First things first. With all great challenges, we must set parameters. In order for you (or me in this case) to count the state as being visited you must meet one of the following criteria:
1. You must do something in that state (go to a national park, go camping, take a hike, have dinner at a local diner, etc. (OR)
2. You must drive through the state for at least 1 hour - allowing you to observe and enjoy the wonders and beauty of said state.
These two parameters weed out the - well, I've been to the Atlanta airport a bunch of times, that means I can cross Georgia off the list. Um, I think not.
So where do I stack up? Here's a list of the 50 states (in alphabetical order no less) and whether I've been, plan to go in the near future, or haven't been to them yet. I've also included Washington D.C. at the bottom, because our nation's capital is not to be missed! I'll bold the states I've been to and mark them with an asterisk (*), I'll italicize and mark the states I plan to visit in the near future with a (^), and leave the states I've yet to visit blank.
And while you are here, check to see how you stack up too. Then plan a trip for the open road and explore... Bon Voyage!
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona - *
Arkansas
California - *
Colorado - *
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida - *
Georgia
Hawaii - *
Idaho - *
Illinois - *
Indiana - *
Iowa
Kansas - ^ (plan to visit on my Route 66 - Chicago and Back trip in May 2012)
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts - * (although all I did was drive through the state at night. It barely makes the list and I definitely need to return)
Michigan
Michigan
Minnesota - *
Mississippi
Missouri - *
Montana - *
Nebraska
Nevada - *
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico - *
New York - *
North Carolina
North Dakota - ^ (plan to visit on my Route 66 - Chicago and Back trip in May 2012)
Ohio - *
Oklahoma - ^ (plan to visit on my Route 66 - Chicago and Back trip in May 2012)
Oregon - *
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota - ^ (plan to visit on my Route 66 - Chicago and Back trip in May 2012)
Tennessee
Texas - *
Utah - *
Vermont
Virginia - *
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin - *
Wyoming - *
Washington D.C. - *
(To save you the trouble of counting up my *s and ^s, I have visited an amazing 22 states, with another 4 states to be added to the list within the next year and I have visited Washington D.C. )
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