I’ve Been to All 50 U.S. States — Here Are My Favorites (and Least Favorites)

Completing all 50 U.S. states isn’t something I planned from the beginning. It happened gradually. A soccer game here, a road trip with friends there, and moving to different regions of the country over time. But at some point I started keeping track, and eventually, finishing the list became something I actively chased. I wanted to finish the full list before my 30th birthday, and I somehow made it happen.

Now that I’ve been everywhere, people ask me the same question: which states are actually worth the trip? I’ve thought about this a lot, and I finally put together my honest ranking. All 50, from top to bottom.

This isn’t a scientific analysis. It’s my personal opinion, shaped by years of traveling, planning trips for clients across all price points and travel styles, and trying to experience each state on its own terms.

My Ranking Criteria: What I Looked for in Every State

I evaluated every state on the same five factors:

1. Ease of travel and logistics: How convenient is it to get there, and is it practical to get around once I arrive? Will I break the bank for a hotel room?
2. Vibe and personality: Does the state have a character of its own? Does it make me want to Zillow houses here?
3. Scenery and natural beauty: Is the landscape unique and pretty, or does it blur into the background?
4. People: How friendly and helpful are the locals? Are they humble, self absorbed, or intimidating?
5. Food and drink scene: Is there something worth eating and drinking here that you can’t find anywhere else?

A few ground rules I kept in mind. No state got a free pass for having one great national park and nothing else. No state got penalized for being flat (flatness has its own appeal, depending on the context). And a state’s reputation didn’t automatically influence its ranking; I tried to evaluate each one on its own terms. I tried to be fair, but I also tried to be honest.

The Top of the List — And What Sets These States Apart

Not every state earns a dedicated trip. But the ones at the top of this list do — and then some. These are the places where the scenery, the food, the people, and the overall experience came together in a way that made me want to go back. Some of them I’ve visited multiple times. Several of them I’ve sent clients to repeatedly, and the feedback is almost always the same: why didn’t I come here sooner?

The top five aren’t without their caveats — timing matters in almost every case — but if you’re trying to build a trip around somewhere genuinely worth the effort, this is where I’d start.

#1: Washington

Washington does something that’s harder than it sounds. It gives you dramatic, varied scenery and one of the best cities in the country, all within a few hours of each other.

Seattle is my favorite city in the U.S., and I don’t say that lightly. It has everything I look for in an urban destination. It has excellent coffee, a world-class food scene, decent public transit, and neighborhoods worth exploring for hours. Capitol Hill has some of the best bars and restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. Ballard has a Scandinavian-influenced charm and a Saturday farmers market that’s worth waking up early for. Fremont is weird in the best possible way. And Pike Place Market, tourist reputation aside, is genuinely one of the great public markets in the country if you know how to navigate it. Overall, it’s a city that rewards curiosity. I’ve been back to Seattle more times than I can count and still find new things.

What pushes Washington to the top of this list is what happens when you leave Seattle. Drive east over the mountains and you’re in a completely different state. Towns like Leavenworth are the first reason to stop. It’s a Bavarian-style village tucked into the Cascades that sounds gimmicky on paper but is genuinely charming in person. The setting alone — surrounded by mountains, right on the Wenatchee River — would be worth the drive even without the shops, restaurants, and seasonal festivals that make it a legitimate destination in its own right. Continue east and you’re in wine country, rolling wheat fields, and high desert plateaus. Head north toward the North Cascades and the scenery becomes jaw-dropping. Go west to the Olympic Peninsula and you’ll find temperate forests that look like they belong in New Zealand.

Most people only see one version of Washington. But the ones who see all of it tend to agree that it’s hard to top. I’ve sent clients here expecting Seattle and watched them come home talking about the Cascades, the coast, or a winery they stumbled into near Walla Walla. That’s the sign of a state that consistently over-delivers.

Best time to visit: June through September for the outdoors; any time of year for Seattle

#2: Arizona

Arizona is one of those states that reveals new layers the more time you spend in it. 

The landscapes are one obvious draw. The Grand Canyon lives up to the hype, especially if you hike below the rim, and Sedona’s red rock formations are pretty otherworldly; it’s one of those places where photos still don’t prepare you for the real thing. Antelope Canyon is also one of the most photographed places in the world for good reason. But the state has a lot more going on than scenery alone.

Phoenix is a sprawling city that polarizes people. But its restaurant scene is legitimately excellent, particularly if you want to eat well on a reasonable budget. And the suburbs around Phoenix are worth knowing about. Scottsdale is the obvious choice. It’s polished, walkable in the right areas, with a strong dining and nightlife scene along Old Town. Gilbert has also quietly developed into one of the more interesting food destinations in the metro, with a dense stretch of restaurants and bars around the Heritage District that go well beyond what you’d expect from a suburb. Chandler and Tempe round out a metro area that has more going on than most people give it credit for.

There are plenty of destinations that are a day trip from Phoenix, too. Canyon Lake, about 45 minutes east of the city, is one of the better day trips in the state. It’s a reservoir tucked into the Superstition Mountains with options for boating, kayaking, and hiking.

The summer heat in the southern part of the state is genuinely extreme and shouldn’t be taken lightly. But visit between October and April, and Arizona is hard to fault.

Best time to visit: October through April

#3: Maine

Maine is the kind of place that gets into people’s heads (including mine). I’ve sent several clients there for the first time, and a significant number of them start asking about going back before they’ve even come home. That’s not something I see with every state.

The coastline is one obvious draw. It’s dramatic and dotted with old lighthouses. But, what makes Maine special is the overall atmosphere. It’s unhurried. Towns like Portland, Bar Harbor, and Kennebunkport have genuine character. The food scene along the coast is excellent if you love seafood, and Portland in particular has become a serious dining city by any standard.

Acadia National Park is another big highlight. It’s one of the most accessible and rewarding national parks in the eastern U.S., with carriage roads, ocean paths, and summit hikes that punch well above their altitude.

As an added plus, Maine is home to some of the genuinely nicest people I’ve ever met. That’s not a small thing when you’re traveling somewhere new.

The one caveat: Maine is at its best from late May through October. Winter can be harsh, and a lot of the coastal towns quiet down considerably after Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Best time to visit: Late May through mid-October.

#4: Rhode Island

I’ll admit there’s some home-field advantage here. I live in Rhode Island. I believe the state earns its ranking on merit anyway.

For its size (it’s the smallest state in the U.S.), Rhode Island packs in a remarkable amount. Newport alone is worth a dedicated trip: the Gilded Age mansions along Bellevue Avenue, the Cliff Walk, and a waterfront dining scene that has improved significantly over the past decade. Providence competes far above its weight class as a food city, too. It’s been recognized nationally for years, and the restaurant density on the East Side and around Federal Hill is impressive.

The beaches aren’t Florida or the Caribbean, but on a good summer day, Narragansett and Westerly hold their own. And because the state is so compact, you can move between Newport, Providence, and the beaches in under an hour. For travelers who want variety without a lot of driving, that’s a genuinely underrated feature.

Best time to visit: June through September.

#5: Colorado

Colorado is arguably the easiest state in the country to fill a week in, regardless of what season you visit or what kind of traveler you are.

In winter, the ski resorts speak for themselves. Places like Breckenridge, Vail, and Copper Mountain are world-class, and even mid-tier options like Powderhorn offer excellent terrain at a lower price point. In summer, those same mountains become hiking and mountain biking destinations, and towns like Telluride and Crested Butte host festivals that draw serious crowds for good reason.

Denver is a solid city. It has a well-rounded food scene, a craft beer culture that’s still running strong in 2026, and walkable neighborhoods like RiNo that are worth exploring. It also has one of the best-connected airports in the country, which makes Colorado easy to reach from almost anywhere. Its United Airlines hub is one of the most useful in the U.S. for domestic connections.

One thing I always tell clients heading to Colorado for the first time: the altitude catches people off guard more often than you’d expect. If you’re flying in from sea level and heading straight to elevation, give yourself a day to adjust before doing anything strenuous.

Best time to visit: December through March for skiing; June through September for hiking and summer activities.

The Bottom of the List — And Why

Not every state is a destination in its own right. Some are better as a leg of a longer journey, some reward very specific kinds of travelers, and a few just didn’t connect with me personally.

Here’s where the bottom of my list landed and the honest reasoning behind it.

#46: Kansas

Kansas is honest about what it is, and I respect that. The Flint Hills are beautiful in a calming, expansive way. It has rolling tallgrass prairie that stretches to the horizon and looks unlike anything else in the country. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is worth a stop if you’re passing through.

But passing through is the operative phrase. Kansas City (the Missouri side) often gets credit for the barbecue culture that technically straddles the state line. Wichita has a fine downtown and a surprisingly good aviation museum. There’s just not much here that competes with the top half of this list when it comes to drawing people back.

If you’re driving across the country, Kansas is fine. As a destination in its own right, it struggles to make a case.

#47: Mississippi

Mississippi has real cultural depth. The Delta blues history alone is worth understanding before you go, and Oxford has a literary tradition and an independent bookstore and restaurant scene that genuinely surprises people. The Gulf Coast has its charms too, particularly around Biloxi.

One of the biggest problems is accessibility. Getting around without a car is difficult, mid-range lodging options are thin, and the summer heat and humidity make much of the year uncomfortable for active travel. 

Mississippi is a state that rewards travelers who go in with specific intentions. For everyone else, it takes more effort than most places on this list.

#48: Arkansas

Arkansas surprises people occasionally, and I’ll give it that. The Ozarks have scenic stretches worth exploring, and Bentonville has quietly become one of the more interesting small cities in the South (thanks, Walmart!). The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is also worth a detour, and the mountain biking trails there have earned a serious following.

But outside of those pockets, the state is difficult to navigate and thin on the kinds of experiences that make a trip feel worth the journey. It’s the kind of place where you can have a genuinely good afternoon and still struggle to plan a full weekend around it.

#49: Idaho

Idaho feels like it should rank higher, and I wrestled with this one. 

For instance, Sun Valley is a beautiful mountain escape. And the Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho are some of the most dramatic and least-visited scenery in the American West. But some of the more desolate landscapes I’ve seen in the U.S. are also in Idaho.

Boise is complicated too. It’s a perfectly fine city — clean, safe, easy to navigate — but my wife put it best when she said it feels like an AI-generated city. Everything is there on paper: a walkable downtown, restaurants, a river trail, and more. But it lacks the grit, diversity, and cultural texture that make a city feel genuinely alive. It’s a place that looks like a city more than it feels like one.

Accessibility compounds everything. Getting to the best parts of Idaho typically requires either a connection through Salt Lake City or a significant drive from a neighboring state. Once you’re there, the infrastructure for tourism is thinner than comparable Western states.

#50: Nevada

Hear me out. Nevada’s ranking on this list isn’t about Las Vegas being bad. Plenty of people love it, and I completely understand why. It’s an impressive human-made spectacle and does exactly what it sets out to do.

Travel is personal, though, and Las Vegas simply doesn’t work with my personality. The noise, sensory overload, the way time dissolves inside a smoky casino doesn’t jibe with me. Some travelers find that exhilarating, but I find it exhausting. If Vegas is your thing, Nevada probably belongs much higher on your personal list than it does on mine.

The deeper problem is that when you strip away the Strip, Nevada has very little else going on for most travelers. Reno is a faded version of Las Vegas without the same energy. The Great Basin is remote and difficult to access for the average visitor. 

For a state with that much land, Nevada is a pretty narrow experience, and since the main attraction doesn’t resonate with me personally, it lands at the bottom.

Everything In Between

The 40 states that fall between the top five and the bottom five are harder to summarize. And that’s actually the point. 

Some of them, like Vermont, Hawaii, Alaska, Utah, and Montana, come close to cracking the top five on their best days. Others, like Indiana or Iowa, tend to surprise people who go in with low expectations. A few, like Louisiana or Tennessee, have such a specific and rewarding culture that the right traveler will rank them higher than I did. Every state on this list has something genuinely worth experiencing — the question is whether it matches what you’re looking for.

That’s where the conversation gets interesting. After visiting all 50 states and planning trips for clients across just as many, I’ve learned that the “best” state for any given traveler has less to do with the destination and more to do with the person. What you love, how you travel, what you’re willing to trade off are the things that matter more than any ranking I can put together. 

If you’re curious where a specific state landed and why, or if you want help figuring out which destination is actually the right fit for your next trip, that’s exactly what I’m here for.

All 50 U.S. States Ranked

Here’s where all 50 states landed:

1. Washington
2. Arizona
3. Maine 
4. Rhode Island
5. Colorado
6. Vermont
7. Hawaii
8. Alaska 
9. Utah
10. Montana
11. Massachusetts 
12. South Carolina
13. Oregon
14. North Carolina
15. New Hampshire
16. California
17. Indiana
18. Iowa
19. New York
20. Wisconsin 
21. Wyoming
22. North Dakota 
23. South Dakota
24. Connecticut 
25. Virginia
26. Michigan
27. Florida 
28. Tennessee
29. Minnesota
30. Pennsylvania 
31. Louisiana 
32. Texas
33. Georgia 
34. New Mexico
35. Illinois
36. Nebraska
37. Maryland
38. West Virginia
39. Delaware 
40. Oklahoma 
41. Kentucky
42. Ohio
43. New Jersey
44. Missouri
45. Alabama
46. Kansas
47. Mississippi 
48. Arkansas
49. Idaho
50. Nevada

The Bottom Line: What Makes a State Worth the Trip

Visiting all 50 states takes time, and not every trip is going to be transformative. Some states are worth building a dedicated trip around. Others are better as a leg of a longer journey. A few are more useful as conversation starters.

The states that tend to stick with you are the ones where the scenery, the food, the pace, and the people align into something coherent. They’re places that feel like themselves rather than a version of somewhere else. Washington does that better than anywhere else in the country, in my opinion. 

The bottom of the list reflects a mix of things. They represent places that are hard to reach, places that are thin on experiences, and in Nevada’s case, a place that simply doesn’t match my travel personality.

There’s more to the U.S. than California, New York, and Florida. So if you’re planning a trip stateside and are trying to figure out where to start, Washington, Arizona, Maine, Rhode Island, and Colorado are all strong first choices — and I’ve planned trips to all of them across a range of budgets and travel styles.

Ready to plan your next U.S. trip? I’d love to help you build an itinerary around the destinations that are right for you — not just the obvious ones.

Get in touch with me to plan your next U.S. trip.