I finally did it! After years of planning (and strategically using PTO), I finally completed my goal of visiting all 50 states! I decided to really lock in to visiting all of them in 2017. I had posted a picture on Facebook of me on the Lanikai Pillbox Hike on O’ahu. One of my mom’s friends commented challenging me to see how many states I could visit before I was 30. Challenge accepted! Unfortunately Covid came around and threw a wrench in my “all 50 before 30” timeline, but I quickly got over that. I scratched off state #50 of North Carolina just after my 33rd birthday. Here are some of my favorite memories from visiting all 50 states!
Alabama
Alabama! The first in the alphabet, but state #35 for me! I spent a day in Alabama as part of a Gulf Coast road trip in February 2020, just a few weeks before the pandemic shut the world down. I based myself outside of New Orleans but took a day to cruise through the Gulf Coast. While my destination was ultimately Mobile, I took plenty of time to stop at the beaches along the way. Mobile is a small city, but actually has a lot of rich history. Fun fact: Mobile is actually the birthplace of Mardi Gras in America (predating New Orleans)!
Alaska
I visited Alaska with my brothers in September 2021, just as travel was starting to ramp back up after the pandemic. To say it blew me away would be an understatement. We went on an ultimate 7-day trip through Alaska, starting in Anchorage. The trip included a day trip from Anchorage, hiking South Fork Falls and Byron Glacier, and even spending a day in Kenai Fjords National Park. Next, we went on a road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks. We spent two days in Fairbanks, including a day at Chena Hot Springs. The absolute highlight of the trip though? Seeing the Northern Lights! It was a jam-packed trip, but one for the books that’s for sure!
Read More: 15 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Alaska
Arizona
In 2018, my friend and I made the brilliant decision to visit Arizona in July. Unsurprisingly, we got a killer deal on a resort outside of Phoenix and decided to bear the summer heat over the Fourth of July. It was a quick weekend consisting mostly of floating around in the hotel’s pools to get out of the triple-digit heat. We did leave the resort once to take a day trip up to Grand Canyon National Park. As expected, the heat got the better of us and it ended up being a pretty quick visit before making our way back to the air conditioned car. On the drive back, we stopped quickly in Sedona, and I knew immediately I needed to get back and give that town a proper visit. Still on my list!
Arkansas
My trip to Arkansas was short but sweet. While on a long weekend trip out to Memphis, I ducked across the border to check out Little Rock! The first (and most important) stop was at Little Rock Central High School, which was the site that sparked the pivotal Brown vs. Board of Education case. It is still a functioning high school, but also home to a museum that I took a self-guided tour of. Afterwards, I made my way to Julius Breckling Riverfront Park and walked along the Arkansas River. I also always love trying regional fast food chains when I travel, which called for dinner at Slim Chickens. Delish! My day was then cut short by a sudden migraine, where I fell asleep in my car for a couple hours and then had to make the very long, very exhausting drive back to Memphis. It is what it is!
California
There is a lot to say about California! My very first visit was on a 9-day Pacific Coast road trip where my friend and I drove from Seattle down through Big Sur (which might be one of my favorite places on earth!). California is also most notably the site of my very first solo trip ever! I spent a weekend in Palm Springs, which started with an “holy crap what am I doing here” panic attack, but then ended with amazing memories of Joshua Tree National Park, and sparked my love for solo travel! I’ve been all over California and can confidently say I’ve been to all the “major” cities in the state. Some of my favorite places (aside from Big Sur) include Burney Falls, Napa Valley, Redwoods National Park, San Diego and La Jolla, and Lake Tahoe.
Colorado
Colorado and I have a lot of great memories together! My first trip out was in summer 2015, when I visited a few friends who were living in Denver. Some of the highlights were visiting Garden of the Gods and hiking St. Mary’s glacier where we were able to touch snow in July. And in true Colorado fashion, an altitude-induced bloody nose also found me! A few years later, my friend and I took the Amtrak train across Colorado from Denver to Grand Junction. This was such a fun, relaxing way to experience the Rocky Mountains! In early 2021, a group of friends and I met in Denver for some mountain air and quality friend time. We did a few activities, but mostly just sat our butts in the Airbnb for 24 straight hours watching ANTM. Honestly, the best time!
Connecticut
I’ll be honest: none of my trips to Connecticut have been incredibly eventful. When I lived in NYC, I had a handful of work trips that took me to up to Yale’s campus in New Haven. On one work trip, I decided to sneak in a visit to Louis’ Lunch, a restaurant known as the birthplace of the hamburger! Other than that, notable experiences in Connecticut have included: (1) going to my friend’s boss’ holiday party and laughing so hard that I smashed my face into my wine glass and got a bloody nose, and (2) literally shitting my pants in the Yale bookstore. TMI? Sorry, but I keep it real.
Delaware
Sorry in advance to all of the Delawareans reading this, but I wasn’t impressed. After a work trip to Washington, DC, I decided to extend my trip by renting a car and driving out to Delaware and Maryland. I spent a ton of time researching things to do in Delaware, and I was so uninspired by the options (or lack thereof). I know Delaware is famous for the beaches, but it was pretty rainy during my visit so I just did a drive down the coast instead. I’m sure they’re nice on a summer day, but I ended up just hitting the outlet malls and doing some tax-free shopping instead. Yay, Delaware.
Florida
Florida and I go waaaay back. My grandparents lived in the town of Venice, so my childhood vacations would be visiting them. We took day trips to Siesta Key, Busch Gardens, and of course- Disney! Hitting the beach, eating at Sharky’s, walking the jetties, and exploring Venice’s historic downtown are some of my favorite pastimes. As an adult, I’ve loved exploring more of Florida. One of my favorite trips was a road trip through the Florida Keys. I drove from Miami all the way down to Key West. A highlight was taking the seaplane to Dry Tortugas National Park! In June 2024, I went crazy and did Disney in a Day! I caught a morning flight to Orlando, Ubered to Epcot, spent the entire day with my friend, and then caught an evening flight home. I am still tired from that, but it was so worth it!
Georgia
My time in Georgia was short but sweet. While on a weekend trip to Charleston, SC, I took a quick road trip across the border! I spent a day strolling through Savannah and then made my way out to Tybee Island. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t impressed with Tybee Island. I found the beach and water to be pretty dirty (but I also recognize I’ve been pretty spoiled in my life with some really nice beaches!). Savannah on the other hand, was so impressive! I absolutely loved strolling through the downtown among the 22 public squares and huge, mature oak trees. It really felt like stepping back in time to an era when life was simple and slow. I’d love to get back to Savannah sometime soon!
Hawaii
I don’t even know where to start with Hawaii. There is so much to say! My first trip was in 2017 when my friend and I island hopped between O’ahu, Maui, and Hawai’i (the Big Island). I completely fell in love with Hawaii and the aloha lifestyle. Two years later, I went back with another friend and we hopped between O’ahu, Maui, and Kaua’i. Highlights included driving the back road to Hana (and then spending the day in Hana) and eating our weight in shave ice. In 2021, I took advantage of the Covid WFH policy that my firm had and worked remotely from O’ahu for six weeks! I absolutely loved feeling like a local and discovering so many non-touristy beaches. That time in Hawaii was one of the highlights of my life!
Click here for more Hawaii blog posts!
Idaho
Idaho is top of the list for the state I’ve spent the least amount of time in. But I still consider what I did a visit, so don’t come at me! In June 2022, my friend got married in Grand Teton National Park and our flight home was out of Bozeman, Montana. After the wedding, we made the long drive back up and decided to cut through Eastern Idaho. We drove up highways 33 and 20 through a bit of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. It was a really beautiful and isolated drive. The funniest part was the fact that our rental car was a teeny tiny economy car that barely fit two people and our suitcases. We were flooring it trying to go up these hills and maxing out at 30 mph. The fifty cars behind us didn’t think it was as hilarious as we did!
Illinois
My first trip to Illinois was shortly after graduating college. I was a very unfocused recent grad and flew in for just one day for a job interview (spoiler alert: I didn’t get the job). Most memorably however, in March 2025 I took a quick trip to Chicago for St. Patrick’s Day weekend! I took an overnight Amtrak train from Buffalo and made it just in time to watch them dye the Chicago River green, catch a teeny bit of the parade, and do some sightseeing. I put in over 13 miles of walking all around the city in one day visiting sites like Cloudgate (“The Bean”), Navy Pier, Chicago Skydeck, Hamburger University, and the Art Institute of Chicago. It was a jam-packed weekend!
Indiana
On a road trip hitting three different states (Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana), I had to make a stop in Indianapolis and tour the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway! I did a behind the scenes “golf cart” tour and really enjoyed getting an inside glimpse at everything that goes into this iconic race. I am not, nor ever have been, a “race car girlie” but you can certainly appreciate and respect it when you’re here! We got to walk the track, go up to the top of the pagoda, and “kiss the bricks”. It was a great way to appreciate what Indiana is so famous for (and proud of!).
Iowa
While on a weekend trip to Omaha, Nebraska, I had to take advantage of its location on the border with Iowa! My cousin and I first dipped our toes into Iowa on Bob the Bridge. Yes, the bridge has a name and the name is Bob. This bridge straddles Nebraska and Iowa, and we had a blast having a photoshoot bopping back and forth over the line. To make my time in Iowa “official”, we drove over the border into Council Bluffs. We visited the Lewis & Clark Park which overlooks the Missouri River and the Omaha airport (for AV geeks like me who like plane spotting!). This park commemorates where Lewis & Clark first met with the Native Americans who helped guide them on the next leg of their journey across America. Overall, it was a nice escape from the city and we really enjoyed it.
Kansas
My time in Kansas was tacked on to a weekend visiting Kansas City, Missouri. My day trip across the border started with a sunrise visit to Grinter Sunflower Farms. I was so happy that my trip to The Sunflower State overlapped with sunflower season! Afterwards, I made my way out to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve for some real Kansas vibes. This park was small, but packed a mighty punch. Their well-maintained trails take you through the Kansan prairies where you can see for miles. The highlight of this trip though were the wild bison that roam the prairie! Me and other guests found ourselves about 100 yards away from a gentle giant minding his business in the field. Truly surreal! Afterwards, a dinner at local fast food spot Spangles, was just what the doctor ordered.
Kentucky
My time in Kentucky packed a big punch. On a roadtrip hitting three states (Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana), I spent a weekend in Louisville. Louisville really impressed me, as there was so much to do! I absolutely loved touring the Louisville Slugger Museum, taking a tram through the Louisville Mega Cavern, and visiting Colonel Sanders’ grave (to pay respect to our fried chicken king). A highlight of my time in Louisville was of course visiting Churchill Downs, which is home to the Kentucky Derby. I wasn’t here for the actual derby, but the grounds operate year-round and I was able to catch a few races! I also made my way outside of Louisville for a quick road trip visiting Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace and the Jim Beam Distillery.
Louisiana
Only a few weeks before the pandemic shut down the world, I spent a weekend based just outside of New Orleans for a weekend road tripping through the Gulf Coast. I spent the a full day exploring NOLA the week before Mardi Gras, so I got to see New Orleans in all its glory! As for food, I ate the greatest fried chicken of my life at Willie Mae’s followed by an embarrassing amount of beignets at Cafe du Monde. I also toured through St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (which was fascinating!), wandered the beautiful French Quarter (including the famous Bourbon Street), and strolled through City Park. Talk about a jam-packed day!!
Maine
My first trip to Maine was spending a weekend in Bar Harbor and Mount Dessert Island! I flew up to Bangor and made the road trip out to the coast for the weekend. I absolutely loved walking around downtown Bar Harbor, catching the sunset atop Cadillac Mountain, and then jumping in the car to explore Acadia National Park! My second trip to Maine was a happy accident. I had booked a cruise to Bermuda, but an incoming hurricane changed our itinerary. We instead went up to New England and Canada, and made a stop in Portland, ME. I spent the day strolling around downtown and visiting their beaches (pretending I was in Bermuda).
Maryland
After a work trip to Washington, DC, I decided to extend my trip by renting a car and driving out to Delaware and Maryland. The absolute highlight of my trip to Maryland was visiting Assateague Island! This National Seashore has beautiful beaches, lots of hiking trails, but most famously: wild horses! In 2024, the horse population was estimated between 80-100. It won’t take long for you to see them! They’re wonderful to view and admire from a distance. I also made an afternoon stop in Ocean City, and if I’m being honest, it was one of the worst places in the world. I couldn’t wait to leave and instead made my way to Annapolis, which was so charming and beautiful!
Massachusetts
My first trip to Massachusetts was on my high school senior trip when we spent a few days in Boston and Salem. We caught a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, took a Duck Tour around Boston, and experienced the history of Salem. In my adult life, a few work trips have taken me out to Boston/Cambridge and I always would make an effort to wander around the city a bit on my own. I also spent a weekend skiing in the Berkshires at Butternut Ski Resort. Most memorably however, in June 2023 I was out in Boston for some work meetings and I extended my trip by going out to Cape Cod! The highlight was my day trip to Nantucket. It’s such a beautiful island! The following year I went back to Boston for a work conference, but I’m actively trying to block that out of my memory.
Michigan
As I was approaching the end of my goal, I squeezed a quick overnight in Detroit in for state #49! Living in Buffalo, Detroit is only a 4 hour drive away, so it makes me mad that it took me so long to get there! My time in Detroit really impressed me though. I feel like it’s everything that I wish Buffalo was! It was bigger, had better public outdoor spaces, and people were actually walking around downtown. Imagine that! I absolutely loved taking the Detroit People Mover train, walking around the waterfront and Hart Plaza, and going for an evening run on Belle Isle. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is a world-class museum and was such a highlight of my weekend!
Minnesota
I took a bold move and checked off Minnesota in the dead of winter! The perfect winter day in Duluth was filled with embracing the cold, rather than fighting it. Renting snowshoes and hiking around the Hartley Nature Center was a highlight, but the absolute best part was going dogsledding at Positive Energy Outdoors. The dogs pulled us over frozen lakes, up snowy hills, and across open fields. I even got to drive the sled for a bit! After Duluth, I made my way down to Minneapolis and explored the city and the famous ice castles!
Mississippi
My first trip to Mississippi was on a road trip from Memphis, TN to Tupelo on what I dubbed my “Chasing Elvis Roadtrip”. I spent a full day in Tupelo visiting Elvis’ birthplace, exploring the Elvis influence downtown, and catching the sunset from Tombigbee State Park. A couple of years later while on a weekend road trip through the Gulf Coast, I passed through coastal Mississippi. The beaches were alright, but disappointing to learn that the majority are man-made, as a way to increase tourism to the area. Grabbing BBQ at The Shed in Ocean Springs was a highlight of this visit!
Missouri
In 2022, I flew out to Kansas City, MO to pack in a weekend hitting two states: Missouri and Kansas. Kansas City impressed me, mainly because it was a lot larger than I expected! I really enjoyed my time exploring KC (with the exception of this Bills fan being surrounded by Chiefs fans everywhere). Union Station was especially impressive. It’s more than just an Amtrak station, it is an operating museum with tons of rotating exhibits. Just across the street is the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The memorial itself was beautiful, but I particularly enjoyed the city skyline views from the top of the hill. Before my flight home, I also managed to squeeze in a quick Royals game! The highlight of my time in Missouri though? All of the barbecue! My favorite spot was Q39, followed closely by Jack Stack. Nom nom nom!!!
Montana
My time in Montana was short but sweet. In June 2022, my friend was getting married down in Grand Teton National Park, and the Jackson, WY airport was shut down for the summer for construction. I instead flew in and out of Bozeman, MT, which was such a gift to get to explore a new state! I landed early in the morning and while I waited for my friend, I grabbed breakfast at Western Cafe and then drove to Big Sky and hiked out to Ousel Falls. It was a quick hike with a great waterfall at the end. The thing I remember most about that day though is that I got my period during my hike and bled through my shorts! So fun!!!!!
Nebraska
Nebraska was a fun check, because it caught me totally by surprise! My cousin is in the Air Force and was out in Omaha for a training program. Knowing that I was trying to visit all 50 states, she invited me out for a last-minute trip to capitalize on the fact that she already had a hotel room and rental car! We spent the weekend in Omaha, exploring all it has to offer (this was one of my very first blog posts!) and even dipped into Iowa for a two-for-one punch. We had an absolute blast renting scooters and riding around downtown, taking a slow drive by Warren Buffet’s house, and walking over Bob the Bridge (which straddles the Nebraska-Iowa state line!).
Nevada
My two trips to Nevada were both very memorable! My first was a flight into Reno where I drove out to Lake Tahoe to meet a few friends for a birthday weekend! We rented a cabin just a few blocks from the lake and had a great time hiking and enjoying the scenery. A couple of years later, my friend and I went on an epic Utah National Park road trip which ended with a flight out of Las Vegas. We had the whole day exploring the strip bopping in and out of the resorts and casinos. We ended up sneaking into one of the resorts and crashed their pool for a day. Of course we kept to ourselves and were very low-key, but felt like bandits. It was the perfect way to end the trip (and get a little adrenaline rush).
New Hampshire
In October 2019, I spent a fall weekend in New Hampshire to take in all the fall foliage! I flew in and out of Burlington, VT and rented a car for the quick scoot over to NH. Driving the Kancamagus Highway was an absolute highlight not just of this trip, but of all my travels. It’s one of the best drives in the country, especially with the fall foliage! I hiked through the Lost River Gorge, drove to the summit of Mount Washington (the highest peak in the Northeast US), and enjoyed some stargazing with a crystal clear sky (and no light pollution!). There’s no better place to be in the fall!
New Jersey
New Jersey is one of those places in my life that I only go to to when I need to. Living in NYC for 8 years meant that New Jersey was just kind of always there, but I rarely made the journey across the Hudson! My positive memories in New Jersey all involve going to events at MetLife stadium. I had the time of my life at Taylor Swift’s 1989 and Reputation tours, as well as many Bills games when they were in town playing the Jets. My negative memories of New Jersey basically all have to do with getting lost on the NJ Transit trains or experiencing flight delays at Newark airport. I’m sure NJ has more to offer, but I’ll have to keep searching.
New Mexico
My memories in New Mexico are mostly positive, but with a little dark grey cloud. When my friends were living in Odessa, TX, we went on an epic one-day National Park road trip that included a stop at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Just moments after that first photo above was taken, I tripped off the curb and really badly hurt my knee. I could barely walk or bend my knee (I never really saw a doctor, but I bet if I did it would have shown at least a fractured knee cap!). I had a park ranger give me first aid just to clean the wound and control the bleeding, but it was really hard to enjoy the rest of the day when I could barely walk! The caverns were awesome though. I need to get back again (but watch my step this time!).
New York
New York! Home sweet home for my entire life. I may be biased, but New York is one of the best states in the country. I grew up in a small town in Western New York, went to school in Buffalo, moved down to New York City for 8 years, and then settled back up in Buffalo near family and friends. And I wouldn’t want to call any other state home! I could sit here and list all of my favorite things to do in New York, but it would just end up being a autobiography of my life and we’d be here for hours. Instead, you can just click here. I ❤️ NY!
North Carolina
State #50!!! When I tell people that my last state was North Carolina, I often get met with shock. And I get it. It’s such an easy state to travel to, and one that most people visit many times in their life! It surprises me too that I had gone to Hawaii 3x, to Alaska, and dozens of other countries before I made the 1.5 hour flight down to NC. In May 2025, I scratched the final box and spent a weekend in Asheville on a girls trip with my mom. We had a blast exploring the city and cruising on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The absolute highlight though was the day we spent at the Biltmore Estate. Asheville had a lot to offer and was the perfect way to celebrate reaching my goal!
North Dakota
In September 2020, I was itching for an adventure and embarked on an ultimate 4-Day Dakotas road trip! The trip started in Rapid City, SD and I drove up to Medora, ND. While most people who are trying to visit all 50 states usually save North Dakota for last, I was eager to get out there! The highlight of my time in ND was spending one day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I saw so many bison, wild horses, and prairie dogs! Hiking the Wind Canyon Trail was my favorite and was the perfect place to stretch my legs after a long drive. In the nearby town of Medora, I saw the famous Medora Musical and took in the views of Painted Canyon. Don’t sleep on North Dakota!
Ohio
Growing up in Buffalo, Ohio is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. I have taken many trips out to Ohio, but my earliest ones are family trips to Cleveland. I was young so my memories from those trips are mostly just us stopping at Waffle House on the drive. Later on in my adult life, my cousin and her family moved to Cleveland so I took many trips out there to visit them and explore the city! Growing up, there was also a few trips out to Cedar Point in Sandusky, and then I even spent a day exploring Cincinnati on a road trip to check off Kentucky and Indiana!
Oklahoma
While on a work trip to Dallas, I took advantage of the weekend and extended my trip by a few days to hit state #48! I rented a car and drove up to Oklahoma City for a quick visit. I spent a full day to exploring Oklahoma City and was thoroughly impressed! The city was a lot bigger than I expected and I had no problems finding things to do. Visiting the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum was a somber but important highlight, but I also really enjoyed visiting Wheeler Park. I grabbed a grape sno cone from a food truck, laid in a hammock, and enjoyed the city views while listening to my audio book. My very first impression of Oklahoma though? Immediately after putting the car in park, tornado sirens blasted through the city. Turns out it was a scheduled weekly test, but what an iconic welcome!
Oregon
Oregon holds such a special place in my heart! On my first “big girl” trip, my friend and I went on a 9-day Pacific Coast road trip. During that time, we spent 2 days in Portland and then another 2 days driving down the Oregon Coast! Portland is such a quirky city and I liked taking in the charm and spotting all the Portlandia filming locations. Outside of the city, driving the Columbia River Gorge was a highlight- with the star being hiking to the top of Multnomah Falls. The Oregon coast is spectacular, with each viewpoint being more jaw dropping than the last. It’s some of the most beautiful coastline in the country! Cannon Beach, the Oregon Dunes, and Samuel H. Boardman State Park were some of my favorite spots of the drive!
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is another state that I have memories visiting my entire life. My earliest ones would probably be the long car rides when my pee-wee cheerleading team would have games across the border. In my adult life, my experiences in Pennsylvania were much more meaningful! Once on my drive back to NYC from Buffalo, I made a pit stop in Scranton to see all the filming places from The Office! Though I have to say, my favorite memory in Pennsylvania would be when I visited my friends and officiated their wedding! I nailed the speech but then missed the entire reception because I got an insane migraine and passed out on the floor in the bathroom. Memories!
Rhode Island
My first trip out to Rhode Island was a day trip when I was living in NYC. I was jazzed to check off my 30th state and spent the entire day exploring the city of Newport! I wrote about the day in a blog post, but if you read it please be kind. This was one of my first posts on this site! A couple of years later, I visited Newport again. Except this time, it was a happy accident. I was booked on a cruise from NYC to Bermuda, but an incoming hurricane changed our plans. The cruise was rerouted through New England and Canada, with Newport being our first stop! I wasn’t mad to be back, as it’s such an insanely beautiful city. Plus, I got an opportunity to do things I didn’t get to on my first trip: like walk the entire Cliff Walk!
South Carolina
Cheers for SC! In spring 2019, I celebrated the end of a busy work season by spending a quick weekend in Charleston! Charleston was absolutely stunning and I loved every minute of my trip there. I loved strolling the downtown area (especially south of Broad St.) and gawking at the colorful and huge mansions! I met up with a friend who lived in town and we had a great meal at Leon’s – I even tried oysters for the first time! In the moment I didn’t hate them, but I haven’t had an oyster since, ha. My Airbnb was close to Folly Beach so I took advantage of catching the sunrises from the pier. It was a perfect little Southern getaway!
South Dakota
When people find out I’ve been to all fifty states, I often get asked about my favorites. While I wouldn’t say South Dakota is top of the list, it was definitely the one that surprised me the most! I feel like South Dakota doesn’t get anywhere close to the amount of respect it deserves! On my trip, I was based in Rapid City. I visited Mount Rushmore at sunrise, spent some time at Crazy Horse, and filled the rest of the day exploring the Black Hills. The Black Hills truly make you feel like you’re in the Rocky Mountains! I then took a road trip up to Theodore Roosevelt National Park on an epic 4-day Dakotas road trip. After that, I returned to South Dakota and spent a day in Badlands National Park, which completely blew me away. Don’t sleep on South Dakota!
Read More: 12 Photos to Inspire You to Visit South Dakota
Tennessee
My first trip out to Tennessee was over Labor Day weekend in 2019. I based myself in Memphis and then tacked on trips to the nearby states of Arkansas and Mississippi. A highlight was (what I call) my “Chasing Elvis Road Trip” from Memphis to Tupelo following Elvis’ life from birth to death. In April 2024, I did my first ever “out and back” trip by spending one day in Nashville. I flew out on an early morning flight, spent the entire day exploring the city, and caught an evening flight back home. This trip ignited the “day trip” spark in me and I’ve gone on several others since!
Texas
My first (and favorite) trip to Texas was over New Years weekend in 2017-2018. My friend was a traveling therapist at the time and was based in Odessa, Texas. I came out for a short visit and we went on an epic one-day National Park road trip. We visited Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park (in NM). The trip was cut a little short after I tripped off a curb in New Mexico and hurt my knee and could barely walk. Aside from that, we had a great time bopping around Midland and Odessa and exploring the Monahans Sandhills State Park. Future trips to Texas have included going to Dallas and Austin on work trips, but I try to block those out of my memory.
Utah
Utah is truly like another world! In 2018, my friend and I took the Amtrak train across Colorado from Denver to Grand Junction. From there, we rented a car (which ended up being a huge pickup truck, lol) and embarked on an epic 2-day Utah National Park road trip! We hit Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. It was incredible (but also very HOT!). The highlight was definitely in Zion when we hiked Angels Landing. It was a brutal uphill climb with more switchbacks and cliffs than I can count, but the view from the top made my jaw drop. Once we finished the entire hike, the dehydration and heat exhaustion finally hit and I threw up in the parking lot 4x. Fun!
Vermont
In 2016, my friend and I took advantage of the fall season and went on an impromptu trip to Vermont. We had a perfect fall weekend exploring Burlington and all that Vermont in September has to offer! We sipped fresh pressed apple cider, toured the Ben & Jerry’s factory, and even made it to the summit of Mount Mansfield (by car, lol). It was a slow-paced and low-key weekend that scratched us right where we itched. One afternoon while we were driving, we saw a sign for corn maze and had to immediately pull the car over and do it! It was hilariously fun and surprisingly difficult!
Virginia
Life has taken me to Virginia a few times in my life, typically when visiting Washington, DC and taking a dip across the border. My first trip was on a high school trip to DC and we visited George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon and Arlington National Cemetery. Years later, I had one work trip take me out to UVA’s campus in Charlottesville (which was absolutely beautiful!), and a few years after that I went on a weekend getaway to DC with my mom and brother which included another stop in Arlington. It was nice to return as an adult to truly appreciate it and give it the respect it deserves!
Washington
My trip to Washington was in 2016 and was the start of an epic 9-day Pacific Coast road trip (which was the first big trip of my adult life!). I was about a year into my first “big girl job” and was finally making enough money where I could afford to go on trips. My friend and I met in Seattle and spent a night there before continuing down our coastal road trip through Big Sur. We explored downtown Seattle including Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, enjoying views of Mount Rainer, taking in the city skyline at Kerry Park, and grabbing a coffee at the first Starbucks. I haven’t been back to WA since, but I’m itching to get out to the San Juan islands!
West Virginia
My trip to West Virginia is an oldie but a goodie. One year as a kid, my family spontaneously packed up the minivan one day and decided to make an impromptu drive down to visit my grandparents in Florida. Along the way, we stopped in West Virginia in New River Gorge National Park. There are photos of us as kids floating around somewhere in a shoebox in my parent’s attic, but the memories are alive. We went for a short hike out to viewpoints of the New River Gorge Bridge. I remember my mom breaking out the snacks and we had a picnic overlooking the bridge, river, and gorge. We packed back up and continued on the drive, but this was a really memorable part of the road trip!
Wisconsin
While on a weekend trip to Duluth, Minnesota, I scooted just across the state line to check off Wisconsin! I made my way out to Pattison State Park, with the goal to do a wintery hike out to both Big and Little Manitou Falls (the largest in the state!). The trails were in pretty good shape for winter: packed and easy to maneuver. However, when I got to the falls, I found they were completely frozen over. Wtf did I expect for the middle of February?! I should have known. Regardless, it was a really nice hike and a great way to explore a Wisconsin state park!
Wyoming
Wyoming was hit in 2022 when my friend gave us the gift of getting married in Grand Teton National Park (a perfect excuse for a trip out there!). The Jackson airport was closed that summer, so we had to fly into Bozeman, MT. Which ended up being such a blessing because we got to hit up Yellowstone National Park on the drive down! Seeing Old Faithful erupt, the Grand Prismatic Spring, and tons of wild bison were spectacular! We then spent three fun-filled days in Jackson, WY taking in the city highlights and bopping in and out of the national park. The city blew me away and I cannot wait to get back!
If you read all of this…
Are you okay? Do you need a hobby? Just kidding. Thank you, really, for reading/following/supporting me on this fun little journey. Having friends constantly asking me about my travels and giving me ideas of new places to visit really kept me going. This silly little blog and Instagram account has given me a lot of joy. I always say that I write all of these posts for no one but myself (which is true), but if I can help just one person or inspire someone to travel somewhere they may not have otherwise considered, then it’s all worth it. So thank you for following along. Love you, mean it!!!!! Now open to suggestions on what my next travel goal should be…
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