During our trip Back to The Balkans we’ve ran into very few fellow travelers from the United States. It seems like just about everyone that we chat with is from close by, somewhere else in Europe.
Many are even surprised to see Americans visiting this region which we find to be a bit funny in some ways…
When meeting fellow travelers a popular conversation tends to be where everyone is from and where they have been.
It seems like from the European travelers that we’ve met, around half have been to the U.S. Many also seem to have not visited a big amount of Europe.
When it comes to Europeans traveling around Europe, it is comparable to Americans not visiting lots of the states. Many have told us they plan to do so when they are older.
Up until a few years back Kim and I focused more on international travel than visiting places close to home. In recent years though we’ve been trying to see more of our great country.
Here are some places that we’ve visited in recent years:
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Kentucky- Day 1, Day 2
- Louisiana (not my first time)- Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
- Tennessee- Day 1, Day 2
- Texas- Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
- Wisconsin- Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
- Wyoming
I haven’t thought a whole lot about what percentage of the states we’ve seen but I’d guess around half. Then I came across an article from Buzzfeed.
However, the Buzzfeed article doesn’t have much more than a checklist asking How Many U.S. States Have You Visited? (Oh and flying through doesn’t count.)
While I keep track of my travels through the sites TravBuddy (check out my travel map at the bottom of my blog) and Most Traveled People, this was an easy checklist to see how many states I’ve been to.
After clicking through, I was surprised to find out that I’ve been to more states that I had thought.
Here is what Buzzfeed told me about my travels around the U.S.:
According to Buzzfeed visiting 30 states makes me a “straight up pioneer”!
I’m not so sure about that since I feel like we’ve barely touched the surface when it comes to seeing the U.S.
How many states have you been to? Check off where you’ve been in the Buzzfeed article here.
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Brian- Gotcha- hope you had some time to see a little of RI.
Mary- Sounds like an awesome competition to me! How about trying to visit a certain # of US national parks or countries?
Matt S- Very cool! Congrats.
James- I’ll have to look into it. Thanks for sharing.
I use an iPad app (free) called GlobePlottr to keep track of states, countries, cities… I have visited.
At age 30 I had been to the 48 multiple times and then for some reason I was too focused on international travel and it took me until 35 to get to both Hawaii and Alaska. I also just stood in front of my 50th state capitol building – finishing things off with Pierre, SD.
My friend and I had a challenge to see who could spend the night in all 50 states first. I set a personal goal to complete it before age 50. In my 49th year, my husband gave me a Christmas gift of a trip to Mississippi (#50).
Now I need a new challenge…..
I was on my way between New York and northern parts of New England; and I had no time to stay overnight.
Ray- I hear where you are coming from. When asked what countries are my favorites I tend to find it really hard to answer!
Brian Cohen- Very nice! Why the lack of a sleepover in RI? 🙂
Points With A Crew- Sounds like you’ve seen a ton of America. Curious what is inspiring you to attempt to visit all of the counties!
JakePB- That is pretty funny. What’s holding you back from getting yourself to Alaska???
Chuck- Nice job! Enjoy Hawaii and good luck with getting to VT. I’ve been to a VT a couple of times. Didn’t see a lot but it is really nice there.
CJ-I wish I had gone to ND when I visited SD. I hear that Roosevelt NP is incredible!
ive been to 49 north Dakota is the only one ive missed
48 states so far. HI and VT remain and the HI will be removed soon. Been to most of Canada except NB, NS, PEI, NF, PQ
Like Wendy, I’ve been to 49 but my missing state is Alaska. I made it to #49 by age 28 yet 20 years later, I still haven’t made it up there!
I’ve been to 45 states just missing ND SD MT AK HI. The real challenge is that I am trying to visit all 3142 COUNTIES in the US. I’m about 40% done…
I have been to all 50 states and Puerto Rico — all of them more than once with the exception of North Dakota; I have stayed overnight in all of them except for Rhode Island; and I have driven in all of them except for Utah.
In addition, I have been to three states in Australia and four provinces in Canada.
That’s a question that people constantly ask-which is your favorite…I would not comment on that because, maybe not all, but almost every state has something intriguing…Hawaii and Alaska are nice, I took lots of amazing photos… UT, AZ also have some breathtaking scenery which you won’t see anywhere else in the world…
Martin- Good luck with completing your goal!
Kodoma- Wow. I hope that you had some time for play and not just work while traveling around the U.S.
Ray- Wow impressive! 50 states in 2 years- I hope that you got to see some interesting things and not just speed through! Curious what your favorites were?
Rich I- Congrats on finishing off the 50. I think its a great feat regardless of the age it gets completed!
Wendy- That is a crazy amount of driving! Good for you. I could never do all of that driving. Good luck on making it to Hawaii soon. I guess the car will be sitting out that visit!
I’ve been to 49 states. The only one I’m missing is Hawaii. I hope to visit Hawaii in the next year or so. I’ve driven to all of them so far from my home in Ohio. I’ve also been in all of Canada’s provinces and territories. I’ve also been in all 88 counties in Ohio. I put Thirty thousand miles on my 1991 sable in the first six months I owned it. Drove it to Alaska and finished driving the entire length of the trans Canadian highway.
I made my final conquest last year when I drove to Arkansas by crossing the Mississippi River with the intent of finishing the fifty.
It only took 63 years 🙂
As a Ph.D. student I am happy that I have driven through/to all 50 states in the last 2 years! Most of it were solo travel, especially the trip to Hawaii, Alaska, and the American Southwest Big Circle, since I am in the East. LOL.
For work alone last year it was 22, so the total is higher than that overall….
46 US States – not bad for an Australian… and I have also been to three US territories. I aim to have been to all 50 US States by July 2015. http://wildabouttravel.boardingarea.com/
(Buzzfeed says: “Dang, is that you, Lewis? No? Clark then? You’re a straight up PIONEER of this great country! Nothing to do now but check those last few states off the list and become King of the United States of America”