| Top Contributors |  |  |
| | Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Anchorage is a good starting point for your Alaskan Vacation. From Anchorage you can go to Denali (Mt. McKinley but the native word is Denali), Talkeetna, Seward, Whittier, and Homer just to name a few. The best way to get around Alaska is by car, a rental works fine. The Alaska Railroad is okay, but pretty overpriced for what you're... |  |
| One of the quintessential New England states, Massachusetts has a lot to boast of: Boston, for one, Harvard, for another (not to mention the dozens of other prestigious universities), first-European-settler status (the first Pilgrims arrived in what is now Massachusetts), the hub of the American Revolution (you know, the Boston Tea Party and all), and now the largest population of any of the... |  |
| Wisconsin, a haven for cheese and milk lovers of all descriptions, is a rolling, wooded, green state (as well as a blue state in the political sense of the word, which is quite unusual in the midwest) that prides itself on all of its good attributes. Local beers proclaim, "Drink indigenous!" while local residents will beg you to try fried cheese curd, a greasy, squeak-between-your-teeth staple of... |  |
| California occupies a unique place in the world's imagination. It is a surfing, free-loving paradise; it is smog and the shallow gloss of the Hollywood pop-culture machine; it is the waterfalls of Yosemite and deserts of Death Valley; it is the rugged sophistication of San Francisco and Napa. In truth California is all of these things (it's a pretty big state) and a must-see for any traveler.... |  |
| Michigan is known as the Great Lakes State, bordered as it is four out of the five Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. It has, therefore, the longest freshwater shoreline of any state in the U.S. and, understandably, the largest amount of recreational boats. Though much of the landscape is forest, the western half of Michigan becomes slightly mountainous; the Porcupine Mountains are... |
| Hawaii, the fiftieth state admitted to the United States, is comprised of a lush, volcanic archipelago rumbling up from the blue Pacific. Though these islands may have been inhabited as early as 300 A.D., they are still in a constant state of birth, with active laval flows (primarily from Kilauea, the youngest volcano located on the Big Island) continually forming new landscapes. Large... |  |
| Lush Louisiana is, among other things, the center of cajun cuisine and culture in the United States. With crops including sugar cane and rice, and farming of crawfish and cattle, the lands surrounding most cities are the agricultural means of most residents and is also the state's main revenue alongside tourism of New Orleans. |  |
| Washington DC (District of Columbia) is the home of the U.S. federal government. Understandably, then, the place is crawling with politicians, activists, lobbyists, and generally socially-minded, political folk. This means that to engage with the locals is often to engage in a heated political debate, but it also means that there's always a lot going on, from dance to theater to music to... |  |
| Tennesee is known primarily for its rockstar prowess. Such legendary towns as Nashville and Memphis (home to Graceland) have turned up in songs, films, and other media due in large part to the huge celebrities they produced: namely, Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley. This means that not only is there an Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis and a "Dollywood" in Pigeon Forge, but that Tennessee's... |  |
| Minnesota is best known for its cultural hub and metropolis: Minneapolis/St. Paul, or "the Twin Cities" (which are, if you ask the locals, basically one big city, divided only by a river, that have nevertheless maintained relative autonomy). The vast majority of the state's population lives in this urban area, while most of the rest of the state has been taken over by agriculture. Still, the... |  |
| Washington covers vast territory, with lush Olympic National Forest and bustling, rainy Seattle on its west coast, snow-capped Cascade Mountains and flat, dry farmland through its central plains, and sleepy Spokane and the beginning of pine-covered foothills in the east. The west coast's Puget Sound is full of a scattering of evergreen islands that can brag the largest ferry fleet in the United... |  |
| Tucked into the pacific northwest, Oregon (pronounced Orygun by the locals) is a beautiful, geographically diverse state. There is the desert and plains of central and eastern Oregon, lush forests further west, and, on the western edge, the rugged and undeveloped Pacific coast. While Crater Lake is the state's only official national park, the title seems a little superfluous when the whole state... |  |
| Idaho, a northwestern state with a long panhandle edging the Canadian border, has a lot more to boast of than its potatoes. Full of gorgeous landscapes, ranging from evergreen forests to snow-topped mountains to crisp blue lakes to deep canyons, Idaho is a haven for the hiker, skier, boater, and backpacker. Though its northern panhandle is more likely to offer up forests and peaks than its... |  |
| The vast majority of Utah's population is concentrated in and around Salt Lake City, leaving the rest of this echoingly vast and beautiful state to the red rocks, plateaus, and canyons of its five national parks. If you're looking for open desert, breathtaking Godlike structures, salt lakes, pine forests, and snowy peaks that draw myriads of skilled skiers and snowboarders every year, head to... |  |
| From the Everglades to the orange groves, from Disney World to Miami Beach to the luscious Florida Keys, Florida is revered as a balmy haven for lucky locals and envious tourists alike. Known, naturally, as "the Sunshine state," Florida also has a good dozen national and state parks and monuments, full of crocodiles and cypress trees, that perhaps draw almost as many visitors as the sparkling... |  |
| "The Land of Enchantment," proclaim New Mexico's license plates -- and for good reason. It's hard not to be utterly enchanted by the vast mauve deserts, impressive rock formations, big brassy moons, and brilliant sunsets of this hot southwestern state. New Mexico has the largest percentage of Hispanic and Native American residents of any state in the U.S., which lends itself to unique cultural... |  |
| New York is a state too! A distinction is usually made between upstate New York, which includes everything north of The Bronx, and "The City," the five burroughs of Manhattan. Upstate New York is dominated by forests and farmland; New York state is actually a major agricultural producer. New York City, on the other hand, is dominated by skyscrapers and teeming masses. It is the most populous city... |  |
| North Carolina was one of the first states created in the United States, as well as the site of the first English colony in the Americas (Roanoke Island, located off of North Carolina's coast, founded in 1583). Now, it features an eclectic mix of sleepy southern hospitality, beautiful Smoky Mountains, the white sand beaches of Kitty Hawk (home to the first airplane flight performed by the Wright... |  |
| North Dakotans are very friendly, and have an accent that that famous film, "Fargo," did a pretty excellent job of rendering. Though much of the state is flat farmland, the North Dakota version of South Dakota's celebrated Badlands comes in the form of oddly shaped and brightly colored mounds of sand, rock, and hardy scrub plants that are quite a marvel to see. Theodore Roosevelt National Park... |
| Ohio marks the beginning of the midwestern states, bound by Lake Erie to the north and the Ohio River to the south. It is a relatively balanced mix of rural and urban Americana; Cleveland and Columbus, at around 500 and 750 thousand strong, respectively, are booming urban centers that struggle with urban blight as well as show off snazzy downtowns with lounges, cafes, and tourist attractions such... |
| Pennsylvania is home to the buzzing urban centers of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia as well as to a vast stretch of forest, mountain, and farmland throughout much of the rest of the state. Three rivers and four mountain ranges cross these western wilds, including the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains, where not only are there some beautiful hikes, but also herds of deek and elk. As the U.S.... |  |
| Texas is known as the Lone Star State, with a single star emblazoned on its state flag, and state pride tends to be high (perhaps linked in part in the fact that Texas was the only state to have been an independent Republic before it joined the union, in part to its enormous size). It is the second largest state in the union, next only to Alaska, at a square mileage of nearly 270,000, and... |  |
| Unlike "Live Free or Die" New Hampshire, Vermont feels almost socialist. It's two most famous cultural exports are the jam band cult gods Phish and the delicious Ben and Jerry's ice cream.The state itself is lush and green, or very snowy, depending of the time of year. |  |
| Wyoming, a vast, empty state of glorious wilderness, national parks, national monuments, historic trails, and cattle ranches, is the least populous state in the U.S. with only about five hundred thousand residents. It is perhaps most famous for Yellowstone National Park, but it is full of many other beautiful spots including half a dozen mountain ranges. Wyoming is where the Great Plains meet the... |  |
| Alabama is home to lush temperate forests and waterways in the north and hot, sparkling white sand beaches along the Gulf Coast in the south (complete with huge waves just slightly cooler than bathwater, multi-colored jellyfish, and hordes of sandcrabs and sand dollars). In addition to warm-weather agriculture and sleepy farm towns scattered throughout the state, Alabama also has some interesting... |
| Colorado is most famous for the snow-capped Rocky Mountains that dominate the western part of the state -- hence its reputation for rugged, outdoors-y inhabitants whose favorite pasttimes include snowboarding, mountain biking, and drinking heady microbrews. Though the eastern half is pretty flat and barren, akin to its eastern neighbor, Kansas, Colorado upholds its reputation as an... |  |
| Connecticut is a small, wealthy state in the heart of New England (in fact, it has the highest median family income of any state in the U.S.), known for its excellent schools and universities -- including Yale University -- and for its colonial roots. One of its nicknames is "the Constitution State" thanks to the penning of a colonial constitution called the Fundamental Orders in 1638 and 1639.... |
| Myrtle Beach is the perfect destination to relax, and enjoy the sunny Atlantic coast. With its wide beaches and excellent golf resorts, it is no wonder that Myrtle Beach is one of America’s most popular tourist destinations. |
| What is now the state of Virginia (named after the "virgin" Queen Elizabeth I) was one of the first British colonies, making it a great place for history buffs. Highlights include Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement (the first permanent English settlement, now a museum with outdoor re-creations), dozens of historic buildings ranging from churches to former U.S. Presidents' homes, walking... |
| Illinois' biggest claim to fame is, naturally, Chicago, which makes it the most populous state in the midwest. Not all of Illinois is metropolitan, however: most is rural, agricultural, and suburban, with medium-sized cities sprawling gradually out onto rolling plains of corn and soybeans. The "Heart of Illinois," or western part of the state, is also known as "the Land of Lincoln" (the state... |  |
| Nowadays, Kansas is often regarded as the epitome of "Red State," due to its anti-evolutionist stance and Republican dominance, and is also known generally as a midwestern bread-basket, flat, farmed, and relatively empty with a smattering of tiny towns. There are, however, some larger cities and interesting highlights in Kansas. Manhattan, for example, home to Kansas State University, is a... |
| Maine, the largest and northernmost state in New England, has a rugged, beautiful coast, lush pine forests, and delicious lobsters. It has long been a popular vacation destination for New Englanders. In fact, census statistics (which give the state's population at 1.3 million) are pretty misleading; during the warmer summer months towns in Maine baloon in size as city-slickers flock to their... |
| They call it the "Big Sky" state for a reason! Montana feels huge (and is: it'll take you a good eight hours just to drive straight across), with a sky so colossal and a landscape so flat (for the most part) that you're bound to feel just a bit dizzy. The northwestern corner houses breathtaking beauty and Glacier National Park, with huge sparkling lakes and red, chalky earth and deep green pine... |  |
| New Jersey is known as "the Garden State," and though this seems a misnomer to those who've only been to the parts of New Jersey that flank the smoggy industrial zones and highways of Manhattan suburbs, there are in fact over fifty parks, forests, and recreation areas in the state, as well as over fifty historic sites. Nonetheless, squeezed as it is right next to the Big Apple as well as... |
| Vegas, baby, Vegas! Nevada is definitely best known for its desert pleasure island, Las Vegas, and Reno, its smaller sibling in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Both cities (although Reno to a lesser extent) draw gamblers and vacationers from across the U.S. and send the senses reeling with neon lights, ringing bells, and general overstimulation. On the Vegas strip is pure bacchanalia. The Reno scene... |  |
| Home to the glorious Grand Canyon, as well as vast deserts, fiery sunsets, insanely hot weather, and enormous, iconic cacti, Arizona is the epitome of "Southwest." It only became a state in the early twentieth century, and (perhaps accordingly) its Native American population is second highest in the nation, including the Hopi, Navajo, and Apache tribes. Arizonan cities can sometimes overdo it on... |  |
Ratings for |   |
| |
|
