50 States (Updated: At least 49 anyway)

I’m trying to convince myself of what states I have and haven’t visited. There’s a chance Alaska was my 50th, but most of the New England states were just drive-throughs, and I’m not 100% sure on Mississippi. So I’m making a list. And a map! (Update late 2023: pretty sure it’s 49!)

From the nice people at https://gasfoodnolodging.com/visitedstates/generate/…

Also per Friends, I’m going to try to see how many I can list in 6 minutes (while watching Resident Evil). So here we go… (I got 46 — I felt more like I ran out of time than that I wouldn’t get them in like 10 minutes, but I missed Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, and Missouri).

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

I left those in the order I wrote them down in case anyone wants to dissect my thought process.

So… which ones have I visited?

Alabama	Huntsville – working for NASA
Alaska	Parent’s 50th wedding anniversary cruise!
Arizona	Lots – Phoenix to visit Mike and Sally among others
Arkansas	Little Rock to visit the Chamberlains while driving to Texas
California	Lots – lived in San Francisco and Los Angeles
Colorado	Lots – camping and visiting people
Connecticut	Maine Road Trip 2022 with Pregnant Wifey
Delaware	DC-NYC Road Trip 2000ish / Rehoboth Beach
Florida	Lots – Disney World 2022 with Pregnant Wifey
Georgia	Atlanta for Zip Line Bachelor Party
Hawaii	Honeymoon!
Idaho	2021 Road Trip with Wifey
Illinois	Lots – Chicago w/Eric, Argonne national labs
Indiana	I mean, like a super lot, it’s just across the river
Iowa	Kansas-Nebraska Road Trip (visited Brian)
Kansas	Kansas-Nebraska Road Trip (visited Brian), also HS Chess
Kentucky	Home!
Louisiana	New Orleans multiple times
Maine	Sailing with Pa and Joe forever ago
Maryland	Lots while living in DC
Massachusetts	Boston, for work, and to visit Dan Swyers in like 1997
Michigan	Lots – HS Trip, Jim and Heather
Minnesota	2021 Road Trip with Wifey
Mississippi	Have I never been here????
Missouri	Drove through St. Louis lots. Was in the arch as a kid.
Montana	2021 Road Trip with Wifey (Montana)
Nebraska	Kansas-Nebraska Road Trip (visited Brian)
Nevada	Bachelor parties mostly, also family vacation, camping trip
New Hampshire	Maine Road Trip 2022 with Pregnant Wifey
New Jersey	Definitely popped over during a NY/Long Island trip.
New Mexico	Grand Canyon / Phoenix Road Trip with Kory
New York	Lots – 2021 w/Wifey ; winter in NYC!
North Carolina	So much – Cousins!
North Dakota	2021 Road Trip with Wifey
Ohio	Lived there, lots (Xavier, Dayton, Akron)
Oklahoma	Work – Oklahoma City, Tinker AFB
Oregon	2021 Road Trip with Wifey – visit Rebecca Wyland (Vierling)
Pennsylvania	DC-NYC Road Trip (like 2000?)
Rhode Island	Maine Road Trip 2022
South Carolina	Myrtle Beach as a kid
South Dakota	2021 Road Trip with Wifey
Tennessee	Lots – Nashville, visiting “Jen”s, driving toys w/Joe
Texas	Austin to visit John Mattingly, Natalie Vaughn’s wedding
Utah	Ogden Utah to visit the Chamberlains – 12th grade
Vermont	Maine Road Trip 2022 with Pregnant Wifey
Virginia	Lots – driving Louisville to DC, white water rafting
Washington	2021 Road Trip with Wifey
West Virginia	Lots – driving Louisville to DC, white water rafting
Wisconsin	2021 Road Trip with Wifey
Wyoming	2021 Road Trip with Wifey (Yellowstone)

Ok, so I am pretty sure I have never been to Mississippi. How did this happen? MAYBE I drove through, to New Orleans or Texas, but there are paths that don’t go that way and it’s been a while. Does anyone remember going to Mississippi with me?

I DO know that I drove to Maine once and tried to hit some states along the way but I can’t be sure I hit them all (before Google Timelines, sadly). So….

UPDATE! Wifey and I took an extra long trip to go through the New England states while I was on a work trip to Boston. That brings the official total to 49! Only one road trip away! And I have to pull Wifey to a few I’ve hit and she’s missed. ROAD TRIP!

For the pedantic among you… most of these states I’ve thoroughly visited, and even slept in. There are a few exceptions. I think New Hampshire and one of the Dakotas were just day visits during longer road trips, and Idaho was also just a drive through on the narrow bit up top. Everywhere else I’ve spent a considerable amount of time, if not spending the night, at least visiting with friends or family for more than just a road-trip drive-by.