# How many Canadian provinces and US states have you been? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2022, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615 "2022-11-27T03:57:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/61 "2022-11-28T03:33:26Z")
Using the 24-hour rule, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Wyoming, Minnesota, Oregon. In Canada, just Quebec. However, I feel if you’ve driven across a state, or made a day trip, or spent more than an hour, that counts; and by that metric, I can add Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi in the east, and Washington, South Dakota, Arizona, and Wisconsin in the west. Also Ontario - though Windsor, so just barely - and the District of Columbia. Clearly need to see more of Canada, if only to assuage @Northern_Piper’s wounded pride. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/62 "2022-11-28T03:35:58Z")
I’ve never had the privilege of visiting the Canadian prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba. Though I do have friends there. But I have spent far more than 24 hours watching > **[PFR](https://prairiefarmreport.com/)** > > Prairie Farm Report Does that count? For the record, by far my favorite episodes are the home-made inventions, and especially the manure spreaders. There’s just something about a multi-tonne mobile manure fountain that makes my inner 8yo smile. 🙂 Or more like giggle uncontrollably. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/63 "2022-11-28T17:16:39Z")
I live in BC. Been to Alberta multiple times, Ontario multiple times, Manitoba once, crossed the bridge into Quebec and back when I was in Ottawa, been to Saskatchewan a couple times. Been to Alaska when I worked on a Commercial fishing boat, Washington lots, Oregon a couple times, California 5 times, Hawaii twice, Nevada multiple times, Utah once, Idaho once, Illinois twice, Florida 3 times, Texas once and while I was there I grabbed a geocache in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Provinces: 5 States: 14 MtM ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/64 "2022-11-28T17:21:49Z")
All US states except Oklahoma. Also USVI, PR, DC. Provinces: BC, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/65 "2022-11-28T17:40:19Z")
U.S. states, excluding a few that I lived in as an infant, and very brief visits: MA, NY, PA, MD, DC, VA, NC, KY, AL, LA, TX, IL, IN, WI, MN, NE, IA, MO, KS, CA, FL, WV, NJ, CO (24 states) Canada: ON (1 province) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/66 "2022-11-28T19:26:48Z")
There used to be a web site that let you make a map of the states/provinces/countries you’ve visited and share it on Facebook – I used to keep track of the placed I’ve visited there, but now it seems to have been taken down. I think it was once part of TripAdvisor. So now I have to go through the list and figure it out again. The OP’s 24 criteria is pretty much the one I use to count whether I’ve “been” somewhere or not. I don’t count states I’ve merely driven through on a road trip; I have to have actually done some activity there. US States: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, IL, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, NH, NM, NY, NC, OR, PA, SC, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI. Canadian Provinces: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/67 "2022-11-28T19:58:56Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > . I don’t count states I’ve merely driven through on a road trip; I have to have actually done some activity there. How would anyone get credit for Nebraska or Kansas then? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/68 "2022-11-28T20:20:25Z")
I reject the 24 hour restriction as written, but agree that changing planes or driving straight through don’t count. And I’ll asterix the ones that wouldn’t count. I’ve been to two provinces, BC and Alberta. I’ve been to 17 states and DC: Washington Montana\* Don’t know if it was 24 hours total, we drove through both ways going to Yellowstone and stayed overnight on the way back. Wyoming Illinois Wisconsin Indiana\* Arrived in the afternoon, visited one museum that day, visited another the next day but was probably out before 24 hours had passed Minnesota Ohio Massachusetts New Hampshire Maine Rhode Island New York Maryland DC\* (drove in from Baltimore for the day) North Carolina South Carolina I’ve lived in three. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/69 "2022-11-28T20:28:00Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > How would anyone get credit for Nebraska or Kansas then? Change their identity and get a job managing a Cinnabon in Omaha? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/70 "2022-11-28T20:35:53Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > > _sniff_ > > I’m hurt. > > _sniff_ > > Hurt how Northern Piper 😄? > > And you’ve been in territories no less. I believe @Northern_Piper is hurt because you’ve never deigned to visit Saskatchewan. I, however, can happily say that I have, both on business and to visit friends. And I can say that I enjoyed the experience and the wonderful friendly people. I even had a chance to spend some time with a lovely family in their historic old farmhouse, who were second-generation wheat farmers. When I speak of my happy experiences in Saskatchewan, I try to put out of my mind the experience I talked about once before, when I arrived in Saskatoon one winter wearing only my fashionable business-style overcoat for protection, and was nearly cryogenically frozen on my way to a meeting. ---
**Author:** ![RollOutTheBarrel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rolloutthebarrel/32/1649_2.png) [@RollOutTheBarrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RollOutTheBarrel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/71 "2022-11-28T20:56:47Z")
I’ve never been to Canada and I’ve been to 6 U.S. states (California, Illinois, Minnesota, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington). ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/72 "2022-11-28T21:20:11Z")
Kansas City, KS: convention. And the view from the top of the WWI memorial is… mind numbing. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/73 "2022-11-29T03:18:17Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > How would anyone get credit for Nebraska or Kansas then? I had a client in Overland Park, KS for about three years. I went down there for meetings at least once a month during that span. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/74 "2022-11-29T04:11:14Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > believe @Northern_Piper is hurt because you’ve never deigned to visit Saskatchewan Well, I have spent two nights in Regina and had supper with some folks in Lemberg back in October 1984. Does that count @Northern_Piper? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/75 "2022-11-29T04:25:49Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > when I arrived in Saskatoon one winter wearing only my fashionable business-style overcoat for protection, and was nearly cryogenically frozen on my way to a meeting. You had seen the opening of _The Empire Strikes Back_? You hadn’t noticed that neither Luke nor Han wore “fashionable business-style overcoats”? ❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄ ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/76 "2022-11-29T05:28:42Z")
Let’s see, Georgia, South Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana, Kentucky, Florida and Washington And one afternoon in Tijauna, Baja California, Mexico. It doesn’t meet the criteria in the op but that was the destination and the trip was designed to be short. ---
**Author:** ![Slight\_Off\_Hand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Slight\_Off\_Hand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slight_Off_Hand)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/77 "2022-11-29T11:59:54Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > When I speak of my happy experiences in Saskatchewan, I try to put out of my mind the experience I talked about once before, when I arrived in Saskatoon one winter wearing only my fashionable business-style overcoat for protection, and was nearly cryogenically frozen on my way to a meeting. I still recall when I was in grade 7 or 8 (depending on how you look at it). We had just come back from living in Australia for a year and flew from Hawaii to Saskatoon. We arrived in the evening and it was -40. We had nothing but the “winter” jackets we used in Australia which were, at best, equivalent to an early fall jacket. Walking from the terminal to my grand parent’s car was the coldest I’ve ever been. 🥶 ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/78 "2022-11-29T12:20:19Z")
I have been to - in the sense of having passed a night in - Illinois, Michigan, Florida, California, Maryland, and West Virginia. The time when I was sleeping in Maryland, I was spending the days in Washington DC; and I have driven through Indiana and Virginia without spending a night. Never been to Canada. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/79 "2022-11-29T20:03:43Z")
I forgot to include the District of Columbia on my list, although it may not, technically, meet the OP’s criteria of spending at least 24 hours on the ground. When I was in middle school my family took a multi day vacation to Washington, DC, but the hotel we stayed in was actually just across the Potomac in Arlington, VA. So even though I’ve been to DC in pretty much every other possible sense, I never spent a full 24 hours there because every night we went back to Virginia to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615/80 "2022-11-29T20:22:16Z")
I forgot to mention Washington, DC, as well, which included a wonderful visit to the Smithsonian – not sure what parts we went to, but definitely included the Air & Space Museum. It was at least the second time I’d seen actual NASA space capsules up close; the other time was at Expo 67 in Montreal, where the US geodesic dome (which had the fair’s monorail running right through the interior) was one of the best pavilions in the whole event. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-canadian-provinces-and-us-states-have-you-been/975615.md?page=5)