# How many states have you visited? (poll) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148 "2010-03-11T19:52:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Redwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@Redwing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redwing)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/61 "2010-03-12T16:31:16Z")
My usual method is that you have to eaten a meal there, not at an airport. Doesn’t make any difference. I’ve been to every state East of the Mississippi but Michigan. I’ve never even been to an airport there. Out west I’ve missed Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii. So, 41. I’ve lived in (maintained a dwelling for more than month) Minnesota, North Dakota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. I’ve got very little memory of Oklahoma or the Carolinas, they barely count. The last state added to my list was Vermont. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/62 "2010-03-12T16:47:36Z")
California: Born & raised in San Francisco (spent an hour in TJ once, too) Nevada: Reno & Las Vegas Arizona: Walked across the Hoover Dam (going to spring training next weekend, too) Washington: Seattle Illinois: Chicago New York: NYC (stepped out of the airport in Newark, too, but directly to the Manhattan train) Massachusetts: Boston & suburbs > [@Anaamika](#): > > I’m still not convinced Delaware exists. [We’re in… Delaware.](http://www.smokingtree.net/images/wayne3.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/63 "2010-03-12T16:54:20Z")
Total of 35 so far. In approximate chronological order, they are: Birth – 5 Years Old: Texas, Oklahoma, California 12 Years Old: Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee 13 Years Old: Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia 14 Years Old: Indiana, Illinois 15 Years Old: Wisconsin 17 Years Old: Minnesota, Missouri 20 Years Old: Washington (State) 22 Years Old: Mississippi, Alabama, Florida 23 Years Old: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina 27 Years Old: Colorado As you can see, I saw a lot of the U.S. when I was younger, because my stepfather was in the Army and we moved frequently. Also, my grandparents took me on one of their bus trips when I was 13 years old, so I saw the northeastern U.S. for the first time then. I apparently haven’t been in a new state for over a decade, now, though! I have been in an airport in Michigan and possibly Ohio, but didn’t count them. P.S. Interestingly, I’ve never set foot in the state of Alaska, but I did spend a month or so on the pack ice 50-100 miles _north_ of Alaska, which not many people can say. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/64 "2010-03-12T16:58:57Z")
By my criteria, 30; by the OP’s, 29. The east coast from Maine to Florida, the northern half of the country except the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, plus California. The one of the 30 that doesn’t count by the OP’s criteria is Utah. I drove through a corner of it on my way from Wyoming to Idaho but I don’t recall stopping anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/65 "2010-03-12T16:59:04Z")
29+ DC They are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/66 "2010-03-12T18:03:43Z")
28 + 3 airports: Every state that is east of the Mississippi AND south of the Great Lakes, minus South Carolina, plus MN, IA, MO, AR, LA, NE, KA, OK, and CA. And DC, Puerto Rico and the USVI, but those weren’t options. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/67 "2010-03-12T18:43:01Z")
Looks like eleven for me: California (birth state, lived there most of my life) Oregon (currently reside) Washington (lived there) Alaska Hawaii Nevada Utah Arizona Colorado Texas Virginia I’m not sure Virginia should really count. In junior high school I went on a three-day field trip to DC, and we left the city for a few hours to visit Mount Vernon. Oh, and the ride to and from Dulles. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/68 "2010-03-12T18:56:53Z")
21 using the feet on the ground rule and meaning it as more than car to service station restroom and back again. 25 otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/69 "2010-03-12T19:08:36Z")
Confusion, Denial, Ecstasy, Repulsion… NY, PA, OH, WV, VA, MD, DC, NC, SC, FL, MS, LA, MO, IL, IA, KS, AR, CA. 1. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/70 "2010-03-12T20:26:59Z")
States I _haven’t_ visited: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota. Of those, Alaska’s the only one I really want to visit. I’m definitely not going to visit the others just to say I’ve been to all 50. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/71 "2010-03-12T23:27:39Z")
Only missing Montana, Idaho, the Dakotas, and West Virginia. I got Nebraska and Wyoming on our trip East in 2008. I got a bunch traveling for work - living on the East Coast for a time helps also. I’ve spent at least one night in all the ones I’ve visited except Minnesota and maybe Iowa (I went through that on the train, and I may or may not have been sleeping at the time.) ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/72 "2010-03-12T23:40:17Z")
1. I been in every state East of the Mississippi river. States I have been West of the Mississippi River. Washington Louisiana Texas Arkansas Missouri (Where I live now) Nevada Colorado Arizona (barely crossed over Hoover Dam) California (barely at Lake Tahoe) Oklahoma ETA I didn’t count Minnesota, as I was only in an airport there. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/73 "2010-03-12T23:54:25Z")
This Kanukistani has visited 35 states and Washington, D.C. I have not made it to Alaska or Hawaii yet (too far, but I’d love to go to either), or Washington or Oregon (came close a few times, but the wild water paddling Idaho was too good to pass by), or the south-east (too many bubbas for me to feel comfortable). ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/74 "2010-03-13T00:08:43Z")
36, plus DC. I’m missing most of the flyover country, and Alaska and Hawaii. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/75 "2010-03-13T00:23:46Z")
I’m the only “49.” Some day I’ll make a special trip to Oklahoma and finish the circuit. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/76 "2010-03-13T00:36:20Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > I’d love to be able to take the bike to Alaska at some point in time, just don’t know when I can do it. During the summer, of course. 😉 I am counting Alaska, despite the fact that I only hit land maybe 12 hours a month. But I spent a year on the water, so damnit, that’s gonna count! I screwed up the poll, and didn’t count DC. 16, including DC. I am not counting anyplace I didn’t spend at least a month in, though. I’ve driven through a lot more than that. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/77 "2010-03-13T00:53:14Z")
I’ve been in every state on the East Coast–from Maine to Florida. Add to that PA, LA, IL, CA and HI. Sorry. I don’t feel like counting. Or looking at a map. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/78 "2010-03-13T10:40:37Z")
23 plus DC. Still to be visited: Hawaii & Alaska, the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest, the Heartland, New England and the Deep South. (In postal terms, I’ve been to PA, NJ, NY, DE, MD, VA, WV, NC, SC, GA, FL, OH, IN, IL, MI, TN, KY, MO, OK, TX, AZ, NM, & CA) ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/79 "2010-03-14T07:05:00Z")
I have been in 7 states so far. Ct, MA, ME, NH, VT, NY, KY. Only 43 more to go!I have never been out out of the North East except a trip to Hazard Kentucky. Don’t ask. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148/80 "2010-03-14T09:30:21Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > I have been in 7 states so far. Ct, MA, ME, NH, VT, NY, KY. Only 43 more to go!I have never been out out of the North East except a trip to Hazard Kentucky. Don’t ask. You’ve lived in New England all your life, but never been to Rhode Island? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-states-have-you-visited-poll/532148.md?page=5)