# What are your top 5 favorite states that aren't your own? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2015, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728 "2015-07-10T03:02:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/1 "2015-07-10T03:02:24Z")
The rules for this thread are simple. Pick 5 states that you really like in any order for any reason. The only ones that are disqualified for you personally are any ones that you grew up in, currently live in or lived in other than for incidental reasons like college attendance. I will go first: 1. New Hampshire 2. Vermont 3. Colorado 4. Texas 5. North Carolina I like them all for different reasons. New Hampshire and Vermont would have my heart forever if they could just find a way to heat those states with solar arrays during the endless winter months. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/2 "2015-07-10T03:07:45Z")
California (which surprised me, I thought I’d hate California, especially Los Angeles, but I like it) Alaska Hawaii New York (this surprised me too, I thought I’d hate NY) Indiana (especially Indianapolis) ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/3 "2015-07-10T03:22:25Z")
I like Wyoming Wisconsin Indiana Minnesota I’ve been to others, but I hate the heat so that lets the South out. I haven’t been to New England, but I think I’d like them. I am waiting to see who likes my home state, Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/4 "2015-07-10T03:24:12Z")
I despise Arizona politically…but I love to visit that state! The scenic wonders are beautiful beyond all belief. The Phoenix Zoo is a sterling zoo (and from a San Diegan, that’s saying something!) Flagstaff is a lovely town, and I could happily live there. For the same reasons, New Mexico and Utah. I visit now and then, and love playing tourist there. I have abstract admiration for New York and Massachussetts, but I haven’t actually visited either. The Pittsburgh Zoo is also really nifty. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/5 "2015-07-10T04:06:00Z")
I don’t really like five other states. I do like Maine, though, and you’ve said I can’t pick my birth state though I like it a lot too. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/6 "2015-07-10T04:14:35Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I don’t really like five other states. I do like Maine, though, and you’ve said I can’t pick my birth state though I like it a lot too. I ranked New Hampshire as my #1 overall but that is really sad you can’t find 4 other states to like. You could always default to Hawaii or Alaska (for very different reasons) if you had to. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/7 "2015-07-10T04:48:44Z")
I am fortunate enough that I’ve been to most of the states and found something great about each. But top 5: Utah, it’s beautiful South Carolina, embodies the feeling of being in The South Washington, enjoyed Seattle & also the time in the wilder spaces Missouri, remember trout fishing there w/ grandpa Number 5 is tough, but I’ll say Georgia for its mountainous parts. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/8 "2015-07-10T05:27:36Z")
Mine would be: (in no particular order) New York State --Even though my recent trip was a bit dull, it was lovely. And as my fourth trip to the state\* (which has included most of the landmark stuff in NYC AND just interesting things around the state) I do love visiting it. I don’t want to move there, but I do like it. California --I’ve visited all over the state from SF to San Diego. Even Fresno. Which I liked b/c of the Forestiere Underground Gardens. I liked LA when I visited even! I’d go again. (It reminded me of Houston.) Washington State --I haven’t been there in years, but I visited a bit after grunge was a thing and just before the Portlandia years and I found the wilderness/coasts parts incredibly beautiful. New Mexico --The roads blow. Seriously, drive over the border from to TX to NM and you can immediately tell. Gorgeous state and there’s a hot spring place I’m trying to nudge The Fella to take me again for my birthday. For five, I guess I’ll pick Louisiana. I’ve been there a lot in the past several years and it’s a good place with good people. - My fifth visit–we went there when I was like two/three. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/9 "2015-07-10T05:36:20Z")
1. Vermont 2. Massachusetts 3. Pennsylvania 4. New Hampshire 5. Ohio I was tempted to put Texas on my list. But those summers… ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/10 "2015-07-10T06:15:32Z")
Alphabetical. Montana New Hampshire/Vermont because I don’t know the differences besides some of the obvious. New Mexico North Carolina Oregon ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/11 "2015-07-10T06:37:41Z")
In no particular order: Utah (bought a house in Cedar City in 2002 for my retirement, but lost it during the Great Slight Economic Turndown when I couldn’t keep up mortgage payments) Arizona Alaska Maine (the only Eastern state I have visited, and the fall colors were unbefornicatinglylievable. Oregon ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/12 "2015-07-10T07:15:59Z")
Happiness Tidiness Liquid Gas Plasma ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/13 "2015-07-10T13:21:38Z")
Hawaii Utah California Alaska Arizona I’m clearly living in the wrong part of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/14 "2015-07-10T14:24:39Z")
Vermont New Mexico South Dakota Wisconsin California I’m from Michigan, which is the Greatest State[sup]TM[/sup], so everything else is a mere shadow. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/15 "2015-07-10T15:36:27Z")
Montana (saddle up my pygmy pony!) Hawaii North Carolina West Virginia Vermont I’d include Virginia, California, and perhaps South Carolina if I hadn’t lived there. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/16 "2015-07-10T15:49:37Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m from Michigan, which is the Greatest State[sup]TM[/sup], so everything else is a mere shadow. Shhh! We don’t want people finding out and moving in! If I could not live in the greatest state of all, Michigan, I would consider: 1- Wisconsin. Agreeable climate, Big Ten state, but seriously, Scott Walker? 2- Minnesota. Good climate, Big Ten state, nice blue state 3- Vermont. Agreeable climate but not Big Ten, nice and liberal 4- Washington. A bit rainy but not too hot, liberal, not Big Ten 5- Oregon. Climate OK, nice and liberal, not Big Ten ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/17 "2015-07-10T15:51:55Z")
Kentucky Arizona Wisconsin Texas I can’t think of a fifth because I don’t get out much. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/18 "2015-07-10T15:52:45Z")
Hawaii California Florida Vermont Tennessee ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/19 "2015-07-10T15:55:16Z")
In no particular order: Hawaii Michigan Georgia North Carolina Oregon ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728/20 "2015-07-10T16:12:51Z")
These are all states I’ve visited and like for scenery, romance (in the broad sense), history, climate etc. No politics, religion or the like come into it. These are in no particular order. Utah Michigan (and the Great Lakes area in general) California Colorado New Mexico [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-5-favorite-states-that-arent-your-own/724728.md?page=2)