I decided to count airport stopovers and exchanges as “set foot”, which hauled in Alaska and Ohio (Cincinnati), but not to count states where I have only driven through and not actually gotten out, as that’s equivalent to a flyover but at lower altitude. With this in mind, I conservatively selected only South Carolina due to remembering stopping in at South of the Border on a long bus trip from NYC to Orland, FL when I was 13 years old. I know we made a few other stops along the way between Virginia and Florida but that’s the only one I remember. (And it seems I could just as equally have selected North Carolina too as it is right on the border.)
I got a postcard there with a hand-drawn cartoon of a dog pissing on some crops with the supertitle, “Does Your Tobacco Taste Funny Lately?” At 13 that was just too funny to pass up. I still have it somewhere.
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Iowa
Nebraska
North Dakota
Of the 44+DC that I’ve been to, there are only five that I haven’t at least spent the night in: I’ve driven across Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, and Wyoming, without spending the night, and with Oklahoma, I’ve basically just stepped across the state line from where my mother’s relatives live in south-central Kansas, literally within walking distance of the OK line.
All but 22 if my math is right. Not impressive, but more than I expected at first guess. If I ever make a road trip to Seattle and Maine I’ll pretty much nail them all since my gaps are in those two corners including the states en route. It’s surprising to me that I’ve hit every single southern state, it’s not that I spend much time in any of them or have had much reason to go there but the road trips just worked out that way. When you drive to Orlando, South Padre and Albuquerque you’re liable to tick off a lot of states.
Also, I just remembered that I have been in New Jersey for a Bears-Giants game at the Meadowlands. Make it 21 left to go, DC/Maryland/Virginia are next on the list.
24 down, plus DC. I’ve no plans to travel to any others any time soon, though my partner has me wanting to go to the Iowa state fair and the urge to jump in the car is pretty big. (They have tiramisu on a stick. This is a major lure.)