So many states, so little time!
Fear not, weary travelers – influencer Lee Abbamonte has traversed all fifty so you don’t have to.
In a post to Instagram, the 45-year-old laid out the lot of them in preferential order, so you know where to head first.
The rankings show some distinct domination from both the West Coast and the Midwest, despite two states from the latter appearing in the bottom three.
New York, meanwhile, failed to make the top ten – beaten out by unusual suspects like Alaska, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada, which ranked 10-6 respectively.
The top five were a little less surprising, but still contained some upsets that any traveler should be privy to.
While not definitive, the list offers valuable insight to the draw of each locale, whether it be somewhere as far-flung as Hawaii or landlocked North Dakota.
Whether these places are worth a visit, well, that’s up to you – but Abbamonte has managed to make your decision a less difficult, thanks to years of expeditions.
Here’s what he thinks…
Social media influencer Lee Abbamonte, 45, has traversed all fifty states, and recently posted a list of his favorites, from best to worst. A hint: New York failed to make the top ten
While not definitive, the list offers valuable insight, whether it be to somewhere as idyllic as Hawaii (pictured) or as simple as North Dakota
The best of the best
1. California
Perhaps a bit biased since he moved there three years ago, Abbamonte pegged the Golden State as the best bet for a successful domestic vacation.
As for why, the influencer – who has secured more than 109,000 followers – told Business Insider it’s because ‘it simply has everything’.
Citing its prevalence of national parks and impressive number of cities, he even doubled-down on the California claim, asserting it’s the only entry on this list ‘that’s not debatable.’
Perhaps a bit bias since he moved there three years ago, Abbamonte pegged the Golden State as the best bet for a domestic vacation – asserting it’s the only entry on his list ‘that’s not debatable’
As for why, the influencer – who has secured more than 109,000 followers – told Business Insider it’s because ‘it simply has everything’
‘It has beaches, it has mountains, it has deserts, it has islands, it has great cities, it has good cities,’ he went on, before conceding that the only time he’s ever felt unsafe was in San Francisco, seen here
‘It has beaches, it has mountains, it has deserts, it has islands, it has great cities, it has good cities,’ he went on, before conceding that the only time he’s ever felt unsafe was in San Francisco.
Still, he categorized the crime ridden stronghold as a ‘pretty great city.’
The former New Yorker eventually concluded of his new home state: ‘No matter what you like – I don’t care who you are – there is something for you here.’
2. Colorado
The literal ‘coolest’ place out of Abbamonte’s top five is none other than Colorado, which claimed the second-to-best spot thanks to its topographical versatility.
In his post, Abbamonte relished the many ‘great’ national parks like the Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
He went on to gush about the state’s almost indescribable majesty, heralding it as home to some of the world’s most wondrous scenery.
‘Colorado is just all about the mountains,’ he told Business Insider, before going into some of the other draws of the Western locale known for its slopes.
The literal ‘coolest’ place out of Abbamonte’s top five is none other than Colorado, which claimed the second-to-best spot thanks to its topographical versatility
‘I’m not even a skier, but I like going to ski towns and doing everything else but skiing.
‘I also like going to ski towns in the summer because I love hiking,’ he said, alluding to places like Aspen and Breckenridge.
‘Eastern Colorado is just like this whole other oasis of plains,’ he continued, this time obliquely mentioning Pawnee National Grasslands.
He’s also a fan of Colorado’s smaller cities and said the capital Denver is a worthwhile destination, too.
‘Denver is also a really cool crossroads of America where the East ends and the West begins,’ he said.
‘I’m not even a skier, but I like going to ski towns and doing everything else but skiing,’ he said
3. Utah
Next up was none other than Utah – another state known for its stunning scenery, iconic parks, and powdery snowfall.
Categorizing this confluence as ‘pure nature,’ Abbamonte writes that the Beehive state is ‘very pleasant and scenic’ – not to mention safe.
National parks like Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Bryce Canyon make the Mormon enclave an even bigger draw – a dynamic aided by the fact the state is also home to scenic Salt Lake City.
If you’ve never been, you may want to take the travel blogger’s word – he’s been to each state on this list at least thrice.
Utah – Ariziona border, panorama of the Monument Valley from a remote point of view, known as The Hunt’s Mesa
4. Arizona
You won’t have to travel far to get to the next entry on this list – as it’s literally across the border from landlocked Utah.
Enter (pun intended) Arizona – a state that serves as a sort of kindred spirit to its neighbor to the south, sporting the same red-rock countryside.
It’s also home to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in The Grand Canyon – a 277-mile cross section of the Northern Arizona desert laying bare 2 billion years of geology.
Utah may claim the canyon as its own due to proximity, but the World Heritage Site lies entirely in the – where else would it be? – Grand Canyon State.
Abbamonte said he loves Arizona’s ‘desert scenery’ – and, of course. its preeminent canyon.
‘Everyone thinks it’s just desert,” he said. “But they have everything there.”
Abbamonte said he loves Arizona’s ‘desert scenery’ – and, of course, The Grand Canyon
5. Hawaii
At number five, Hawaii is one of Abbamonte’s favorite states, having visited there every year since 2004.
‘I’ve been to all the inhabited islands at least three times, and they’re all fabulous,’ he told Business Insider, adding that one of the best parts about the seven is their diversity.
‘The weather is perfect, there’s great hiking and golfing, and I love Polynesian culture,’ he continued, citing the US’s newest state’s abundance of things to do.
‘You have the big volcano and Waikiki Beach, which is a beautiful beach,’ he went on. ‘There’s a reason Obama still goes back there on vacations. It’s absolutely awesome.’
As for the islands’ capital Honolulu, he said it is ‘underrated.’
At number five, Hawaii is one of Abbamonte’s favorite states, having visited there every year since 2004
Bottom of the list…
48. Kentucky
The Bluegrass State may be blessed with a lot horse-riding and fishing, but such activities are not for everyone.
Count Abbamonte among that category, as he ranked Kentucky third-to-last on his list.
‘If you ask people from Kentucky what they like about Kentucky, they’re like, “I live on a lake, and I go fishing,” or “I like horses, and it’s the best horse state,”‘ Abbamonte said of his mindset while hitting the scenic state with the poor ranking.
‘But I don’t like horses or fishing,’ he explained. ‘It’s one of those things where maybe you have to live there to appreciate it.’
The Bluegrass State was may be blessed with a lot horse-riding and fishing, but such activities are not for everyone
49. Kansas
Heading back to the Midwest, Kansas earned the dubious distinction of being the penultimate entry on Abbamonte’s list.
He said he’s a fan of the Kansas City that’s ironically across the Kansas River in Missouri – and not much else.
‘The only thing I love about Kansas is they have the best college basketball arena in America in Lawrence, where the University of Kansas is,’ he explained.
He said the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum in Abilene may be a draw ‘if you like your history,’ but other than that,
He added that it’s only a three-hour drive away from Missouri’s Kansas City – not to be confused with the smaller city with the same name in Kansas.
Kansas earned the dubious distinction of being the penultimate entry on Abbamonte’s list, simply because of its lack of attractions
50. North Dakota
The absolute worst state to visit – according to Abbamonte – is none other than North Dakota, largely due to its inaccessibility.
Known for its notorious Badlands – and being where the buffalo roam – the landlocked state sports some impressive agriculture, but again, not much else.
That said, it ranked low simply due to how long it takes to get there.
‘When you fly to North Dakota from other states, you usually have to take connecting flights,’ Abbamonte explained. ‘There’s not a lot going on there.’
The absolute worst state to visit – according to Abbamonte – is none other than North Dakota, largely due to its inaccessibility. Known for its Badlands (pictured) – and being where the buffalo roam – the state sports some impressive agriculture, but again, not much else, he says
Other states that ranked low, the blogger said, are at least closer to cities in different states or the coasts. But still, he has a soft part for the last-place state.
‘There are good things there, like Teddy Roosevelt National Park,’ he said of the park that includes North Dakota’s sprawling, largely uninhabited Badlands.
‘The problem is it is such a hassle getting there,’ he went on. ‘And when you leave the park, you’re like, “OK, I’m in North Dakota now. What do I do?”‘
That said, Abbamonte adds that he will not rule out another visit.
‘You’d have to give me a good reason to go back to North Dakota simply because of the effort it takes to get there,’ he said. ‘I would never say no to anything because you never know.’
