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Your Best And Worse U.S. States

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J-2739

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Off to America for the first time in two weeks. Los Angeles by the beach, can't wait! :D

For anyone who's been quite a few times, what would you say was your best and worse states you've been to?

Can say Mississippi would be up top :s
 
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cactustwirly

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Off to America for the first time in two weeks. Los Angeles by the beach, can't wait! :D

For anyone who's been quite a few times, what would you say was your best and worse states you've been to?

Can say Mississippi would be up top :s

Um haven't really been to any 'bad' ones.
But NY state does have some backwards and some rough parts, especially towards the north side.
 

fishquinn

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I've only ever been to Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon and think my favourite was Montana (with Washington in close second) and Idaho my least favourite. Obviously I'm only basing that on the 4 I've been to so far so that will probably change as I explore the USA more.
 

cactustwirly

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California and Vermont are nice, but California, like many other states has some really **** parts!

Didn't think much of Nevada, but I wasn't there for long.
 

AlterEgo

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Worst state is California.

Best is anywhere very rural and not on the east or west coast, like Wyoming or Idaho.
 

sk688

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Some bits of West Virginia are absolute sh"t

Oregon and Washington are quite pleasant , mostly , as are California , MA and Maryland , but every state has some rough areas
 

ac6000cw

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Trouble is, best and worst are very personal judgments...

My favorites, out of at least 15 holiday trips to the US over the years, are California (outside of the huge urban sprawl around LA - but at least Cajon and Tehachapi passes are nearby for some proper train watching, and the sheer variety of scenery in one state is hard to beat), Colorado, Wisconsin, Vermont, Oregon, New Mexico - basically places with serious mountains, deserts, rock formations or just generally pleasant places to tour around. Florida is also quite nice if you get away from the busy tourist areas.

As others have said, there are rough areas in every state, and one of the best features of the US (and Canada) are the very sparsely populated/wilderness areas, which make you realize just how crowded the UK mainland is...

J-2739 - how are you planning to travel around over there?
 
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Bald Rick

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Some bits of West Virginia are absolute sh"t

Oregon and Washington are quite pleasant , mostly , as are California , MA and Maryland , but every state has some rough areas

Interesting question.

My parents have travelled the US extensively for quarter of a century, and been to every state.

They rate W Virginia and the Carolinas as the best. True there are some bad parts of WV, as with every state, but there are some wonderful parts too. They didn’t rate Florida much, except for around Pensacola.

But then it all depends on what you like. My parents like the laid back, small town, Mom and Pop America. If you want big city brashness then NY is what you want.
 

Bantamzen

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California is great, I loved my all too brief stay there a couple of years back when my wife and I stayed in Santa Monica on the way to Hawai'i. Its certainly a very lively place around Santa Monica Pier, lots of places to eat & drink (there's even a pub at end of Santa Monica Blvd!). Further afield there's so much to see, although the traffic can be hellish especially at peak times so I'd recommend if heading say Downtown using the recently extended Metro which will take some strain off travelling around. And of course there's Beverley Hills & Hollywood if a bit of celebrity spotting is the thing! Admittedly I prefer heading to Sunset Blvd to visit the famous Rainbow Bar n Grill, but that's because I'm into the rock scene and that is basically a rock fan's pilgrimage! Just be warned though, it will likely be very, very hot when you go so always keep the factor 50 & bottled water at hand, being such a densely populated place it seems to suck in the heat!

I've also been to Jersey (River Edge to be exact) which is a lovely state, think 'Home Alone' and you can imagine what the suburbs are like. And of course I've been to New York which is, well New York. You either hate it or love it, and despite it's vast size (especially when seen from a tour bus heading down Broadway!) I loved it.

But my favourite state? It has to be Hawai'i by a country mile. Its America, but slowed down even more so than California. Of course its a long way even from LA (a six hour flight from LAX), and has the slightly odd quirk of being far more popular with Japanese tourists than those from Europe, but the people are wonderful, friendly and relaxed.

So you'll have a great time out there without doubt, and although the flight is long, probably around 10.5 - 11 hours so long as either the plane has in-flight entertainment, or you take your own it can, well fly by!!
 

baz962

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I have loved every bit of America that I have been to. For me I was probably more wary in Detroit Michigan. It also depends wether you want beach type holiday's , I loved California for that . New York is awesome , and you have the part's round the city , where you can visit the landmarks and can party hard - Manhattan , or up by Buffalo and Niagara , near the fall's. My son lives in Washington State , quite near Seattle and I love that city , absolutely loads to do. If you are planning a few trip's , look up the citypass , I have used these in California and Seattle. Enjoy your trip , I am slightly jealous lol .
 

J-2739

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Um haven't really been to any 'bad' ones.
But NY state does have some backwards and some rough parts, especially towards the north side.

I feel like Upstate NYorkers will hate NYC, the same way us Northerners hate London and the Sarf. :D

Worst state is California.

Best is anywhere very rural and not on the east or west coast, like Wyoming or Idaho.

Cali is a big state though, but I can see why many hate the expensive costs of Los Angeles!

Idaho sounds nice, but I imagine those interior places will be boring for people who love the city culture

Some bits of West Virginia are absolute sh"t

Oregon and Washington are quite pleasant , mostly , as are California , MA and Maryland , but every state has some rough areas

West Virginia I've read about, and apart from outdoor activities like hiking, there doesn't seem to be a lot there.

As for Maryland, just bomb Baltimore off the map, and it would be almost pleasant! ;)

Trouble is, best and worst are very personal judgments...

My favorites, out of at least 15 holiday trips to the US over the years, are California (outside of the huge urban sprawl around LA - but at least Cajon and Tehachapi passes are nearby for some proper train watching, and the sheer variety of scenery in one state is hard to beat), Colorado, Wisconsin, Vermont, Oregon, New Mexico - basically places with serious mountains, deserts, rock formations or just generally pleasant places to tour around. Florida is also quite nice if you get away from the busy tourist areas.

As others have said, there are rough areas in every state, and one of the best features of the US (and Canada) are the very sparsely populated/wilderness areas, which make you realize just how crowded the UK mainland is...

J-2739 - how are you planning to travel around over there?

Hi, :)

We are staying in L.A. County, apart from a day at Disney, so we'll probably taste the experience of busy road traffic all our time!

you are aware that the Pacific off the Californian coast is rather cold?

Worst: Georgia
Best: Pennsylvania

It's a bit breezy, but I heard that about 3km away from the coast, it's much warmer, so we'll just go there too!

Curious, why do you dislike Georgia?
 

J-2739

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I have loved every bit of America that I have been to. For me I was probably more wary in Detroit Michigan. It also depends wether you want beach type holiday's , I loved California for that . New York is awesome , and you have the part's round the city , where you can visit the landmarks and can party hard - Manhattan , or up by Buffalo and Niagara , near the fall's. My son lives in Washington State , quite near Seattle and I love that city , absolutely loads to do. If you are planning a few trip's , look up the citypass , I have used these in California and Seattle. Enjoy your trip , I am slightly jealous lol .

Cheers! Lol, don't be jealous, you've been all over the place already!
 

Calthrop

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Can say Mississippi would be up top :s

Haven't been to the USA; but take a lot of interest in the country -- my impressions of it favourable, in more ways than not.

I sometimes feel sorry for poor old Mississippi (notoriously the materially poorest US state, with least-advanced provision for health and education) and its neighbour Arkansas, only a tiny way higher up on the national scale of "perceivedly crap places", materially and otherwise; for the extremely "bad rap" which they usually get. Though admittedly not the most enlightened and progressive areas of the nation; I get the picture that there are good things about them, as well as the horrible stuff. I gather that people of all varieties there, are in the main most friendly and agreeable, including to strangers; and that the majority of folk there, are trying hard to improve matters re dealings between the races. And both states have things making them worth visiting -- idiosyncratic local food, if it happens to be the kind of stuff one likes -- and Mississippi has a fair few sites of historical interest, and is terrific for wildlife (chiefly lowland-forest and watery-regions kind -- huge number of different species of fish). Arkansas is more frontier-ish "wild and woolly": again, great for wildlife; and has regions of modest but rugged and attractive mountain country. (Just trying to point up some positive aspects.)

A wish-fulfilment attempt at giving poor despised Arkansas a place in the sun, in which I take pleasure; comes in Harry Turtledove's alternative-history Worldwar novel series. This involves an invasion of Earth, intention conquest and subjugation by (marginally) higher-tech aliens from elsewhere in the galaxy -- whence a couple of years' highly destructive war, ending with an agreement that some of the planet remains under human control, some goes to the aliens. North America remains "human": but due to a variety of factors -- including most bigger US cities having been nuked during the fighting -- the US capital is no longer the destroyed Washington, D.C.; but Little Rock, Arkansas.
 

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Arizona and (southern) California are by far my favourite. There is nothing to compare to the huge expanse of deserts, gulches, badlands and wide open spaces baking in dry summer heat. You can be alone with your thoughts and the wilderness in a way that you can't in any other corner of the country.
 

LAX54

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Cheers! Lol, don't be jealous, you've been all over the place already!

If you have a rental car, and driving is easy over there, when you go anywhere in L.A, see how long it says to go from A to B, then double it and then add 30 mins :) ! Of course there are parts of the day when traffic is not as heavy, and you can zoom along, (we are off there in late September), If you can Cajon Pass / Summit and Tehachapi are a must rail wise.
SoCal is nice, weather normally darn good, North Cal, can be a bit damper, Texas I think is one of my fav States, San Antonio is nice City, and has The Alamo.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I've never been to the US, and probably never will. As most of the states are enormous, my frames of reference centre more on cities than states. If I ever get the chance to visit, my priorities would be places like Portland (Oregon not Maine!), Austin, Nashville (as my cousin lives there) and Seattle along with the obvious ones like San Francisco and NYC. LA and Vegas don't appeal to me at all though.

Oh, and New Mexico for the Breaking Bad tour- probably the most obvious touristy thing I'd want to do!
 

Calthrop

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Atlanta, oversized Birmingham

Re Georgia's sub-optimal traits: gordonthemoron, I couldn't help wondering whether your lack of fondness for the state had anything to do with a certain novel and film. I'd reckon that the Georgia Tourist Board must hate James Dickey and John Boorman like poison...
 

Iskra

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Been to California, Florida and Nevada. I really enjoyed them all, the only negatives from any of them are 1) the huge amount of homeless people in LA 2) pedantic and miserable border control staff at all airports apart from Vegas 3) the US approach to tipping, I conform with it when I'm there but I don't agree with it, I think they should pay reasonable wages and prices should reflect that.

(I'm not counting the 8 hours I once spent at Chicago Airport on the way to Canada)
 

J-2739

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Yeah, I think tipping should be integrated with the full price.

Wonder what staaates have the best restaurants? Probably SoCal for Mexican food.
I've only ever been to Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon and think my favourite was Montana (with Washington in close second) and Idaho my least favourite. Obviously I'm only basing that on the 4 I've been to so far so that will probably change as I explore the USA more.

Isn't Idaho a bit like Washington in some places
 

fishquinn

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Isn't Idaho a bit like Washington in some places
Idaho just seemed more run down. With Washington it seemed really up to date and driving along the Columbia River Gorge, heading up to Mt St Helens and exploring Seattle really fixed it as an amazing place. There was very little I didn't like about it really.
 

baz962

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Idaho just seemed more run down. With Washington it seemed really up to date and driving along the Columbia River Gorge, heading up to Mt St Helens and exploring Seattle really fixed it as an amazing place. There was very little I didn't like about it really.

Seattle is an awesome city.
 

baz962

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Fully agreed. My favourite American one by far and I have excellent memories (and photos) of it.

My 16 year old son lives just outside , I have been a fair few times. Loads to do , and if like myself you are a music lover , it is the birthplace ( or surrounding area ) of Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix . Bruce and Brandon Lee are buried there . I love the Seattle centre , with the emp music project with Nirvana and Hendrix memorabilia. They also sometimes display movie props ( actually used in the movies ). You have the science center. The space needle is great and has just been re furbished. Just outside Seattle , you have the Boeing museum and you can walk through a concorde and the original air force one. Seattle is home to the original Starbucks and Microsoft , Amazon etc. I love Seattle and could chat about it for hour's.
 

ac6000cw

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We are staying in L.A. County, apart from a day at Disney, so we'll probably taste the experience of busy road traffic all our time!

If you fancy some good train watching, Fullerton is quite close to Disneyland (about 5 miles north), with plenty of BNSF, Metrolink and Amtrak action. A cafe on the platform (plus other eating and drinking very nearby), palm trees and SoCal sunshine, what's not to like? (and you can get there by train from downtown LA on Metrolink and Amtrak).

A Friday evening there (many of the people sitting at the cafe tables are local railfans - it's a very popular place on Friday and Sat evenings):
P1260003 by ac6044cw, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/D12ePm] Fullerton - BNSF east 1 by ac6044cw, on Flickr[/URL]

As swills says, if you have the time and a car, make a pilgrimage to Tehachapi Pass (my favourite) and/or Cajon Pass for the freight trains. But beware these are very hot, dry places in the summer, so take plenty to drink with you (and try and stay in the shade).

Have fun!
 

J-2739

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If you fancy some good train watching, Fullerton is quite close to Disneyland (about 5 miles north), with plenty of BNSF, Metrolink and Amtrak action. A cafe on the platform (plus other eating and drinking very nearby), palm trees and SoCal sunshine, what's not to like? (and you can get there by train from downtown LA on Metrolink and Amtrak).

A Friday evening there (many of the people sitting at the cafe tables are local railfans - it's a very popular place on Friday and Sat evenings):
P1260003 by ac6044cw, on Flickr

Fullerton - BNSF east 1 by ac6044cw, on Flickr

As swills says, if you have the time and a car, make a pilgrimage to Tehachapi Pass (my favourite) and/or Cajon Pass for the freight trains. But beware these are very hot, dry places in the summer, so take plenty to drink with you (and try and stay in the shade).

Have fun!

I'll definitely have a look, cheers! :)
 

Merseysider

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I loved Memphis (TN), Las Vegas (NV) and had an absolute blast in Seattle (WA).

Didn’t think much of upstate New York though, with places like Buffalo and Niagara Falls feeling rather run down and neglected.

(The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is much better!)
 
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