The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 9: South Dakota to Vermont

This is the ninth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Vermont that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 9: South Dakota to Vermont

 

The city I most want to visit in South Dakota is the capital, Pierre. When we traveled to the Dakotas in 2023, I went back and forth about taking a 2 hour detour (each way) in order to visit Pierre. It would have meant cutting something else from the trip and there was nothing I was willing to cut. So we didn't make it to Pierre. When we do, I want to tour the South Dakota State Capitol and visit the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center. 

Memphis should be on the list of cities we've visited, not the cities we want to visit. We had everything scheduled - flights, car rental, hotels, and tickets for all of the activities we were going to do Memphis. But it was not to be. Our two-week trip ended up being a zero-day trip. Three months later, we rescheduled a portion of that failed trip, but we had to cut out Memphis because Trevor's spring break wasn't as long as winter break when the trip should have happened. All that to say, Memphis is the city I most want to visit in Tennessee. When I go, I will be visiting all the major attractions, but the two I'm most excited about are the National Civil Rights Museum and the Memphis Rock and Soul Museum.  

The city I most want to visit in Texas is Houston. One of my rules is that I can only pick cities I'd never visited, beyond the airport. In 2005, we flew into Houston, got on a bus a few steps outside the terminal, and rode to Galveston where we boarded a cruise ship. The process was reversed at the end of the trip. I'm not counting that as having been to Houston (although if I'd died stepping onto the bus, my death certificate would indicate that I had indeed been to Houston). I would like to actually experience something in Houston; specifically, I would most like to see Holocaust Museum Houston and the Eternal Gandhi Museum.

The city I'd most like to visit in Utah is Moab. Billed as the "ultimate basecamp for red rock adventures," Moab is a great city to visit even for the less adventurous who want to look at red rocks, not go mountain biking on them (raising my hand). Not only is Moab beautiful in its own right, but it is where to stay to visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. 

The city I most want to visit in Vermont is Stowe. We were only about 10 miles from Stowe when we visited Waterbury so I know that it is a stunningly beautiful area. The top two things I want to do are the History Tour at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort and visiting the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. 

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What do you think of my picks? Do any of these sound like places you'd like to visit? Let me know in the comments!

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 8: Oklahoma to South Carolina

This is the eighth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 8: Oklahoma to South Carolina

The city I most want to visit in Oklahoma is Tulsa. Tulsa is the former Oil Capital of the World, was home to Black Wall Street, and is the Capital of Route 66. The attractions I'd most like to visit in Tulsa are Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center and the National BMX Hall of Fame and Museum.

Boring, Oregon was named for a person with the last name of Boring; the city motto is "The most exciting place to live!" My favorite fun fact about Boring is that its sister city is Dull, Scotland and those two joined Bland, Australia to form "The Trinity of Tedium." One of my best friends from college (Hi, Erin!) grew up in Boring. When I eventually make it there, I'll be touring the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus. The other main attraction in town is the North American Bigfoot Center, which I don't really see myself visiting. Does posing in front of every Boring sign in town count? Because I'll definitely be doing that. 

The city I most want to visit in Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh. There are a lot of things I want to see and do in Pittsburgh, but topping the list is everything having to do with Mr. Rogers. I'm most excited about the Heinz History Center. Another big priority is visiting the National Aviary. It looks amazing and, as a bonus, one of my friends from when Trevor was a baby recently became their Veterinary Department Coordinator. My favorite blogger lives there too, but I don't think I'd be able to meet her. 

The city I most want to visit in Rhode Island is Woonsocket. Located on the Blackstone River, Woonsocket was a major site for textile mills during the Industrial Revolution. I would love to visit the  Museum of Work and Culture, which focuses on the immigrants who came to Woonsocket to work at the mills. I would also like to see the Museum of Broadcast Technology.

The city I most want to visit in South Carolina is Charleston. It is one of the oldest cities in the US and is the oldest city in South Carolina. There are a lot of things to see. My top priority is Ft. Sumpter National Historic Park. I'd also plan to take the Old Town Trolley Tour, as their tours always provide a great overview. 

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Have you been to any of these cities? Are there other places to visit that you'd recommend? Let me know in the comments!

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 7: New Mexico to Ohio

This is the seventh post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Ohio that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 7: New Mexico to Ohio

 

We have visited a lot of neat places in New Mexico, but we haven't made it to Taos. I've heard so many good things and hope to visit someday. My top priorities are the guided tour at Taos Pueblo and the Taos Trolley Tour. 

Jamestown is a small town in western New York and the birthplace of Lucille Ball. It is home to the National Comedy Center, as well as the Lucy Desi Museum. I would travel significantly out of my way to visit both. 

The town I would most like to visit in North Carolina is Monteo, on Roanoke Island. My top priority would be visiting Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. I'm fascinated by the Lost Colony and want to know more. The second place I would visit is the North Carolina Aquarium. 

The place in North Dakota that I most want to visit is the tiny town of Dunseith (which apparently does not have a logo or seal of any kind) because it is home to the International Peace Garden. Ever since I learned about this botanical garden with half located in the US and half in Canada, I've wanted to go there. Unfortunately, it is a fair distance from other destinations or major cities in both the US or Canada. The North American Game Warden Museum is located within the International Peace Garden, so I'm not counting that as my second attraction. Instead, I'm picking Lake Metigoshe State Park. 

The city I most want to visit in Ohio is Cincinnati. There is a lot of interesting history, as well as unique foods and fun traditions in Cincy. I most want to visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and William Howard Taft National Historic Site.

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If you have recommendations of places to go in these states, let me know in the comments! 

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 6: Montana to New Jersey

This is the sixth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, and New Jersey that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 6: Montana to New Jersey

 

The city I most want to visit in Montana is Bozeman. Bozeman is a primary gateway to Yellowstone National Park, which I very much want to visit, but since it's about 90 miles away I'm not going to count it for the purposes of this post. Instead, I'll focus on attractions that are in Bozeman. First is Museum of the Rockies. My second pick is Downtown Bozeman Walking Food Tour. 

Gering is the city I most want to visit in Nebraska. It's tiny (only 8500 people) but it has a Runza, which is now my first requirement for any city I go to in Nebraska. Gering is the closest city to Scotts Bluff National Monument as well as the Legacy of the Plains Museum, both of which I am very interested in visiting.  

The next place I'd like to visit in Nevada is Virginia City. Virginia City was a mining boomtown from the 1859 Comstock Lode. Much of the town has been preserved. I'd like to visit The Way it Was Museum and take the Murder, Mystery, and History Tour by the Virginia City Outlaws. 

On my next trip to New Hampshire, I'd like to go to Manchester. Manchester is New Hampshire's largest city and is known for its history as a textile manufacturer. I am most interested in visiting the Currier Museum of Art and SEE Science Center. 

The city I'd most like to visit in New Jersey is West Orange. Thomas Edison was perhaps West Orange's most famous resident. My top priority would be Thomas Edison National Historic Park. I would also enjoy a visit to the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo. 

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What do you think of my picks? Have you visited any of them? Do you have suggestions of other places to go? Let me know in the comments!

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 5: Massachusetts to Missouri

This is the fifth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, and fourth posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Missouri that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 5: Massachusetts to Missouri

 

 

The city I most want to visit in Massachusetts is Provincetown. While I've been to Cape Cod, we didn't make it all the way to the tip where Provincetown is located. This town is most famous for being the landing site for the Mayflower in 1620. I would most like to visit the Province Lands Visitor Center at Cape Cod National Seashore. The other attraction that interests me the most is the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. 

I am most interested in seeing Grand Rapids during my next visit to Michigan. Grand Rapids is home to the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum (although not the Presidential Library; they're typically colocated, but in this case the Library is 130 miles away in Ann Arbor, another city I'd like to visit). The other attraction I'd like to see is the Grand Rapids Public Museum. 

The city I'd most like to visit in Minnesota is Duluth. Duluth is a port city located on Lake Superior, and is the largest and busiest port on the Great Lakes. Fun fact: The Port of Duluth is the world's farthest inland port accessible to oceangoing ships. When I make it to Duluth, I want to take a narrated boat tour of Lake Superior and the Duluth Harbor, then visit the Lake Superior Zoo. 

Natchez is the oldest continuous settlement on the Mississippi River and also is the city in Mississippi I'd most like to visit. The top two attractions I want to see are Natchez National Historical Park and the Natchez Museum of African American Culture. 

Independence is the city I most want to visit in Missouri. It is best known as the main starting point for the hundreds of thousands of pioneers who traveled west on covered wagons along the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe Trails. I would love to learn more about this history at the National Frontier Trails Museum. Independence was also home to President Harry Truman; the Truman Presidential Library and Museum is my other priority when I visit. 

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Have you visited any of these cities? What else do you recommend I do there? Leave any suggestions you have in the comments!

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 4: Kansas to Maryland

This is the fourth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, and third posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, and Maryland that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 4: Kansas to Maryland

 

The city I'd most like to visit in Kansas is Wichita. Quite a few celebrities grew up in Wichita, including Mars, the pygmy hippo who stole the internet's heart. Mars lives at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, which is my top attraction in the Wichita area. The next place I'd visit is the Museum of World Treasures. 

Paducah is the city I'd most like to visit in Kentucky. Paducah looks like such a charming town. It is one of 10 cities in the US that have been designated a UNESCO Creative City (I've been to 8 of the 10 and I very much want to finish that list.) I most want to visit the National Quilt Museum. Now that I'm a (novice) quilter, I am especially interested in spending time there. Steve and I watched Chef Sara Bradley cook during the Tournament of Champions All-Star Christmas and would really enjoy eating at Freight House, her restaurant in Paducah. 

Before visiting Natchitoches, I need to practice pronouncing it. It's NACK-uh-tish. I can pronounce it just fine until I see the word again and my brain goes to to Spanish. Anyway, Natchitoches is the city in Louisiana I would most like to visit. While there, I would go to Cane River Creole National Historic Park and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum.

The city I most want to visit in Maine is Augusta, the state capital. When there, I'll visit the Maine State Capitol, as well as the Maine State Museum. Of the 5 remaining state capitals we haven't visited, this will probably be the last, as it is the farthest from us and not close to any of our other remaining must-see destinations. Fun fact: Augusta, Maine (which is obviously part of the contiguous United States) is significantly farther from us here in California than either Juneau, Alaska or Honolulu, Hawaii. 

This may be a bit of a surprise since I'm not a beach person, but the next time I visit Maryland I would most like to go to Ocean City. My highest priority would be taking a boat tour from Ocean City to Assateague Island. The other thing I'd most like to visit is Ocean City Life-Saving Museum. 

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Are there any other must-visit places I need to know about? Please let me know in the comments!

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 3: Hawaii to Iowa

This is the third post in a series. I recommend reading the first and second posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 3: Hawaii to Iowa

 

The city I am most interested in visiting in Hawaii is Kula on the island of Maui. It's a small community known for its farms and botanical gardens. There are a lot of farm and garden tours that sound really interesting. I would most like to tour the Kula Botanical Garden and then take the Haleakala Creamery Farm to Spoon Tour.

When we traveled to eastern Idaho in 2021, we didn't end up going to Pocatello because the place I most wanted to visit was closed on the days we were passing through. The next time we're headed that direction, I'm going to prioritize visits to the Museum of Clean and the Idaho Museum of Natural History.

The city I most want to visit in Illinois is its capital, Springfield. Springfield is one of the five remaining state capitals I haven't visited. There are a lot of neat things to see and do there, most of which are related to Abraham Lincoln. My top two attractions are the Illinois State Capitol and Museum and the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

South Bend is the city I'd most like to visit in Indiana. The first thing I'd do is tour the University of Notre Dame. My second activity would be the National Studebaker Museum. 

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I want to visit the Ice Cream Capital of the World. Le Mars, Iowa certainly got my attention with that nickname! Le Mars produces approximately 200 million gallons of ice cream per year, more than any other city in the world. The first place I'd go is the Wells Visitor Center, so I can learn more about how all that ice cream is made. Then I would head out on an Ice Cream Sculpture walk, to find the 55 six-foot tall decorated ice cream cones that decorate the streets of Le Mars. 

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Have you been to any of these cities? Do you have recommendations for other attractions I should visit? Let me know in the comments!