State-By-State: My 5 Favorite

I've managed to hit all 50 states in my travels - some more than others, but all nonetheless.  As I was walking today, I started thinking about my favorites - not the 5 you MUST see before you die, but just the 5 that I have I enjoyed the most.  All 50 have their pluses; these have had the most, IMHO.

I'll start with Maine.   Lobster piers, rugged shoreline, lots of islands.  Real summers and real winters.  Forests, off the beaten path.  And a great accent. 

Then we'll cross the country to my home state - Washington.  Lots of water, lots of islands (a theme, OK), big contrasts between Western and Eastern Washington - forests and deserts, water and crops, democrats and republicans.  And, at least in the western part of the state - real Springs and real Autumns.  And Dungeness crab.

Since we're westward-bound, let's keep on going to Hawaii.  Water, islands (the theme continues), international and indigenous cultures, warmth.  Nearly year-round summers, great beaches, snorkeling, big waves.  And plate lunches.

OK, now for a diversion - inland to a state not known for water or islands - New Mexico.  My favorite inland state - pueblos and sand dunes, and the arts and red rocks.  Multi-cultural (another theme), great southwest cuisine.  Shiprock and Acoma.  Santa Fe and Albuquerque and Alamagordo.  And chiles - when I used to be able to eat them.

Narrowing the final 46 down to 1 was a challenge - the 1st four, if truth me told - which it is - came into my mind just like that.  Snap.  The 5th was much more challening - do I go with another coastal state - Oregon, California, Florida; or with another cultural mix - Louisiana (OK, coastal as well), or with a heartland state like Missouri (lived there for 5 years), or with the wild west - Montana or Wyoming.  Well, I finally went with diversity - diversity of landscapes, cultures, cities, beaches, national parks, commerce.  California.  The Bay Area, Yosemite, Mt Lasson, the Redwoods, Death Valley, Santa Barbara, Lake Tahoe.  All in one state, albeit large.  And the Pacific Ocean is always a tie-breaker for me.

So, there.  My 5 favorite states and a quick summary as to why.  In the coming weeks, I'll look at the other 45 as well - all with sights and sounds and experiences worth checking out - whether in this lifetime or next or next or ...