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And The Winner Is: Which State Suits Your Next Cross-Country Vacation?
When the world is your oyster, it can be difficult knowing where your next vacation should be. Many wanderlusters work their ways through checklists. For the rest of us, the possibilities are endless. As such, it can be a little overwhelming when the time comes to make a decision. Hence why many of us opt to stay right here in the U.S.. After all, a trip across states can still take you a decent way from home. Make the right choice, and you can even find yourself in a completely different climate and landscape.
But, if you think this saves you having to make any decisions, you should think again. After all, there are 52 states from which to take your pick. So, choosing to stay on home turf doesn’t narrow things down much at all. Of course, this decision will be much simpler if you have a few states in mind already, and most of us do. But, even choosing between them can be tricky. To help you pick a winner, we’re going to look at a few steps you should take.
Know what you’re after
First, you need to know what you’re after with your vacation. If you don’t really know your aim, it’s going to be impossible to make the right choice. Think long and hard, then, about what you would like to achieve during your stay, or what most appeals in a vacation. It may be that you prefer stunning backdrops and getting in touch with nature. Wyoming home to the majority of the ever-striking Yellowstone Park should be top of your list here. If you prefer to party during your time away, New York and Las Vegas may suit better. If you like the quiet life and a hectic night, why not embark on a road trip in the U.S. instead of settling on one state? Getting all ‘On the Road’ here could be the ideal way to a compromise. So, sit down and write out your top priorities. Think about whether you can already name a state which would suit. If not, head online and do some research. Just typing ‘best American states for parties’ into a Google search is sure to yield results. Write down no more than five possibilities, and keep them to hand for the next stage.
Yellowstone National Park after a morning snowfall [OC] [4896 x 3672] – hoodabaga #photography #travel #nature pic.twitter.com/eHTdmtQAxb
— ? Amazingly Beautiful Travels (@amazinglybeaut) February 2, 2018
Narrow it down with a plan
With your list of states handy, it’s time to set about narrowing those possibilities. And, the best way to do that is to ‘plan’ a vacation in each. See, now, why you don’t want any more than five? At the end of the day, each state has something very different on offer. You can’t know which is the best option until you’ve done your research. So, that means taking a look at clubs and bars available and even searching on YouTube to see what you’ll be in for. If it’s all about the nightlife, search for videos of Las Vegas evenings. If you fancy the nature, this is even easier. You can do a quick image search on Google, or watch a documentary on Yellowstone to make your mind up. You could even find out about the natural points in interest in areas like Carolina on sites like HD Carolina, where you’ll see wonders like the Bee Cove Falls. Embark on research like this for each of your potentials. Then, step back and consider which has the most to offer. By the end of this, you should narrow things to the two states which appeal to you the most. If possible, opt for two which both provide a different experience. If it’s much of a muchness, there’s no point putting them up against each other, after all. Make sure, too, to keep those plans you’ve made. These will help you with the trip you finally settle on taking.
Consider the technicalitie
With those two states in mind, it’s time to turn to the technical stuff. This may not be as fun as researching what you could do, but it’s useful, and can also help you with the vacation you decide in the end. Think of this as the groundwork you would do anyway. But, you’re embarking on it for two trips instead of one. Even when you do decide on a winner, it’s worth keeping all the notes you make here in case the runner-up appeals next time. Either way, you want to find out how long the trip would be, as well as the best ways to travel, and how much the trip would cost. If one is a few hours away, while the other is pretty close to home, this should be a no-brainer. Unless, of course, you’re desperate to get that bit further away. Then, move on to looking at accommodation. Again, it’s worth considering costs here. Apartments and hotels in a destination like New York are sure to cost more than somewhere remote. It’s also worth doing some more research into attractions and restaurants in the vicinity. This way, you can estimate how much you would likely spend in each place. Once you’ve got a rough estimate for each, compare them. If they’re pretty much the same price and distance wise, you may as well flip a coin, or go with your gut. By this stage, you can be sure you have two solid contenders anyway. If, however, one location costs a lot more on the whole, or is harder to get to, your choice will be made for you.
A final word
So, there you have it. Only you will know who your winner can be. Remember that, ultimately, you’re going to have a good time no matter where you go. Our vacations are, after all, what we make them. So, if all this sounds like too much work for you, give it a miss and pick a state at random. You never know, you could end up experiencing the best holiday of your life that way. Just do what makes you happy!
