50 States & D.C.

I set a goal to visit all 50 states before turning 30, and my mom and I planned many road trips to achieve it. I believe that road trips are the best way to explore the country and create unforgettable memories. I'm excited to finish off my goal in my last state, Hawaii. Don't worry though, we will still be doing road trips but this time to visit all the National Parks.

Dirt path on along a river surrounded by trees

ALABAMA

Have you ever accidentally ended up on an island? No? Well I have a story for you.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rojan Maharjan

ALASKA

Seeing Alaska from a seaplane is my preferred method of viewing it.

Large tipis in a row, each with a vintage car in front of them

ARIZONA

The Wigwam Motel resembled something from a Disney movie, can you guess what it is?

A row of bathhouses built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

ARKANSAS

Hot Springs National Park is such an interesting place to visit. Definitely recommend it.

Spanish style tower and dome building decorated with blue and yellow tile.

CALIFORNIA

One of the many gems in California, Balboa Park.

Side of a canyon with dwellings built into the canyon and trees surrounding the whole area.

COLORADO

Mesa Verde National Park is a park I definitely want to go back to. How cool is it that they build into the side of the canyon.

Waterfall trickling down large rocks, surrounded by autumn colored trees.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut is the reason why autumn is my favorite season. I went there in October when I was little and fell in love with the colorful leaves. PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Luther

A river winding through trees and a clear blue sky.

DELAWARE

Delaware, the First State, boasts a rich historical heritage and scenic coastline, offering a blend of charm and beauty. PHOTO CREDIT: Maritza

Turtles hanging out on a log in a body of water, surrounded by trees.

FLORIDA

Wakulla Springs State Park.

GEORGIA

Savannah, GA

HAWAII

Traveling to Hawaii in June of 2024. This is my last state in my 50StatesBefore30 goal.

Snow-covered mountains with green grassy area below and blue sky.

IDAHO

I may have accidentally led us into Idaho but then we got to see Idaho and Montana. The OG epic road trip.

Shiny metal bean-shaped sculpture surrounded by trees.

ILLINOIS

Cloud Gate in Chicago, IL.

Grass covered sand dunes with a small body of water and clear blue skies.

INDIANA

Indiana Dunes National Park

A brick exterior of a drug store with large display windows and a sign that says "Stoner Drug."

IOWA

Stoner Drug in Hamburg, Iowa.

Exterior of a green building with yellow trim that has large golden letters that read "OZ Museum."

KANSAS

OZ Museum dedicated to all things Wizard of Oz, located in Wamego, Kansas.

A waterfall surrounded by trees with colorful autumn leaves.

KENTUCKY

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Corbin, KY.

Exterior of a home, the second level is outline with iron and filled with plants.

LOUISIANA

The wrought iron detailing combined with plants was one of my favorite architectural details in New Orleans.

MAINE

If you are a lover of lighthouses then you definitely need to visit Maine.

City landscape with water behind it and a sunset in the sky.

MARYLAND

Unfortunately, I can't find my photos for Maryland but here is a beautiful photo of the Baltimore aquarium. Image Credit: Colin Lloyd

Brick home with a path going up to it covered by autumn leaves.

MASSACHUSETTS

Brick buildings are one of my favorite architectural structures, especially with the contrast of autumn leaves. Boston has so many brick buildings, I love it!

Aerial view of where the forest meets the lake.

MICHIGAN

Unfortunately, I can't find my photos for Michigan. Image Credit: Aaron Burden

Calm water glistening with a forest in the background and lots of small clouds in the sky.

MINNESOTA

Photo taken from a house boat in Voyageurs National Park. Quite an adventure.

Ivy covered wall with two lanterns on both sides of a plaque that reads "Mary Mahoney's Old French House Restaurant."

MISSISSIPPI

If you are in the area, I definitely recommend checking out Mary Mahoney's in Biloxi, MS.

A bridge over a river under a blue sky with some clouds.

MISSOURI

Learned a lot in Kansas City, MO and ate lots of BBQ.

Snow covered mountain in the background with water and autumn leaved trees in the foreground.

MONTANA

Montana is one of the states I've been in the least amount of time and I can't wait to go back and visit it again. Image Credit: Jerad Hill

Old western style town with covered wagon in the foreground.

NEBRASKA

Some of the nicest people I've met were in Ogallala, Nebraska.

Pine trees dusted in snow with a pink sunset sky in the background.

NEVADA

One time when I went to Lake Tahoe it snowed while I was there and that just made the sunset even more magical.

Dirt path leading into a forest with autumn colored leaves and a sign that says "White Mountain National Forest."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

I went on a massive New England trip when I was in elementary school. That is when I saw all of New England. Image Credit: Cate Bligh

NEW JERSEY

A friend of mine lived in New Jersey and I went to visit her and then we roadtripped up to Salem, MA. Image Credit: Jimmy Woo

NEW MEXICO

I only went into New Mexico, mainly near Four Corners but I have future plans to see more of New Mexico. Image Credit: Kyle Hinkson

Lake with boats on it and skyscrapers in the background.

NEW YORK

Central Park was my favorite part of New York City, besides the food.

Rock in the foreground with trees and mountains behind in and a bright blue sky.

NORTH CAROLINA

Great Smokey Mountains National Park. This photo was taken on the North Carolina side but the park is also in Tennessee.

Buffalo standing in a yellow colored grassland

NORTH DAKOTA

People kept asking me why I was so excited to go to North Dakota. The Dakotas are amazing and I highly recommend more people travel there. You don't know what you're missing!

Trees in the foreground and a waterfall in the background.

OHIO

Cuyahoga National Park is a gem nestled in Cleveland, OH.

Brick buildings with a sign that says "Hotel" and a blue sky with some clouds covering.

OKLAHOMA

The cutest brick building town you ever did see!

Moss covered logs with a waterfall in the background, surrounded by trees.

OREGON

I was thinking that Oregon was the state with the most waterfalls because I saw so many in Oregon but Washington has double the amount of waterfalls that Oregon has.

PENNSYLVANIA

I've been to Pennsylvania a few times and each time it's a unique experience. PHOTO CREDIT: Nick Fewings

RHODE ISLAND

The mansions in Newport are something else.

Raised wooden walkway surrounded by trees

SOUTH CAROLINA

Congaree National Park was a joy to walk around on this wooden walkway.

Mt.Rushmore sculpted into the side of a mountain

SOUTH DAKOTA

Mt.Rushmore was completed in 1941. It shows the faces of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Night time city street with neon light signs in Nashville, TN.

TENNESSEE

I went to Nashville. I went to Memphis. I was in Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I was all around Tennessee.

TEXAS

Watching the sun set over Lake Travis was so lovely, minus the part I was dying from the humidity. Just Texas things.

Landscape of red rock plateaus with a blue sky background.

UTAH

There are so many amazing National Parks in Utah. This photo was taken in Arches National Park.

Water in the foreground and autumn trees in the background

VERMONT

I wasn't in Vermont for a long time but enough time to see the pretty autumn leaves.
PHOTO CREDIT: Peter James Eisenhaure

Purple sunset sky background with the side of a cabin in the foreground.

VIRGINIA

The best sunset I've ever experienced was in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

WASHINGTON

The Seattle skyline.

Creek surrounded by plants with a glass building in the background and a cloudy sky.

WASHINGTON D.C.

United States Botanic Garden. A gem in Washington D.C.

Trees with a bridge in the background and a blue sky with some clouds.

WEST VIRGINIA

New River Gorge National Park is the most recent National Park added to the list. It was deemed a National River in 1978 but didn't become a National Park until 2020.

Grassy field with a red barn in the background and a cloudy sky.

WISCONSIN

Love a state that's full of cheese.

Trees surrounding a waterfall with blue sky overhead

WYOMING

Yellowstone National Park is one of the best National Parks I've visited.