Travel all 50

During this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, the quarantine time has caused my mind to wander. I have been thinking of all the things I would like to do when this isolation is over. We really learn to realize how lucky we all are when your freedom is taken away. Normally, our lives are so easily filled with the things we want and the things we love at the drop of a hat. Now, we can’t see our loved ones that we normally visit, we can’t go out to restaurants, movie theatres, and so much more. Due to these restrictions, I keep compiling lists of activities in my mind such as fun places to take our daughter like the beach or the zoo. My husband and I have decided that when this is over we want to explore our state of New Jersey better. There are parts of NJ that are scenic and mountainous and we’ve never been there. We could take a ride to Peddler’s Village, a cute little town with quaint shops. Philadelphia is right next door and I’ve realized that there are museums and historic landmarks that I haven’t even seen; we’ll have to conquer that too. 

Speaking of traveling, my husband and I decided, a little over a year ago, that we would like to travel to all fifty states within the United States. We have been to several states together that we can mark off our list. In order to accomplish this goal, we plan to travel to two states every year. Last year we traveled to Vermont and Connecticut and this year we went to Tennessee and North Carolina. This plan is so fun because we love to find the gem that is gleaming or hidden in every state. I truly believe that every state has something interesting within it to see or do. To help in our traveling endeavours I have done some research on every state and one interesting activity or sight to see while there. I am going to share the list with you all. My research was done through a website called: Atlas Obscura.

• Alabama– Spectre Set Ruins- The set from the movie “Big Fish” that was left abandoned on an island. Some of the buildings from the set still stand and you can go visit it.
• Alaska– Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis
• Arkansas– Crater of Diamonds State Park- You can bring your umbrella, pitch a spot, and dig. Any diamonds you find, professionals will examine them for you, give you the diamonds name, and you get to keep what you found.
• California– Redwood National and State Parks
• Colorado– Paint Mines Interpretive Park- Natural formations from sand and clay in beautiful colors.
• Connecticut– Yale University- Really beautiful buildings, city atmosphere. We’ve been here!
• Delaware– Marian Coffin Gardens- An abandoned house that is dilapidated but it is surrounded by beautiful gardens that are kept up and you’re able to walk through.
• Florida– Bioluminescence- In Cocoa Beach Florida there is a lagoon you can sail out to, run your hands through the water, and see the plankton light up the water creating a powder blue color. We got to do this!   
• Georgia– Head over to Savannah for ghost tours, beautiful moss trees on Jones Street, the most beautiful street in the US, or go see the School Bus Graveyard in Alto, Georgia.
• Hawaii– Punalu ‘U Black Sand Beach- This beach is covered in black sand from the basalt that washes ashore from volcanoes.
• Idaho– Lionhead National Water Slides- Nature provides water slides due to rock formations.
• Illinois– OZ Park- A park and playground dedicated to the movie The Wizard of OZ.
• Indiana– New Harmony Labyrinth Maze- An actual maze cut out in a field that you try to find your way through.
• Iowa– Fenelon Place Elevator- Take an elevator ride down a hill or you can always visit Field of Dreams!
• Kansas– Monument Rocks- This is called “the Stonehenge of Kansas.” 
• Kentucky– Mammoth Cave
• Louisiana– The Singing Oak- An Oak tree that is decorated with wind chimes. The wind chimes are painted black to match the shadows of the trees so that you can’t find them easily. The point is to sit under the tree and listen to the music of the chimes.
• Maine– The many lighthouses. Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse is super cool because it is out in the ocean and you have to walk along rocks to get to it. We did this!
• Maryland– Ocean CIty is always a blast! We did this!
• Massachusetts– Mapparium- A huge glass globe.
• Michigan– Kitch-iti-kipi- A fresh-water spring.
• Minnesota– Wabasha Street Caves
• Mississippi– Windsor Ruins- A mansion lost to fire and parts still remain standing.
• Missouri– Glore Psychiatric Museum
• Montana– The Berkeley Pit
• Nebraska– Chimney Rock
• Nevada– Valley of Fire State Park or Vegas. We’ve been to Vegas but would love to go back to see the scenic areas like this park. We did this!
• New Hampshire– Attitash Mountain
• New Jersey– We live here!
• New Mexico– White Sands National Park- Go sledding in the sand! The sand literally looks like snow!
• New York– Upstate New York is scenic and beautiful. We did this!
• North Carolina– Blue Ridge Parkway is amazing! We did this!
• North Dakota– Salem Sue the huge cow and Enchanted Highway where different sculptures mark the side of the road.
• Ohio– The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Oklahoma– The Center of the Universe where you can apparently stand in the center.
• Oregon– Crater Lake- The deepest lake in the US
• Pennsylvania– So much beauty and history! Right over the bridge for us! We did this!
• Rhode Island– Cliff Walk- Walk a scenic beach with mansions in the distance. I’ve been here but my husband has not so it doesn’t count towards our plan.
• South Carolina– Pearl Fryer’s Topiary Garden
• South Dakota– Mount Rushmore
• Tennessee– Forbidden Caverns- a cave walk and a show looks interesting. We’ve been to Knoxville, TN and we did a lot of hiking and Ijams Center. We’ve been here!
• Texas– Hamilton Pool- A clear natural pool.
• Utah-Bryce Canyon- Beautiful canyons in colors of red and orange.
• Vermont– Hubbard Tower in Montpelier is in the middle of nowhere with great views. We’ve been here!
• Virginia– Richmond, Virginia is very historic with lots to see. We’ve been here!
• Washington– Hall of Mosses- A park filled with moss trees.
• West Virginia– Cass Scenic Railroad- Take a ride through the mountains.
• Wisconsin– Schoolhouse Beach- A sandless beach filled with stones and apparently one of the very few like it.
• Wyoming– YellowStone National Park and Devils Tower, from the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.