The United States of America is a vast and wonderful place, although because of how 'vast' it is, there are a few states littered within the group of 50 that we aren't particularly fond of. It's not that they don't have any redeeming features or anything like that, but we just aren't huge fans of the idea that every single state is special in its own way.

We think they've all got something that makes them different which is pretty cool, but in our mind, there's a big difference between the two. On the other hand, of course, you've got states that really are quite great, and we'd like to shout about them from the rooftops. We legitimately are going to a few of these places in 2019, too, so we've got a pretty good idea of why they're so popular.

We're definitely going to miss things out for pretty much every entry, because let's face it, you can't fully grasp what a state is like unless you've lived in it for a period of time. Based on everything we've seen and everything we've heard though, there are some absolute gems in here.

If you live in one of the states we're putting in the avoid category then let us know about the positive qualities that you believe it possesses, because from that point on, we can start to appreciate it a little bit more.

At the end of the day, it's still a really fascinating country, and we can't imagine anything is going to change that.

25 VISIT: New York - The Big Apple

We’d argue this is the most obvious entry on the entire list, but we just know that there are going to be some haters out there who won’t agree with it featuring. At the end of the day New York is one of the most popular states in the country for a reason, and the primary reason for that is New York City itself.

On top of everything that The Big Apple provides, though, there are some beautiful destinations upstate that are pretty fun to drive to. Plus, from a logistics standpoint, it’s pretty easy to get to a variety of other states from New York if you’re someone who likes to travel.

24 AVOID: South Dakota - Is There Anyone Out There?

We just hate states that have one major tourist spot (Mount Rushmore) and pretty much nothing else. That’s the category South Dakota falls into, and we can’t really discover all too much else that we like about it.

If you don’t like in any of the major cities (of which there are about three), then you’re probably going to struggle a bit with living here. That’s not to say you can’t make a good life for yourself, but we’d suggest that moving to a state where there’s a bit more going on would be a more logical step forward for you.

23 VISIT: South Carolina - Gorgeous Cities

From Columbia to Spartanburg to Myrtle Beach and beyond, there are a series of really cool cities for you to enjoy in South Carolina. Alas, the place that is quite clearly stood head and shoulders above the rest, in our mind, is Charleston.

If you’ve never been then we’d imagine you’ll be dying to do so after a quick Google, because it’s gorgeous. While you’d have to pay substantial fees in order to live here, that’s not what this piece is about. This is about discovering tourist spots that will still be popular in 2019 – and South Carolina fits the bill.

Plus, North Carolina is right there.

22 AVOID: Minnesota - Far Too Cold

The snow and the cold, man. The snow and the cold.

The Mall of America isn’t exactly going to be enough to warrant people travelling all the way up north to Minnesota, especially in the winter time. The people are nice enough but we’re not convinced that is going to draw the masses in.

Case in point: there are rumours that Minneapolis will be selected as the host city for the next WrestleMania, and you can’t even begin to imagine just how much negativity there’s been around this idea.

At least the Vikings stadium is pretty cool though, I guess?

21 VISIT: California - Get Lost In Yourself

California road trip. Do we need to say more?

Cali is a phenomenal state from head to toe, and it’s saying something that Los Angeles may be one of the weakest cities of them all. From San Fran to Monterey to San Diego and beyond, every single destination has something different and fun to offer up.

The hot weather is always going to be enough to convince people to make the trip over, but there’s more to it than that. You’ve heard and seen the commercials that suggest Cali is unlike anywhere else you’ll ever go, and they’re 100% right.

20 AVOID: Alabama - It’s Just Not For Us

Anywhere that is as obsessed with college football as Alabama is just doesn’t feel right to us. Great, your college team is great – but with the NFL being right there, does it actually matter all too much?

The median income is pretty poor over there which should tell you all that you need to know regarding the quality of jobs in the state, and if you’ve ever actually been there, you’ll know that a lot of the locals are quite exhausting and insulting with their pride of being from the Yellowhammer State.

It’s just not for us, and it feels like that goes for a lot of folks.

19 AVOID: Louisiana - NOLA Can’t Save You

We’re just going to say it: when the major highlight of your state is New Orleans, we’d say that’s a pretty bad indication of how things are going for you.

In polls taken regarding health care, the economy, education, infrastructure and general quality of life, Louisiana has consistently ranked towards the bottom. If you’ve ever been there yourself then there’s a good chance you left some brain cells with you, because that’s just the kind of vibe it gives off.

But hey, as long as you can party the night away in a completely overrated city it’ll be fine, right?

18 VISIT: Illinois - Chicago Certainly Can Save You

 

In addition to Springfield, which we happen to think is a really charming city, Illinois is also able to boast about possessing one of the most popular tourist destinations in America: Chicago.

From Willis Tower to the fantastic sports teams to their endless supply of pizza, we absolutely adore Chicago. Millions upon millions of people often take the time to head over there throughout the year on holiday, and rightly so.

There’s just a really fun vibe there which seems to spread throughout the entire state, and a quick road trip through it will confirm that.

P.S: go see the Cubs. You won’t regret it.

17 AVOID: Michigan - Just Head To Canada

It’s difficult not to issue comparisons between Michigan and Canada, because the Great White North is literally right there. Alas, we’re focusing on the state of Michigan for now, which seems to rely pretty heavily on their sports teams for tourism purposes.

We’ve never had a good vibe from going there, and we aren’t just saying that because the weather is often terrible. The locals always tend to be pretty moody and closed off, and when your big selling point is a city like Detroit, that kind of tells us all that we need to know.

They also fall into the category of being obsessed with college sports, which we’ll just never understand.

16 AVOID: Alaska - A Depressing Place

It may be a great place to escape to and it may be perceived as a wonderful destination, but Alaska is just a little bit too boring for our liking. It’s really closed off from the rest of the States, and many residents in the country don’t even acknowledge it as being a legitimate state.

Case in point: one of the towns there, Whittier, has a population of around 200+ people – and virtually every single person there lives in one building, known as Begich Towers. They also have many of the city’s main resources in the building, meaning a lot of the residents don’t even have a reason to leave. It’s just weird.

15 VISIT: Tennessee - Party State

We just absolutely love it.

From the phenomenal accents to the friendly people to the great views, Tennessee is the kind of place that we could see ourselves visiting in the not so distant future. On top of that you’ve also got a string of cities that are known for being pretty great for partying, which is why they’ve experienced such a boom period with bachelor parties and events of that nature.

It’s the kind of state where you can just let your troubles wash away, which is something that we can appreciate.

If nothing else, it’s the birthplace of Elvis Presley.

14 AVOID: Arizona - Far Too Hot

It’s too hot, it’s too hot, and did we mention it’s too hot?

We understand that we’ve spoken positively about the hot temperatures earlier on in this piece, but come on, this is just ridiculous. They take things to the next level and we don’t mean that in a positive manner, and let’s be honest, all they’ve really got going for them is the Grand Canyon.

A lot of folks like to think that they’re going to go there when they travel around the States, only to realise that it’s actually much further away than they initially thought. They’ll moan, groan, then stay in whatever city they’re in – which is probably Vegas.

13 AVOID: Idaho - Ida-who?

Idaho’s major claim to fame is being host to a small portion of the Yellowstone National Park, despite the fact that it’s mainly situated in Wyoming. That’s like when you’re the outsider in a group of friends and you just pretend you’ve done what they’ve done for the sake of it.

Idaho is just too bland for our liking and it really is that simple. With Washington, Oregon, Montana and the aforementioned Wyoming around it, we just get this feeling like it’s the forgotten middle child.

There’s Boise, but it still feels like we’re a few years away from that becoming a top tier destination.

12 VISIT: Vermont - Absolutely Gorgeous

Where do people go for a relaxed, chilled out weekend with beautiful views and fantastic hikes? Vermont.

If we had to pick a state that feels like a rehab facility in itself, then we’d select Vermont. The landscape is breathtaking and because it’s so close to New York, city residents will often go there in order to get away from the madness for a few days.

It’s also a major producer of maple syrup which tends to draw in the masses, and rightly so.

If you haven’t tried out their maple syrup, by the way, then we’d highly recommend it.

11 AVOID: Missouri - Just A Bit Sad, really

Not even St. Louis can save Missouri, and even then we don’t think there’s all too much to write home about with the city.

Missouri has some pretty bad records to their name and in many ways, it feels like a state that is still living in the 70s. The locals don’t seem to have progressed when it comes to their quality of life or the quality of the towns/cities they live in, and that’s a shame to see.

It’s as if the entire state has this hefty chip on their shoulder as a result of being surrounded by more profitable cities and states.

10 AVOID: West Virginia - The Coal Mine

West Virginia is a state that has been struggling for quite some time now, and it says something that they’re most well known for their distribution of coal. Yes, coal the stuff that Santa threatens to put in your sack when you’ve been naughty.

That sounds like a bit of a joke, but upon further analysis, it just doesn’t seem like they’re doing so good over there. The crime rates have been through the roof for quite some time now, and you’ll very rarely meet someone who is proud to say they’re from the state. It’s sad, but it’s also true.

9 VISIT: Nevada - Viva Las Vegas

People go to Nevada for one reason and one reason only, but thankfully for them, that reason is a pretty convincing one.

Even if you aren’t a massive fan of going out and partying, you’ll likely have the urge to visit Las Vegas at some point during your lifetime. It’s an experience unlike any other and you can’t really appreciate that until you actually touch down there. Sure, it has its fair share of problems as is the case with the majority of cities around the USA, but just think about all of the memories people create while they’re there.

8 AVOID: New Mexico - Think Breaking Bad

The evidence displayed in Breaking Bad should be enough to convince you that New Mexico isn’t great, but allow us to try and convince you even further.

The climate is absolutely unbearable to live in, the local businesses are struggling, and you’re unlikely to secure a great income. Plus, if you aren’t a big fan of the outdoors, then you’ll seriously be struggling to find different forms of entertainment for yourself and that’s not an exaggeration.

Oh, and they’re best known for hot air balloons, which isn’t exactly a riveting selling point.

P.S: Without Walter White, we’d honestly wonder whether or not tourists would still come here.

7 AVOID: Kansas - Virtually Deserted

Have you ever actually driven your way through Kansas? If you have then the chances are that you’ll be well aware how deserted it is, and we don’t use that word lightly. There are so many farms and there’s such an extremely low level of population density, that it’s actually quite alarming to see.

There’s not much of a livelihood to be found in Kansas if we’re perfectly honest, and you’re better off heading to one of the nearby states.

Of course, if you’re driving through it, then you can expect that trek to take you twice as much time as you’d probably initially thought it would.

6 VISIT: Colorado - Fun All Year Round

Boulder and Denver. Done. Right there you’ve got two incredibly remarkable and unique cities, and we’d argue until we’re blue in the face that they alone should serve as convincing evidence of Colorado’s greatness.

Alas, if you need more than that, then just go and check out the skiing there. The variety of climates that you’ll experience will likely leave your head spinning. But, you know, in a good way.

Colorado has the feel of a really forward thinking state and that’s not a trait that many of their neighbours can claim to have.

Try it for yourself. You won’t regret it.