I’ve Been to All 50 States. These Are the Bottom 25

I’ve been to all 50 States. How would I rank them? 

Before moving to France, we traveled around the U.S. for two years in our RAV4. When mentioning this to friends, family, and strangers, by far the most common questions that come up are, “What are your favorite/least favorite states?”

Normally, I answer pretty diplomatically and wait until the person gets bored with the question they just asked. I don’t want to tell you that your favorite state sucks. I also don’t want to hear you hate on my favorites.

I’m putting all of that aside here with the help of my favorite tool, the Excel spreadsheet. Yup. I used math to rank the best (and the worst) because that’s what I do. So here we go!

My Methodology

A quick Google search will lead you to plenty of people making their own lists of the worst states to visit. But few (if any) have gone to the lengths I have to give you a less subjective list.

I looked at four major categories to bring you the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

Here’s what I considered in my states ranked worst to best.

What can you do outside while you’re there? 

Aside from counting the number of state and/or national parks, I also wanted to include visual beauty.

For example, Florida has over 250 state parks. But I wouldn’t say that means they are better than South Dakota, a state with actual topography to look at, but only 16 State parks. To do this, I used some existing rankings online and my own personal thoughts.

What’s the food scene like? 

Less than 10 states have Michelin-starred restaurants — sorry, Massachusetts — so I can’t just use that metric.

To help balance that out, I contemplated things like population density, percentages of immigrants, and percentages of people who were from other states in my rankings. 

What’s the sports and culture scene like?

Not every state has a pro sports team, so outside of the major sports teams, how many significant college sports programs are there for you to watch? Do they also have something like Pioneer Days in Cheyenne that no other state has?

I also considered the broader cultural scene. How many museums, music venues, theaters, and annual festivals are there? Are there state fairs, food festivals, or local traditions that people look forward to each year?

All of those things make places better, in my opinion.

How did my personal experiences factor in?

Visiting all 50 states means you get to have an opinion about those places. While numbers still mattered, I still kept a pretty biased list based on gut feelings and personal experiences. They weren’t all winners, and that’s OK.

From there, I ranked them 1-50 in each of the four categories and averaged them all out in my spreadsheet. Let’s see how it shook out!

Prefer video? Check out our March Madness-style take on the best (and worst) U.S. states.

#50: North Dakota

Why is the “top” Dakota in last place, you ask? Well, aside from “things you can do outside,” thanks to Teddy Roosevelt National Park, they come in last or second-to-last in every other category on my spreadsheet. 

They actually have the second-lowest total of parks for you to explore, so it’s not even outside of the bottom 10 in this category. It is the coldest state in the lower 48, as well, so be prepared for a short travel season. 

No “major” sports or college teams are based here — sorry, Fargo — and their low population doesn’t give you many museums, events, festivals, and other activities to attend. The food also suffers from a lack of diversity. 

Unfortunately, someone has to be last, and we salute you, redundant Dakota! 

#49: Nebraska

Next up is Warren Buffett’s home state. They “beat” North Dakota in every category but playing outside, thanks to Warren’s city of Omaha. The city has better food and entertainment than all of North Dakota.

They also have the Huskers to root for, which is as major a college sporting program as you can get. 

Outside of Omaha and Lincoln, there aren’t a lot of things to see and do, but Scotts Bluff did provide us with a fun escape from our month-long stay in Cheyenne. 

You can also walk from Nebraska to Iowa on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha. At the midpoint, you’re actually standing in both states at once.

One last plus: Nebraska is closer to the Denver International Airport than Denver actually is.  

I kid, Denver airport, I kid. 

#48: Kansas

Agnes hasn’t written a blog post about anything we did in Kansas, so this feels right. There’s Dodge City for some Wyatt Earp history, and you can also go over the Missouri border to the superior “Kansas City” for barbecue. 

Fun fact: A 2003 study by Arizona State and SW Texas State found that Kansas was flatter than an IHOP pancake. While the study has since been debunked, they were the first state to be scientifically compared to a pancake in a published study. 

So why isn’t Kansas lower, you ask? First of all, how dare you question my rankings already?

Second, Kansas does have a few major college sports programs, as well as being just across the river from the Chiefs (for now) and Royals.

Being closer to an actual metropolitan area also brings more access to the arts and food you won’t find in the first two on my list. That being said, put Kansas lower on your list if it feels right to you. 

#47 (tie): Delaware

My own biased personal ranking and the food category are what make Delaware higher up than the first three on this list. 

I’m going to be honest, though. I don’t remember seeing a whole lot in Delaware. It’s the second smallest state after Rhode Island, so maybe I took a nap during our drive through on our way to see the horses on Assateague Island. 

I also had too many beers at the Dogfish Head Brewery. 

Wilmington is just down the river from Philadelphia, though, and the DC/Baltimore area provides a good base should you wish to “tick” this one off your 50-state list. 

Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, by the way, so they try to bring attention to the fact that there isn’t much of anything else to do here by bragging that they are “The First State.”

#47 (tie): South Dakota

The “bottom” Dakota shines in outdoor activities like The Badlands, The Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and Wind Cave National Park. 

There are even “unique” “cultural” activities like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and tourist trap gold rush cities like Deadwood, Lead, and Spearfish if you so desire.

Outside of these (mostly) awesome things, South Dakota just doesn’t have it for food, sports/entertainment, and my own personal bias against states annoying to travel to. It is also mostly flat until you go west over the Missouri River. 

If you do find yourself driving through the 80 mph speed limit on Interstate 90, make sure to hit up Wall Drug on your way to Rapid City for another tourist trap experience. In this case, some traps are worth seeing. 

You won’t miss their signs on the way. I promise. 

Note: If you hate the ocean, the point in the United States that is furthest from it is located in South Dakota. It’s just over 1,000 miles from the nearest coastline. 

#45: Rhode Island

Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island. Discuss!

Rhode Island may be small, but they do have quite a bit of history and character as one of the original 13 colonies.

Rhode Island also scores higher than the others so far on food, entertainment, and my personal thoughts, “It wasn’t super annoying for me to travel there.”

Oh, hello there, Boston.

Providence was fun to visit, the state has a surprisingly high number of parks to enjoy, and the food diversity here is superior to the first five on my list. If you like the coast, most of this tiny state is on it as well. 

Speaking of the coast, you can see some of the largest “summer homes” you’ll ever see in your life in Newport, home of The Breakers.

#44: Iowa

“If you build a ‘best U.S. State list’, they may click.” 

Iowa is more than just the setting of a movie that Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones made famous. Well, maybe not, since I still have them in the bottom 10, and they still barely rank above the others so far in every category. 

We loved our time in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Cedar Rapids has a fun brewery scene and a lively Czech immigrant scene in New Bohemia. Iowa City is known for its prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop, but the Devonian Fossil Gorge is worth a stop, too.

And yes, checking out that Field of Dreams house is worth the trip.

#43: Oklahoma

Next up is the Sooner State. We spent an entire month in Tulsa during our nomadic travels, and I would recommend this city for a visit, as well as Oklahoma City.

In fact, our time there is probably pushing them a little higher up than you may rank them. Don’t @ me. 

Tulsa surprised us in the best way. We originally chose it because it was one of the most affordable places to stay for a month, but it turned out to have more going on than we expected.

Between the important history of the Greenwood District and Black Wall Street, its Art Deco architecture, and a decent food and brewery scene, we kept busy.

Add in Route 66 nostalgia, its music museums, and day trips nearby, and Tulsa feels like a place that deserves a spot on more travel itineraries. It doesn’t save the rest of the state from a higher ranking, though.

#42: Mississippi

Next up is Mississippi, which I think I have ranked too high. Sorry, not sorry. I probably gave them too much credit in the food category. 

When I was growing up in the South, Mississippi was most well known for having a jingle to remember how to spell it, and for being the birthplace of Elvis. Tupelo is less than two hours from Memphis, if you so desire. 

Whether it’s “double S” or “double crooked letter,” Mississippi feels right in the bottom 10. 

#41: Indiana

Rounding out the bottom 10 is the Hoosier State. Sports fans, Indiana’s got multiple major college basketball and football teams, an NBA team, arguably the most exciting WNBA player, and the first NFL team on our list. 

Agnes may or may not still be bitter about Peyton Manning tearing the heart out of her Bears in the Super Bowl thanks to one sexy Rex(y) Grossman. 

I’ve been to Indianapolis several times for both work and pleasure, and I think it is quite an underrated metropolitan area. You can also head up north to the small amount of Lake Michigan shoreline they hold.

I promise there is a reason it’s called America’s “Third Coast. “

Also, you may have noticed that the picture we used for this one isn’t actually in Indiana, but from Mud Island in Tennessee. From all of our visits, including trips to South Bend and the Indiana Dunes, we’ve got nothing. We’ll fix that one day. Maybe.

#40: West Virginia

The next 10 begin with the Virginia defectors. West Virginia is very scenic, and we stayed in the capital of Charleston for a few weeks to explore this sparsely populated state. 

If you are looking for outdoor tourism, West Virginia’s got you with hiking, skiing, whitewater rafting, fishing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and hunting. New River Gorge is definitely worth a visit.

Other than this, they rank lower for food and sports/entertainment, and it is not the easiest to get to, so my personal ranking also drags them down a bit. 

Fun fact: West Virginia was one of two states admitted to the Union during the Civil War.  

#39: Idaho

I’ve seen Idaho rated much higher on some lists, so I won’t argue if you dislike its placement here. Part of Yellowstone is there, after all.

Craters of the Moon is pretty neat, and watching BASE jumpers off the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls was quite the feat, especially with Shoshone Falls just a short distance away.

Coeur d’Alene also looks very impressive in the pictures, although we haven’t been there yet. Boise was…fine though. Because I think Idaho is fairly one-dimensional, towards the bottom they go. Enjoy your French fries if you disagree. 

#38: Nevada

Next up is the other state admitted to the Union during the Civil War. If sports, entertainment, gambling, shows, and food are your thing, you can’t do much better than the variety Las Vegas provides. 

Outside of “Adult Disneyland,” there’s also the eastern part of Lake Tahoe with Reno nearby. Washoe Lake State Park is just a short drive from Reno, offering scenic trails.

We’ve spent quite a bit of time near the Reno/Tahoe area, and I’d take this region over Vegas personally. 

Nevada also has some cool road trip potential, with their section of U.S. Route 50 being considered the loneliest road in the United States. State Route 375 is dubbed the ET Highway due to the number of UFO sightings near Area 51. 

#37: Arkansas

Up next, primarily due to their outdoor ranking, is Arkansas. If you have not visited the Ozarks, Hot Springs National Park, or one of their 52 State parks, you may be a little surprised at this ranking. It is worth your time and effort to get there, though. 

While there, stop by Little Rock for food, culture, and some excellent history on the Civil Rights Movement. Head on over to Pinnacle Mountain State Park while you’re there, and I assure you that you won’t be left disappointed. 

READ MORE: What’s it like to visit a Hot Springs bathhouse? Here’s a detailed, at times uncomfy, look.

#36: Alabama

Speaking of Civil Rights history, Alabama provides excellent opportunities for travelers in Montgomery and Selma. Step over the Edmund Pettus Bridge and you’ll see what I mean.  

The tail end of the Appalachians dot the northern end of the state, providing some excellent hiking opportunities.

And if you’re a Space nerd like me, check out Huntsville on your tour up there. My favorite field trip as a youth was going to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. 

If left turns are your bag, check out the Talladega Speedway on your way back down towards Birmingham. Yours truly used to live somewhat close to this largest metro area of Alabama, and it is still one of my favorite cities to visit in the South. 

Finally, make the trip to the coast, and Mobile greets you.

I call this “Superior New Orleans” not only because it was where Mardi Gras actually began, but because the vibes just feel so much better there for me. It’s easy to get to Bayou La Batre of Forrest Gump fame from here.

Honestly, I think Alabama should be ranked higher. 

#35: Wyoming

Next up is maybe my third or fourth favorite rectangular state. The internets tend to disagree with me here, as I see Wyoming rated much higher on many lists. 

I get it, you have heard of Yellowstone. 

Quick, what’s the capital city of Wyoming, though??? 

My point exactly. 

Wyoming has arguably the most iconic national park, but its location is not convenient for travelers, nor is there a variety of things to do other than visit the park. I’m not saying that going to Yellowstone isn’t worth it, but that’s not the point of this post. 

The Tetons are also magnificent, and if you can afford those astronomical lift tickets, by all means head up that chair lift near Jackson Hole.  

We spent several weeks in Cheyenne looking for things to do outside of these iconic Wyomingisms, though, and I’m just not seeing the draw outside the nation’s best park. Casper and Laramie were kind of cool, I suppose. 

(Cheyenne is the capital, my friends.)

READ MORE: We saw A LOT of Wyoming. Check out all of the day trips we ticked off during our time in Cheyenne.

#34: Kentucky

Putting Kentucky above Wyoming, or even several states so far on this list, might immediately turn some of you off to this post. 

I get it. 

Hear me out, though. I think Louisville is awesome. Spend a weekend there during the Kentucky Derby, and you’ll see what I mean.

It’s also home to one of the first MLB teams and the famous Louisville Slugger bat. The team isn’t there anymore, but the Louisville Slugger Museum was super neat. 

Kentucky also has some of the best bourbon the world can offer, so much so that they made up their own trail for you to follow and try 40+ different distilleries. 

They also have Mammoth Cave National Park, the longest known cave system in the entire world! 

Moving on. 

#33: Connecticut

Next up is proof that I didn’t just put all the smol states in the bottom 10. Connecticut has nearly 10 times more state parks than Wyoming, just in case you’re surprised they rank this high.

Connecticut also benefits from, you know, people actually living there, so their food score pushes them up higher than you might think.

Some of the best pizza I’ve ever tasted, at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally’s Apizza, and Modern Apizza, are in New Haven. I recommend going to all three so you can decide for yourself.

Head to Mystic if you like both pizza and our national treasure, Julia Roberts. (Mystic Pizza was also Matt Damon’s first movie.)  

“Mom, do you want my green stuff?” Still cracks me up. 

I guess the Yale campus in New Haven was neat too, but this state school grad is way too cool for that overpriced nonsense.  Hartford is also worth a visit, if you can get away from all that excellent pizza. 

#32: New Hampshire

Staying in the Northeast for now, next up is the Live Free or Die State. If you’ve never visited New Hampshire in the fall, I highly recommend some of the best Leaf Peepin’ the U.S. has to offer. Stay patient with the traffic on your way towards Mount Washington.

If you’re more into coastal towns over mountain roads, spend some time in Portsmouth. The historic port city is walkable, full of colonial architecture, and big on fresh seafood. If you’re visiting in the fall like we were, you’ll see pumpkins all over town.

#31: Louisiana

While some may disagree with me here, Louisiana would be in my bottom 10 without New Orleans. And I’ve already told you that I like Mobile personally a little bit better, so don’t be too shocked with Louisiana’s place here in the middle. 

New Orleans is obviously worth visiting all by itself, though, so I’m not going to argue with my spreadsheet on this one. Baton Rouge is also worth your time to visit, as well, if only to check out their unique Capitol building. 

Oh, you didn’t know Baton Rouge was the state capital?  

Louisiana punches above its weight when it comes to food. Even outside of New Orleans, you’ll find fantastic gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boys, and crawfish boils that make a stronger case for the state.

Driving the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the longest continuous bridge over water in the world, is an experience, too.

#30: Missouri

Next up in the middle of the pack, as well as the middle of the country, is Missouri. 

Missourri? 

No, definitely Missouri. 

Travelers will find several amazing things to do in the Show-Me State. For city, food, and culture, head to Kansas City for some of the best BBQ in the country, as well as one of the most hated NFL teams. 

St. Louis lies near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, where the “mighty” really starts to come into play for the latter. I don’t know why it is a national park, but the Gateway Arch is a pretty cool sight to see there as well. 

The southern end of the state contains natural beauty in the Ozarks. Nearby is the resort city of Branson, and if you are scoffing at the “resort” title, I encourage you to open your mind (and wallet) to experience what this town has to offer. 

#29: Vermont

Next up is Maine’s “almost” neighbor, Vermont. Much like a lot of the Northeastern United States, Vermont has some excellent scenery in the fall.

In addition, they have some cool mountain towns like Stowe and one of the most scenic capital cities, Montpelier.

It’s also home to Dog Mountain near St. Johnsbury. It’s a 150-acre dog paradise where pups can roam free or visit the Dog Chapel, a place dedicated to the bond between people and their pets.

Kimmy would probably rank this state closer to the top if she had a vote.

Note: We’ve been to three places named Montpelier now, and I think each one is spelled and pronounced differently. 

#28: New Jersey

I’m going to be honest with you here. My spreadsheet led me astray with this one. My former insurance career brought me to New Jersey several times before I was able to visit for my own enjoyment, though, so this might taint my negative view a little bit. 

My own personal thoughts of New Jersey aside, there’s plenty to see and do here and nearby. I mean, it’s right across the river from one of the greatest cities in the world! 

Within New Jersey, you, of course, can get your East Coast Vegas fix in Atlantic City. While there, stroll along the coast made (more?) famous by some reality show Italian-Americans. 

Perhaps most importantly, the best cheesesteak I’ve ever eaten was not in Philly, but in Camden, at Donkey’s Place. If you don’t trust me, Anthony Bourdain agreed with me at least. 

#27: Alaska

Another spreadsheet killer here in Alaska. I guess the low population, lack of sports teams, and the fact that it’s slightly hard to get to offset the part about this being probably the best state visually to go see.

I mean, where else can you watch glaciers calve into the sea?!? That’s a regular thing at Alaska’s tidewater glaciers, especially around places like Kenai Fjords near Seward.

Between driving from Anchorage to Seward, exploring Denali National Park, and spotting wildlife between Anchorage and Denali, the scenery makes this place unreal.

Definitely go here. This list is wrong and stupid. 

#26:  South Carolina

Last up on the back half is the bottom Carolina. No, I don’t know why it’s above Alaska either. 

Smaller Carolina has all kinds of things travelers would want: mountains in the west, beaches in the east, golf resorts all over, history, and excellent southern food. 

Charleston is another one of my favorite Southern cities to visit. Take a food/walking tour there, and you’ll see what I mean.

Speaking of walking, I would go to Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head as much as Agnes would let me to golf. Maybe not to Kiawah, though, because boy was that pricey.

If golf isn’t your thing, the state has a surprisingly cool national park. Congaree National Park protects one of the largest intact bottomland hardwood forests in the country, with boardwalk trails through massive old-growth trees and peaceful kayaking.

Next Up: The Top 25 States

Curious which states claimed the top spots? Check out my other guide to see the best of the best.

Planning travel in the U.S.? Check out these guides:

• A Detailed Guide to Tahlequah, Oklahoma
• Things to Do at Natural Falls State Park
• Tips for Visiting Tulsa’s Best Dog Parks
• Why You Should Take Denali’s Wilderness Tour
• How to Spend the Day in Anchorage

More posts about U.S. destinations:

• Where to Stop on a Southern Road Trip
• Plan the Best Day Trips From Boston
• Top Stops on a New England Road Trip
• New Orleans Date Ideas for Couples
• Romantic Things to Do in Charleston

Want to see more?