States I Have Been To

And My Impressions Of Them

In just two days I leave the country for the Dominican Republic, which I will blog about, but I thought today I would discuss the states that I have traveled to right here in the good ol' US of A. And simply driving through them does not count. I have to have spent some considerable time there.

Well, I was born in Pennsylvania as were both of my parents. We travel there often to visit family. My father also has two houses there. My parents are 'snowbirds,' so when they go north in the summer sometimes I visit them there. I also have family in New York ... the Buffalo area. For a time I was going there once a year to attend a Buffalo Bills game. My grandfather and uncle are both golf pros, so every once in a while I go there to golf too.

I currently live in Orlando, Florida and absolutely love it here ... with a few exceptions. Let's see ... the heat, the humidity, the bugs, the fact that you practically have to be bilingual to function here, the traffic is abhorrent, tourists suck, and Miami Dolphin fans are everywhere! Besides that I like it here. It is nice being able to jog, bike, golf, swim, etc. any time of the year since it never gets too cold not to. I like Disney World, especially EPCOT. I like Universal Studios and the amazing strip they have of bars and restaurants. Daytona Beach is only an hour away. And my parents' have two houses in southwest Florida just three hours away.

I have been to Tennessee most recently. Many years ago I went there on a family vacation in Chattanooga, which was fun. I then returned there a few years later to visit I girl I had been seeing. Then just a month or two ago we went to Gatlinburg to zip line and ride horses, which I blogged about previously. I really like Tennessee, and especially the people there. Virginia has great people too. I have been there more than a few times as a kid and an adult. My family has taken several trips there to visit Jefferson's Monticello, Washington's Mount Vernon, Madison's Montpelier, and other forefathers as well. We also stayed several nights in Williamsburg, which was a blast for me because I am really into the founding fathers, and it was like traveling back in time.

The wife and kids and I spent a few days at Las Vegas in Nevada. That was really something, and we all had an amazing time, but after three days the dry air began to affect me, so we left in perfect time. Same goes for Texas. I have been to Houston, which I really did not enjoy, and Dallas, which was okay. However, once again, it was so damn hot that it felt like being in an oven.

I suppose I can add Illinois to this list since the family did spend several days in Chicago about three years ago. I also go there once a year for a golf tournament. The state itself seems pretty unremarkable except for how much of a 'blue' state it is. Another 'blue' state I have been to is Minnesota. My wife and I have been there the last two years in April for the Prince Celebrations at Paisley Park, which I have also blogged about just recently. I really like it there, the land is beautiful, and it is apparently the #1 state to be a pharmacist in according to some Drug Topics Magazine study. The only problem that stands out to me there is how bizarrely designed the streets are. They have traffic exiting at the same time others are attempting to merge onto the road. It's like they're begging for disaster.

Well, that is it. Please leave a comment below if you have anything to add, or if you have been to a state not aforementioned and let us know what you thought of it.