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WHAT IS EACH U.S. STATE KNOWN FOR?


Each of the 50 U.S. states has a distinct personality, with interesting quirks and peculiarities. As you travel, it's helpful to know what each state is famous for so that you can determine what you'd like to do, eat, see, or learn there. Take note that I have intentionally excluded derogatory or extremely negative things that the states are known or famous for.

If you can think of anything missing from these lists, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com.


Author/Contributor: Greg Parsons

WHAT IS ALABAMA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



aerospace and defense industries
beaches
civil rights history
college football

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Alabama.


WHAT IS ALASKA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



bald eagles
bears/wildlife
cruise ships
deep sea fishing
king crab
dogsledding
float/sea planes
glaciers
heli-skiing
highest male-to-female ratio in the U.S.
national parks
Inuit culture
moose
mountaineering
northern lights
salmon
snowmobiling
totem poles
tundra
wilderness


WHAT IS ARIZONA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



4x4 driving
ATV/ORV driving
artistic designs of highway bridges/overpasses
astronomy / stargazing
boating
canyons / slot canyons
copper mines / copper mining
dams (e.g. Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, etc.)
date nuts
desert landscapes
geology / rock formations
ghost towns
golfing / golf courses
helicopter tours
hot air balloons / hot air ballooning
hot temperatures
national monuments
Native American culture and history
organ pipe cactus
petrified wood
red rocks
sandstone buttes
saguaro cactus
slot canyons
Spanish missions
turquoise gemstones
water reservoirs (e.g. Lake Mead, Lake Powell)
waterfalls (e.g. Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, Grand Falls)
wild west history

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Arizona.


WHAT IS ARKANSAS KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



canoeing
caves / cave tours
crystal mines
desegregation history / museums
diamond mines
folk music
home of Walmart
hot springs
natural beauty (Arkansas calls itself "The Natural State")
outdoor activities
state parks and their lodges/cabins (Arkansas has one of the U.S.'s best state park systems)
the Clintons
trout fishing
Victorian architecture

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Arkansas.


WHAT IS CALIFORNIA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



4x4 driving
alpine scenery
amusement parks
beaches
beach piers
coastal bluffs
coastal scenic drives
deserts
drive-thru trees
earthquakes
gold rush / gold mines
golfing
major cities
movie/film industry
progressive politics
palm trees
raisins
redwood trees
rock climbing
skiing/snowboarding
sequoia trees
Spanish missions
strong environmental protections
sunshine
surfing
technology companies
volcanoes
waterfalls
wineries / vineyards / wine tasting


Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to California.


WHAT IS COLORADO KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



14,000-foot mountains
4x4 / off-road driving
archaeological sites
aspen trees
backcountry skiing
breweries
canyons
dude ranches
first state to legalize marijuana (along with Washington state)
ghost towns / old West towns
gold mines
hiking and backpacking
hot springs
mining ruins
mountain passes
national forests
professional sports teams
rocky mountains
scenic landscapes
ski/snowboard towns & resorts
trout fishing
whitewater rafting

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Colorado.


WHAT IS CONNECTICUT KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



casinos
hamburgers
insurance companies
lighthouses
nutmeg
pizza
rail trails
rolling hills

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Connecticut.


WHAT IS DELAWARE KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



beaches
beach boardwalks
chemical manufacturing
first state in the U.S.
incorporating a business
seaside amusements
tax-free shopping

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Delaware.


WHAT IS FLORIDA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



air boats
alligators/crocodiles
amusement parks
art deco
beaches
bird-watching
boardwalk-trails
charter boats
citrus fruits
deep-sea fishing / sport-fishing charters
dolphins / dolphin-watching tours
fishing camps
golfing
hurricanes
kayaking/paddling
key lime pie
manatees
mangroves / mangrove tunnels
natural springs
ocean piers
oranges
panthers
retirement communities
saltwater fly-fishing
scuba-diving
sharks
shelling / sea-shells
spring break
spring training
state parks
sugar mills / sugar mill ruins
sunshine
swamps
swamp-walking
theme parks
wildlife refuges
zoos & wildlife sanctuaries

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Florida.


WHAT IS GEORGIA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



Civil Rights history
Civil War history
Coca-Cola history
film and television production
golfing
Gone with the Wind (movie)
peaches
peanuts
pecans
quail hunting
southern hospitality
sweet tea
waterfalls

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Georgia.


WHAT IS HAWAII KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



beaches
boat tours
coffee plantations
helicopter tours
honeymooners
hula
islands
luau's
macadamia nuts
military history
pineapples
scuba-diving
seaside cliffs
snorkeling
surfing
volcanoes
waterfalls


WHAT IS IDAHO KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



backpacking
canyons
fly-fishing
gem mining
gold mining history
ghost towns
hot springs
lava tubes
lentils
national forests
onions
potatoes
rail trails
rock climbing
scenic landscapes
scenic rivers
trout fishing
waterfalls
whitewater rafting
wilderness

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Idaho.


WHAT IS ILLINOIS KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



Abraham Lincoln
Chicago blues
corn dogs
deep-dish pizza
first McDonald's location
first U.S. state at abolish slavery
Frank Lloyd Wright architecture
presidential birthplaces
pumpkins
Route 66
skyscrapers

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Illinois.


WHAT IS INDIANA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



agricultural industries (e.g. corn)
automotive industry
covered bridges
farms
museums
NASCAR events
nature preserves
sand dunes
show caves

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Indiana.


WHAT IS IOWA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



agriculture industry (e.g. corn, pork, soybeans)
Amana colonies
covered bridges (e.g. Madison County)
farms / farmland
political caucuses
rivers

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Iowa.


WHAT IS KANSAS KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



aircraft manufacturing
beef cattle
oil wells
prairies / tallgrass prairies
state in the center of the U.S.
sunflowers
tornadoes
wheat
Wizard of Oz

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Kansas.


WHAT IS KENTUCKY KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



baseball bats
bluegrass music
bourbon / bourbon distilleries
caves
coal mines
Corvettes
fried chicken
geologic formations
horse breeding
horse farms
horse racing
natural arches
natural bridges
tobacco
waterfalls

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Kentucky.


WHAT IS LOUISIANA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



alligators
bayous
blues music
cajun food / cuisine
casinos
creole food / cuisine
fishing charters
French colonial buildings
gumbo
jazz music / jazz clubs
Mardi gras celebrations / museums
plantations
riverboat casinos
shrimp
swamps / swamp tours
zydeco

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Louisiana.


WHAT IS MAINE KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



beaches
black bears
black flies / mosquitos
blueberries / low-bush blueberries
boat-building
fishing / fishing harbors / ice-fishing
lakes
lighthouses
lobsters / lobster rolls
logging roads / timberlands
lumberjacks
L.L. Bean
loons
moose
potatoes
puffins / puffin tours
rocky / rugged coastlines
sailing
schooners
sea-kayaking
ski/snowboard resorts
snowmobiling
sporting camps / hunting
tidal falls / reversing falls
whitewater rafting
windjammers
woods / forest

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Maine.


WHAT IS MARYLAND KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



birthplace of the National Anthem
blue crabs
Civil War sites and history
horse farms
salt marshes
sailing / boat tours

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Maryland.


WHAT IS MASSACHUSETTS KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



art museums
colonial history / pilgrims
cranberries
fishing
gay rights
healthcare institutions
higher education (e.g. universities & colleges)
islands
living history museums
national historic parks
professional sports
Revolutionary War history
whale watching tours
witches / witch trials

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Massachusetts.


WHAT IS MICHIGAN KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



automobile industry / auto manufacturers
beaches
bi-peninsular state
cherries
fly-fishing
fudge
great lakes
lakeshore towns
lighthouses
mountain biking trails
sand dunes
shipwrecks
shorelines
waterfalls

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Michigan.


WHAT IS MINNESOTA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



biggest mall in the U.S.
canoeing/kayaking
dog-sledding
fishing
hockey
ice fishing
lakes
lodge/cabin resorts
lumberjacks
Paul Bunyan
pioneer village
rail trails
roadside attractions
SPAM
waterfalls

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Minnesota.


WHAT IS MISSISSIPPI KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



blues music
catfish
casinos
Civil Rights history
cotton / cotton fields
magnolia trees
plantation homes
poorest state in the U.S.

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Mississippi.


WHAT IS MISSOURI KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



amusement parks / family-fun attractions
BBQ restaurants
caves / cave tours
civil rights history
lakes
Mark Twain
natural springs
professional sports
ribs
riverboats
roadside attractions
theaters / live performances / dinner theatres
wineries

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Missouri.


WHAT IS MONTANA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



big skies
bird-watching
buffalo jumps
cowboys
Flathead cherries
fly-fishing
ghost towns
glaciers
grizzly bears
hot springs / hot springs resorts
huckleberries
hunting
ice-fishing
lakes
Lewis & Clark attractions
log cabins
mining history
mountaineering
national forests
national wildlife refuges
ranches / dude ranches
sapphires
snowmobiling
wilderness areas

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Montana.


WHAT IS NEBRASKA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



college football
corn
farms / farmlands
Lewis & Clark history
Oregon Trail history
prairies
rivers & streams
sandhill cranes
zoos

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Nebraska.


WHAT IS NEVADA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



auto/car museums
buffets
Burning Man festival
desert scenery
gambling/casinos
gold & silver mines
golfing
gun ranges / shooting ranges
legal prostitution
military bases & bomb testing
mob history
neon signs
no income tax
performance theaters / world-class entertainment
trade shows
UFOs/aliens
wedding chapels / instant weddings

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Nevada.


WHAT IS NEW HAMPSHIRE KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



alpine huts
alpine zones
apple cider donuts
ATV/ORV-ing
backcountry skiing
backpacking
boulder caves
children's theme parks
covered bridges
cross country skiing
fall foliage
glacial erratics
grand resorts
granite
hunting
hiking
lakes
lupines
moose
motorcycling
no income tax
no sales tax
outdoor recreation
rock climbing
scenic parkways
scenic railroads
skiing/snowboarding
snowmobiling
swimming holes
waterfalls

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to New Hampshire.


WHAT IS NEW JERSEY KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



amusement parks
beaches
beach boardwalks
can't pump your own gas law
diners
gambling/casinos
gardens
pine barrens
seaside amusements / family-fun attractions
water parks

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to New Jersey.


WHAT IS NEW MEXICO KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



adobe dwellings/architecture
atomic bomb development / testing
Breaking Bad TV filming locations
chili peppers
cliff dwellings
hot air balloons / hot air ballooning
hot springs
national monuments
Native American culture & heritage
petroglyphs
Pueblo historical sites
satellites
southwestern art
UFO sightings/aliens
white sand / gypsum sand dunes

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to New Mexico.


WHAT IS NEW YORK KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



bagels
Broadway shows
concert venues
finance/banking industry
glens
horse racing
immigration history
museums
New York style pizza
professional sports teams
sculpture parks
skyscrapers
taxicabs
theater
waterfalls
wineries

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to New York.


WHAT IS NORTH CAROLINA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



aviation history
barrier islands
BBQ
beach piers
beaches
breweries (e.g. in Asheville)
college basketball
driving on the beach
furniture
gem mines
mountains
NASCAR
national forests
national seashores
pork / pig farms
scenic drives
tobacco
whitewater rafting
wild horses
wineries

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to North Carolina.


WHAT IS NORTH DAKOTA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



agricultural industries
badlands
Fargo movie and TV show
Native American tribes and culture
oil and gas industry
prairies
roadside attractions

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to North Dakota.


WHAT IS OHIO KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



amusement parks
aviation history
covered bridges
Dutch/Amish culture
presidential homes/birthplaces
professional sports teams
rail trails
rock n' roll history
zoos

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Ohio.


WHAT IS OKLAHOMA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



casinos
college football
country music
cowboys
Native American tribes, culture, and museums
oil & gas industry
Route 66 sites and museums
tallgrass prairies

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Oklahoma.


WHAT IS OREGON KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



Asian gardens
beaches
breweries
capes
covered bridges
hippies
hot springs
Lewis & Clark history
lush green forests
mountains
Oregon Trail history
public access to the entire coastline
rocky coastline
sea stacks
tree-huggers
waterfalls
whitewater rafting
windsurfing
wineries / wine tastings / wine tours

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Oregon.


WHAT IS PENNSYLVANIA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



Amish/Dutch culture
cheesesteaks
chocolate
Civil War history/sites
coal mining
covered bridges
funicular railways / inclines
gambling/casinos
mushrooms
pretzels
professional sports
rail trails
Revolutionary War history/sites
rolling hills
shoo-fly pies
steel production

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Pennsylvania.


WHAT IS RHODE ISLAND KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



beaches
being the smallest U.S. state
lighthouses
mansions / mansion tours
miles of coastline (nearly 400 miles!)
sailing

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Rhode Island.


WHAT IS SOUTH CAROLINA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



antebellum architecture
bald peanuts (boiled peanuts)
beaches
golf courses / golfing
grits
historic districts
mini-golfing (e.g. in Myrtle Beach)
palmetto trees
peaches
plantations
sweet tea

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to South Carolina.


WHAT IS SOUTH DAKOTA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



ATV/ORV-ing
badlands
bison / buffalo
caves / cave tours
corn
family-friendly tourist attractions
fossil beds
gambling
geological formations (e.g. granite cliffs and rock spires)
gold mines
motorcycling (e.g. Sturgis Rally)
Native American reservations, history, and culture
prairies
prairie dogs
scenic drives

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to South Dakota.


WHAT IS TENNESSEE KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



aerial adventure parks
amusement parks
BBQ - e.g. Memphis-style BBQ
blues music
caves / cave tours
Civil War history / military parks / battlefields
country music
dinner theaters
Elvis Presley
live music
moonshine
mountain coasters / alpine slides
music museums
tourist attractions
waterfalls
whiskey distilleries
whitewater rafting
zip-lining tours

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Tennessee.


WHAT IS TEXAS KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



bat flights / bat watching
BBQ
caves / cave tours
chili
corn dogs
cowboy culture
drive-in movie theaters
football
live music
natural springs
oil and gas industry
prison museums
professional sports teams
rodeos
steak
water parks
wool production
zoos / wildlife centers

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Texas.


WHAT IS UTAH KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



4x4 roads / off-road driving
alpine lakes
archaeological sites
aspen trees
ATV/OHV-ing
BLM public lands
canyoneering
deserts / desert scenery
dinosaur fossils / dinosaur footprints
float trips
Great Salt Lake
hiking / backpacking
hoodoos
moose
Mormons
mountain biking
national forests
national monuments
national parks
natural arches
natural bridges
outdoor recreation
overlanding
petroglyphs/pictographs
salt flats
sandstone
scenic drives
skiing/snowboarding
slot canyons
tight alcohol regulations
unique geology / rock formations
wildflowers

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Utah.


WHAT IS VERMONT KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



breweries
cheese
clapboard houses
covered bridges
fall foliage
green mountains
hippies
maple syrup / maple sugar
marble
mountain biking
no billboards allowed on highways law
red barns
skiing/snowboarding
swimming holes
waterfalls
white churches

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Vermont.


WHAT IS VIRGINIA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



amusement parks
apples
beaches
birthplace of America
black bears
caves / cave tours
Civil War history/battlefields
Colonial history
historic houses/buildings
internet / technology companies
museums
presidential homes/birthplaces
Revolutionary War history/sites
scenic drives
tobacco
wineries / vineyards

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Virginia.


WHAT IS WASHINGTON KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



alpine lakes
apples
aerospace industry
breweries
cherries
evergreen forests
fish markets / throwing fish
glaciers / glaciated mountains
glass art / blown glass
grunge rock / grunge movement
lavender farms
mountaineering
orcas / killer whales / whale-watching tours
rain
rain forests
sea-kayaking
tech companies
volcanoes
waterfalls
wineries

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Washington.


WHAT IS WASHINGTON D.C. KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



embassies
historic houses
home of the federal government
governmental buildings / agencies
lobbyists
monuments / memorials
museums
professional sports teams
protests / protesting

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Washington D.C.


WHAT IS WEST VIRGINIA KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



coal mining
mountain scenery
national forests
outdoor activities
waterfalls
whitewater rafting

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to West Virginia.


WHAT IS WISCONSIN KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



ATV/ORV-ing
beer / breweries
brat / bratwurst
cheese
cranberries
dairy farms / cows
fish fry
ginseng
Native American culture and history
quirky museums
rail trails
roadside attractions
snowmobiling
water parks

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Wisconsin.


WHAT IS WYOMING KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR?



alpine lakes
backpacking
canyons
cowboys / cowboy culture
dinosaur fossils
elk
fly-fishing
geysers
grizzly bears
hiking
historic forts
historical museums
horseback riding
hot springs / geothermal features
mountaineering
national forests
national parks
Native American history and culture
petroglyphs
ranches / dude ranches
rock climbing
rodeos / bull-riding
scenic drives / scenic byways
skiing/snowboarding
waterfalls
whitewater rafting

Click here to explore my comprehensive travel guide to Wyoming.


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