2017 Travel Plans

[aggie96]

For those that visit all 50 states, is there a "criteria" that makes the state count? For example, does it have to be overnight or just passing through, or one site-seeing stop but not overnight?

 

I know there are no set rules, but I'm curious about what generally counts towards that goal. My 5th grade teacher (waaaaaay back when) visited her 50th state that year. It stuck with me because I find it fascinating and really want to do it!

[lovinmyboys]

For those that visit all 50 states, is there a "criteria" that makes the state count? For example, does it have to be overnight or just passing through, or one site-seeing stop but not overnight?

 

I know there are no set rules, but I'm curious about what generally counts towards that goal. My 5th grade teacher (waaaaaay back when) visited her 50th state that year. It stuck with me because I find it fascinating and really want to do it!

I'm wondering this too. I started a list of states that all of my kids have been to. We only drove through Oklahoma and Georgia (we stopped at a fast food restaurant in each). I didn't count them, but Dh said he thinks they should count.

[theelfqueen]

IMO: Driving through counts, airport landing/layover doesn't  :)

 

(I have 14 to go... DH only has 1!)

 

[creekland]

For those that visit all 50 states, is there a "criteria" that makes the state count? For example, does it have to be overnight or just passing through, or one site-seeing stop but not overnight?

 

I know there are no set rules, but I'm curious about what generally counts towards that goal. My 5th grade teacher (waaaaaay back when) visited her 50th state that year. It stuck with me because I find it fascinating and really want to do it!

 

This really depends upon what is available in the state.  Some states are literally set up for tourism with their geography, etc.  We've usually spent more time in those and have visited some of these far more than once.  Others take a bit more to appreciate.  We might try a different area of them if we visit a second time, or we might just decide other areas of the world "call to us" more and skip them.

 

For us, driving through counts, but that's mainly because we take the back roads, not interstates.  We look at some towns or small cities, often eat at a mom & pop place of some sort - might hit a playground and grocery store (esp when the kids were younger and needed stretch time).  We felt we got to know at least a part of the state - filling in a mental map of what it was like.  Some of these we've camped in too as camping is often less expensive and state parks can be quite nice even if there's not much to see otherwise. 

 

If we just drove through on an interstate and saw absolutely nothing, I don't think that would count.  We're firm believers of Charles Kuralt's saying, 

 

"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything."

[Pam in CT]

For those that visit all 50 states, is there a "criteria" that makes the state count? For example, does it have to be overnight or just passing through, or one site-seeing stop but not overnight?

 

I know there are no set rules, but I'm curious about what generally counts towards that goal. My 5th grade teacher (waaaaaay back when) visited her 50th state that year. It stuck with me because I find it fascinating and really want to do it!

 

 

:laugh:

 

Family criteria for what "counts" vary, of course.  Our is twofold: 1. We have to stay overnight; and 2. We also have to get out of the car and actually SEE something that is specific to that place.  Just pulling off the road to eat a meal at Appleby's or the equivalent doesn't "count."

 

Same criteria for countries.  

[aggie96]

Well, I googled this same question last night, and, boy, do answers vary. :)

 

We are headed to Virginia from Texas over Springbreak this year. So we begin our 50 quest in earnest. I think we agreed that to count we must 1) stop and see *something* in the state (unique to that area) and 2) take a family pic at the state line sign. Now this might get tricky if we fly and drive so we might need to get creative. But we all look forward to having those specific pics as the kids grow up. Timeline goal is before oldest heads to college. That gives us 7 years. Even if we miss the deadline, it'll be fun trying!

 

ETA This thread obviously got my crew talking, and we realized that the kids have been to 4 countries, and I've been to 7! I had not thought about it like that until now! Pretty cool!

Edited December 6, 2016 by aggie96

[creekland]

Well, I googled this same question last night, and, boy, do answers vary. :)

 

We are headed to Virginia from Texas over Springbreak this year. So we begin our 50 quest in earnest. I think we agreed that to count we must 1) stop and see *something* in the state (unique to that area) and 2) take a family pic at the state line sign. Now this might get tricky if we fly and drive so we might need to get creative. But we all look forward to having those specific pics as the kids grow up. Timeline goal is before oldest heads to college. That gives us 7 years. Even if we miss the deadline, it'll be fun trying!

 

ETA This thread obviously got my crew talking, and we realized that the kids have been to 4 countries, and I've been to 7! I had not thought about it like that until now! Pretty cool!

 

My kids colored in a map as/after we hit states.  That map remains on our fridge to this day.  We still need to color in Alaska.

[Pam in CT]

Well, I googled this same question last night, and, boy, do answers vary. :)

 

We are headed to Virginia from Texas over Springbreak this year. So we begin our 50 quest in earnest. I think we agreed that to count we must 1) stop and see *something* in the state (unique to that area) and 2) take a family pic at the state line sign. Now this might get tricky if we fly and drive so we might need to get creative. But we all look forward to having those specific pics as the kids grow up. Timeline goal is before oldest heads to college. That gives us 7 years. Even if we miss the deadline, it'll be fun trying!

 

ETA This thread obviously got my crew talking, and we realized that the kids have been to 4 countries, and I've been to 7! I had not thought about it like that until now! Pretty cool!

 

 

Enjoy!  We did a leisurely coastal drive between Louisiana and Florida a few years ago and had a wondrous time.  And coming up on the NC side of the Smokies, through the Blue Ridge/Shenandoah ridge... aaahhhhh.... that's one of the prettiest drives we've ever done.  Go as slow as you can!

 

We have a collection of pictures of the kids from toddlerhood to college standing at the entrance signs of national parks.  They all went through an Age where they grumbled and resisted but they're all very nostalgic looking at them now...

[nobeatenpath]

We plan to hopefully go to Trieste to ski (I say we - the boys will ski and I will read and knit and eat). For Summer we plan to travel the Black Sea region - Trabazon, Samsun etc. We have won a weekend trip to Izmir so we will probably combine that with a trip to Chios, which we loved but only spent a day there last time and want to spend more. But other than the trip to Trieste I think everything will remain here in Turkey due to my husband's crazy work schedule.

[aggie96]

I've always kept a road atlas since high school where I highlighted my route when I traveled in a car. Thousands (literally) of miles mostly in Texas, but this is a very big state. :) Almost all of Texas is highlighted excepting some areas out by El Paso. I love going back to see all the places I've driven in several states. DD9 wants to start a family atlas. So to chronicle this quest, we are 1) highlighting roads traveled in the atlas with short notes in margin on dates, POIs, memories 2) DD11 suggested using up those Highlights state study kits that I bought 7 years ago to teach geography (lol) so we can learn about some state basic facts along the way 3) DS7 wants to pin the giant US road map I have on the wall in my office. I think we'll pin places stopped with POI, gas/snack/food, overnights in three different colors.

 

I'm ready for Springbreak!

[mommyoffive]

We're going to South Africa for 6 weeks in January.  I've barely had time to think about it yet, and it will come up quickly after Christmas.  

 

For those wondering about Costa Rica and zika...  We've had an apartment in Costa Rica for several months each year for several years.  The last time we were there, about a year ago, zika was not yet a problem.  

 

Thank you for the Zika report.  It is getting in the way of a lot of places I want to go right now.

 

6 weeks in South Africa??? Amazing!  That is on the top of my dream list.  I want to hear all about it.  So lucky.

[PinkTulip]

Thanks to this thread, I am now searching for available campsites within the solar eclipse zone. We live about 4 hours away from the direct path, so we could totally do it. So far, all of the hotel/motel/B&B are full, but I think I found a tent site for $12 that I might snag just in case.

[creekland]

I found out the 2024 total eclipse goes right over my mom's place... and my aunt's (different places, but both accessible as long as they stay alive, of course).

[mommyoffive]

So anyone else thinking about the eclipse now?   I am kind of thinking about it.   How to know if the weather is going to be good or not for this?    It would be at least a 7 hour drive for use to the closest place or a flight 

I hate to make the effort if the weather ruined it. 

[creekland]

So anyone else thinking about the eclipse now?   I am kind of thinking about it.   How to know if the weather is going to be good or not for this?    It would be at least a 7 hour drive for use to the closest place or a flight 

I hate to make the effort if the weather ruined it. 

 

There is no way to know the weather this far in advance.  We'll be driving with a Plan A in mind, but Plans B & C also looming if needed.  No reservations - camping - even in the car - if needed.  Since the eclipse is at a decent time of day pretty much anywhere, one doesn't have to get super close for either night around it.

 

We had planned on getting "pre-set" early to avoid traffic, but now middle son has his White Coat Ceremony on the 18th, so we'll be on the road with everyone else I suppose.  Such is life.  The next one in the US isn't until 2024 and we have no idea what life will bring between now and then.  We enjoy these sorts of "challenges" so it will be fun - even if we end up with traffic stories to tell around the fire for eons afterward.  Middle son and my mom won't be able to go with us (sigh), but youngest, and if Plan A, oldest + DIL will.  I'm hoping for Plan A...