After visiting all 50 states, there are only 3 I'd choose to live in
After visiting all 50 states, there are three I'd happily live in — including my current, New York.
I love to spend time in the wide-open spaces of the Teton Mountain Range of Wyoming.
With stormy seasons and beachside communities, Rhode Island is my ideal state for coastal living.
As a travel writer, I truly believe that every state in the US is worth visiting at least once.
Some states, as I've written before, deserve multiple trips. However, there are only a select few I'd consider living in full-time.
As a constitutionally (and professionally) nomadic individual, it takes a special part of the country to make me want to stay put for longer than a month.
From the mountains of the American West to the Atlantic Coast of New England, here are the three states I'd choose to live in every time.
I can't resist the cosmopolitan culture of New York's concrete jungle
After all of my travels, I stand by the idea that New York City is the only real "city" city.
I may seek out the serenity of nature on my travels, but when it comes to day-to-day living, I long for the 24-hour bodegas and 4 a.m. last calls in the city that never sleeps.
Plus, I appreciate how easy it is to leave the city and explore some of the state's other landscapes. When I tire of all those bright lights and big city action, seaside getaways to spots like Shelter Island or the Hamptons are a mere train ride away.
As a frequent traveler, one of the other big benefits of living in New York is that I have two major international airports with direct flights to almost anywhere.
I spent most of my post-college years living in Manhattan, so I also treasure that it's located close to many of my friends and family members. (Full disclosure: I am a New Jersey native).
I'm currently living in New York City, and I'd choose to do so over and over again.
I love the wildness and the wide-open spaces of the Cowboy State
Yes, I am transitioning from the most populated US city to the least-populated state: Wyoming. The state has great opportunities for horseback riding, skiing, hiking, and so much more.
In the past, I've spent several years cabin-dwelling in the Cowboy State — and I'd do it again. I found solace in the wide open spaces of Grand Teton National Park and grew accustomed to falling asleep to the howls of coyotes.
I long to return to that lifestyle of writing in the morning, skiing in the afternoon, and watching that western sunset in the evening with a bourbon in hand.
When I do hit one of New York's airports, the destination I often yearn to fly to the most is Wyoming's Jackson Hole. In my humble opinion, it's the most beautiful place in America.
The state's mountains are often calling me, and I can see myself answering again one day — permanently.
Rhode Island epitomizes my ideal of East Coast island living
As much as I adore the drama of the Tetons, there's nothing that quite compares to the sea.
I've spent many summers along the Atlantic shores of Rhode Island, and I can envision myself happily residing on its rocky coast year-round.
Although the Pacific has sandier beaches and sunnier days, I prefer New England's jagged coastline and stormier seasons.
Rhode Island is a thrill to explore, teeming with coastal communities that each have their own charm, from Narragansett to Jamestown, Little Compton to Block Island.
The combination of the farmlands in Portsmouth and the lively nightlife of Newport already makes its Aquidneck Island my favorite getaway every summer.
One day, I hope the Ocean State becomes my safe haven for all four seasons. By then, of course, I'll have to find a new vacation spot to escape to.
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