State Places Challenge -- A to Z

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(Photo by Craig Antill)
Acadian culture
Bouctouche
Chaleur Bay
De la République National Park
Edith Butler
Fundy National Park
Grand Manan Island
Hartland Covered Bridge National Historic Site
Irving Eco-Centre
Jourimain Island
Kouchibougouac National Park
La Sagouine
Miramichi River Route
New River Beach
Oak Bay Provincial Park
Pinweed
Quaco Museum
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
Sea Lions
Tobique Pow Wow
University of New Brunswick
Val Comeau Provincial Park
Whales
X - ?
York Sunbury Historical Society Museum
Zachary Richard

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Aurora Borealis
Baffin Island
Circle (Artic)
David Hanbury
Ellesmere Island National Park
Franklin Expedition
Gold
Hunting
Inuktitut
James Tyrell
Knight, James
Lancaster Sound
Midnight Sun
NorthWest Passage
Oral History
Polar bear
Qulliq
Roald Amundsen
Simpson Strait
Toundra
U - ?
Victoria Island
Wilberforce Falls
X - ?
Y - ?
Z - ?

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OK - The Challenge has again been taken up (et il inclut maintenant le seul département Français en Amérique du Nord!), so since I'm now planning a quick trip to NC in the fall...
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(Photo by Craig Antill)
Asheville: Something of a hidden gem in the foothills. Go if only for the Biltmore Estate.
Blue Ridge Parkway: The quintisential scenic road
Charlotte: Home to the Panthers, Bobcats and soon, the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Durham Bulls: Yes, there really is such a team, but they've graduated to AAA since Crash Davis and Nuke LaLoosh played.
Elizabeth City: Bills itself as "One of America's Best Small Towns", on the Inner Banks
Fort Raleigh: Where the English first tried to set up shop.
Great Smoky Mountains: Shared with Tennessee. Some of the best of the Appalachians.
Horne Creek Living Historical Farm: A working Piedmont farm from a century ago
Intracoastal Waterway: If you want a different kind of driving
Jockey's Ridge State Park: The tallest active sand dune on the east coast and a hang glider's paradise
Kitty Hawk: If Orville and Wilbur knew what would become of air travel, would they still invent it?
Lake Norman State Park: North Carolina's 'Inland Sea'
Mount Airy: Although this could have just as easily said Mayberry
North Carolina: The Battleship, in Wilmington
Outer Banks: A unique, historic, and largely unspoiled bit of America's coastline
Pamlico Sound: The body of water between the mainland and the Outer Banks, the ferries across are an amazingly cheap diversion
Queen Anne's Revenge: Blackbeard's ship is currently the subject of intense archaological study
Revolutionary War Battlefield: Although technically a British victory, this North Carolina battle left Cornwallis with nowhere to go but Yorktown
Somerset Place: A meticulously restored and preserved antebellum plantation
Transylvania: It's a shame the local mountains aren't called the Carpathians
Uwharrie National Forest: Great camping and hiking and Panning for Gold!
Valdese: Another historic hidden gem in the Blue Ridge
Wilmington: and the Cape Fear Coast. Another face of North Carolina's shore
Xenotime: World class deposits of this Scrabble-friendly mineral occur in the coastal plains of North Carolina
Yadkin River Trail: A 165 mile canoe trail from Virginia to South Caroline through the heart of North Carolina
Zebulon: Home of the Mudcats

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I grew up in NJ, but haven't lived there in 20 years. Like most locals, I never realized all that my home state has to offer, until now. I started my list, but have to get ready for work. I welcome anyone's additions.

Atlantic City or Asbury Park
Boardwalk Classic Car Show, Wildwood
Cape May
Dover
Edison
Ft. Lee
Great Adventure (Ok, it’s officially Six Flags now, but I already had an entry for S.)
Hoboken
Iselin
Jersey Shore
Kenilworth (did the trucks start here too?)
Liberty State Park—Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island
Malls—most malls per square mile out of all 50 states
Newark
Ocean City
Pequannock
Quinton Township (Salem County)
Rockers Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi
Sports—w/the NY Giants, NY Jets, NJ Devils, NJ Nets, Meadowlands & Monmouth Park horse racing, OMG. A sports fan’s dream!
Twin Lights of Navesink and 10 other public lighthouses
Universities—Princeton, Rutgers, and so many others!
Verona
Washington Crossing Park—re-enactment of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day
X
Yardville
Z

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Hey RoadDog. I know you haven't finished your list yet, but as I live in Springfield, I'd love to see what you've got so far for Illinois.

A - Authors/Actors
B - Blueberries
C - Catfish
D - Delta
E - Eden without the garden
F - Faulkner
G - Muscadine Grapes
H - First Heart Transplant
I - Interstates 20 and 55
J - Jackson
K - Kosiciuski (Highest Point in MS, 806 ft)
L - Levy's
M - Mississippi River
N - Natchez
O - Oxford, University of Mississippi
P - Philadelphia
Q - Quitman
R - Battle of Raymond
S - Starkville (Home of Mississippi State University)
T - Tupelo (Home of Elvis Presley)
U - Union
V - Vicksburg
W - West Point (The "other" West Point)
X - Extra delicious Southern Fried Chicken
Y - Yazoo City
Z - Zoma Choctaw Indian Reservation

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My next door neighbor, and it truly is a Land of Enchantment

Albuquerque: Art, History, and more Balloons than you can imagine
Bluewater Lake State Park: Fishing, boating, fossils, and birding all in a gorgeous setting
Carlsbad Caverns: 83 separate caves, but you can get in and out by elevator
Deming: One of those great towns that most people never see more of than the Interstate
Elephant Butte Lake State Park: The largest lake in the state, on the Rio Grande
Farmington: New Mexico's gateway to the four corners area
Georgia O'Keeffe: and the Ghost Ranch - the light, the vistas
Hatch: Famous home to chilies with a wide variety of 'hotness'
International Heritage Center: The story of El Camino Real and the early Spanish exploration
Jicarilla Apache Nation: Great hunting and fishing in the mountains of northern New Mexico
Kokopelli: Almost as ubiquitous as the Zia sun symbol
Lincoln National Forest: Includes caves and an underground lake
Madrid: The highlight of the Turquoise Trail
Native Heritage Trail: Culture as well as beauty, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Otero Mesa: Called "America's Serengeti", see it while there's still time
Petroglyph National Monument: Thousands of ancient rock paintings and carvings
Queen: Now a ghost town, but where else will you find a monument to a 72 year old flying paper boy?
Roswell: Whether LGM did or not, you should visit
Santa Fe: The Opera House, Art Galleries, and Palace of the Governors are each reasons enough on their own to visit
Taos: The great melting pot of Native, Spanish, and American cultures
Ute Lake State Park: Reservoir on the Canadian River near Logan
Very Large Array: You've seen it in several SciFi flicks. See it in person.
White Sands National Monument: Be aware, it closes occasionally for missile tests and Space Shuttle Landings
-X-: The Bar X Bar Ranch in Pecos
Yates: A ghost town, it's on the map (Google's anyway) although I vouch for nothing else
Zuni Pueblo: Ancient home to a proud people

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Ashcroft Ghost Town
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Colorado River Rafting
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
Estes Park Aerial Tramway
Fillmore Auditorium
Garden of the Gods
High Drive
Idaho Springs
Julesburg Depot Museum
Kawuneeche Valley
Larimer Square
Mesa Verde National Park
North Slope Recreation Area, Colorado Springs
Ouray
Petrified Wood Gas Station, Lamar
Queens Gulch
Rocky Mountain National Park
San Juan Skyway
Telluride Helitrax
Uncompahgre Gorge
Vista Trail
World Figure Skating Hallf of Fame
Xylophone Festival at UC Boulder
Yankee Boy Basin
Zuger Galerie

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Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada;
Boundary Trail Heritage Region;
Costume Museum of Canada;
Dauphin Canadian Northern Railway Station;
Empire Hotel
Fort La Reine;
Gabrielle Roy;
Hecla Provincial Park;
Indian Lake;
Jazz Festival, Brandon
Karst Spring Trail;
Louis Riel;
Mystery Mountain Winter Park;
Numaykoos Lake Provincial Wilderness Park;
Ochre River;
Portage La Prairie;
Queen Elizabeth Park;
Royal Canadian Artillery Museum;
Sand Lakes;
Toboggan Championships;
Ukrainian Labor Temple
Villa Louise (Dr. Alexander Fleming House)
World's Largest Smoking Pipe;
X - ?
York Factory;
Zed Lake Provincial Park;

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(Photo by Craig Antill)
Aboriginal Day;
Binet House Museum;
Chilkoot Trail;
Dawson City;
Elliot House;
Fort Selkirk;
Gold Rush (Klondike);
Herschel Island;
Ivvavik;
Jack London Cabin & Interpretative Center;
Kluane National Park;
Log Telegraph Office;
Mining Museum at Keno City;
North West Mounted Police;
Old Log Church;
P.A. Burns & Co. Ltd Building;
Q - ?
Robert Service;
Smith House;
Tachal Dhal Interpretative Center;
Upper Tanana
Vuntut Gwitchin Nation;
Whitehorse;
X - ?
Yukon International Storytelling Festival;
Zho (Dänojà) Cultural Center;

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(Photo by Craig Antill)
Alaska Highway;
Bering Land Bridge;
Cape Krusenster National Monument;
Denali National Park;
East Boroughs;
Fairbanks;
Gates of the Arctic National Park;
Harding Lake;
Inupiat Heritage Center;
Juneau;
Kenai Fjords;
Lake Clark;
Misty Fjords National Monument;
Noatak National Preserve;
Orcas;
Portage Glacier;
Q - ?
Redoubt Bay;
Sitka National Historical Park;
Tongass National Forest;
Unalaska;
Valdez;
World War II National Historic Site;
X - ?
Yukon-Charleys Rivers National Preserve;
Zoo (Anchorage)

Ps- Hey come on Americans, help me finish the rest of Canada and Mexico. It's a good way to discover and learn about new places!

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One of the last states I visited, and given all its attractions, that was too bad

Ashland: Where the Ohio River meets Kentucky
Bourbon: When even Kentucky says the whisky is synonomous with the state, you have to listen
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park: History, natural beauty, caves, camping - what the national park system is all about
Duncan Hines Scenic Byway: A scenic byway dedicated to one of America's first RoadTrip Advisors. How could I resist?
Elizabethtown: If you've seen the movie, see the real town
Frankfort: The capital, an historic small town
George Gibson: One of the "Nine young men from Kentucky" who formed the core of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Hodgenville: Illinois may claim him, but Abraham Lincoln got his start in Kentucky
Ice Cream: Kentucky's answer to Ben & Jerry's
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park: One of a number of state parks that are much more than just parks
Kincaid Lake State Park: Includes 9 hole, par 36 golf course and an RV park
Land Between the Lakes: Kentucky's great outdoor paradise
Mammoth Cave: The crown jewel of Appalachia's caves
New Madrid Bend: This sweeping curve of the Mississippi cuts off "Bubbleland" from the rest of Kentucky
Owensboro: Home of the International Bluegrass Museum and the Romp Festival
Parkways: Somewhere between Interstates and local roads, Kentucky's unique highway system
Quilt Trail: It's set up by county, but stretches from Ohio to Tennessee
Richmond: Home of one of the largest planetariums in the US
Sheltowee Trace: A 250 mile trail connecting Kentucky and Tennessee
Tompkinsville: I was once asked how many of these small ferries there were. Lots!
UK Basketball: Seven NCAA champions since 1948 - and you can tour Rupp Arena
Versailles: History, horses, bourbon and riverfront - it all says Kentucky
Wilderness Road Heritage Highway: A hidden gem that leads to some of the best of Appalachia
Xenophon: In Kentucky, they take their horses seriously
Yatesville Lake State Park: Includes campsites accessible only by boat
Zilpo: In the Daniel Boone National Forest

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It's not just for Lovers.

Appomattox Court House: With as much blood as was spilt in Virginia, it's fitting that the Civil War ended here as well
Blue Ridge Parkway: A road for making memories rather than time
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: Gateway to the Delmarva Peninsula
Danville: Home to some fine examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture
Emporia: Home to music festivals, pork festivals, and the Great Peanut Tour
Fall Foliage: Makes autumn a great time for a RoadTrip
Grayson Highlands State Park: Access to Virginia's highest mountains and the Appalachian Trail
Harrisonburg: Another base of operations, with tons to do in the Appalachians and Great Valley
Independence: The home of "Mountain Music" and several music festivals
Jamestown: Where it all started
Kiptopeke State Park: On Virginia's little known eastern shore
Lexington: Located at the intersection of two major Interstates, it still qualifies as a hidden gem
Monticello: But in the "Birthplace of Presidents", this could just as easily been Mount Vernon or Montpelier
NASA: Bet you didn't know they launched rockets from Virginia
Occoquan: What's in a name?
Petersburg: Come see how much the Civil War foreshadowed WWI
Quantico: Semper Fi
Richmond: History, museums, and great restaurants; a great home base for touring Virginia
Shenandoah National Park: Tranquility only 75 miles from Washington
Tangier Island: You'll have to leave your car behind to enter this entirely different world
Urbanna: Oysters on the Chesapeake
Virginia Beach: As the name implies, Virginia's seaside playground
Williamsburg: History comes alive
Xtreme Xmas: in northern Virginia
Yorktown: Where America finally won its independence
Zenda: Post Civil War Heritage Site

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The Heart of Dixie and much more

Athens: Alabama's toehold on the foothills of the Appalachians
Birmingham: Get there before they all appear on American Idol
Civil Rights Memorial Center: Montgomery, Lest we forget
Dauphin Island: Besides the obvious, it's reachable by ferry
Eufaula: Stately homes on display at Christmas
Fort Blakeley: "Last major battle of the Civil War"
Gulf State Park: In Gulf Shores. White sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico
Huntsville: Where they built all those moon rockets
Indian Mound And Museum: Pre-Columbian artifacts in Florence
Jasmine Hill Gardens: Classical gardens in a state with some of the best
Kentuck Museum and Art Center: Despite the name, it's an Alabama home for folk art
Little River Canyon: Mountains, falls and a scenic drive
Montgomery: Historic and still making history
Noccalula Falls: Spectacular waterfall, Pioneer Village, gardens, museum, hiking, etc
Old Cahawba: Alabama's former capital, currently an active archaeological site
Phenix: The eastern end of US-80 in Alabama
Queen Anne's Lace: And other wildflowers common throughout Alabama
Russell Cave: First inhabited around 10,000 years ago
Sturdivant Hall: Selma. One of the finest antebellum homes in the South
Tuskegee: Home to the best fighter pilots of WWII
Unclaimed Baggage Center: In Scottsboro. You've seen it on Oprah, where all the bags the airlines lose go to be sold cheaply
Vulcan Park: World's largest cast iron statue and the history of Birmingham
West Fork River: A National Wild & Scenic River
X: The Alabama State Flag - The St. Andrew's Cross
Year of Alabama Food: The state sponsors yearly celebrations of various aspects of its culture
Zoos: Several in Alabama are worth a visit

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Astors' Beachwood Mansion;
Block Island Heritage Trail;
Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships;
Daggett House;
East Bay Heritage Trail;
Federal Hill Stroll;
Gaspee Days Parade;
Hot Air Balloon Festival;
Island Free Library;
JVC Jazz Festival;
Kelly House Museum;l
Linden Place;
Marble House;
Narragansett Bay;
Old Colony Railroad;
Providence State Capitol;
Quonset Aviation Museum;
River's Day;
Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-off;
Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum;
University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute;
VMA Arts & Cultural Center;
Waterfire;
X - ?
Yachting Museum;
Zoo, Roger Williams Park &

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Alvarado Palace;
Barranca del Cobre;
Creel Mansion;
Dorados de Chihuahua;
El Chepe Railway;
Francisco "Pancho" Villa
Government Palace;
Hidalgo's Dungeon;
Iglesia Lugar de Gracia;
Juarez House Museum;
K - ?
La Oya de Chihuahua restaurant;
Museo Centro de Ciencia y Tecnologia;
Nombre de Dios Caves;
Old Hidalgo Theatre;
Plaza de Armas, Chihuahua;
Quinta Carolinas Mansion;
Ruins of Paquimé;
Santa Rita Church;
Temple of San Francisco;
Uruachi;
Venustiano Carranza Street, Chihuahua;
W - ?
X - ?
Y - ?
Zarco Residential Area, Chihuahua;

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Any state that borders 4 of the 5 Great Lakes should (and does) have a lot to offer.

Ann Arbor: Blue and maize winged helmets in the Big House
Bond Falls: Complex and spectacular, it is one of Michigan's most visited and photographed places
Car Museums: of course! The Gilmore in Battle Creek is one of the best.
Detroit: One of the few places in the US where you go south to get to Canada
Empire Area Museum Center: A town decided to preserve its heritage and we are the beneficiaries
Ferry: Besides the big one across Lake Michigan, there's this smaller on across Lake Charlevoix
Greenfield Village: An excellent Americana museum
Huron National Wildlife Refuge: Surprisingly, NOT on Lake Huron
Isle Royale National Park: Reachable only by boat or seaplane, its isolation is its main attraction
Junction Valley Railroad: Family built and operated quarter scale railroad
Kalamazoo: Am I dating myself too much if I start singing "I got a gal..."
Lighthouses: With all that lakefront, these should come as no surprise
Mackinac: History and scenery at the junction of two Great Lakes
Navarre-Anderson Trading Post: Michigan's French heritage is celebrated at the state's oldest wooden residence
Old Mission Peninsula: Historic wine country in the Grand Traverse Bay region
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: On Lake Superior in the UP
Quincy Mine: Tours of an old copper mine
River Road Scenic Byway: The AuSable River and Lake Huron
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: "The Best Nature Escape in the Midwest"
Traverse City: A great base of operations for the northwestern Lower Peninsula
Upper Peninsula Children's Museum: There are so many reasons to visit the UP. This is just one of them
Van Riper State Park: A hidden gem with its own hidden gem
Wild Pumpkin: Pumpkin picking and petting zoo. Especially for kids in the fall.
Xerri's Xmas Trees: A family business, run by William & Shirley Xerri (really!)
Yale Bologna Festival: So American on so many levels
Zeeland: Quintessential small town America, it's location next to Holland should tell you something about its heritage

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AZBuck,

You are a marvel -- finding all of those "X" listings....

Mark

Where do you find all of those X's?? Is there some kind of X directory I'm missing in my collection or what?:-)

Almost Heaven

Appalachian Children's Chorus: These hills are alive with music
Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine: Currently undergoing major renovations, it will reopen in the spring of 2008
Charleston: The capital, museums, children's theater, and access acce4ss to everywhere else
Droop Mountain Battlefield: WV's last major Civil War battle, CCC constructions, and a great view
Elkins: The heart of West Virginia
Farm Museum: Actually several museums in one, and you can stay overnight
Green Bank: and the public activities at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Harpers Ferry: The entire town is a step back into history
Indian Creek Covered Bridge: A century old, but recently renovated
Jenkins Plantation Museum: A reminder that West Virginia was originally part of Virginia
Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum: Wheeling, Think your kids don't like museums?
Lost World Caverns: Lewisburg, an 'outdoor' activity for a rainy day
Midland Trail: A scenic road through the heart of West Virginia
New River Gorge National River: Wet, wild, wonderful
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge: Returning parts of the river to a 'wild' state
Parkersburg: West Virginia's gateway on the Ohio
Quartz: SiO2, the main ingredient in glass, a West Virginia specialty
Ritter Park Rose Garden: Huntington. The White House doesn't have the only one
Stonewall: Yes, this is a State Park!
Tygart Flyer: Scenic rail rides through the mountains
United/Confederate States: West Virginia was born from the Civil War, and was a crucial battleground
Valley Falls State Park: Waterfalls and whitewater rafting on the Tygart River
West Virginia State Penitentiary Tour: If your idea of fun is hard labor, electric chairs and 5'x7' accommodations
X MarX the Spot: Nostalgia for the adults, a dream for the kids
Yellow Spring: Here's an idea - park your daughter(s) while you relax
Zurich: Switzerland is where Fritz Holl learned how to make chocolate

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Variety, history, scenery, and the nation's first modern turnpike

Allegheny National Forest: Includes mountain bike trails, ski trails, and the floatable Middle Allegheny River
Bloomsburg: Kids need a break while crossing I-80? Try this.
Colton Point State Park: The west half of the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area: Half of it anyway. The other half is in New Jersey
Erie: Pennsylvania's shoreline on the Great Lakes
Fort Necessity: Where Washington trained on the job
Gettysburg: The battle, the address, a place to remember
Hershey: Chocolate Town, USA
Independence National Historical Park: Philadelphia. Where we got our start
Johnstown: Site of a famous and devastating flood in 1889
Keystone State Park: The namesake park of the Keystone State
Lancaster: The heart of Amish country
Millersburg Ferry: A paddlewheel on the Susquehanna
New Year's: In Philadelphia, it can only mean this unique tradition
Oil Creek State Park: A little history with your scenery
Pittsburgh: It's hard to imagine that more people don't know about this great city on the rivers
Quaint Crossings: How Pennsylvania refers to its covered bridges
Route 6: The two-lane alternative to I-80 or I-86
Steamtown: A different era and a different 'Road'
Tuscorara Tunnel: Some of the tunnels the PA turnpike is famous for have been bypassed, but this and others remain
Upper Monongahela Water Trail: A river trail to the Ohio
Valley Forge: Where the Continental Army came of age
Williamsport: The Little League World Series is one, but not the only, reason to visit
Xenobiota in the Xyloids?: (Strange life in the woods) You think X's are easy?
York: Factory tours, including Harley-Davidson, beer, pretzels and potato chips
Zelienople: North of Pittsburgh, just off I-79. A good place to take a break

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I get the reference to xenobiota -- but how does xyloids refer to the woods? Pretty clever find for X though!

Mark

My dictionary lists xyloid as "resembling wood".

AZBuck

Once upon a time, this was "the west"

Amish Country: It's not just in southeastern Pennsylvania
Buckeye Trail: A hiking trail that loops the state, walk as little or as much as you want
Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Nature in the midst of one of the most urbanized areas in America
Dayton: Where flying really got its start
Elyria: Waterfalls in a great small city
Football Hall of Fame: Canton, home of the Bulldogs
German Village: Columbus, history and beer
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park: The mound builders of mid-America
Indian Lake State Park: Another of those great 'hidden rest areas' just off I-75
John Bryan State Park: A remarkable bit of scenery close to I-70, I-71 and I-75. Take a break.
Kiser Lake State Park: Relax in the footsteps of Tecumseh
Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Scenic Byway: Lighthouses, wildlife and beaches
Milan Melon Festival: Small town America at its best, and it's just off the turnpike
Natural History Museum: Cleveland has one of the best
Ohio River Scenic Byway: The Mississippi isn't the only great river with a road
Put-in-Bay: Access to Ohio's offshore islands
Quail Hollow State Park: A 40 room mansion, primitive camping, and the local astronomy club meets here
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum: Cleveland, The music of the last 50 years
Sandusky: Cedar Point has been voted Best Amusement Park In The World for nine consecutive years
Taft Home: The only man to serve as both President and Chief Justice
Underground Railroad Freedom Center: Cincinnati, the history of the drive to secure freedom
Vesuvius Furnace and Lake Vesuvius: History saved by the CCC, which is now history as well
Wilds: North America’s largest conservation facility for endangered species
Xenia: and Old Fashioned Days
Youngstown: With a full calendar of events
Zanesville: and its world famous "Y" bridge

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Great list -- again.

Mark

This is the last of the states where I've lived that hasn't been done yet.

Arikara lodge – A replica of an Arikara lodge as discovered by Lewis and Clark
Buffalo Roundup – an annual event at Custer State Park
Corn Palace
Deadwood
Empire Mall – The biggest tourist attraction in SD, based on number of visitors
Falls of the Big Sioux River
Garretson – Where Jesse James Jumped Devils Gulch to escape after a bank robbery.
Harney Peak - Highest Point in the State - 7,242 feet
International Vinegar Musuem - Roslyn
Joe Foss Field – Sioux Falls Airport named after WWII pilot
Keystone – Home of Mount Rushmore
Laura Ingalls Wilder Society – DeSmet
Minuteman Missile Historic Site
National Museum of Woodcarving
Oahe Downstream Recreation Area – Near Pierre
Pierre – State Capitol
Quinn – Home of the Badlands Observatory
Rushmore, Mount
Sturgis – Harley Heaven
T-Rex - “Sue” was found in the Badlands
Underground Wilderness – One of the world’s largest cave systems is located under the black hills, including Jewel and Wind Cave NPs
Vermillion – Home of the University of South Dakota
Washington Pavilion – Old Sioux Falls School Converted into a Museum/Theatre
X – The USS South Dakota, aka Battleship X
Yankton – Birthplace of Tom Brokaw
Ziolkowski, Korczak - The Sculptor who started the Crazy Horse Memorial

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Texas: A to Z
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/4...08e5c254_t.jpg
(Photo by Craig Antill)
A – Alamo (near San Antonio)
B – Boquillas del Carmen – Hot springs – narrow 4WD road
C - Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park
D – Del Rio – A small town on the Rio Grande River and home to the Whitehead Museum.
E – El Paso – strategic border town and home to some great food
F – Fort Stockton – Gateway to Big Bend National Park
G – Galveston – Party town and historic beach city on the gulf of Mexico
H – Houston – home to “A Taste of Texas”.
I – Italy, another town named by a USPS employee in a bizarre fashion
J – Jamaica Beach –On a barrier island just south of Galveston – not the best location for “riding out a hurricane”
K – Kilgore – Known as the “city of stars” for the lights on top of oil derricks in the area
L - Langtry – home of the Judge Roy Bean Saloon & Museum
M – Midland – home to a great oil exploration museum & bad tasting drinking water
N – Nevada – You just gotta love all these Texas placenames. A small town northeast of Dallas.
O – Old Ocean – I love these alliterative places….located in Brazoria County.
P – Pecos – Western heritage and activities “West of the Pecos…”
Q – Queen City – Just north of Atlanta, Texas near the Arkansas border
R – Royalty -- Is a small town south of Monahans.
S – South Padre Island – Home of Spring breakers and an odd funny sign
T – Terlingua – Home of the Starlight Theater
U – Uvalde – About ½ way between Del Rio and San Antonio. Known as the “Honey Capital of the World”.
V – Van Horn – I have seen some outrageous ice storms in this area in February!
W – Waco -- Historic homes and living history tours
X –
Y – Yoakum located about ½ way between Houston and San Antonio
Z – Zapata is located on the Rio Grande River and has won awards for being the most business friendly micro city in the USA.

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(Photo by Craig Antill)
Alexander Graham Bell N.H.S.;
Bagpipe Festival;
Cabot Trail;
Digby scallops;
Evangeline Trail;
Fortress of Louisbourg;
Glenora Whiskey Distillery;
Highlands Village Museum;
Island of Cape Breton;
Jost House, Sydney;
Kejimkujik National Park;
Lobsterpalooza;
Mi'Kmaq aboriginal culture;
Northumberland Fisheries Museum;
Old Sydney mines Post Office;
Pumpkin Regatta, Windsor;
Queensport;
Riverfront Music Jubilee, New Glasgow;
Spring Garden Road, Halifax;
Truro Tulip Festival;
UNESCO World Heritage Site at Lunenberg;
Village Historique Acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse;
Wild Blueberry & Maple Center, Oxford;
Xylophonist and jazz vibraphonist, Warren Chiasson was born and raised in Nova Scotia;
Yarmouth Seafest;
Zoo, Oaklawn.

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Of all the great things Missouri has 'shown me', the best is my wife, a Missouri native

Arrow Rock: National Historic Landmark town in northwestern Missouri
Branson: Natural and 'art'ificial entertainment
Clarksville: a specialty shopping oasis on the Little Dixie Highway
Devils Backbone Wilderness Area: when you really want to get away from it all
Eureka: and the Backdraft Rodeo
French Colonial Country: South of St. Louis and centered on Ste. Genevieve, a picturesque riverfront town.
Grant's Farm: A bit commercial, but it is the President's former home and very family friendly
Hannibal: Twain made it famous, and the places he wrote about are still there
Independence: Harry Truman's hometown
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial: Known for the Arch, the museum is at least as intriguing
Kansas City: Ribs, Blues, Chiefs, Royals
Leila's Hair Museum: The locks are on the walls as well as the doors
Missouri Rhineland: A scenic route with a German flavor along the state's namesake river
New Madrid: Epicenter of the largest recorded earthquake in the contiguous U.S.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Rivers, caves and historic buildings
Pershing State Park: Wetlands where the General played as a boy
Queen City of the Ozarks: Springfield, with history, scenery and Route 66
Rocheport: Frommer's calls it one of America's 10 coolest small towns
St. Louis: Of course!
Trail of Tears State Park: Located where the Cherokee crossed the Mississippi, today it is a memorial and a respite from I-55
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site: Non-commercial, in fact - free
Versailles: Centrally located, with an old-time Apple Festival
Washington: Wine country, just up river (the Missouri) from St. Louis
Xanthophyll: on display in the fall
Young man's game: The average rider's age was 19, and the service only lasted a year and a half
Zanoni Mill: Zanoni, one of a number of historic grist mills in the Ozarks

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Utah: A to Z (a place of surprising diversity)

A – Angle a small town at the northern end of the Otter Creek Resevoir
B – Bluff a small town on the San Juan River
C— Capitol Reef National Park -- A Field report by Robert Schaller
D – Dark Canyon, a very narrow canyon just downstream from the lower reaches of Cataract Canyon of the Colorado River
E – Enterprise, a small town in western Utah with strong Mormon heritage
F – Four Corners, a tourist trap—but still enjoyable-- run by the Navajo Nation Parks Department
G – Green River, the name of the historic river & home of the John Wesley Powell Museum
H – Hite Crossing, Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway – bridge over the Colorado River
I – Islands in the Sky, part of Canyonlands National Park
J – Juab Valley, runs between San Pitch Mountains and the Canyon Mountains south of Nephi, UT
K – Kanab, Our town of choice for staying overnight when exploring southern Utah
L – Little Egypt Geologic Site, A wonderful collection of hoodoos south of Hanksville
M – Monument Valley. Gorgeous light in the winter months
N – Nipple Butte in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
O – O-WI-Yu-Kuts Mountains in the northeast section of Utah, just north of the Green River
P – Parunuweap Canyon An awesome slot canyon in the southern end of Zion National Park
Q – QSalt Lake Salt Lake City “official” voice for Gay and Lesbian culture
R – Raft River Mountains in the northwest corner of the state – another alliterative name!
S – Salina, a historic US-50 town – with one of the most disappointing restaurants – Mom’s - in the west
T – Tarantula Mesa Just east of Capitol Reef National Park
U – Utah Lake. Provo and other cities are on the eastern shore of this large lake.
V – Valley of the Gods one of the most spectacular places in Utah
W – Wendover. a small town on the edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats and near "Metaphor: The Tree of Utah"
X –
Y – Yampa Plateau, adjoins the Dinosaur National Monument
Z -- Zion National Park. Utah’s first National Park and one of our favorite parks.

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(Photo by Craig Antill)
A - Art Deco District
B - Bahia Honda State Park
C - Christ of the Deep
D - Daytona International Speedway
E - Everglades
F - Fort Jefferson
G - Gatorland
H - Hemingway Home
I - International Drive
J - John F Kennedy Space Center
K - Keys
L - Little Havana
M - Mallory Square
N - Naples
O - Overseas Highway
P - Panhandle
Q - Quietwater Beach
R - Ron Jon Surf Shop
S - Sanibel Island
T - Theater Of The Sea
U - Universal Studios
V - Valiant Air Command Warbird Air Museum
W - Walt Disney World
X - Ximenez-Fatio House
Y - Yeehaw Junction
Z - Zephyrhills

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Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

Aiken: Third Leg of polo's triple crown
Brattonsville: Revolutionary War living history site and movie location
Charleston: Southern Charm, Revolutionary and Civil War History
Daufuskie: Crabs, boat tours, and a century old lighthouse
Edisto Memorial Gardens: A unique memorial to the Civil War fallen
Forts Sumter and Moultrie: Where the Civil War began - and its a great ferry ride out to Sumter
Greenville: An arts center, there are nine bronze mice hidden downtown
Hilton Head Island: The beach for seclusion and quiet time
Isle of Palms: One of several oceanfront resorts near Charleston
Jones Gap State Park: A mountain wilderness on the northern edge of the state
Kings Mountain: Together with Cowpens,crucial turning points in the southern campaign of the Revolution
Landrum: These is the kind of town I look for instead of exit fast food
Myrtle Beach: The beach if you want activities and night life
Ninety Six: Site of the first Revolutionary War battle of the southern campaign
Opera, Dance, Jazz, Theatre: It can only be the Spoleto Festival
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge: Coastal wetlands with over a dozen miles of trails
Q Cup: The World Series of South Carolina Barbeque
Ridgeland: The "Heart of the Lowcountry"
South of the Border: Pretty much defines 'tacky to excess'
Travelers Rest: Great name for a RoadTrip destination, and not a bad place to rest either
Upcountry: The Cherokee called these heights "the Great Blue Hills of God"
Varnville: Life is like a box of chocolates
Waterfalls: Over two dozen falls, including the highest falls in eastern America
Xenoepists: The Gullah are so much more, and unique in virtually every aspect
Yemassee: and its annual Shrimp Festival
Zentrum: The only BMW museum in North America

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Much more than Memphis and Graceland
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(Photo by Craig Antill)
AMSE: Oak Ridge, where the nuclear age came of age
Big South Fork: Outdoor recreation on the Cumberland Plateau
Chattanooga: History, scenery, centrally located to the deep South
Discovery Center: Murfreesboro, just off I-24, a great break for the kids
Edgar Evins State Park: A true 'rest area' within a few miles of I-40
Floyd Garrett's Muscle Car Museum: Giddy Up 409
Great Smoky Mountains: Straddling the border with North Carolina
Hermitage: President Andrew Jackson's home, Nashville
International Storytelling Center: Johnson City, hosting the nation's oldest event dedicated to the oral tradition
Johnsonville State Historic Park: Hiking in an historic setting, guided walks are available
Knoxville: Gateway to the Appalachians
Lost Sea: Largest underground lake in the U.S.
Memphis: Graceland, the Blues, Mud Island
Nashville: Music City
Obed Wild and Scenic River: One of the best whitewater rivers in the eastern United States
Peabody Ducks: A unique institution in Memphis
Quilt Trail: Even if you're not into quilts, following the trail will show you a beautiful and seldom seen corner of Tennessee
River Road: It's great here as well, but we already used 'G' for the Great Smoky Mountains
Shiloh: Bloody Shiloh
Tennessee Aquarium: A Particularly kid friendly place
Unicoi: Historic town on the Appalachian Trail
Veterans' Museum: Dyersburg, dedicated to WWII Vets and others
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: Knoxville, honoring the founders of a new pro sport
Xmas Tree Farms: In the piney woods, what else would you expect?
Young Acres Farm: One of many farms in Tennessee's Century Farms Program
Zorb: Ever wonder what it's like to be a gerbil?

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(Photo by Craig Antill)
Anne of Green Gables;
Blue Heron Coastal Drive;
Confederation Bridge;
Devine Dance Company;
Elmira Railway Museum & miniature railway;
Fanning school historical site at Cabot Beach;
George Canyon;
Heritage Ghost Walk;
Indian Head Lighthouse;
Jacques Cartier Provincial Park;
Kings Castle;
Little Bear Live : Winter Tales;
Montgomery, Lucy Maud;
North Cape;
Orwell Corner Historic Village
Province House : the birthplace of Canada
Queens County;
Ram Island;
Souris : gateway to the Madeleine Islands
Tyne Valley;
Union Corner Provincial Park
Victoria Rangelight
Wood Islands
Xiphiidae : swordfish can sometimes be found in the North Atlantic Ocean;
York Point;
Ziphiidae : a beaked whale that was hunted in the North Atlantic during the 19th century;

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The Natural State

Arkansas Queen: Slow down and experience Arkansas from its namesake river
Buffalo National River: One of America's last free-flowing rivers
Crowley's Ridge Parkway: Forests and farmlands in the St. Francis River delta
Diamonds: Free for the finding at a state park
Eureka Springs: In the heart of Arkansas' Ozarks
Fayetteville: Just make sure you know what a Razorback is
Gurdon Light: Because I'm posting this list on Halloween
Hot Springs: The park and the town
Illinois Bayou: Unlike most bayous, this one is whitewater
Jacksonport State Park: From near ghost town to historic interpretive center
Kings River: Hiking, canoeing, scenery, fishing and floating in western Arkansas
Little Rock: Historic capital and cultural center
Magnolia Blossom Festival: and World Championship Steak Cook-Off - a great combination, in Magnolia, of course
Newport: Handy to the Great River Road and a nearby archaeological park
Ouachita National Forest: Your chunk of the Ozarks celebrates its hundredth birthday
Pine Bluff: the "City of Murals"
Quapaw Quarter: Historic district of Little Rock (and double points on Q!)
Rodeo of the Ozarks: Always the first four days of July
Springdale: Home station of the scenic Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
Talimena Scenic Drive: A road worthy of a trip
Unusual Town Names: Greasy Corner, Toad Suck, and I guess there is at least one Boring place
Van Buren: The shopping center for Ozark crafts
White River National Wildlife Refuge: One of many refuges along the Mississippi, this one is heavily forested
Xu International Art Gallery: Hot Springs
Yellville: It's only appropriate that this is home to the National Wild Turkey Calling Contest
Zinc: A town with a history as well as the metallic ore

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The 39th (or 40th) State depending on the order in which Buchanan signed the proclamations for North and South Dakota, and he never told.

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge: Actually a complex encompassing several million acres in 9 counties
Bismarck: The capital and a center for Lewis and Clark history
Cross Ranch State Park: One of the last stretches of the Missouri that's still as Lewis and Clark saw it
Dakota Dinosaur Museum: Dickinson, a great place to take a break with kids - just off I-94
Enchanted Highway: Folk art on very public display
Fort Totten: An incredibly intact cavalry outpost
Grand Forks: and the Red River Valley
Hawk Museum: Rugby, thousands of antique farm implements
International Peace Garden: A unique binational botanical garden
Jamestown: Buffalo City, and 2008 is its 125th birthday
Knife River: Reconstructed plains Indian Villages; home to Sacagawea
Little Missouri National Grassland: Grasslands, badlands, it's all good
Mandan: Bismarck's neighbor and home to Ft. Abraham Lincoln State Park
Native American Scenic Byway: Connecting the two Dakotas
On-a-Slant Village: 400 year old home to the Mandan Nation
Pioneer Trails Regional Museum: Bowman, preserving the history and heritage of the people and the land
Quilt: The world's largest is in Antler, ND
Rendezvous Region Backway: Through the Pembina Gorge on ND-32 and ND-55
Salem Sue: Udderly ridiculous
Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Any time you visit a National Park, thank Teddy
United Tribes International Powwow: Bismark, an annual event with representation from over 70 tribes
Valley City: "City of Bridges" and gateway to the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway
Williston: Near the confluence of the Yellowstone River and the Missouri River and full of Lewis and Clark lore
X-Stream Adventures: Where you can still engage in the fur trade (of sorts)
Yunker Farm: Children's Museum, Fargo. Hands-on indoor/outdoor fun
Zahl: and the nearby National Wildlife Refuge

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(I haven't been to most of these places yet...)
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(Photo by Craig Antill)
A – Akaka Falls Gulch – about 15 miles from Hilo – jungle-like gorge with stunning waterfalls.
B – Boiling Pots – springs that percolate through the lava beds near Hilo.
C – Captain Cook Monument where he was killed by tribal chief Kamehameha
D – Diamond Head State Monument
E – Ewa Beach on the western side of Pearl Harbor
F – Footprints Trail in Volcanoes National Park –
G – Garden of the Gods near Molokia – odd rock formations
H – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
I – Iron Man Ultra Marathon on October each year at Kailua Bay environs.
J –
K – Kapa’a, Kauai – I am a sucker for alliterative place names (great diving area).
L – Lake Waiau is the 3rd highest lake in the United States at 13,020 feet.
M – Molokini Crater – one of the best diving spots in the world.
N – Nihoa Island is about 170 miles from Kauai has several large stone images.
O – Oahu Island
P – Pu’uhonua O Honanunau National Historic Park – restored to 1700’s appearance
Q – Queen Street, in Honolulu, named in 1850 for Queen Kā-lama, wife of Ka-mehameha III.
R – Rainbow Falls on the Wai-luku River, near Hilo.
S – Silversword plant only lives on the edge of the Haleakala Volcano crater.
T – Thurston Lava Tube –
U – USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor
V – Volcano House. Hotel on the brink of Kī-lau-ea caldera,
W – Waikoloa Beach – access point for exploring the Pentagon Coral area.
X –
Y – Yung Hee Village on the Big Island
Z –

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My daughter is a KU grad and my first grandson was born here, so it's fitting that I post this on Thanksgiving

Aviation Museum: Wichita is practically synonymous with airplanes
Barbed Wire Museum: Lacrosse; the plains are practically synonymous with barbed wire
Cimarron National Grassland: Prairie as it used to be
Dodge City: Where Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson started to make their names
El Dorado: The fine art of living well
Fort Scott National Historic Site: One of the best preserved cavalry outposts on the plains
Garden of Eden: Not quite what you may think, but if you want quirky...
Hiawatha: Quintessential small town America, its streets are lined with 100 varieties of maple trees
Independence: A MUST for Laura Ingalls Wilder fans
Junction City: In the Flint Hills
Kauffman Museum: North Newton; the natural and anthropological history of the plains
Leavenworth: Has an odd slogan for a City famous for its prison
Manhattan: The Little Apple and the KSU Insect Zoo
Niocdemus National Historic Site: A living community that is the only remaining all Black Town west of the Mississippi River
Oakley: Buffalo Bill and other fossils
Prairie Center: Olathe (KC); Introduce yourself before heading west across the plains
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge: Marshland on the prairie provides a home for migrating sandhill cranes
Rock City: Like looking at clouds: What shapes do you see?
Santa Fe Trail Center: Larned; The history of the trail, of course, but also the annual Tired Iron Show
Topeka: The capital and home to a living prairie museum
Ursuline Garden and Arboretum: A true Rest Stop in Paolo
Valley Center: Outside Wichita
Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway: While most people drive through Kansas in a straight east-west line, this road meanders north-south
Xenia: If you have a Post Office, you have history.
Yoder: The heart of Kansas Amish Country
Zenda: A typical plains town - stop to see the town model and old jail

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Quaker Day Festival & X-Fest are the only two not officially on maps.

A-Angel Mounds State Historic Site & Mounds State Park: Anderson
B-Basketball Hall of Fame (Indiana): New Castle
C-Covered Bridges: Parke County
D-Dunes (Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore): Lake Michigan
E-Evansville: Evansville
F-Football Hall of Fame (College): South Bend
G-Great Indiana State Fair: Indianapolis
H-Hinkle Fieldhouse: Indianapolis
I-Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Indianapolis
J-Jasper: Jasper
K-Kokomo: Kokomo
L-Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial: Lincoln City
M-Monument Circle: Indianapolis
N-New Harmony: New Harmony
O-Old National Road (US 40): Richmond, Greenfield, Indianapolis, Plainfield, Brazil, Terre Haute
P-Prophetstown: Battle Ground
Q-Quaker Day Festival & Parade: Plainfield
R-Richmond: Richmond
S-Santa Claus: Santa Claus
T-Terre Haute: Terre Haute
U-University of Notre Dame: South Bend
V-Vincennes: Vincennes
W-West Baden Springs Hotel: French Lick
X-XFest: Noblesville
Y-Yorktown: Yorktown
Z-Zionsville: Zionsville

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Just an update -- this list is up to 67 places and here are the ones still to go:
USA: Connecticut, & Oklahoma.
Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan
Mexico: Aquascalientes, Baja Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Couma, Durango, Guanajuto, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayrit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretmo, Quintano Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Tamulipas, Tlaxcala, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Thanks!