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I’ve traveled to all 50 states. Here are 6 mistakes I made while trying to see each one.

October 23, 20240
Vermont was the last state I visited, but I could’ve gone sooner had I planned my other trips better.

Emily Hart

Although this may seem like common sense, I didn’t always consider visiting neighboring states together when planning my travels. For example, despite visiting the Northeast — specifically, Maine — several times, Vermont was the 50th state I visited.

I loved my trip to visit Vermont exclusively, but it would’ve been much easier and cheaper to have planned a side trip to see the state while I was already in the Northeast.

I often skipped certain places I wanted to visit, thinking I’d go on my next trip to the state.
It was difficult to explore Arizona in August due to the heat.

Emily Hart

Although traveling during the offseason means better rates and fewer crowds, doing so has prevented me from experiencing some states to their full potential. Weather, especially in the North and higher-altitude locations, can often result in road and business closures.

Weather conditions have also impacted how much I was able to explore a state. For instance, I first visited Arizona in August, and the heat was so extreme that I could only spend the mornings and evenings outdoors.

I sometimes ended up spending way too much time driving.
Although I have decent pictures in some places, I barely have any documentation of others.

Emily Hart

When I started solo traveling, I didn’t have the goal to visit all 50 states, so there are several states that I only have one or two photos of — some of which I’m not even in.

Traveling isn’t just about taking pictures, of course, but I wish I had chosen a more uniform way to document each state. Even a simple selfie can be a great way to remember a place and the memories there.

I also wish I had spent more time journaling on trips or recording the places I visited each day to remember what I did and easily relay my recommendations to others.

I should’ve joined rewards programs sooner.
In my opinion, travel rewards programs offer great benefits for frequent travelers like me.

Liam project/Shutterstock

When I first started traveling, I looked for flights, hotels, and rental cars that worked within my budget and didn’t consider joining travel rewards programs.

For frequent travelers like me, I believe the advantages of airline status and travel credit cards cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, I missed out on many benefits during the years I didn’t take advantage of these programs.