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It's not all cacti and golf courses: Arizona has excellent art scenes, beautiful hiking paths, and a thriving dining culture in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson.
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Blessed with many of the good views its name suggests, Buena Vista is as photogenic as the rest of Colorado. Adventure awaits at any given time of the year, whether you want to raft down the Arkansas River or just enjoy those buena vistas from your hotel.
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Beyond the seashores and swimming pools, the Golden State also holds mammoth redwoods, snow-capped peaks and scorched desert. Hop in a convertible and cruise Highway 1 to see it all.
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Snow bunnies rule the Rocky Mountains in winter, but warmer weather brings mountain bikers, white-water rafters and hikers to towns such as Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge and Telluride.
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Lush and leafy, the Connecticut River Valley is a colonial escape from New York City. Weekend visitors boat across the Long Island Sound, ride horses through bucolic Litchfield Hills and visit tiny river towns, including Essex and Old Lime.
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The Sunshine State takes its nickname seriously. Take advantage of Florida's warm weather to strip down and sun in Miami or boat through the marshy Everglades. No matter what you do, start the day with a glass of Florida orange juice.
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Fancy a peach? Georgia is plenty sweet, from its Southern belles to its hours-long Southern suppers with all the fixings — including pie. Atlanta is a modern hub and home of medical and technological innovation, while Savannah is an eclectic arts haven.
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Set your watch to island time in Hawaii, where locals wake before dawn to catch waves before work on the record-breaking North Shore. The Rainbow State is a paradise of tropical colours, from inky black-sand beaches to the active volcanoes' fiery lava.
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Once a haven for crooked politicians, Illinois now draws visitors for the towering skyline of Chicago, and the scenic Great Lakes. The state also houses more than 60 state parks and the boyhood home to the least crooked of them all: honest Abe Lincoln.
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Centuries-old crafts converge in Kentucky, where bluegrass harmonies soar, tumblers clink in bourbon distilleries and thoroughbreds thunder to finish lines.
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Baton Rouge may be Louisiana’s capital, but New Orleans is its beating heart, with a Francophile culture of cafes, top-notch cuisine and jazz clubs. The state also holds mossy Civil War-era plantations and strong Creole and Cajun communities.
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No matter the season, from Kennebunkport to Bar Harbor from Acadia to Baxter State Park, this natural wonderland fulfills the state slogan’s promise of 'Vacationland'.
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Maritime adventure awaits in Maryland. Sail into the bustling Baltimore harbor for a visit to Charm City, or cruise through the Chesapeake to visit the secluded coastal retreats of the Eastern Shore.
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Since the pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts has been a pillar of patriotism. Stroll the freedom trail in Boston, visit the shutter-clad splendour of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard or spot spectacular fall foliage in the Berkshires.
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Dubbed the Great Lake State for its 3,288-mile freshwater shoreline – yet also home to dynamo urban playgrounds – Michigan strikes a brilliant balance for a break that hops between coast and city.
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The Wild West thrives in the vast, openness of Montana. Horse-lovers saddle up for days-long rides through the canyons. Fishermen converge on the bountiful four rivers. And have we mentioned Glacier National Park and iconic Yellowstone?
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Retro boardwalks, the Jersey Shore’s sparkling Atlantic waters, and the best Italian-American food in the country prove that there’s much more to New Jersey than reality television.
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Talk about a gem in the desert: the land of Georgia O'Keefe has spectacular turquoise mines on a trail that runs from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.
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Wake up in a city that doesn’t sleep: this is New York, (New York) and you’ll want to be a part of it.
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Oregon is an ecologist’s dream canvas of mountains, rugged coastlines and lush forests. In Portland, residents take advantage of those resources to create a strong local food and indie scene, while Willamette Valley has a wine scene to rival Napa’s.
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Pennsylvania has a healthy helping of American history at its heart: a colonial origin and a starring role in the nation’s start. We expect Lin-Manuel Miranda to write its story any day now…
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Though small, Rhode Island packs plenty of adventures for visitors. Sail into Newport to visit the coastal mansions. Providence, home to Brown University, is a scenic New England town with a thriving arts scene.
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Go to South Carolina for the Spanish moss and antebellum architecture, but stay for the innovative culinary scene and miles of beaches in this proud Southern state.
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There’s a rhythm anywhere you go in Tennessee, from the boot-scooting bar scene of Nashville, to Elvis’ glitzy Graceland in Memphis and out into the Smoky Mountains, where bluegrass sets the soundtrack.
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Everything really is bigger in the Lone Star State. Expect great things from chilli-packed Tex-Mex dishes, one of the country’s best indie music scenes in Austin, and a vast and seemingly endless sprawl through the ranges and out to the Rio Grande.
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Outside Salt Lake City, Utah is a nature-lover’s paradise. The Colorado River burrows through ruddy canyons and opens into Lake Powell. Up in the mountains, resorts like Deer Valley, Park City and Alta lure powder-seekers from around the world.
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When you think of New England’s picturesque farmhouses, rolling hills and vibrantly coloured autumnal leaves, it’s Vermont you have in mind. With snow-covered mountains in winter and lush forests in summer, there’s a reason to relax here any time of year.
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History thrives in Virginia, where Civil War battlefields dot the landscape, and towns such as Williamsburg show off colonial life. Nature-lovers congregate in the pristine Blue Ridge Mountains of southern Virginia.
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Washington is so much more than its annual rainfall averages. Explore the lush, green Olympic Peninsula, the islands of the Puget Sound and the whale-surrounded San Juan Mountains.
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Proud, historic and unexpectedly alive with greenery, Washington DC is much more than the linchpin of governmental machinery; it’s a cultural hotbed of free museums and monuments.
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Open ranges, cowboys and the occasional passing moose help keep Wyoming about as removed from urban sprawl as anywhere in America. Check into a log cabin in Jackson Hole by the majestic Grand Tetons or visit spectacular Yellowstone.
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The power of nature is in full force in Yellowstone National Park, where hot springs simmer, geysers erupt and pine forests are padded by wolves and grizzlies across two million untamed acres.