Bucket List Adventures in All 50 States

What’s the one thing you must do in every state? From Florida to Alaska, here are our picks for once-in-a-lifetime experiences across the country.

March 04, 2022

By: Kathleen Rellihan and Felicia Feaster

Shop This Look

Photo By: Juan Sebastian Lopez

Photo By: Meg McKinney

Photo By: Kit_Leong

Photo By: IlexImage

Photo By: Dero Sanford

Photo By: Cliff Hanger Guides

Photo By: Eve Nagode

Photo By: Winvian Farm

Photo By: dlewis33

Photo By: felixmizioznikov

Photo By: Dgrano20

Photo By: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Photo By: Visit Idaho

Photo By: Bloomberg

Photo By: HodagMedia

Photo By: David Howells

Photo By: NCM Motorsports Park

Photo By: The spectacular facade of the Hotel Monteleone/Courtesy of the Hotel Monteleone

Photo By: PJ Walter

Photo By: smanter

Photo By: Rick Friedman

Photo By: Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau

Photo By: Aaron Hautala

Photo By: Robert Smith

Photo By: Andy Morrison

Photo By: Feng Wei Photography

Photo By: Wild Horizon

Photo By: LPETTET

Photo By: jgroup

Photo By: sainaniritu

Photo By: New Mexico Tourism

Photo By: Reuters

Photo By: Wright Experience

Photo By: kenowolfpack

Photo By: Jordan Sternberg

Photo By: Robyn Beck

Photo By: ThreeJays

Photo By: Richard T. Nowitz

Photo By: Visions of America

Photo By: makasana

Photo By: hbrizard

Photo By: michelangeloop

Photo By: Texas Parks and Wildlife

Photo By: Jacob W. Frank Photography

Photo By: Bloomberg

Photo By: JacobH/Getty Images

Photo By: lilly3

Photo By: apelletr

Photo By: Lynn_Bystrom

Photo By: Jason Lindsey

Photo By: SeanPavonePhoto

What You Need to See and Do in Every State

If your bucket list includes a visit to every state in America, take along our list of the essential activities and sites in each state to make sure you are hitting all the bases. Some of these attractions and activities are below the radar and some are the popular must-dos in every state. The travel experts at HGTV have rounded up a key site to visit in each state. See how many of our bucket list adventures you have visited.

Alabama: Space Camp

Is constructing and launching your own rocket on your bucket list? Fulfill your childhood dreams of being an astronaut by taking part in Adult Space Academy, a two-night experience that allows trainees to take part in hands-on interactive space missions at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

Alaska: Northern Lights

Catch a glimpse of nature's most spectacular light show—the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights—in Fairbanks, one of the most reliable spots to view the natural wonder.

Arizona: Grand Canyon

Experience the Grand Canyon from the water—float through the geological wonder on the Colorado River with an adrenaline-pumping whiter water adventure, or take in the breathtaking views slowly on a smooth water rafting trip.

Arkansas: Anthony Chapel

Marvel at the awe-inspiring design of Anthony Chapel in Garvan Woodland Gardens, an architectural wonder nestled in the deep woods of Hot Springs, that soars 57 feet high with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and massive pine columns and beams.

California: Joshua Tree National Park

Don’t just take photos of the otherworldly rock formations at Joshua Tree National Park, climb them! With more than 400 climbing formations and 8,000 climbing routes, this high-desert world-class rock climbing mecca has climbs for every level, and beginners can learn the robes with lessons from Cliffhangers Guides.

Colorado: Royal Gorge Cloudscraper

There are zip lines and then there is the Cloudscraper. Soar across the Royal Gorge 1,200 feet above the roaring Arkansas River on this heart-racing ride, the highest zip line in North America.

Connecticut: Winvian Farm Treehouse

Take your childhood fantasy and turn it up a notch with an unforgettable night in a treehouse 35 feet above the New England forest floor at Winvian Farm, in Litchfield. You’ll be far from roughing it this grown-up treehouse haven complete with two fireplaces and a Jacuzzi.

Delaware: Parasailing

Liven up your summer beach getaway by parasailing over the Atlantic Ocean to get a seagulls-eye-view of Dewey Beach. And you don’t have to do it alone—up to three people can soar hundreds of feet above the ocean together with Dewey Beach Parasailing.

Florida: Overseas Highway

You’ll feel like you’re floating on water driving from Miami to Key West on one of the country’s most beautiful roads, Overseas Highway, a 113-mile stretch with 42 overseas bridges, best driven in a convertible.

Georgia: Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island

Get a glimpse of Georgia’s "tree graveyard" by paddling, biking or walking along Jekyll Island’s Driftwood Beach.

Hawaii: Kilauea Volcano

A bucket list experience in Hawaii? Watch lava flow from Kilauea Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes on earth, on the Big Island. You can view the volcano from Crater Rim Drive, an 11-mile stretch that follows the edge of the Kilauea Caldera in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Idaho: Hot Springs

Soak in one of Idaho’s numerous natural hot springs, while you take in surrounding snowscapes. These geothermally heated pools can be enjoyed any time of year.

Illinois: The Skydeck Chicago

Go out on the ledge for soaring views of Chicago on The Skydeck on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower, the second tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Indiana: Indy 500

Catch the greatest racing event in the country, the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Iowa: American Gothic House

Head to Eldon to visit and take a photo in front of the real house that inspired Grant Wood to paint one of the most recognizable works of art, American Gothic. Tour the adjacent American Gothic House Center which showcases Grant Wood’s life and the history of the house.

Kansas: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Site

Located in Topeka, Kansas, the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site located in a former African-American elementary school, explores the US Supreme Court decision that ended legal segregation in American schools.

Kentucky: Corvette Museum

Tour the Corvette Museum and Corvette plant in Bowling Green, the only place in the world where the classic American sports cars are made. Drive a Corvette (with a pro) around the Motorspeed performance driving track. Speeds of 120 MPH not guaranteed.

Louisiana: The Hotel Monteleone

The spectacular facade of New Orleans' historic Hotel Monteleone is a must-see while in town, whether you spend a night, or just enjoy a classic cocktail in the hotel's gorgeous, rotating Carousel Bar.

Maine: Sail Historic Windjammer

Sail along the coast of Maine for a few days aboard a historic windjammer, where you’ll get hands-on sailing experience and iconic views of New England lighthouses, fishing villages and uninhabited islands, where you can enjoy all of Maine’s coastal highlights in one experience.

Maryland: Assateague Island Wild Ponies

Since 1925, hundreds of wild ponies are herded by "saltwater cowboys" across Assateague Channel in July for the annual Chincoteague Pony Swim. But you can spot the wild ponies any time of year grazing on salt marshes and beaches on Assateague Island.

Massachusetts: Fenway Park

Red Sox fans or not, you have to catch at least one baseball game at Boston’s Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.

Michigan: Sleeping Bear Dunes

Climb Sleeping Bear National Seashore’s massive sand dunes, sculpted entirely by winds and waters. With 450-foot bluffs and sweeping views over Lake Michigan, this freshwater beach is one you have to see this lifetime.

Minnesota: Fat Biking on the Snow

During Minnesota winters, snow is no excuse to put your bike away. Take a spin on the snow here on a fat bike, a winter-ready bike with oversized, low-pressure tires allowing you to cycle over snow-packed trails.

Mississippi: Swamp Tour

Is coming face-to-face with an alligator on your bucket list? Take an airboat tour with Gulf Coast Gator Ranch on the swamplands of the Mississippi Gulf Coast to spot a gator in their natural habitat.

Missouri: Bonne Terre Mine

Take an unforgettable dive into the man-made caverns at Bonne Terre Mine, one of the earliest deep-earth lead mines and the world's largest freshwater dive venue.

Montana: Glacier National Park

Seeing glaciers on your bucket list? There’s no view that could be more rewarding than taking in the majestic Grinnell Glacier on Garden Wall in Glacier National Park.

Nebraska: Sandhill Crane Migration

Catch the sandhill crane migration, one of the greatest animal migrations, that happens every spring when 80 percent of the world’s cranes converge on the Platte River valley in Nebraska.

Nevada: Extraterrestrial Highway

Lookout for unidentified flying objects on Extraterrestrial Highway, a 92-mile stretch of State Route 375 in Nevada near Area 51, the notorious U.S. military installation known for reported UFO sightings.

New Hampshire: Fall Foliage

Catch Mother Nature’s stunning autumn show in New Hampshire, one of New England’s prime spots for fall foliage.

New Jersey: Ocean City Boardwalk

People watch on the boardwalk in Ocean City, a 2.5-mile stretch of Americana and one of the most family-friendly boardwalks in the world. It’s best experienced with a handful of salt-water taffy.

New Mexico: White Sands National Dunes

Dune sledding on your life list? It will be after seeing White Sands National Dunes, over 275 square miles of glistening white gypsum desert sands.

New York: Take On the Marathon

Test your stamina on one of the world's greatest road races that draws more than 50,000 participants to a challenging course that winds through all five boroughs.

North Carolina: Wright Experience

You could go to the beach on the Outer Banks or you could fly over it on a reproduction of the Wright Brothers’ 1902 Glider! One of the only of its kind available for the public to fly, 1902 Wright Glider replica was built by the Wright Experience. Fly this glider just as the Wright Brothers did over 100 years ago—even over the same dunes they flew over.

North Dakota: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Marvel at otherworldly sandstone formations on one of 100 miles of hiking trails at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Ohio: Cedar Point

Think you can handle the world's tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster? Then take a ride on Valravn, Cedar Point amusement park’s thrill ride that goes 223 feet high, 75 mph and has two 90-degree drops.

Oklahoma: Route 66 Museum

Drive through the longest stretch of Route 66 in Oklahoma and visit the museum dedicated to the Mother Road in the town of Clinton.

Oregon: Cannon Beach

Walk along Cannon Beach to take in one of Oregon’s most beautiful landmarks, the towering Haystack Rock standing 235 feet above the edge of the shoreline.

Pennsylvania: Fallingwater

After seeing the masterpiece that is Fallingwater, stay overnight in another Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, the Duncan House at Polymath Park Resort, one of only a handful of Wright-designed homes in the world offering overnight stays.

Rhode Island: Newport’s Cliff Walk

Ogle at Newport's gilded mansions on the famed Cliff Walk and if your budget allows it, stay overnight in one. Spend a night at the Vanderbilt, built in 1909 as a summer residence for Alfred Vanderbilt, and now a boutique hotel.

South Carolina: Bulls Island

See the day break on South Carolina’s Bulls Island, an unspoiled barrier island that boasts more wildlife than beach-goers.

South Dakota: Badlands National Park

Drive along Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway, a 31-mile stretch of jagged cliffs and striking rock formations. Keep an eye out for the wildlife here, from bison to Harley riders.

Tennessee: Nashville Live Music

With over 150 live music venues, Nashville is called Music City for a reason. Bluebird Cafe is one of the most iconic listening rooms in the city, with its decades-long history of being a haven for aspiring and established country music songwriters.

Texas: Caddo Lake

Paddle your way through the mysterious maze of Spanish moss-covered Cypress trees on Caddo Lake, the only natural lake in Texas.

Utah: Arches National Park

Go stargazing in Utah, a state that boasts one of the darkest skies in the U.S., if not the world. Camp under the stars at Arches National Park and glimpse the Milky Way span the night sky.

Vermont: Kingdom Trails

Best way to take in Vermont’s breathtaking scenery? Ride through the grassy meadows and mountains on Kingdom Trails, one of the best networks of biking trails in the U.S.

Virginia: Mount Vernon

Four out of America’s first five presidents were Virginians, and, though Woodrow Wilson was the most recent from the state to serve as commander in chief, it's still full of presidential history. Go back to the beginning and tour George Washington's Mount Vernon.

See More: Take a Presidential Tour of Virginia

Washington: Orca Whale Watching

See if you can spot orcas off the coast of Washington on the San Juan Islands, one of the best places in the world to spot killer whales. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the area’s other amazing wildlife, too—sea lions, harbor seals, porpoise and bald eagles.

West Virginia: Raft Gauley River

For an unforgettable ride, raft the world-famous Gauley River, one of the top-ranked white water rivers in the world with over 100 rapids for every skill level.

Wisconsin: Apostle Islands

Forget a boring cheese tour, up the ante in Wisconsin and explore the ice caves at Apostle Islands, home to some of the most stunning sea caves found in the Great Lakes. Always check with the National Park Service to make sure the conditions are safe first.

Wyoming: Dude Ranch

Wrangle up some cowboy/cowgirl experience at Eaton’s Family Ranch, the nation’s first dude ranch, in Wolf, Wyoming. From horseback riding to trap shooting, you’ll be able to be the star in your own Western.

Washington, DC: Monument Night Tour

Escape the crowds and take in Washington, DC’s monuments on a twilight tour. Beautiful during the day, the memorials and monuments become magical when floodlit at dusk.