North America
WHERE WE'VE BEEN:
US States:
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Minnesota (of course!)
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Hawaii
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California
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Washington, DC
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Colorado
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New York
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Florida
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Arizona
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Washington
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Virginia
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Texas
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Wyoming
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Wisconsin
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North Carolina
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Louisiana
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Illinois
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Delaware
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Maryland
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South Carolina
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Michigan
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Ohio
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Missouri
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Pennslyvania
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Iowa
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North Dakota
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South Dakota
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Oklahoma
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Nebraska
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West Virginia
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Tennessee
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Indiana
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Kansas
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Maine
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New Hampshire
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Rhode Island
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New Jersey
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Connecticut
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Massachusetts
Others:
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Canada
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Manitoba
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Mexico
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Yucatan
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Quintana Roo
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WHAT'S ON THE BUCKET LIST:
US States:
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Oregon
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Alaska
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Nevada
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?
The best time to visit North America really depends on where you are wanting to visit.
If you are wanting to visit Alaska or Canada I would recommend going during their summer months (mid-June to mid-September). The winter in these regions are very harsh and even in the middle of summer it is rare for the temperature to exceed 75 degrees F. Even in the summer time you will still get to experience snow-capped mountains and chilly days, but it will be much more pleasant for hiking and outdoor activities.
If you are wanting to visit the northern states of the United States (Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Washington, upper east coast states, etc.) you have some options. If you are looking for a white Christmas, skiing, ice skating on lakes, or other cold weather activities a visit during winter months might be for you (late November- early February). Although I will warn you that some winters can be very harsh, so you might want a short visit. On the other hand, the summer months (late May- early August) in this region are very enjoyable if you are looking for lake life, outdoor activities, and hiking with temperatures averaging 70-80 degrees F.
If you are wanting to visit the southern states of the United States (Florida, Arizona, Texas, etc.) it is quite the opposite of northern states, the summers (June-August) are extremely hot and have hurricane threats, so I would avoid visiting during that time. Instead, the winter/spring seasons (December- April) are warm and make for great hiking weather.
If you are visiting southern California I would avoid going during the fall/winter months of September- February due to fire threats in the fall and cooler weather in the winter. Instead, the spring is the best time to visit, the weather is very pleasant and you can still avoid some tourists that the summer brings in.
If you are looking for a beach getaway to Hawaii or Mexico there is almost no bad time to visit. The summer months can get hot, averaging about 90 degrees F, but that's perfect weather to go to the beach every day.
Bucket List places to visit during specific times: New York City during Christmas time, winter vacation to Hawaii, spring in Washington, DC to see the cherry blossoms bloom
TRAVELING IN NORTH AMERICA:
The best way to see North America is by roadtripping! There are no huge bodies of water throughout the continent so road trips are very doable. There's so many different options: West Coast USA (Pacific Highway), East Coast USA (NYC to Maine), national parks (Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches, Grand Canyon, Zion)!
For nature lovers- you must check out Banff National Park (Canada), Yellowstone National Park and Yosemite National Park (USA), and one of the various Cenotes (Mexico).
For city lovers- there's many options for you as well! New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto. Vancouver, Mexico City, and the list goes on.
WHAT BUDGET SHOULD I PLAN FOR IN NORTH AMERICA?
The USA and Canada are not budget friendly. In the USA tipping is customary (about 15-20%) which makes eating out get expensive. You can usually eat out for about $10-$20/meal, depending on where in the country you are and how luxurious it is.
Mexico is a bit for budget-friendly, unless you are in the tourist areas (Cancun, Cabo, Tulum). I would plan for around $80/day, again depending on where you are and how luxurious your trip is.