- After visiting each 50 states solo, location are immoderate things I wish I'd done differently.
- I should've considered nan downsides of walking to definite places during nan offseason.
- I wish I had decided connected a much organized measurement to archive each authorities pinch photos and diary entries.
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I started traveling solo astir a decade agone erstwhile I turned 30. In nan beginning, I didn't person immoderate expansive plans to visit each 50 states aliases each nationalist parkland — I conscionable knew I wanted to acquisition caller places.
However, arsenic I traveled more, my goals changed, and astir 2 years ago, I visited my 50th state. However, that's not to opportunity I didn't make immoderate — aliases a batch of — mistakes on nan way.
Although I don't for illustration to person regrets, location are immoderate things I'd urge different travelers see earlier embarking connected a akin quest.
Here are six mistakes I made connected my travel to spot each 50 states.
I didn’t ever return advantage of geographic neighbors.
Although this whitethorn look for illustration communal sense, I didn't ever see visiting neighboring states together erstwhile readying my travels. For example, contempt visiting nan Northeast — specifically, Maine — respective times, Vermont was nan 50th authorities I visited.
I loved my travel to sojourn Vermont exclusively, but it would've been overmuch easier and cheaper to person planned a broadside travel to spot nan authorities while I was already successful nan Northeast.
I often skipped definite places I wanted to visit, reasoning I’d spell connected my adjacent travel to nan state.
Conversely, I wish I'd spent much clip successful definite states alternatively of prioritizing getting to nan adjacent place.
Knowing I group retired to spot each 50 states, I sometimes felt rushed to get to nan adjacent one. Often, that meant skipping complete attractions successful nan authorities I was successful and telling myself I'd sojourn adjacent time.
However, I tin only return truthful galore trips successful a year, truthful it's difficult to cognize erstwhile nan adjacent clip will be.
For example, I wish I had made clip to spot much spots successful Maine extracurricular nan coastal areas.
I should've considered nan downsides of walking during nan offseason.
Although walking during nan offseason intends amended rates and less crowds, doing truthful has prevented maine from experiencing immoderate states to their afloat potential. Weather, particularly successful nan North and higher-altitude locations, tin often consequence successful roadworthy and business closures.
Weather conditions person besides impacted really overmuch I was capable to research a state. For instance, I first visited Arizona successful August, and nan power was truthful utmost that I could only walk nan mornings and evenings outdoors.
I sometimes ended up spending measurement excessively overmuch clip driving.
The West is huge, and though a time spent driving is simply a awesome measurement to acquisition gorgeous views, I for illustration making predominant stops.
When I first started connected my escapade to spot each 50 states, I'd sometimes walk 4 to six hours a time driving. Looking back, though, I wish I'd spent much clip exploring what was on nan road.
I've spent galore consequent trips returning to places successful nan West that I had antecedently driven by and wished I had made clip for while I was there.
I wish I had documented each authorities successful a much azygous and organized way.
When I started solo traveling, I didn't person nan extremity to sojourn each 50 states, truthful location are respective states that I only person 1 aliases 2 photos of — immoderate of which I'm not moreover in.
Traveling isn't conscionable astir taking pictures, of course, but I wish I had chosen a much azygous measurement to archive each state. Even a elemental selfie tin beryllium a awesome measurement to retrieve a spot and nan memories there.
I besides wish I had spent much clip journaling connected trips aliases signaling nan places I visited each time to retrieve what I did and easy relay my recommendations to others.
I should've joined rewards programs sooner.
When I first started traveling, I looked for flights, hotels, and rental cars that worked wrong my fund and didn't see joining recreation rewards programs.
For predominant travelers for illustration me, I judge nan advantages of hose position and recreation in installments cards cannot beryllium overstated. Unfortunately, I missed retired connected galore benefits during nan years I didn't return advantage of these programs.