I am just curious about who has made it to all 50 states and how hard it was and how you managed it?

Me!
How?
Racked up most of the continental U.S. after college, hitchiking from San Diego to Vermont (chasing a lost love, long story -- he's out of the picture but my trip was amazing!). It took almost four months but I really saw the country. Obviously it was not a "point A to point B" journey -- since I hitchhiked, I had to meander around a bit. Spent another summer working in Alaska, did Hawaii through one of those freebie timeshare deals (thought I was going to kill myself listening to the presentations -- finally got the heck out of dodge and hopped a puddle jumper to Kauai -- spent a few days camping, then showed up at the airport and got my tickets changed for the flight home! Kind of crazy but thank goodness I got away from the timeshare vultures. I missed a few states on my hitchhiking trip, so I took a solo road trip two years ago and checked them off my list. I highly recommend it, especially the hitchhiking! Yes, you can still do it if you are smart and trust your instincts.

I made it to all 48 states in one trip. When I was 14 my dad bought a new Lincoln Continental and we drove cross country and made sure to make every state. It took 3 months to do and it was the best family trip. We would get on the road by 6am stop for breakfast, stop for groceries or a diner for lunch and get off the road by 3-4 pm and stay in a motel and have dinner. Some places we stayed longer than others, whatever we wanted to do and see - but we saw it all and everything in between!! My mom read the AAA trip-tic(remember those? before computers ?) and the AAA guide and we found our way around that way and it was a blast. My brother and I still talk about it to this day (I am now 41 and he is 38.) Although I have been to Europe and the Caribbean and Central America, I have yet to see Alaska and Hawaii. But my Dad certainly gave me the sense to explore and the longing to see and experience something different and to just GO

Now we must resume the "great"
controversy---what crtierion do we use for actually having been "in" a state???
For instance, one Fodorite counted just changing planes as having been in that state???I personally don't count that. However, on recent trip driving from Tenn. to VA I detoured about 20 miles and went over the state line into Kentucky . Can I count that??? If so my total is now up to 43.
Most of these cross country to the East with Antique dealer in the 70 's and with many Elderhostel groups.
Hope I can get to the rest before my body wears out.
Happy Trails

If someone is only comming to my state just passing through on the interstate only to check it off on their list, they are taking up space. Kind of a pointless goal.

Finished seeing all 50 this summer during our 50th anniversary trip out west. We've done it during various vacations and business trips that hubby had to take, and I could go along.

I consider being IN a state by driving through, or staying...but NOT flying over (although that is most interesting) or changing planes somewhere. I want to get the feel of a state and it's people and agriculture.

Hawaii for our 40th anniversary and Alaska twice. Also spent some time in Puerto Rico.

We have a great country and we should try and see as much of it as possible. Still more places to see.

Regarding travel to all 50 states, I found this website over the weekend (ok, so it's 48 states). It makes for fun reading, IMO.

http://roadtrip.beimers.com/index.html

As an Australian,I have avery simple test.You can not say you have been somewhere unless you have had a beer there.this is a good practical test because you have to stop and talk to a local.I was tested once on a bus tour of Europe which stopped in Luxembourg for half an hour.I had to do a lot of talking to get my beer.

My husband and I have made it to all 50 states. To count, we had to be there together, overnight and play golf. We just finished up this past August with our 6th year anniversary trip to Alaska and Washington. We had been to both states before but neglected to play golf. Canada is next. A little tough to find golf in Nunavut.

vera, when did you hitchhike cross-country? if it was years ago, it may have been safe, but not anymore -- be careful!!!

Graeme, I like that test! And after thinking about it I have passed the test for all the European countries I've seen and probably most American states.

Been to them all;many many 2-3 times------but I am 63 years old!!!

Benny, I much prefer the beer test to Susans golf test, far too hard . I admire her resolve though.

Graeme: Did all 50 states with our three daughters over a ten year period. Did something of a vacation nature in each state.We prepared our trips for a year and took off with a fixed itinery and specific states to visit for that trip. It was a fantastic time and experience. Daughters got the wanderlust and have traveled extensively on thier own since. We took them to England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Costa to start them off. This is a wonderful country with so much to see. After twenty years of overseas travel, we are ready to return to some of those states and my wife and I will go to the Southeast for a month or six weeks this spring. Looking forward to it.

I always get a kick out of those older motor homes that have the outline of the US with the stickers in the shape of the states they've visited.

Kathleen - That family trip, hitting all the 48, sounds wonderful! How fortunate you were!

I've been to 47. The spouse and I are road trip freaks, so - over the past 40 years together, we have slowly chipped away at the map, enjoying just about every mile. I still have N. Dakota to cross off my list. And no real expectation that I'll ever do Hawaii or Alaska.

48 lower. I count driving through as having been there.

Have 3 left-Delaware, N. Dakota, and Alaska. Will do ND and Alaska in the next few years, but need a push to go to Delaware. Have seen most of the other 47 over and over.

I'm starting to feel sorry for North Dakota!

JM: come now, it's not that hard to get to Delaware. Philadelphia is 35 miles away, Baltimore 75 miles and D.C. 100 miles. Combine a day trip from anyone of these cities and you can mark Delaware off your list.