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As I have traveled around the U.S., Canada and, more recently, the world, I have collected information on a number of places, both on and off the beaten path, that I would recommend to others.  I have listed many - but by no means all - of my recommendations below.  I have left off the obvious - state capitals and many U.S. national parks (see National Park Service sites and Parks Canada for park ideas).

Because it may have been years since I visited some of these sites, some of the information may be out of date, so please verify it before making a visit.  In addition, what appeals to me may not appeal to you, so use these recommendations at your own risk.

Links to States, Provinces, Territories and Countries

United States

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington State, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Canada

Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Ottawa Federal Capital, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory

Other Countries

Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Uruguay, Vatican

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United States

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington State, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Alabama

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Alaska

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Arizona

Arizona to me is the epitome of a desert state.  From north to south, most of what I see in Arizona is what I think of as desert.  And yet for one simple term, there is a lot of geological diversity in the state.  An obvious choice for a favorite site would of course be the Grand Canyon (and I especially recommend the views from the North Rim, and the hike down to Plateau Point from the South Rim), but there are a few other sites well worth visiting, too.  Note the lack of Sedona on my list.  There's prettier red rock country elsewhere without all the tourists.

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Arkansas

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California

California is one of my favorite states for vacationing.  Its diversity, in terms of people, places, climate and geology, makes it possible to enjoy so many different things in a single vacation.  On one trip in 1995, I enjoyed cities, coastal communities, desert scenery, hiking on a snow-capped mountain (in my shorts because it was rather warm out), and numerous other activities.  Heck, just in one day on one trip I spent the morning hiking in desert mountains, I spent the afternoon on a Pacific Coast beach, and I spend the evening hitting the clubs of West Hollywood, and all of this was within a half hour drive of my hotel.