State Superlatives: Dreamiest Destination, Finest Fare, Best Bet for a “Rerun” + more

Pack your bags! We’re about to take an imaginary week off to travel, courtesy of our latest American Pulse™ survey.

Given the chance to indulge their inner Samantha Brown*, 19.8% of consumers say they would choose Hawaii over every other state in the union [well, duh]. California (12.8%), Florida (12.3%), Alaska (7.2%), and New York (5.4%) round out the top five must-see states. Delaware, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Kansas were the states least likely to be visited by our respondents. [Ohio – home of BIGinsight – landed at #30 on our list, so it doesn’t appear that we had many takers on our Field of Corn.]

But let’s make this data a bit more interesting, shall we? We also asked consumers why they would visit a particular state, and we took these responses and tallied up our very own list of State Superlatives. So which states are the most likely to be visited for climate, landscape, nightlife, or cuisine? Read on…

Most Likely to Visit for Gratis Room and Board Quality Time with the Family: California. Yeah, Brad Pitt is my uncle, too…seriously, though, it would make sense that as one of the largest states in the union, The Golden State – residence to many a celebrity – is also called home by fair number of friends and family as well. Florida, Texas, New York, and Hawaii complete the top five.

Most Likely to Soak Up the Sun: Hawaii. Nearly a third of respondents seeking a great climate said “aloha” to Hawaii ; Florida, California, Arizona, and Colorado followed.

Best Use of Mountains, Oceans, and/or Other Natural Wonders: Hawaii. Beautiful beaches + volcanic adventure + lush rainforests = picturesque Hawaii. California, Florida, Alaska, and Colorado received honorable mention here.

Best Bet for a “Rerun” Vacation: Florida. Among those who have been there before and want to go back, Florida is the top destination, though Hawaii isn’t far behind. California, New York, and Nevada round out the top five must-return-to- states.

Dreamiest Destination: Hawaii. This isn’t surprising, but those who have always wanted to visit The Aloha State double the number of the second most bucket-listed state: Alaska. California, New York, and Florida follow.

Most Attractive Attractions: Florida. Mickey Mouse may have monkeyed with this ranking…the homes to both Disney World and Disneyland, Florida and California (respectively), packed a one-two punch here. New York, Hawaii, and Nevada followed.

Best Brain Food: Hawaii. It appears that the Pearl Harbor memorial and other historically Hawaiian sites are not far from the minds of those who would also like to benefit from the surf, sun, and sand. California, New York, Florida, and Washington D.C. were other top destinations for history buffs.

Most Likely to End Up with a Hangover: California & Nevada. Respondents were equally divided when it came to states offering the best nightlife; Florida, New York, and Hawaii followed. And props to The Big Easy here: Louisiana came in at #6.

Finest Fare: Hawaii. Bring on the grass skirts…it’s safe to assume that most of us would enjoy a luau. California, Florida, New York, and Nevada are also top states for haute cuisine. We found further regional flare for food with #6 (Texas), #7 (Louisiana), and #8 (Maine…mmm, Lobster!)

Best Spot to Get Teed Off: Hawaii. For those seeking sporting or outdoor adventure, The Aloha State was a hole in one yet again. Florida, California, Alaska, and Colorado were also high-scorers with athletic-minded travelers.

Best Place to Rack Up the Receipts: California. I can personally attest that California is a great state for exercising a little [OK, a lot] of retail therapy. Florida, New York, Hawaii [is there anything that one cannot do in that state?], and Nevada also prove popular amongst us shopaholics.

Happy travels!

For more information on this data, please contact BIGinsight™.

* For this question, consumers were asked: “If you were given the week off to travel, which state in the U.S. would you visit?” Respondents were able to choose from a list of the 50 U.S. states as well as Washington D.C.

Source: American Pulse™ Survey, FEB-12 #1, N = 3349

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