# All 50 states, and only 3 worth staying in

> A travel writer who has set foot in every US state names the only three she would actually call home.
- Title: All 50 states, and only 3 worth staying in · Business Insider
- Summary: A travel writer who has set foot in every US state names the only three she would actually call home. Every state is worth a visit, but a place worth living…
- Keywords: travel, usa, new york, wyoming, rhode island, business, technology, All, states, only, worth, staying
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/states-would-choose-to-live-in-after-visiting-all-50-2026-9
- Author: Katherine Parker-Magyar
- Published: 2026-09-14T15:52:23.108+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: travel, usa, new york, wyoming, rhode island, business, technology
## Fifty states, three keepers
A professionally nomadic travel writer has visited all 50 states and thinks each deserves a trip. Only three make her want to stay longer than a month.

> it takes a special part of the country to make me want to stay put for longer than a month
## New York is the only real city
She lives in New York City now and would pick it again. The 24-hour bodegas and 4 a.m. last calls are what she wants from an ordinary Tuesday.

> New York City is the only real "city" city
## The escape hatch matters
When the noise gets old, Shelter Island or the Hamptons are a short train ride away. Two international airports in state, plus Newark nearby, keep the rest of the world close.
## Wyoming, the opposite extreme
From the most populated city to the least populated state. She spent years in a cabin there, sleeping to coyote howls in the wide open space near Grand Teton.

> I found solace in the wide open spaces of Grand Teton National Park
## Write, ski, bourbon, repeat
Her Wyoming day runs on a simple loop: writing in the morning, skiing in the afternoon, a western sunset with a drink at night. Jackson Hole is her pick for most beautiful place in America.

> The state's mountains are often calling me
## Rhode Island for the rough sea
She prefers New England's jagged coast and stormy seasons to sunnier Pacific beaches. Newport nightlife, Portsmouth farmland, and Block Island make the Ocean State her year-round dream.

> there's nothing that quite compares to the sea
## Key takeaway

Every state is worth a visit, but a place worth living in has to fit your daily rhythm, not just your vacation photos.