Making the rounds on social media is a post asking what states you have visited. I know I have been to many, but I decided to determine the official count.

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The rules are pretty simple. Driving through a state with no stopping counts, but flying over a state does not. A layover or plane change in an airport counts though. That’s about it.

Because I grew up in Chicago near the Indiana border, I had experienced Indiana many times in my youth. My first real out-of-state trip was to Missouri to see the St. Louis Cardinals.

On family trips I visited all states east of the Mississippi River except for Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut. A couple were token visits, but they count as per the rules.

Going west of the Mississippi River, baseball trips with friends were added to family trips. Despite several trips west, I have never been to Idaho, Washington, Utah, Oregon or New Mexico. The pandemic caused me to miss a planned baseball trip to Washington this year.

Lastly, I have never been to Alaska or Hawaii. This brings my total of missed states to 11.

Although not official, I think visiting 39 states is well above average. Unfortunately, that number probably won’t increase much. I’m sure the Seattle trip will happen at some point to bring my states total to 40, but that’s about all I see happening.

I might not be a world traveler, having only left the United States for Canada, but I have done a pretty good job of traveling this country. There is still time to add more, if anyone wants to go to the northeast or northwest.

— John Wroblewski, online writer