States you have traveled through, but never made it on an interstate

[tsmatt13]

Briefly went into Arizona a few years ago to see Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon as part of a larger vacation; I came down from the north on US-89 and AZ-98, and left on US-89A and AZ-389.

[kphoger]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

With that in mind, I think my only such state is Arkansas.  The only time I've been there was our 11th anniversary, but we never left Carroll County and the extreme northwest corner of Benton County (coming down from Seligman, MO).

[roadman65]

Closest would be for me both VT and NH.  Traveled mostly on the non freeways.

As an adult I have only driven a small part of I-91 in Brattleboro and never drove any interstate in NH, but was a child passenger on I-89, part of I-93, and the 16 miles of I-95 in that particular state.  I have drove NH 9, HH 101, NH 101A, and US 3 from Nashua to MA.

[MikieTimT]

Got to be Delaware, driving back from Ocean City, Maryland to Manassas, Virginia.  Figured on at least seeing a bit of Delaware, but that seems to be all there is of Delaware.  Did US-113->Delaware/Maryland-404 back to US-50.  That was a 3rd of the state by road, which didn't take very long.

[kphoger]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

With that in mind, I think my only such state is Arkansas.  The only time I've been there was our 11th anniversary, but we never left Carroll County and the extreme northwest corner of Benton County (coming down from Seligman, MO).

Whoops, Virginia also counts.  My dad and I once traveled to Charlottesville by Amtrak, then rented a car at the airport and drove up to Shenandoah National Park.  We stayed at the lodge, did some hiking, visited the town of Fort Royal.  But we stayed between I-64 and I-66 the whole time, then took Amtrak back to Chicago again.

And, now that I think of it...  Would Ohio and West Virginia count for me?  The train passed through those states on the way out and back.  I traveled through them, even though I never set foot off the train in them.

[MATraveler128]

Mine is Florida as I've only flown there. Same for Colorado. I drove down to North Carolina from the Hampton Roads along US 17.

Looks like I goofed up here. While I have been to Florida, I flew to West Palm Beach and have been on I-95 in Palm Beach County, so this isn't accurate. The only ones for me are Colorado and North Carolina. Colorado I flew into Durango, which is nowhere near any of the state's Interstates. For North Carolina, I was staying in Virginia and we drove down to the welcome center along US 17 for my first and only "visit"  to the state. New Mexico counts too via Four Corners Monument.

[US 89]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

[webny99]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

I think the distinction is about the word "through". If we wanted to get that technical, you haven't traveled "through" a state unless you entered one side and exited the other. By that logic I haven't traveled "through" South Dakota despite having been to Mount Rushmore, nor Maine, despite having been to Acadia NP. But of course, that's just silly.

[JayhawkCO]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

I think the distinction is about the word "through". If we wanted to get that technical, you haven't traveled "through" a state unless you entered one side and exited the other. By that logic I haven't traveled "through" South Dakota despite having been to Mount Rushmore, nor Maine, despite having been to Acadia NP. But of course, that's just silly.

I think kphoger's concern has more to do with the word "travel".  Clearly one can transit "through" Georgia, but were they really "there"?

[formulanone]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

I think the distinction is about the word "through". If we wanted to get that technical, you haven't traveled "through" a state unless you entered one side and exited the other. By that logic I haven't traveled "through" South Dakota despite having been to Mount Rushmore, nor Maine, despite having been to Acadia NP. But of course, that's just silly.

I think kphoger's concern has more to do with the word "travel".  Clearly one can transit "through" Georgia, but were they really "there"?

You haven't been to a place until someone politely tells you to slow down or "it's been fun, just not real fun".

[SEWIGuy]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

I think the distinction is about the word "through". If we wanted to get that technical, you haven't traveled "through" a state unless you entered one side and exited the other. By that logic I haven't traveled "through" South Dakota despite having been to Mount Rushmore, nor Maine, despite having been to Acadia NP. But of course, that's just silly.

I think kphoger's concern has more to do with the word "travel".  Clearly one can transit "through" Georgia, but were they really "there"?

Is this like "if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to witness it, does it really make a noise?'

I don't come to aaroads to engage is such philosophical debates.

[paulthemapguy]

Is this like "if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to witness it, does it really make a noise?'

I don't come to aaroads to engage is such philosophical debates.

I don't come to AARoads to see pointless nitpicking arguments about nomenclature, but it's what I see two-thirds of the time.

[hbelkins]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

With that in mind, I think my only such state is Arkansas.  The only time I've been there was our 11th anniversary, but we never left Carroll County and the extreme northwest corner of Benton County (coming down from Seligman, MO).

Whoops, Virginia also counts.  My dad and I once traveled to Charlottesville by Amtrak, then rented a car at the airport and drove up to Shenandoah National Park.  We stayed at the lodge, did some hiking, visited the town of Fort Royal.  But we stayed between I-64 and I-66 the whole time, then took Amtrak back to Chicago again.

And, now that I think of it...  Would Ohio and West Virginia count for me?  The train passed through those states on the way out and back.  I traveled through them, even though I never set foot off the train in them.

If you took the Cardinal from Cincy to Charlottesville, you also passed through Kentucky. The train crosses the river in Cincy and follows the Kentucky side, and I think it crosses from Kentucky into West Virginia without going back into Ohio.

[formulanone]

Is this like "if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to witness it, does it really make a noise?'

I don't come to aaroads to engage is such philosophical debates.

I don't come to AARoads to see pointless nitpicking arguments about nomenclature, but it's what I see two-thirds of the time.

As per the MUTCD, please express this in a vulgar fraction.

[Scott5114]

Is this like "if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to witness it, does it really make a noise?'

I don't come to aaroads to engage is such philosophical debates.

I don't come to AARoads to see pointless nitpicking arguments about nomenclature, but it's what I see two-thirds of the time.

As per the MUTCD, please express this in a vulgar fraction.

I don't come to AARoads to see pointless nitpicking arguments about nomenclature, but it's what I see two-damn-thirds of the time.

[hbelkins]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

With that in mind, I think my only such state is Arkansas.  The only time I've been there was our 11th anniversary, but we never left Carroll County and the extreme northwest corner of Benton County (coming down from Seligman, MO).

Whoops, Virginia also counts.  My dad and I once traveled to Charlottesville by Amtrak, then rented a car at the airport and drove up to Shenandoah National Park.  We stayed at the lodge, did some hiking, visited the town of Fort Royal.  But we stayed between I-64 and I-66 the whole time, then took Amtrak back to Chicago again.

And, now that I think of it...  Would Ohio and West Virginia count for me?  The train passed through those states on the way out and back.  I traveled through them, even though I never set foot off the train in them.

If you took the Cardinal from Cincy to Charlottesville, you also passed through Kentucky. The train crosses the river in Cincy and follows the Kentucky side, and I think it crosses from Kentucky into West Virginia without going back into Ohio.

And one reason I know this is because for years, there was a sign on US 23 in the South Shore area, not far from the U.S. Grant bridge into Ohio, that pointed the way to the "Amtrac" station.

[pderocco]

I think the question is about whether one only used roads that aren't Interstates. Otherwise, I've "traveled through" Alaska without using an Interstate--at 30000+ feet.

[kphoger]

The topic says "traveled through", so I don't see how an airport layover–even if you walked the tarmac from airplane to terminal, or even if you stayed in the hotel next door overnight–could count.

So, even though I claim to have been to Georgia by virtue of transferring at ATL en route from Chicago to Amsterdam, I don't claim to have traveled through Georgia.

With that in mind, I think my only such state is Arkansas.  The only time I've been there was our 11th anniversary, but we never left Carroll County and the extreme northwest corner of Benton County (coming down from Seligman, MO).

Whoops, Virginia also counts.  My dad and I once traveled to Charlottesville by Amtrak, then rented a car at the airport and drove up to Shenandoah National Park.  We stayed at the lodge, did some hiking, visited the town of Fort Royal.  But we stayed between I-64 and I-66 the whole time, then took Amtrak back to Chicago again.

And, now that I think of it...  Would Ohio and West Virginia count for me?  The train passed through those states on the way out and back.  I traveled through them, even though I never set foot off the train in them.

If you took the Cardinal from Cincy to Charlottesville, you also passed through Kentucky. The train crosses the river in Cincy and follows the Kentucky side, and I think it crosses from Kentucky into West Virginia without going back into Ohio.

Well yeah, but I've clinched I-24 in Kentucky (and driven part of I-69 before it was I-69), so Kentucky clearly doesn't count for me.

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

I think the distinction is about the word "through". If we wanted to get that technical, you haven't traveled "through" a state unless you entered one side and exited the other. By that logic I haven't traveled "through" South Dakota despite having been to Mount Rushmore, nor Maine, despite having been to Acadia NP. But of course, that's just silly.

Yes, the distinction is about the word "through", but not in the way you imagined.

In my mind, "traveling through" an area means that I engaged in some form of ground transportation between two points in that area.  It doesn't have to mean that I transited the entire state from border to border, but the number of locations I've been within the state has to be greater than one.

By way of analogy:  Imagine that you've never been west of the Great Plains before.  Your recently retired in-laws invite you and your wife to join them on a vacation in Telluride.  The four of you fly into Denver, rent a car, slip and slide your way over the snow-covered Rockies, and settle in at the ski resort.  Halfway through the vacation, your father-in-law talks everyone into taking a day trip down to Four Corners.  So you all head down through Dolores and Cortez, cross into the extreme northwestern corner of New Mexico, pay the entrance fee, park, and walk up to the monument.  You've been feeling sick to your stomach lately, so you immediately find the nearest bench and just flop down while everyone else takes selfies and shops for knick-knacks.  When they're finally ready to head out, you decide that you really shouldn't leave without actually stepping on the crossing point.  You stand up, head four yards over to the big circle and cross, and walk a tight circle around the center–three steps each in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, before landing back in New Mexico.  You take your wife's hand and walk back to the car, and everyone heads back northeast to Telluride.  After the vacation is over, your co-workers ask you where-all you traveled.  And you tell them that, besides spending time in Colorado, you also took a hiking trip through Utah and Arizona.

Sorry, but I don't think that little walk around the circle at Four Corners counts as "a hiking trip through Utah and Arizona".  Have you been to those two states?  Yes.  Have you walked through those states?  No.  You've only been to one single spot in Utah, so you cannot claim to have traveled through it.

In a similar way, I don't consider my trek from one end of ATL to the other as "traveling through Georgia".  Rather, the airplane touched down at a single spot in Georgia, I never left that spot, and then another airplane took off from the same spot.  I've been to Georgia, I've traveled by way of Georgia, but I haven't traveled through Georgia.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think the answer is none, but I've only been on interstates in Delaware and South Carolina between the state line and the nearest exit to it.

[1995hoo]

Looking back at this thread, I see I listed Alaska and Wyoming and then mentioned that I didn't think Utah counted because I had only passed through the Salt Lake City airport for about 15 minutes connecting between flights. I got back to Utah a few years ago via a rental car and didn't go anywhere remotely close to an Interstate as all the travel was in the far southeast corner of the state (Bluff, Mexican Hat, Monument Valley), so I can now list that state regardless of such questions.

Those are still the only three I've visited without going on an Interstate at some point, though. I guess technically in Wyoming I drove on the I-80 business route in Laramie, but I don't consider that a true Interstate.

In the course of answering the thread about states in which you've been on an Interstate and/or US highway but not a state highway, I noted my Travel Mapping log doesn't show any Interstate travel in Minnesota. I'm reasonably confident that's wrong because I'm pretty sure I remember riding in a cab on I-35W between MSP airport and downtown Minneapolis on a business trip in the summer of 1999, but I don't remember the route and the exits used, so I don't list it in Travel Mapping.


(edited to fix a typo)

Updating my answers above to add California. I've made two business trips there this year and not only did I not go on any Interstates, I didn't drive at all–I took the BART between the airport and downtown and primarily walked everywhere I needed to go.

[webny99]

But you traveled through the ATL airport over the course of that trip. The airport is in Georgia. Therefore you traveled through Georgia.

I think the distinction is about the word "through". If we wanted to get that technical, you haven't traveled "through" a state unless you entered one side and exited the other. By that logic I haven't traveled "through" South Dakota despite having been to Mount Rushmore, nor Maine, despite having been to Acadia NP. But of course, that's just silly.

Yes, the distinction is about the word "through", but not in the way you imagined.

In my mind, "traveling through" an area means that I engaged in some form of ground transportation between two points in that area.  It doesn't have to mean that I transited the entire state from border to border, but the number of locations I've been within the state has to be greater than one.

By way of analogy:  Imagine that you've never been west of the Great Plains before.  Your recently retired in-laws invite you and your wife to join them on a vacation in Telluride.  The four of you fly into Denver, rent a car, slip and slide your way over the snow-covered Rockies, and settle in at the ski resort.  Halfway through the vacation, your father-in-law talks everyone into taking a day trip down to Four Corners.  So you all head down through Dolores and Cortez, cross into the extreme northwestern corner of New Mexico, pay the entrance fee, park, and walk up to the monument.  You've been feeling sick to your stomach lately, so you immediately find the nearest bench and just flop down while everyone else takes selfies and shops for knick-knacks.  When they're finally ready to head out, you decide that you really shouldn't leave without actually stepping on the crossing point.  You stand up, head four yards over to the big circle and cross, and walk a tight circle around the center–three steps each in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, before landing back in New Mexico.  You take your wife's hand and walk back to the car, and everyone heads back northeast to Telluride.  After the vacation is over, your co-workers ask you where-all you traveled.  And you tell them that, besides spending time in Colorado, you also took a hiking trip through Utah and Arizona.

Sorry, but I don't think that little walk around the circle at Four Corners counts as "a hiking trip through Utah and Arizona".  Have you been to those two states?  Yes.  Have you walked through those states?  No.  You've only been to one single spot in Utah, so you cannot claim to have traveled through it.

In a similar way, I don't consider my trek from one end of ATL to the other as "traveling through Georgia".  Rather, the airplane touched down at a single spot in Georgia, I never left that spot, and then another airplane took off from the same spot.  I've been to Georgia, I've traveled by way of Georgia, but I haven't traveled through Georgia.

I knew you'd have a thorough explanation and this did not disappoint. This makes sense to me.

Ultimately, I think what we're getting at here is that the thread title should say "been to" if we want it to be perfectly accurate, but almost 200 replies in.. no big deal.

[Hobart]

I can only comment on this thread by technicality, my favorite!

I've entered Montana by like 2 miles when my family went to Yellowstone, and decided to see the north gate on US-89 and stop in Gardiner.

I also had a stopover once in New Orleans, Louisiana for about 20 minutes on the way home from the Bahamas on a trip with my high school band.

[hobsini2]

If the question is at the time of clinching the state, here are mine with where/route:

Alaska - Layover at Anchorage Airport July 1996 (Still have not been on any Interstate.)
California - Layover at LAX Airport July 1996 (Still have not been on any Interstate.)
Colorado - US 385 south of Lamar May 2004 (Since been on I-25, I-70, I-76, and I-270.)
District of Columbia - Amtrak train June 1985 (Still have not been on any Interstate.)
Kansas - US 83 from Nebraska to Oklahoma May 2000 (Since been on I-35, I-70, I-135, I-470, I-235, I-335, and I-435.)
Maryland - Amtrak train June 1985 (Since been on I-95 and I-395)
Minnesota - Layover at MSP Airport December 1994 (Since been on I-35, I-90, I-94, I-394, I-494 and I-694.)
Montana - MT 59 south of Broadus May 2003 (Still have not been on any Interstate.)
New Jersey - Layover at EWR Airport July 1995 (Since been on I-78, I-80, I-95, I-280, and I-295)
New Mexico - NM 128 east of Jal May 2006 (Still have not been on any Interstate.)
Ohio - Amtrak train June 1985 (Since been on I-71, I-74, I-75, I-76, I-77, I-80, I-90, I-275, I-280, I-471, I-475 and I-480.)
Pennsylvania - Amtrak train June 1985 (Since been on I-80, I-81, I-84, I-95, I-279, I-376 and I-380)
Tennessee - Layover at Memphis Airport January 1995 (Since been on I-24, I-40, I-55, I-75 and I-240)
Virginia - DC Metro Yellow Line June 1985 (Since been on I-64, I-66, I-81, and I-581.)
West Virginia - Amtrak train June 1985 (Since been on I-70 and I-79.)
Wisconsin - born March 1976 in Oshkosh (Since been on all but I-535.)

California now is off the never interstate list. I was on I-80 to Reno.

[webny99]

Interesting question, which is probably why there's been almost 20 replies since the bump earlier today.

I thought I had none (out of 26 states visited), but then I remembered Montana. I did quite a bit of surface traveling during my 2016 trip to Flathead County, but never came even remotely close to an interstate!
Colorado I've visited via an airport layover only, so that would potentially count as well.

Wow, I read the post above this one and did a double take: how could I miss such an obvious one?
Vermont counts for me as well.

Cross Vermont off the list: I traveled about 55 miles on I-89 yesterday.

That leaves Montana + Colorado (airport only) as the only states on my list.

[NWI_Irish96]

I camped one night at Bear Lake in Idaho but was never on an Idaho interstate.

I camped one night at Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon but was never on an Oregon interstate.

Only foray into South Carolina was a few miles up US 17 from Savannah, GA, just to say I'd been to South Carolina.

Only trips to Nevada have been via plane to Las Vegas, so I've never driven anywhere in Nevada, but did ride a bus out to Hoover Dam.

My other 39 states visited have all involved at least some interstate highway travel.

I hadn't updated this in quite a while. I've been on interstates in 45 of the 48 states I've visited, with Oregon, Idaho and Vermont being the ones with US/state highways only.