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Quebecker, Where to Go and What to See, the
This richly illustrated book from the travel experts at National Geographic showcases the best travel experiences in every state, from the obvious to the unexpected. Sites include national parks, beaches, hotels, Civil War battlefields, dude ranches, out-of-the-way museums, and more. You'll discover the world's longest yard sale in Tennessee, swamp tours in Louisiana, dinosaur trails in Colorado, America's oldest street in NYC, and the best spot to watch for sea otters on the central California coast. Each entry provides detailed travel information as well as fascinating facts about each state that will help fuel your wanderlust and ensure the best vacation possible. In addition to 50 states in the U.S., the book includes a section on the Canadian provinces and territories.
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1950
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 15, 2023
This is not a detailed guide book, but as the title states, an idea book. It's a nice book to browse for travel ideas when you're not sure where you want to go. Also a useful guide for those who have made it their goal to see each of the states or provinces. You can simply turn to the pages covering your destination and see what there is to do. The must-see destinations in each state and Canadian province are highlighted, although honestly, many of them will already be known to you.
Even just flipping through the book and looking at the stunning photographs would be enough to give you several ideas. They really do capture your interest and make you pause and consider places you otherwise might never have considered. Enjoyable to browse, but don't expect in depth information from this book.
Even just flipping through the book and looking at the stunning photographs would be enough to give you several ideas. They really do capture your interest and make you pause and consider places you otherwise might never have considered. Enjoyable to browse, but don't expect in depth information from this book.
May 17, 2021
With the world slowly opening back up again, I've been eager to get out into it and see what there is to see. As promised by the title, this book gives readers thousands of ideas for things to see and places to visit all through the U.S. and also some provinces of Canada. There are a lot of ideas in here, but I have to admit I wish it dug a little deeper. I didn't find much I hadn't already heard about, and my goal was to discover new things that might draw me into a road trip.
The layout is also not my favorite for a book like this. Each chapter covers a specific state (so far, so good) but then the destination ideas are contained within a typical paragraph format that doesn't make it easy to reference or sift through. Bullet points, bolded type and well-devised page placement would not have been out of place.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy exploring its contents for some exciting summer adventures to come.
The layout is also not my favorite for a book like this. Each chapter covers a specific state (so far, so good) but then the destination ideas are contained within a typical paragraph format that doesn't make it easy to reference or sift through. Bullet points, bolded type and well-devised page placement would not have been out of place.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy exploring its contents for some exciting summer adventures to come.
January 11, 2023
I was VERY disappointed by this book. I love nonfiction, especially travel guides. This book is not just about the 50 states. The last 3rd of the book is about the provinces of Canada. The author repeatedly used seldom spoken word (the same ones over and over). Each state is divided into two categories: Cities and Landscapes. These categories were fine, but I am not really sure why certain Cities were chosen. There is quite a bit of information about National Parks and historical sites. I was very shocked when the author used derogatory terms for various ethnic groups. This just isn't the quality that is usually found in National Geographic publication. If you are looking for a travel guide, I suggest Lonely Planet or Rough Guides instead.
February 10, 2017
I have had this book sitting on my dining room counter (which is the equivalent to the coffee table for us, everything lands there) for a few weeks now and everyone who has come over has picked it up and paged through it. It's a really beautiful books with amazing photographs and countless ideas. It features all 50 states but also Canadian provinces so if your travels take you north, you are well covered.
The great part about this book is that every state has a wonderful write up with the standard tourist areas that really shouldn't be missed, but it also features out of the way destinations. You'll also find "Hidden Treasures", "Local Flavor", "Festivals" and other highlight areas so if you have a state in mind, these will help you narrow down what time of year to visit. I have to tell you that after going through the book I have a bizarre urge to backpack through Olympic National Park for one. This book makes you want to tackle the outdoors, fill up the fanny pack you know you have in your closet, and tour the country. Even as someone who doesn't LOVE nature and the outdoors, this book makes me want to get out there. Landmarks and museums you've never heard of are highlighted throughout. I so highly recommend this book not just for yourself but your friends who always seem to have wanderlust.
March 21, 2024
Note: Skimmed the book. Only marked as DNF so that (a) I knew I’d picked it up and (b) it didn’t count toward my annual reading goals.
Another nice idea book with gorgeous photography. But, like with 100 Drives, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to Do, What to See, there are not any maps and the organization is not good for anything other than sparking the travel bug. Each state and province are divided into “Cities” and “Landscapes” with the descriptions of either sparse or non-existent.
I just hope for a tad more from my “travel idea” books. I want brief descriptions: enough to get me to investigate a place further. I want, at the very least, an overview map so I can get a general idea where I’m headed and what the surrounding area looks like. Chalk this one up to: pretty to look at but not helpful in deciding where to go next.
Another nice idea book with gorgeous photography. But, like with 100 Drives, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to Do, What to See, there are not any maps and the organization is not good for anything other than sparking the travel bug. Each state and province are divided into “Cities” and “Landscapes” with the descriptions of either sparse or non-existent.
I just hope for a tad more from my “travel idea” books. I want brief descriptions: enough to get me to investigate a place further. I want, at the very least, an overview map so I can get a general idea where I’m headed and what the surrounding area looks like. Chalk this one up to: pretty to look at but not helpful in deciding where to go next.
December 30, 2023
I think that this book was a colossal missed opportunity. Only the rarest of individuals reading this will check out all 5000 ideas in this book. So offering no tier system, ranking, or start system truly ruined this for me.
September 29, 2018
I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list.
December 6, 2020
Loved this book! So many states and provinces I didn’t know nearly enough about. The author provides the perfect blend of just enough information without overwhelming. I found several places to add to my travel list.
March 14, 2017
Great book!
It's arranged alphabetically by state name. Each entry includes the name of the state along with a small paragraph providing a brief history of the state. Places of interest are "showcased" (I gotta think there is a better way to do this) in paragraph form under headings such as Cities, Lakeshore, Coasts, Islands, Landscapes, etc.
There are sidebars for Tourism Info, State of the Art, which includes Best Books, Songs, Art, and TV Shows or Movies about each state, and Little Known Facts.
Sometimes there are boxes of tidbit info. such as Capitalism in a state or Festivals, etc.
At the end of the book, as if the 50 states weren't enough, is Canada and all of her provinces, organized in the same way.
Throughout the book are colorful photographs that highlight each state.
At the very end of the book is an Index.
It's arranged alphabetically by state name. Each entry includes the name of the state along with a small paragraph providing a brief history of the state. Places of interest are "showcased" (I gotta think there is a better way to do this) in paragraph form under headings such as Cities, Lakeshore, Coasts, Islands, Landscapes, etc.
There are sidebars for Tourism Info, State of the Art, which includes Best Books, Songs, Art, and TV Shows or Movies about each state, and Little Known Facts.
Sometimes there are boxes of tidbit info. such as Capitalism in a state or Festivals, etc.
At the end of the book, as if the 50 states weren't enough, is Canada and all of her provinces, organized in the same way.
Throughout the book are colorful photographs that highlight each state.
At the very end of the book is an Index.
December 29, 2022
Read my full review on my blog: abbyeppletthistorian.blogspot.com/202...
The facts and photographs make this an excellent coffee table book for roadtrippers or a basic starting point for people who want to begin traveling but do not know where to begin. Since the book covers a lot of ground, and not always successfully, the author highlights major attractions and large cities, along with a few smaller towns, but does not give details on most location.
I experienced several frustrations while reading the book. States and provinces appear in alphabetical order, rather than by region, meaning New Mexico is listed between New Jersey and New York, rather than with Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The side bars and colored boxes with additional information interrupted the main text and complicated how each page should be read. Since the book does not go past most major cities and well-known tourist attractions, worthy sites are left out in favor of more popular, and more crowded, options.
For me, one of the most important factors for this genre is the quality of information and the ability to check sources. This book did not come with a bibliography, and the index was short for a text of its length. When reading the sections on Worcester County of Massachusetts and Providence County in Rhode Island, where I live and visit most sites, I found significant factual inaccuracies and lack of clear explanation, which I list in full on my blog. The number of oversights and errors in the passages describing this small region leads me to believe that hundreds of similar issues exist within the book. The writing is unclear whether the author has actual visited any of these locations. In fact, when conducting further research of select locations using local websites, I found many passages were almost word-for-word copies of the text.
While I can forgive passages of the book that are already outdated due to attraction closures during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the problems in the book are many times more than I would expect from a National Geographic publication. Because of these issues, I cannot recommend 50 States 5000 Ideas as a reliable source. The beautiful layout and stunning pictures in the book make it perfect for a decorative stack on a video call background bookshelf or casual viewing, but serious travel research should be conducted elsewhere.
The facts and photographs make this an excellent coffee table book for roadtrippers or a basic starting point for people who want to begin traveling but do not know where to begin. Since the book covers a lot of ground, and not always successfully, the author highlights major attractions and large cities, along with a few smaller towns, but does not give details on most location.
I experienced several frustrations while reading the book. States and provinces appear in alphabetical order, rather than by region, meaning New Mexico is listed between New Jersey and New York, rather than with Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The side bars and colored boxes with additional information interrupted the main text and complicated how each page should be read. Since the book does not go past most major cities and well-known tourist attractions, worthy sites are left out in favor of more popular, and more crowded, options.
For me, one of the most important factors for this genre is the quality of information and the ability to check sources. This book did not come with a bibliography, and the index was short for a text of its length. When reading the sections on Worcester County of Massachusetts and Providence County in Rhode Island, where I live and visit most sites, I found significant factual inaccuracies and lack of clear explanation, which I list in full on my blog. The number of oversights and errors in the passages describing this small region leads me to believe that hundreds of similar issues exist within the book. The writing is unclear whether the author has actual visited any of these locations. In fact, when conducting further research of select locations using local websites, I found many passages were almost word-for-word copies of the text.
While I can forgive passages of the book that are already outdated due to attraction closures during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the problems in the book are many times more than I would expect from a National Geographic publication. Because of these issues, I cannot recommend 50 States 5000 Ideas as a reliable source. The beautiful layout and stunning pictures in the book make it perfect for a decorative stack on a video call background bookshelf or casual viewing, but serious travel research should be conducted elsewhere.
July 15, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this book. I happily found this at a library sale, and I've also read National Geographic's 100 Countries, 5,000 Ideas and National Geographic's Guide to Weekend Getaways. So I like National Geographic as a travel guide. I read it cover to cover, but it could certainly just be good to have as a reference book whenever you're interested in traveling to certain states.
I had a few critiques on the formatting. First, I would have liked state maps with city markers to get a sense of where the attractions are for each state. Or even just a country map with the state highlighted on each one, because it's nice to have that visual reference. I didn't care for the State of the Art (author's opinion of the best movie, book, song, art, and play of the state) sidebars or the Tourist Information sidebars (do people go to those visitor centers anymore when we have the internet?). It seemed like the information in each state was roughly divided into City and Landscape, but it didn't seem like the information really fit neatly into those categories. Could have just had unique section titles for each state, or none at all. Canadian provinces are the last 57 pages of the book. By the time I got through all 50 states, I skimmed through Canadian provinces. He said a person or place was "controversial" every so often and never explained. Lastly, I was annoyed that he referred to a state as giving birth to presidents or other important figures...no, women give birth to people, not states. I understand it's a metaphor; I don't appreciate the metaphor.
I was taking notes the whole time on interesting attractions of each state, so this has definitely inspired me to see more of the US. And I've been to a decent amount of states! I was surprised and delighted that the states I most want to visit after reading this book are Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Hawaii. I knew I already wanted to see Washington. Last fun tidbits--didn't know a leaf-peeper was a thing (people who travel to see beautiful leaves in autumn), as a Wisconsinite it was fun to read my state's features and didn't know that Wisconsin Dells is the WORLD's largest concentration of water parks, and Wyoming had the first female governor in the US in 1925.
I had a few critiques on the formatting. First, I would have liked state maps with city markers to get a sense of where the attractions are for each state. Or even just a country map with the state highlighted on each one, because it's nice to have that visual reference. I didn't care for the State of the Art (author's opinion of the best movie, book, song, art, and play of the state) sidebars or the Tourist Information sidebars (do people go to those visitor centers anymore when we have the internet?). It seemed like the information in each state was roughly divided into City and Landscape, but it didn't seem like the information really fit neatly into those categories. Could have just had unique section titles for each state, or none at all. Canadian provinces are the last 57 pages of the book. By the time I got through all 50 states, I skimmed through Canadian provinces. He said a person or place was "controversial" every so often and never explained. Lastly, I was annoyed that he referred to a state as giving birth to presidents or other important figures...no, women give birth to people, not states. I understand it's a metaphor; I don't appreciate the metaphor.
I was taking notes the whole time on interesting attractions of each state, so this has definitely inspired me to see more of the US. And I've been to a decent amount of states! I was surprised and delighted that the states I most want to visit after reading this book are Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Hawaii. I knew I already wanted to see Washington. Last fun tidbits--didn't know a leaf-peeper was a thing (people who travel to see beautiful leaves in autumn), as a Wisconsinite it was fun to read my state's features and didn't know that Wisconsin Dells is the WORLD's largest concentration of water parks, and Wyoming had the first female governor in the US in 1925.
May 13, 2024
Joe Yogerst’s nonfiction book, titled 50 States, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do, talks about each state's sightings, cities, and more.
The book shows that all states have many things and places to go to while visiting. Here are some facts about a couple of states that I learned. Did you know Tennessee is home to the world's largest yard sale? Second Louisiana you can explore swamp tours and get into the unique culture. Third In Colorado you can discover dinosaur trials and the beautiful landscape. Fourth in New York City you can walk along the oldest street in America. And last, in California, you can watch for sea otters on the central coast. In the pages that you learn about each state, there are some addresses for tourist places.
I really liked this book because it shows you all about the states that you didn't know anything about. In this book, I learned different things about all the states. This book showed me things like Florida has crystal clear springs and in Alaska, you can admire the beautiful Northern Lights. Some other interesting things I loved to learn about in this book were that in Hawaii you can discover cool volcanoes and in Arizona, you can learn about the red rock formations in Sedona. Overall I think this book is very educational and helpful. I think the author did a very good job writing this book and used a good style like saying set on the banks or America's last.
I would recommend this book to some tourists going around the United States finding places to visit and where to go inside these states. I would also recommend this book for someone just wanting to learn and read about the States.
The book shows that all states have many things and places to go to while visiting. Here are some facts about a couple of states that I learned. Did you know Tennessee is home to the world's largest yard sale? Second Louisiana you can explore swamp tours and get into the unique culture. Third In Colorado you can discover dinosaur trials and the beautiful landscape. Fourth in New York City you can walk along the oldest street in America. And last, in California, you can watch for sea otters on the central coast. In the pages that you learn about each state, there are some addresses for tourist places.
I really liked this book because it shows you all about the states that you didn't know anything about. In this book, I learned different things about all the states. This book showed me things like Florida has crystal clear springs and in Alaska, you can admire the beautiful Northern Lights. Some other interesting things I loved to learn about in this book were that in Hawaii you can discover cool volcanoes and in Arizona, you can learn about the red rock formations in Sedona. Overall I think this book is very educational and helpful. I think the author did a very good job writing this book and used a good style like saying set on the banks or America's last.
I would recommend this book to some tourists going around the United States finding places to visit and where to go inside these states. I would also recommend this book for someone just wanting to learn and read about the States.
August 5, 2020
I bought this book because our family is on a mission to see all 50 states and the concept of “5000” ideas was intriguing. But while the book might be an adequate “coffee table” selection with its pretty pictures, it lacks any real substantial details about each individual state—most of the 5000 “ideas” are things you could find in about 5 seconds on the internet. When planning a trip I prefer to dig much deeper and really investigate my options for learning the culture and heritage of different areas. This book provides only the bare basics on each state. So save your money and hit the web instead. It does also include providences and Canada information, which is nice, but again, easily accessible info online. I’ll use it as a decoration rather than anything to truly plan a trip.
November 10, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by this book —I don’t think it is meant to be a travel guide, but it gives a really good overview of each state (not to mention all the provinces in Canada). The photography is incredible, and I liked the arrangement. I especially liked the boxes with other facts such as Road-trips, Arts (including best books, movies, TV shows, songs and so forth set in that state), and other details. I didn’t exactly get what they were defining as “Capitalism” since it didn’t match my definition of it, but those facts were usually interesting too. I would be interested in reading others in this series if they are available on Kindle.
February 8, 2018
If you want to know a tiny bit about every state, this book is for you. If you want ideas beyond 'visit the state capital', the three largest cities, and a couple of the more well know 'National Things ' (Monuments, Parks, Landmarks, etc) skip this book. Might make a good bathroom book for anyone who's never read anything about any of the states.
Also has a couple pages on each of the Canadian states at the end.
Also has a couple pages on each of the Canadian states at the end.
January 3, 2022
Interesting concept but limited layout. I live in SC. It lists Charleston and 2 other locations, I think. There's a lot of state parks, historical sites to visit, museums for both arts and history, aquariums, lake area attractions, beaches both expansive and small family destinations, Blue Ridge access, a ton of amazing restaurants (we love our food and to share it with others), and farms that do tours. SC isn't a huge tourist hub but it has a lot more to offer than was listed.
September 27, 2022
I really enjoyed this. I wish there was a 4.5-star rating. It is an excellent overview of the 50 US states and the Canadian provinces and territories. I will use it as a reference for quite some time. The reason I did not give it 5 stars is that it has no maps. Maps are needed and would be most helpful. (I realize that the addition of maps would increase the page count, but the book would not be too big even with maps.)
April 15, 2023
For someone like me who has a Bucket List of over 400 things...this is perfect for adding fun things you never even knew existed in so many places. I love the breakdown by state and things to do and see...especially the Hidden treasures. I am looking forward to searching out some of these spots in states that are driveable. I would refer back to this book when doing some longer distant adventures but definitely interested in the boarding states places and adventures. Road trips are coming soon!
April 25, 2023
I think this is the best of this series of books (# destination, # ideas).
The book still suffers from its format, focusing on different states might make it seem like the book is more inclusive but really it forces the author to leave out important things while including things that might otherwise not be of note.
This is sort of a starting point for those unfamiliar with America or traveling and it's a decent enough one. The experienced traveler though would probably find it lacking.
The book still suffers from its format, focusing on different states might make it seem like the book is more inclusive but really it forces the author to leave out important things while including things that might otherwise not be of note.
This is sort of a starting point for those unfamiliar with America or traveling and it's a decent enough one. The experienced traveler though would probably find it lacking.
November 2, 2023
A bit monotonous and somewhat disappointing - the author was pretty consistent about what he highlighted in each state, and I realized that what he thought rose to the level of warranting inclusion was not the types of things I hoped would be covered. As a result, it was not bad, but felt superficial in a way that I should have expected. Oddly, the part I enjoyed the most was the section at the back on Canada (which I am pretty sure is not part of the 50 States). Readability 6. Rating 5.
January 14, 2020
This book didn't have much to offer. When I looked at what it said about Grand Rapids Michigan, where I live, this is part of what I found "Founded on a stretch of the Grand River renowned for it's white water" Boy is anyone coming to GR expecting white water going to be disappointed. Didn't think the research done was going to mean much in this book.
January 29, 2020
Nice collection. Vivid photos. Scannable information thats not overloaded. Quality paper lol. The book is actually pleasant reading and does an excellent job speaking on the highlights in friendly conversational tone. I recommend as a travel book or browsing or even research bc one thing leads to another. Lots of reaourceS that a regular person would give a rip about.
November 8, 2022
A nice coffee table book
It's not bad. But I do have a few suggestions.
Put the states in the table if contents do a reader doesn't have to scroll for all eternity to look up something in Virginia.
A map of each state at the beginning of the state information showing where the locations mentioned are in the state.
It's not bad. But I do have a few suggestions.
Put the states in the table if contents do a reader doesn't have to scroll for all eternity to look up something in Virginia.
A map of each state at the beginning of the state information showing where the locations mentioned are in the state.
September 2, 2018
Does a fine job for what it is. Each state and province gets at least four pages, with a brief rundown of its chief cities and landscapes worth seeing. A good place to start if you find yourself taking a trip to Manitoba or Alabama or wherever.
February 3, 2022
Pretty good for a general overview of each state. There weren't any truly unique suggestions or 'hidden gems' to get excited about. Everything listed is pretty much what you would find in spending 5 minutes for each location on Trip Advisor. Nice coffee table book though.
November 9, 2022
Good travel resource
I have purchased a physical copy of this book in years past, but having 50 STATES 5000 IDEAS available on kindle makes it portable and searchable - both very convenient for the traveler.
I have purchased a physical copy of this book in years past, but having 50 STATES 5000 IDEAS available on kindle makes it portable and searchable - both very convenient for the traveler.
December 4, 2022
Beautiful Book
Beautifully put together book about all the United State’s and Canada. Wished I had known about this book when I traveled across the United States about 2 months ago.
Beautifully put together book about all the United State’s and Canada. Wished I had known about this book when I traveled across the United States about 2 months ago.
December 15, 2022
Looking for new places
I must admit at first I was a little overwhelmed. But when I got into this book not only did I learn a lot but I def see places that I hope and pray I get to see one day. But to top it all off the pictures were just gorgeous!! Really enjoyed this book!
I must admit at first I was a little overwhelmed. But when I got into this book not only did I learn a lot but I def see places that I hope and pray I get to see one day. But to top it all off the pictures were just gorgeous!! Really enjoyed this book!
September 21, 2024
informative but not user friendly
Lots of information, sure, but for an ebook, it’s not easy to search by state/province. Why not have chapter links to each state, instead of useless links to “USA” and “Canada”?
Lots of information, sure, but for an ebook, it’s not easy to search by state/province. Why not have chapter links to each state, instead of useless links to “USA” and “Canada”?
December 29, 2024
5000 ideas is a stretch, My home state of Wisconsin has about two pages, which was a let down in my own opinion. However I have used this book and some of the ideas that are in it I have incorporated into my travel plans and it was worth the purchase. Definitely good for travelers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews