Recently, Portland, Oregon, Fort Collins, Colorado, Davis, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah were recognized as “outdoor friendly” cities because they have parks, gardens, and trails for biking and hiking. Many cities and states also are becoming “outdoor friendly.” For example, Traverse City, Michigan has the TART trail that criss-crosses the city for bikers and hikers. In fact, the State of Michigan has the “White Pine” (Linear) State Park that provides a trail for hiking and biking that is about 100 miles long. In the winter, snowmobilers use the trail to traverse the distances between the cities along the trail.

Many eastern states are along the Appalachian Trail, which has hiking, backpacking, and other outdoor adventures for vacationers. Some people hike segments of the trail every year.

In Alabama, hikers enjoy following the trails in the William B. Bankhead National Forest as well as cavorting around Mobile Bay and Gulf of Mexico coast and along the inland lakes and rivers. Golfing also is available throughout the state.

Outdoor lovers are drawn to Alaska for snowshoeing, backpacking in the Denali, skiing, kayaking, and fishing. Dog sledding and dog sled races also are popular outdoor experiences for Alaskan visitors.

In Arizona, hiking around the Vermillion Cliffs north of the Grand Canyon National Park is exciting. Throughout Arizona, there are some great campgrounds for hikers, backpackers, and geo-tourists.

Arkansas is a great outdoor vacation destination for “geo-cashers,” water sport enthusiasts, hunters, and fishermen. For vacationers, who desire renewal, there are thermal springs.

California is for outdoor lovers with surfing, backpacking, skiing, bicycling, sailing, fishing, and camping. California also has national parks and forests.

Colorado is the perfect outdoor state. In addition to Fort Collins, Boulder is “outdoor friendly” with hiking trails and rock climbing on the edge of the city. Whitewater rafting is available near Canyon City. Vail, Aspen, Telluride, and other Colorado communities are famous for their world-class ski resorts.

Connecticut is perfect for kayaking, both sea kayaking and river kayaking. Also, there are wonderful hiking trails near Hartford. Connecticut is one of the states that have the Appalachian Trail.

Delaware has plenty of outdoor water sports available at its many beaches. It also has nature refuges and a swamp for hiking and birding.

In addition to its many beaches, resorts and amusement parks, Florida has wonderful fishing and outdoor adventures that abound in the Everglades.

The Appalachian Mountains cut through northern Georgia, which is an outdoor lovers dream, come true. In addition to the mountain outdoor adventures, eastern Georgia has the Cumberland Island National Seashore and coastal islands for the water lovers. The Okefenokee Swamp, which Georgia shares with Florida, is a beautiful wilderness area and wildlife refuge.

Every island of the State of Hawaii offers something for the outdoor lover from surfing, and snorkeling, to exploring volcanic landscapes.

Idaho has lots of places to ski, hike, camp, backpack, horseback ride, and whitewater raft.

Illinois has something for everyone who likes the out of doors. The Chicago-area surprisingly has lots of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, including boating, sailing, golfing, hiking, and biking. Southern Illinois has rugged terrain for backpacking.

Indiana has national forests in the south with camping and hiking. It also shares the Ohio River with Kentucky. The Ohio River provides a wonderful venue for boating and golf resorts.

Outdoor lovers enjoy northwestern Iowa for golfing, lodging, camping and fishing. Eastern Iowa has the Mississippi River for boaters.

Kansas has lots of places for hiking, backpacking, golfing, and bicycling. It also has the Cimarron National Grassland that it shares with Colorado and some of the great resorts in the USA.

Kentucky, known for its horseback riding and horse farms, and racing, has lots of trails for hiking in its national forests. Visitors enjoy rafting, kayaking and great golfing resorts in southern Kentucky.

Louisiana is famous for it’s hunting and fishing as well as golf resorts and its other water sports.

Maine has the Appalachian Trail in the west and a rugged coastline in the east for great backpacking, boating, sailing, and kayaking and some of the best golf resorts in the east, as well as Acadia National Park.

Maryland is famous for sailing and boating in the Chesapeake Bay. There also are refuges for hiking, birding, and crabbing. Ocean City is a hotspot for beach sports. Assateague Island National Seashore on Assateague Island, which Maryland shares with Virginia, has wild ponies and great for hiking and golf resorts.

Massachusetts has the Appalachian Trail and Berkshires in the west and Cape Cod in the east. Therefore, it has something for every outdoor lover including some great golf resorts and vary nice lodging and casinos.

Michigan, the Great Lakes State, has something for the outdoor adventure in every season, including skiing, fishing, hunting, bicycling, boating, golfing and resorts—plus gaming at casinos and racinos for the night owls.

Outdoor adventurers are drawn to the Boundary waters in Minnesota, and the best fishing and canoeing in the country!

Mississippi’s Gulf Coast is the perfect vacation spot for tourists who want to spend their time outdoors enjoying the surf. Vicksburg on the Mississippi River and near a national forest has lots of outdoor activities like golf to do by day and gaming by night.

The Ozark Mountains of Missouri are a perfect vacation destination for campers, backpackers, kayakers, canoers, and hikers.

Montana has horseback riding, mountain and rock climbing, skiing, hunting, and fishing—all under the Big Sky. Some consider Montana to be one of the best fly-fishing states in the country.

Hikers and backpacks enjoy western Nebraska.

New Hampshire has birding, water sports, skiing, mountain climbing, hiking, and kayaking and canoe. Because its state motto is “Live Free or Die,” motorcyclists like to caravan through the state without wearing helmets—risky business.

New Jersey has golfing, horseback riding, casinos and water activities along the Jersey Shore.

New Mexico has casinos, fishing in the mountains, skiing, and hiking in the desert.

New York has casinos, resorts, hotels, hiking, boating, skiing, horseback riding, sailing, fishing, ice-skating, golfing, and mountain climbing.

North and South Carolina have beautiful coast islands for outdoors lovers who want to enjoy water sports and golf, and tennis resorts. They have mountains in the west as well as the Appalachian Trail for hiking, backpacking, skiing, and camping. Additionally, the states are on the Intercoastal Waterway and have enchanting barrier islands.

North and South Dakota is famous for hunting. Every year, hunters flock to the states—especially to the area around Mitchell, South Dakota for bird hunting. There is also casinos, hiking, camping, rock climbing, horseback riding, and water sports. Motorcyclist rallies in Sturgis, South Dakota and visit the Black Hills every summers.

Ohio has the Lake Erie Coast for sailing, Cedar Point, water sports and amusement parks as well as the Ohio River in the south for boating.

Oklahoma has casinos, golf, Great Lodging, water sports, horseback riding, camping, and backpacking, especially in the eastern region of the state.

In addition to “outdoors friendly” cities, Oregon has the best windsurfing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, horseback riding, Great Lodging, and exploring around Crater Lake National Park.

Pennsylvania has the Appalachia Trail and Pocono Mountains for hiking and camping. It also has great golfing, resorts, skiing and kayaking.

Rhode Island is a sailors’ paradise, including Block Island off its coast in the Atlantic Ocean having great golfing and resorts.

Tennessee has boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, golfing, resorts, and exploring the Great Smoky Mountains.

Texas has horseback riding, white water canoeing and rafting, backpacking, golfing, rock climbing, and birding.

Salt Lake City isn’t the only city in Utah that is “outdoor friendly.” Park City also is designed for the outdoor enthusiasts. Kayaking, skiing, resorts, mountain hiking, Lodging, camping, and backpacking are among the outdoor activities available in Utah. January skiing in Utah has the extra bonus of the Sundance Film Festival.

Virginia “is for lovers,” especially outdoor lovers, golf lovers. Water sport enthusiasts like the Eastern Shore while hikers and backpackers go to the Shenandoah Mountains western region of the state.

Washington has golf, lodging, kayaking and water sports in the east along among its coastal islands, The San Juans. There are skiing, resorts, in the mountains as well as hiking, backpacking, and camping.

West Virginia has lots of trails, golf, resorts, skiing, including the Appalachia Trail, and whitewater rafting.

Wisconsin has its beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline, which offers golfing, great resorts, fishing, boating, sailing, and other water sports. Its inland waters are also great for fishing.

Every Canadian Province has lots of outdoor adventures and well-designed hiking trails.