• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

What state is the coolest?

Which state is the coolest?


  • Total voters
    54

Kandahar

Enemy Combatant
DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2005
Messages
20,688
Reaction score
7,320
Location
Washington, DC
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Liberal
I was thinking about this today, and it's a tough call for me.

  • California has, far and away, the best year-round weather of any state in the country.
  • Utah has the best economy.
  • North Carolina has the friendliest people (in my experience)
  • New York has the coolest city, with Texas/California/NC close behind
  • DC has the most "urban" beauty, with New York and Illinois close behind
  • Alaska has the most natural beauty, with Colorado a distant second
  • Washington, Tennessee, and Louisiana have the best music scenes
  • Texas and California have the most diversity among cities in close proximity to each other
  • Alabama and South Carolina have the hottest chicks
  • Massachusetts has the smartest people and best universities
  • Ohio and Michigan have the lowest cost of living
  • Wisconsin and Texas have the best bargains in housing (IMO)
  • Louisiana has the most, err, creative system of government
  • Florida has the best vacation spots
  • Vermont and New Hampshire have the lowest crime rates
  • Hawaii doesn't have to put up with any **** from neighboring states
  • Colorado has the best selection of outdoor activities, with Washington and Oregon close behind


Overall...
I'd have to rank the coolest states as such: 1) California, 2) North Carolina, 3) Texas
 
Last edited:
I voted North Carolina! Because I live here, and i'm friendly!

YAY! ;)
 
North Carolina - it's got mountains, ocean, rolling hills, a rich history, plenty of country side and small towns, and all four seasons (and a good bit of my family) it's not as expensive as WA or HI the last two states I've lived in

BTW, I know it's not part of the question, but I think HI is the worst Definitely a "nice place to visit, wouldn't want to live there(in my case again)" type place
Lava mountains and ocean but it only takes about 2 hours to drive all the way around Oahu, lots of people, mostly tourists, very little wide open spaces, lots of traffic, high cost of living, and two seasons, summer and rainy
 
North Carolina - it's got mountains, ocean, rolling hills, a rich history, plenty of country side and small towns, and all four seasons (and a good bit of my family) it's not as expensive as WA or HI the last two states I've lived in

I love you because you love North Carolina! :3oops:

:cool:
 
I don't know much about any state except Texas, which is kind of like the little curly-headed girl in the nursery rhyme: when it's good, it's very, very good, and when it's bad, it's horrid.
 
I love you because you love North Carolina! :3oops:

:cool:

:cheers:

Well, I was raised here. I just haven't lived here in the last 11 years, til now that is. When I was younger I couldn't wait to leave and live in other states. But after I got to live in a few other states, I realized how much I missed this one.
 
None of the above.

West Virginia is the best because it's beautiful, there's so many varied things to do there in every season, the weather is mild year round (there are distinct seasons, but they are mild compared to other states), the humidity isn't bad, the bugs aren't bad, all kinds of water everywhere, low crime rate, low population, very few sucky "urban" areas, and it has the lowest occurance of natural disasters.

On that list I'd probably have to say NC I guess since it's the closest one to being like WV.

California doesn't compare. Well, SoCal anyway. Northern Cali *might*, but I haven't made it up there yet. I hate Cali. It never ****ing rains. :( It's the same all the fricken time.
 
Definitely Pennsylvania. Some states may have better weather, some states may have alcohol laws that weren't written during the Prohibition, some states may have awesome cities, but only Pennsylvania.....hmmmm....I forget where I was going with that :(
 
I always liked the idea of New Hampshire. No income taxes, no sales taxes, small towns, a lot of history, lots of good schools, close to the ocean (yay sailing!), close to Boston but not too close (go Yankees!), close to Canada... in case you like Canadiens 'ey. But I've never been there.

Of the places I've lived and traveled to though, the place where I live now is very unique and lends itself really well to my lifestyle. I live in the Western suburbs of Chicago. I can get to downtown Chicago in under 30 mins. going east and I can get to sprawling farmland (which stretches from here to Iowa) if I drive 15 mins. to the West. It's the best of both worlds.

On the one hand I have one of the greatest cities in the world a short drive away and, yet, if I want to get away, I can drive the same distance in the opposite direction and spend a night in no man's land. It's great.

Negatives-

1. Chicagoland is full of toll roads yet, curiously, they're all in disrepair. And when I say we have a lot of toll roads, I mean we have a LOT of toll roads. Literally almost every highway is a toll road here. Edit: And OHMYGOD is there an overabundance of traffic light cams. It's literally EVERY intersection has cameras pointing in every direction.

2. What Mafia? Everybody knows about Al Capone and the Chicago of the 1930's. What they might not know though is that, apparently, organized crime is still pretty rampant. Find me an elected official around here who isn't already in jail (like our previous governor) or who isn't headed there soon (like our current governor) and I'll be shocked. I like Obama but for that reason alone I'm gonna be keeping an eye on him, lol.

3. Goverment employees are horrible. Seriously, I know people complain about this everywhere, but I've lived in NY and MD and I've been to government offices in VA, DC, and PA, and I've never met government employees who are as rude, lazy and inept as the people here. Yes, I'm talking about you, postal workers. Oh, and you're not exempt Secretary of State (DMV) employees. The only nice government employee I've ever met was the lady who gave my soon-to-be wife and I our marriage license. Still, the security guard there was douche. Edit: Oh, and the cops are douchebags too.
 
Last edited:
I love Washington. It's beautiful here. Not too crowded. Many isolated spots to escape to. You can't hardly drive a mile without seeing a new lake. Lots of forest. I've only ever lived in PA and CA but WA has both beat by far.
 
Hawaii without a doubt. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery. I can't find a flaw.
 
CALIFORNIA!





It isn't even close. California is a nation unto itself.

CA has the best economy.
- Ranked 6th out of all NATIONS in the world

CA has the most amazing and diverse landscape in the nation
- Death Valley
- Yosemite
- The Sierra Nevadas
- The Mojave and Colorado Deserts
- The BEACHES!
- The Wine Regions (Napa and Sonoma)
- The Old Growth Redwood Forests
- Volcanoes
- The Best Microbreweries
- Surfing
- Mountains
- Mountain Bikiing / Skiing / Snowboarding
- San Francisco
- Organic and Amazing Food that created California Cuisine (Spago / John Ash / French Laundry / Etc )
- Hollywood
- Sequoia National Park
- Mt Whitney
- Kings Canyon
- Mt Shasta
- Mammoth
- Lake Tahoe
- Bodie Ghost Town
- Joshua Tree
- Monterrey Bay
- Big Sur
- I could go on and on...
 
Hawaii without a doubt. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery. I can't find a flaw.

Ooh, yeah; that's true. I forgot about Hawaii.
I'm sure Hawaii's the best state.
 
CALIFORNIA!





It isn't even close. California is a nation unto itself.

CA has the best economy.
- Ranked 6th out of all NATIONS in the world

CA has the most amazing and diverse landscape in the nation
- Death Valley
- Yosemite
- The Sierra Nevadas
- The Mojave and Colorado Deserts
- The BEACHES!
- The Wine Regions (Napa and Sonoma)
- The Old Growth Redwood Forests
- Volcanoes
- The Best Microbreweries
- Surfing
- Mountains
- Mountain Bikiing / Skiing / Snowboarding
- San Francisco
- Organic and Amazing Food that created California Cuisine (Spago / John Ash / French Laundry / Etc )
- Hollywood
- Sequoia National Park
- Mt Whitney
- Kings Canyon
- Mt Shasta
- Mammoth
- Lake Tahoe
- Bodie Ghost Town
- Joshua Tree
- Monterrey Bay
- Big Sur
- I could go on and on...

Calimayne.
 
Last edited:
CA has the most amazing and diverse landscape in the nation

Texas is geographically diverse, also, being the largest state in the continental US (with California a very, very distant second).
We've got it all: swamps in the southeast, piney woods in the northeast, grassland prairies in the north, hill country in the central part, coastal regions with magnificent beaches in the south, and mountains and deserts in the west (allegedly. I've never been west, and have no firsthand knowledge of this).
But two of last year's top-grossing movies, "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" were both filmed in West Texas, near Marfa. So that's what west Texas looks like, apparently.
For cosmopolitanites, we've got some very large cities as well- Houston, Dallas/ Ft. Worth, San Antonio (all three among the top ten largest cities in the US) and some mid-sized cities (El Paso, Austin, probably a couple of others). And a bazillion other cities which I guess qualify as "small": Waco, Abilene, Amarillo, Laredo, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Beaumont, Denton, Tyler, Nacogdoches, Bryan College Station... I'm sure there are more. I don't know them all.
The thing about Texas is, it's so huge and diverse that it's more like five or six different states put together. Just because you're from Texas doesn't mean you know Texas, or you've seen all of Texas. Chances are you're only familiar with your particular region, and maybe a couple of the larger cities.
I've heard it said that all of New England (land mass-wise) could fit inside of Texas several times over. Not sure if that's true or not.
It's very hot here for much of the year, and very humid (except, I guess, in the arid, mountainous region of far West Texas). That's a problem for some people, I imagine. We really don't go outside much during the daytime in the summer, if it's at all avoidable, unless we're going to jump in the water. Summer nights, it cools down to the 90s, but most days it's over 100 degrees in the summer, and the humidity index makes it feel like 110. This can be dangerous if you're not used to it. Exerting oneself in the heat of the day can quickly lead to heat exhaustion or worse. But I've lived here all my life, and I don't mind it. I guess it's no different from up North, where you have to beware of the cold during the winter, and observe certain precautions so that you don't freeze.
In the winters here, it can get kind of chilly, but it almost never snows, and it rarely freezes. Winter temps are usually in the 40s and 50s, interspersed with days in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Winter weather is unpredictable here; I remember plenty of Christmases where everyone wore shorts. I have not owned a coat in my adult life; just jackets and hoodies. It probably gets cold enough for a coat once in awhile, but a coat is not strictly necessary here, as I'm sure it is up north.

In short, I would never claim this is the ideal state for most people. I'm probably just attached to it because it's my home.
But it is diverse; it has a lot to offer. It bothers me that the common stereotype of Texas is some dusty desert with cowboys and cactuses.
There's a lot more to it than that. In fact, there's not much of that at all.
That's more like... New Mexico. Arizona.
 
Last edited:
Texas is geographically diverse, also, being the largest state in the continental US (with California a very, very distant second).
We've got it all: swamps in the southeast, piney woods in the northeast, grassland prairies in the north, hill country in the central part, coastal regions with magnificent beaches in the south, and mountains and deserts in the west (allegedly. I've never been west, and have no firsthand knowledge of this).
But two of last year's top-grossing movies, "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" were both filmed in West Texas, near Marfa. So that's what west Texas looks like, apparently.
For cosmopolitanites, we've got some very large cities as well- Houston, Dallas/ Ft. Worth, San Antonio (all three among the top ten largest cities in the US) and some mid-sized cities (El Paso, Austin, probably a couple of others). And a bazillion other cities which I guess qualify as "small": Waco, Abilene, Amarillo, Laredo, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Beaumont, Denton, Tyler, Nacogdoches, Bryan College Station... I'm sure there are more. I don't know them all.
The thing about Texas is, it's so huge and diverse that it's more like five or six different states put together. Just because you're from Texas doesn't mean you know Texas, or you've seen all of Texas. Chances are you're only familiar with your particular region, and maybe a couple of the larger cities.
I've heard it said that all of New England (land mass-wise) could fit inside of Texas several times over. Not sure if that's true or not.
It's very hot here for much of the year, and very humid (except, I guess, in the arid, mountainous region of far West Texas). That's a problem for some people, I imagine. We really don't go outside much during the daytime in the summer, if it's at all avoidable, unless we're going to jump in the water. Summer nights, it cools down to the 90s, but most days it's over 100 degrees in the summer, and the humidity index makes it feel like 110. This can be dangerous if you're not used to it. Exerting oneself in the heat of the day can quickly lead to heat exhaustion or worse. But I've lived here all my life, and I don't mind it. I guess it's no different from up North, where you have to beware of the cold during the winter, and observe certain precautions so that you don't freeze.
In the winters here, it can get kind of chilly, but it almost never snows, and it rarely freezes. Winter temps are usually in the 40s and 50s, interspersed with days in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Winter weather is unpredictable here; I remember plenty of Christmases where everyone wore shorts. I have not owned a coat in my adult life; just jackets and hoodies. It probably gets cold enough for a coat once in awhile, but a coat is not strictly necessary here, as I'm sure it is up north.

In short, I would never claim this is the ideal state for most people. I'm probably just attached to it because it's my home.
But it is diverse; it has a lot to offer. It bothers me that the common stereotype of Texas is some dusty desert with cowboys and cactuses.
There's a lot more to it than that. In fact, there's not much of that at all.
That's more like... New Mexico. Arizona.

All states have their own flare. I like something about every one that I have been to, including Texas.

I personally feel that California is much more Diverse than any other state though.
Texas has many of the same features, but they simply don't compare, especially the mountains.
I have been in the Guadaloupes and Big Bend, and they shred, but they are minor when compared with the Sierras and such.
The Texas cities are nice, and people can be much more respectful there than in CA, and that is a bonus.

I am also biased because I lived in CA for so long. But I have traveled the US, especially the Western States more than most people ever will, and so I have seen and experienced much. I would love any state that I lived in save Nevada, but even there I am sure that I could find a niche.

Travel is great and I recommend it to all. I doubt I will ever get back to Texas, and taht is unfortunate because I had a lot of good times there.
 
Belgium rules :mrgreen:
 
Belgium rules :mrgreen:


Belgium couldn't wipe the ass of California...

.... and man, do we have a lot of **** to wipe. ;)
 
I'm going with Alaska - in addition to not having to deal with other states, it has the oil payments, pristine wilderness areas, salmon, beautiful mountains and much cleaner air than everyone except Hawaii.
 
After seeing the Norwegian Beach Women's Volleyball Team play today against Belgium, I am changing my answer to Norway. :shock:
I am moving there later this week as a result. :2razz:
 
For all those saying Hawaii, trust me, it has its flaws. Unless you actually live there for a while, it seems like a great place to live. Here are some facts on Oahu.

Oahu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The scenery is beautiful, but it can get old.

Oahu is pretty packed. It only has 3 highways. If one goes down, it can get ugly. Some Army guys took out a pedestrian walkway over the H-1 at around 2:30p one afternoon, just after I got to work. At 11p when I got off, traffic was still backed up to Waikiki. It took some people over 8 hours to get home that day.

The cost of living is pretty high. I shopped at the commissary and paid over $4 for milk. In the other stores, it was closer to $6.

There are a lot of clubs in Waikiki and they're open til 4a. Lots of tourists and military at the clubs and bars.

The other islands have far less people, but they also have far less to stimulate their economies. The major industry is tourism for all of the islands. Oahu has the military, Pearl Harbor Shipyard, and shipping. The other islands smaller industries are agriculture and scientific research.

The weather is actually pretty mild, on Oahu anyway. Temperatures range from 60s (at night, during "winter" months) to mid-90s (even the middle of summer). It can get really windy and it rains a lot during the winter and spring months.

It's a really nice place to visit, but I wouldn't recommend selling everything to move out there. You may easily get disappointed.
 
Back
Top Bottom