I have a confession to make: about a year ago, I was ready to leave New York. For some reason, all the negatives of city living had really gotten to me: the high rent, the go-go-go mentality, the lack of space, the traffic, the noise…

Luckily, my fiancee talked me off the ledge, and instead suggested we make a goal to visit as many places that were the opposite of New York City over the next year as possible. And so we did. Our travels included day trips upstate, weekend trips to New England, a nearly month-long roadtrip around the western US, and more – all with an emphasis on getting back to nature. We saw some unbelievable sights, and I’ve been trying to figure out an excuse for sharing some of my pictures with you. So it’s time for a contest!

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All you have to do is guess what STATE each of the following 18 pictures was taken in! You can submit your guesses in the comments below. Don’t worry if you don’t know all of them – anyone who makes a valiant effort will be put into the running for the top secret but very cool prize.

Ready? Good luck!

1) Region: New England | Hint: Nothing like a plate of pancakes covered in maple syrup fresh from the farm where you were just taking pictures. 

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2) Region: Pacific-Northwest | Hint: These trees are older than the United States.

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3) Region: Southeast | Hint: Funny, I was expecting to see a mouse or two.

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4) Region: Western US | Hint: In NYC, the idea of a tunnel view is the ugly tiling in the Holland Tunnel.

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5) Region: Mountain Time Zone | Hint: A monumental place to hang out (just watch out for the kissing couple!).

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6) Region: North of the USA | Hint: And they say there are only five Great Lakes…

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7) Region: Tri-state area | Busy beavers

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8) Region: Southwest | Hint: At a National Park named after these guys…

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9) Region: Northeast | Hint: Close to home.

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10) Region: Western US| Hint: Can’t get much higher in the continental USA

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11) Region: The ocean. Guess which one!

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12) Region: South-west | Hint: What a grand view!

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13) Region: Northeast | Hint: Wonder if he took the Jitney?

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14) Region: Cold | Hint: Can’t believe I was able to climb this high. Forgot to look for Russia…

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15) Region: Midwest| Hint: I assume the other 9,999 lakes are also frozen.

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16) Region: Chilly | Hint: Seeing moose fighting right outside your car window is apparently typical in this state.

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17) Region: Midwest | Hint: Amazing these grizzlies let us get so close. Perhaps they’re smarter than the average bear?

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18) Region: Midwest | Hint: Life finds a way.

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As you can see, we had a pretty incredible set of adventures across the United States. In fact, looking back on these pictures, I’m amazed we survived some of these encounters.

Good luck with the contest! There is indeed a prize, which will be announced with the winner next Monday. And if you happen to think there are two ways to answer the main question, bonus points will be awarded to those who take the more difficult route.

-SCOUT

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  1. Rob Starobin Avatar
    Rob Starobin

    All in New York, though you had me until the underwater shot.

  2. Karine D. Avatar
    Karine D.

    Museum of natural history in New York, though you almost got me with the first, as Maine is close to home and here in Québec we make the best maple syrup ever made by man.

  3. Bill Avatar

    first pic has to to be VT…….but all look so familiar…..AMNH(UPWNYC)!!! Great place to vacation at!

  4. Elizabeth L. Avatar
    Elizabeth L.

    All of these are in New York state at The Natural History Museum in NYC! (I’ve spent many an air-conditioned Saturday there.)

  5. terry Avatar
    terry

    haha, NY. I was seriously guessing for a bit… By #12, I was “you’ve got to be kidding me” haha. Nice one.

  6. Abby Bean Avatar

    Assuming you really did visit all of these places found at the AMNH:
    1. Sugargush farm, VT
    2. Washington’s red cedars
    3. Florida
    4. Eisenhower Tunnel, Denver CO
    5. Kissing Couple rock formation, Colorado National Monument
    6. Lake Superior
    7. Beaver Falls, PA
    8. Organ Pipe Cactus National Park, Arizona
    9. Finger Lakes, NY
    10. Mt. Whitney, CA
    11. Pacific
    12. Grand Canyon, NV
    13. Jersey Shore
    14. Alaska
    15. Minnesota
    16. Alaska
    17. Yosemite
    18. Jurassic Park

  7. Sylvia Avatar
    Sylvia

    Cute! Clearly, New York at the AMNH but also:
    1. Vermont
    2. Washington
    3. Lousianna
    4. Colorado
    5. Nevada
    6. Michigan
    7. Pennsylvania
    8. Arizona
    9. New York
    10. California
    11. Pacific Ocean
    12. Nevada
    13. Maine
    14. Alaska
    15. North Dakota
    16. Alaska
    17. Minnesota
    18. Utah

  8. Alice Avatar
    Alice

    Hi! All the photos were taken in #9., New York! (But California has all of the regions on Earth except for three. Guess which ones we do not have!)

  9. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Haha, you had me until #3, but clearly NYC!

  10. Lindsay Avatar
    Lindsay

    I think all were taken in New York state, but here are the states I think each photo is supposed to represent as well:

    1. Maine, 2. Oregon, 3.Louisiana, 4.Washington, 5.Colorado, 6. Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 7. Pennsylvania, 8. Arizona, 9. Upstate NY, 10. California, 11.Atlantic?, 12. Arizona?, 13. NY?, 14. Alaska? 15. Minnesota?, 16. Alaska?, 17. Montana?, 18. Illinois?

  11. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    New York!

  12. Carolyn. Not the one who replied above; a different one! Avatar
    Carolyn. Not the one who replied above; a different one!

    Apart from the obvious, that they were all shot in the upper midwest (side, that is) — at the Museum of Natural History…
    1. Vermont
    2. California
    3. Florida
    4. Colorado
    5. Arizona
    6. Minnesota
    7. New Jersey
    8. Arizona
    9. New York
    10. California
    11. Caribbean (off the Florida Keys)
    12. Arizona
    13. New York
    14. Alaska
    15. Minnesota
    16. Alaska
    17. California
    18. Tough one! Dinosaur National Park is in Utah, but the quote is from “Jurassic Park.” Jurassic Park was set in and around Costa Rica, but mostly filmed in Hawaii. However, Hawaii is not in the Midwest… So, though I don’t really think of Utah as Midwestern, gotta go with UT.

  13. fiftiesblue Avatar
    fiftiesblue

    New York! The Museum of Natural History.

  14. Alana (@RamblinGarden) Avatar

    It’s been too many years since I’ve been to the Museum of Natural History but I bet a couple those dioramas were in place when I went there (too many years ago) on elementary school field trips in my Bronx childhood. Too bad the pictures weren’t taken on the High Line! They have some pretty interesting signs visible from that walk, and maybe one day bears and moose will walk down Tenth Avenue again.

  15. Songquo Runsunyen Avatar
    Songquo Runsunyen

    Doesn’t look like many were fooled …

  16. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    NY,NY
    UWS
    AMNH
    !

  17. Tristan Avatar
    Tristan

    The great state of NY in the museum of Natty history.

  18. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    All in NY, all at Natural History … Still great fun!!!!

  19. mary! Avatar
    mary!

    i gotta say, you had me going for the first three photos!

    new york has it all, indeed!

  20. christine Avatar
    christine

    Yayyyyy!!!!! You really fooled me!!!! I’m glad I didn’t totally miss April Fool’s this year!!!

    PS: I AM gullible….