Which contiguous U.S. state gets the least amount of tourists, and why?
Having visited all 48 contiguous states at least 30 times each, I’d love to offer my opinion! I find value in every single state, yes, even Nebraska and Iowa. I am perfectly willing to travel long distances to anywhere on earth, but apparently many people are not willing to drive two days to behold some of America’s most stunning beauty.
Delaware was the least visited contiguous state up until 2019, when Wyoming took the prize.
TOP FIVE LEAST VISITED CONTIGUOUS STATES:
1.) Wyoming - 8.9 million tourists annually
Second only to Alaska with the fewest tourists (Alaska only has 2.26 million annually), it’s too bad Wyoming isn’t more visited. From someone who has toured 79 countries, I’ll say that Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons are among the most beautiful places in the world! Wyoming is among America’s most brilliant gems. Sadly, less than 9 million people vacation there annually, and shockingly only 45% of the people who do visit Wyoming make their way up to Yellowstone in the northwestern corner! And the park is still packed! Maybe this is a blessing in disguise.
Admittedly, Wyoming is the least populated American state, even less than the population of tiny Vermont! There are vast stretches with absolutely nothing, places with hours of driving between civilization. You really have to work hard and be a patient driver to reach all of the state’s points of interest. Wyoming is also incredibly remote, far from major population centers and major airports in the United States. Hence, they receive few visitors. You know, maybe I’m glad it’s less visited so we can keep this secret to ourselves and preserve the state’s natural beauty!
2.) Delaware - 9 million tourists annually
Delaware doesn’t see many visitors due to its small size and with so little to do there. The vast number of its tourists pop over from neighboring Philadelphia to visit the beaches and boardwalks. During my extensive travels, I can say that Delaware has more points of interest than Iowa and Nebraska (barely), but that isn’t sufficient to boost its tourism numbers. I suppose Delaware should be thankful they’re located between two major cities - the drive between Philadelphia and Baltimore takes motorists right through the top corner of Delaware - or it would probably be even less popular. In 2019, an estimated 58.2 million people crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge in Wilmington! So A LOT of people see Delaware annually. It’s just not a place that many people visit on purpose.
3.) Montana - 12.4 million tourists annually
Adjacent to Wyoming, Montana also suffers from remoteness. But Montana is easily one of my favorite states, especially the stunning beauty of Glacier National Park! It’s to bad so few people visit. But then again, maybe it’s a blessing.
4.) Vermont - 13 million tourists annually
Once again, this is one of my favorite states that most people overlook. Indeed, the second-least populated state in America is out of the way. Not only is it up toward the northeast corner of America, but you won’t accidentally pass through Vermont on your way from New York to Montreal, or New York to Boston. You have to intentionally want to visit, and everyone really should! Apparently, most people don’t. Surprisingly, Maine has more than one-and-a-half times as many visitors as Vermont, with 22% of those coming from Canada (although the pandemic thwarted that).
5.) South Dakota - 14.5 million tourists annually
Here is another remote state that’s not conveniently located along the most traveled cross-country thoroughfares. But it’s certainly worth a visit too! I love the Dakotas, both the remoteness and the points of interest.
Interesting facts
Studies have further shown the most popular states to visit based on your home state. New Yorkers prefer vacationing in Florida more than any other state (that’s not a big surprise). Texans prefer to vacation in California more than anywhere else. Californians prefer Nevada. Alaskans prefer Hawaii.
Not one state ranked Alaska as their top domestic destination, which is sad considering the jaw-dropping beautiful of our least visited state. Residents of Mississippi have the least interest in travel, with the fewest travel searches per capita.
Note: Two things surprised me about North Dakota. First, it has 22.6 million annual visitors, not even among the ten least-visited states. It’s amazing to me that North Dakota has surpassed South Dakota in number of visitors.
Second, on my numerous visits to North Dakota, I was shocked at how many amazing points of interest the state actually has! Believe it or not, it’s one of the better places to take a road trip in the contiguous United States! And people think there’s nothing in North Dakota.
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