I'm sure this has been done a thousand times, but I'm new here. :)

I meant to make this a poll, but I screwed it up. Damn. :bash:

Favorite city: Chicago. Favorite state: Wisconsin.

I love Chicago more than anything in the world, but I just can't endorse Illinois beyond the Chicagoland border.

Same as JB for city and state.

Ohio. Great cities, great topography.

Michigan, definatly. The west coast of Michigan is unbelievable. Wisconsin is a close 2nd. Props to Door County.

Wisconsin is my favorite state....I don't know what it is about the place but everytime I am there I have SO much fun....favorite city is minneapolis

Favorite city: Chicago. Favorite state: Wisconsin.

I love Chicago more than anything in the world, but I just can't endorse Illinois beyond the Chicagoland border.

agree...

2nd cloest to me is Michigan, although I never went to the UP before or Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Minnesota, then Wisconsin

Favorite city: Chicago. Favorite state: Michigan

Favorite city: Chicago
Favorite state: Ohio

City: Chicago
State: Ohio

My favorite city is Milwaukee. I would say chicago along with the rest of you but I've never been there.

My favorite state is Wisconsin, no real surprise there but I will say Minnesota is a close second. As for the rest of the states I've either never visited them or for very long to really get to know them good enough.

for nature Michigan, for cities Chicago...oops Illinois...for cheese, Wisconsin, for goverment, Minnesota, for views of Chicago, Indiana, for rivers, Missouri, for apple pie, Ohio, for pumpkin pie, Iowa.

My favorite midwestern state is Kansas.

OHIO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Southern accents in the South-Great lakes accent in the North.
Flat lands in the Northwest-Appalacian foothills in the southeast.
Prairies, forests, caves, Island chain out in Lake Erie, Cool Amish citizens, Awesome state park system and highway signs in English and Metric :yes:

Minnesota

City: Omaha
State: Wisconsin

We have family up there in and around La Crosse so I'm pretty familiar with what it has. The Mississippi river is a big plus. It won't suck you under like the Missourri river will.

Ohio has signs in metric and imperial? That's odd.

Favorite city: Chicago. Favorite state: Wisconsin.

I love Chicago more than anything in the world, but I just can't endorse Illinois beyond the Chicagoland border.

yep. that pretty much sums it up. chicago rules the universe, but illinois is hardly the best state in the midwest when all things are considered. for their beautiful natural areas, it's a toss-up for me between wisconsin and michigan.

For those who love Wisconsin's Door County, imagine something similar except that its 34x the size of Door County. That's Michigan's UP. And if that's not enough there's the northern half of the lower peninsula. Grand Traverse Bay, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and so on. Michigan handily beats any other state for natural beauty.

For me, it's a toss up between Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

But this can't be a toss up, we're talking about states as a whole, and I have to choose one, so....

I choose Minnesota, because I live here, it's not a cheesehead state, and it has Minneapolis/St. Paul AND the best Great Lakes scenery in the midwest IMO.

You can't beat these cliffs and hills in the midwest. This is the closest you're going to get to mountains in the midwest besides South Dakota:

http://img25.echo.cx/img25/7703/lakesuperior23yx.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img25.echo.cx/img25/5580/lakesuperior38oo.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

And Minneapolis is just the icing on the cake:

http://img25.echo.cx/img25/7874/sa43e93vb.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

The islands of Wisconsin up by Superior are really cliffy and beautiful, as well as the area around Door County and to a lesser extent Wisconsin Dells.

That picture is stunningly awesome though. Where in Minnesota is that? I assume it's Lake Superior, which (not to be negative- forgive me for my rather sour grapes Minneapolis animosity) is the most boring great lake, because it's detached from any real cities unlike the others.

The Apostle Islands area is similar to that, I wish I could find a good pic.

The islands of Wisconsin up by Superior are really cliffy and beautiful, as well as the area around Door County and to a lesser extent Wisconsin Dells.

That picture is stunningly awesome though. Where in Minnesota is that?

It's the area around Palisade Head on the north shore of Lake Superior. Minnesota has the biggest hills and most rugged shoreline on the Great Lakes in the midwest. It also has some of the most remote, dense forests in the midwest. The boundary waters are incredible.

Some pics of Northern Michigan:
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/upper%20peninsula%20of%20michigan%20fall%20colors/fall%20shoreline%20along%20m-28%20alger%20county.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/upper%20peninsula%20of%20michigan%20fall%20colors/hogback%20mountain%20biker.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/upper%20peninsula%20of%20michigan%20fall%20colors/presque%20isle%20and%20surf%20from%20breakwater.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/upper%20peninsula%20of%20michigan%20fall%20colors/presque%20isle%20rock%20climber.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/upper%20peninsula%20of%20michigan%20fall%20colors/sugarloaf%20mountain%20view%20of%20hogback.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/upper%20peninsula%20of%20michigan%20fall%20colors/sugarloaf%20mountain%20view%20of%20little%20presque%20isle.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/grand%20sable%20dunes%20mi/grand%20sable%20dunes%20late%20evening%20at%20logslide%20overlook.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/marquette%20mi/marquette%20skyline.JPG
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/keweenaw%20mi/keweenaw-brockway%20mountain%20overlooking%20lake%20superior.JPG
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/porcupine%20mountains/porcupine%20mountains-%20lake%20of%20the%20clouds%20past%20peak.jpg
http://www.lakesuperiorphoto.com/pictured%20rocks/pictured%20rocks%20cliffs-%20large%20cliff%20panoramic%20with%20shawn%20.JPG

Those pics of the UP look very similar to northern Minnesota, so I'm not so sure about the claim that "Michigan handily beats any other state for natural beauty."

Here are few pics from that same source of the north shore in Minnesota:

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/9933/splitrock5xz.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/3387/gooseberry1pd.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

And here are few colorful pics from a different source:

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/2707/autumn6qq.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/3329/autumn27vk.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/748/autumn32ip.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/7715/northernlights5la.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

In Minnesota, with one of the busiest ports (if not the busiest?) on the Great Lakes, ship watching is always fun too:

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/5858/duluth5om.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/364/duluth24qr.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img29.echo.cx/img29/9020/duluth37yt.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

I'm not crazy about fall pictures, but the other pictures of northern Minnesota are osme of the best I've seen in the midwest.

The West's scenery > The Mid-West's Scenery^100

Please don't turn this thread into a Google picture spamfest.

The West's scenery > The Mid-West's Scenery^100

I know and I'm sure everyone else in here knows that too, but this thread isn't about that.

Where in Minnesota is that? I assume it's Lake Superior, which (not to be negative- forgive me for my rather sour grapes Minneapolis animosity) is the most boring great lake, because it's detached from any real cities unlike the others.

Although not a major city, Duluth is quite real, and a major Great Lakes port.

http://www.teresco.org/pics/north-20030707-22/12/P7120032-1024.jpg
http://www.tonyrogers.com/images/2004_0422_enger/118_1859_900px.jpg
http://www.tonyrogers.com/images/2005_0415_leifericson/148_4841_900px.jpg
http://www.teresco.org/pics/north-20030707-22/12/P7120040-1024.jpg
http://images6.fotki.com/v1/photos/1/142378/850253/DuluthBridge-vi.jpg

I've been to Duluth, and it's a nice town, but I could never live there. It just feels to isolated. In all honesty, the town doesn't offer much, and there really isn't a town that offers anything at all within 5 hours.

I've been to Duluth, and it's a nice town, but I could never live there. It just feels to isolated. In all honesty, the town doesn't offer much, and there really isn't a town that offers anything at all within 5 hours.

the Twin Cities are 2.5 hours south, and Thunder Bay, Ontario is three hours north.

I have to admit that I'm surprised to see WI doing so well.

.............Thunder Bay, Ontario is three hours north.

That's a joke, right??

Sea and Ice caves in WI on Lake Superior/ Apostle Islands



http://img27.echo.cx/img27/8461/sandislandseacave015nf.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img27.echo.cx/img27/3933/pasc236aa.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img27.echo.cx/img27/7366/phcaves1dl.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img27.echo.cx/img27/2766/icecaves5ib.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

OHIO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Southern accents in the South-Great lakes accent in the North.
Flat lands in the Northwest-Appalacian foothills in the southeast.
Prairies, forests, caves, Island chain out in Lake Erie, Cool Amish citizens, Awesome state park system and highway signs in English and Metric :yes:

we have signs in metric? That's new to me and really quite amazing, considering the state doesn't share roads with any metric using country. i'll be awaiting a photo.

Favorite city: Chicago

Favorite state: Ohio

city: Minneapolis
state: Minnesota or Wisconsin

The roads weren't that bad in Minnesota!!

But then I heard they get federal funding so :(

we have signs in metric? That's new to me and really quite amazing, considering the state doesn't share roads with any metric using country. i'll be awaiting a photo.

In southern Ohio, they do. Along with the I-75 corridor.

I've got a question for non-Minnesotan midwesterners. Here in Minnesota, I see tourism commericals for South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Do you guys see Minnesota tourism commercials?

Oh yes. In Iowa, after Missouri and South Dakota, Minnesota probably plays the most commercials and there are always inserts in the papers.

The one with the most big cities.

Ohio.
followed by Michigan.
then Illinois.
then Indiana.
then Wisconsin.
then Missouri.
then Minnesota.
then Iowa.
then Nebraska.
then Kansas.
then the Dakotas.

Cleveland is cool but Ohio is a little redneck .... I like Michigan as a whole...I like Missouri, but not Missouruh .... so a combined Michigan with Kansas City, St. Louis and Cleveland would get my vote. Oh yeah and give Grand Rapids to Ohio.....

I've got a question for non-Minnesotan midwesterners. Here in Minnesota, I see tourism commericals for South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Do you guys see Minnesota tourism commercials?


I have...but mostly they are print and web ads. I just saw one on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel website.

We usually get a lot of ads for North Carolina and Virgina around here. Occasionally you'll see an Ohio or West Virginia ad. I've never seen an add for any other Midwestern state besides Ohio.

Wisconsin Ads are awesome. They show Wisconsin dells, Door County, Northern Wisconsin, and a festival I think in Milwuakee.

In chicago, I dont think there are any Minnesota Ads.

in chicago, we are BOMBARDED every spring with wisconsin and michigan TV commercials touting all the summer fun that those two states offer.

ironically enough, we also get a lot of TV commericals encouraging chicagoans to go out and explore the rest of illinois as well. just about everyone still chooses wisconsin or michigan for their summer vacation though ;)

i recall a TV ad blitz for minnesota in the chicago market a few years ago, but i can't recall anything of late.

indiana ohio kentucky

Indiana is good in the southern portion.

For state it would be Wisconsin, though I'd also vote for the Upper Penninsula if it where a state...

Indiana is good in the southern portion.

Other then Wisconsin and Illinois, Southern Indiana (Indianapolis to Kentucky border) is where I've spent the greatest amount of time in my life.... and it is... hm... lets just say a little bit too redneck for me. Nice scenery though! Really try to avoid it if at all possible though.

For state it would be Wisconsin, though I'd also vote for the Upper Penninsula if it where a state...

It is a state. It's called MICHIGAN! You may have heard of it...

It is a state. It's called MICHIGAN! You may have heard of it...

Lol, it might as well be Wisconsin as it's more connected to Wisconsin than it is Michigan. ;)

Lol, it might as well be Wisconsin as it's more connected to Wisconsin than it is Michigan. ;)

i know what you mean, on a technical level, i'm aware that the UP is a part of the state of michigan, but psychologically, i tend to think of it as some sort of unofficial extension of wisconsin.

regardless, the UP is wonderful. there's a lot of fantastic natural beauty up north der, hey.

Back in the 1970s there was sort of a not-very-serious movement for the Upper Penninsula and I think some northern Wisc. counties to seceed and form the 51st state of "Superior".

The UP does have a fairly distinct regional thing going..the Finninsh and Italian communities, the mining towns, etc.....

There are parts of the Lower Penninsula that I really like, too...like Empire Beach, Leland, the Grand Traverse area and the Lake Michigan coast north of Grand Traverse to the Mackinac....

Yeah, I say everything north of the thumb in Michigan is pretty much what you'll find in the UP. And then the southern 1/3 of the state is just a bunch of cities surrounded by farmland. And I'm guessing most people's impressions of Michigan are the lower 1/3 of the state.

I will have to go with Michigan. Cant top the summer resort towns and the beaches of the west side. I have a blast everytime I go, just wish I could get there more often.