- Travel blogger Nicole Sunderland has visited every US state, with repeat trips to some favorites.
- On her blog, she spotlights luxurious hotels and cruises but also loves exploring locally in the US.
- Nevada, Arizona, and Virginia are among her favorite states.
Nicole Sunderland first caught the travel bug over two decades ago when she sold magazines door to door around the country.
In 2004, she found a job ad in a newspaper that read, "Looking for fun in the sun?" with a phone number.
"I was like, 'This is so me, whatever it is,'" Sunderland told Business Insider.
The next day, she called the number, and the day after, she was on a Greyhound bus from Orlando to Islip, New York, with a new job as a traveling sales representative that helped kick-start her travel adventures.
"That was kind of my introduction into both sales and traveling the US and really getting to see how people live and operate all over the country," said Sunderland.
Today, she is a travel blogger with a million Instagram followers who has not only traveled to every US state — some of which she's been to multiple times — but also toured around the world widely.
Although most of her recent work spotlights opulent hotels, cruise stays, and international luxury travel experiences, she periodically revisits her favorite states to explore new spots.
"My goal is to visit at least five places in the US that I have not been to before because I want to continue exploring more of the US," Sunderland told BI.
Here are five states she's been to and would love to explore again soon.
Nevada
Nicole Sunderland has been to Las Vegas about 25 times, and each time she visits, she drives out of town to see the Valley of Fire State Park.
Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock
"It shocks people when I tell them this, but I've been to Las Vegas 25 times and am not really a gambler," said Sunderland.
Instead, her love for Sin City stems from its incredible culinary scene.
"Every time I go, there are new restaurants, and I always find things to do in the city that I've never done before," she said.
She said she's stayed in almost every luxury resort in the city — like the Sahara, where she once paid $19 for a night's stay — and even in hotels that no longer exist, but every time she visits, she feels as though she's had a whole new experience.
Some spots she loves to go back to include "the Neon Sign Museum, which has signs from all of the old buildings and hotels that no longer exist. It's like a graveyard," she said.
She also always makes a trip out of town to see Valley of Fire State Park, which is about an hour outside the city.
"It's so beautiful out there. It looks a lot like Sedona," she said.
Arizona
Sunderland loves Scottsdale, which, in recent years, has become a hot spot for luxury travelers.
Nicole Sunderland
Arizona's vast and diverse landscape is home to some of the most beautiful natural wonders, often backdropped by stunning sunsets.
In a 2017 blog, Sunderland wrote, "I think I have decided that desert is my new favorite landscape," after a weekend visit to Scottsdale and Sedona.
Years later, she still considers it one of her most memorable trips, saying, "Scottsdale is one of my favorite cities."
Situated in the eastern part of Maricopa County, the city is a recent luxury travel hot spot and home to some of the wealthiest people in the country. AZ Central reported earlier this year that about 14,600 of the 243,000 residents are millionaires, and five are billionaires.
But Sunderland loves the palm-tree-lined town for its quaint coffee shops, artisanal bakeries, and boutique shopping experience.
She also loves cruising through Sedona, Page, and the Grand Canyon South Rim when visiting the state.
New Mexico
Sunderland suggests everyone should see the Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico at least once.
Nicole Sunderland
The southwestern state is known for its natural wonders, historical sites, and, in Sunderland's opinion, "its fabulous food."
"The food in Santa Fe is incredible," said Sunderland, who, on her first visit to the city, found the food a little too spicy for her tastes but still found plenty of other mouthwatering alternatives.
She also loves visiting Albuquerque for its museums and artwork, but most importantly, for the International Balloon Fiesta, which takes place in October every year.
"I think the Balloon Fiesta is something everyone should experience once," she said, describing it as an event where hundreds of people gather during sunrise to watch about 500 to 800 balloons take flight.
"It is one of the most incredible things to see," she said.
Massachusetts
Sunderland loves that Massachusetts has such diverse offerings on display to see and experience.
NayaDadara/Shutterstock
From sleek skyscrapers and skinny homes in Boston to sprawling mansions in the Berkshires, Massachusetts has a diverse mix of architectural styles on display.
But the state is also known for its coastal beaches, fresh seafood, and prominent universities.
"I love Massachusetts," Sunderland said, adding that she learns something new about the state and its history every visit.
Virginia
It's common to spot bears in Shenandoah National Park, a site Sunderland enjoys visiting.
Jbreach/Shutterstock
While Sunderland, who grew up in Michigan, now lives in Virginia, she said she travels so often that it's easy to overlook places closer to home, so she's committed to exploring it more extensively.
She loves that Virginia is home to all types of natural wonders: "Small towns, big cities, mountains, beaches, ski resorts, we have everything."
Her favorite places are "Alexandria, which is in Northern Virginia; then you've got Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, which is one of the best fall drives in the country."
She also loves lounging by Virginia Beach on sunny days and is grateful for its proximity to DC, which she said is "kind of like a two-for-one trip if you can make it work."