Getting Lost In America - Part Two - People & Weather

Getting Lost In America ... The Highs & Lows of Travel in America is a four-part series to help you discover America.

You're the top, you're turkey dinner,
You're the Kentucky Derby winner.
I'm a toy balloon that’s fated soon to pop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, You're the Top!*

So let’s get to the bottom of what’s tops in America. In Part One of the Highs & Lows Tour of America we discovered just how High and Low we can go in elevation. Today we’ll talk about everyone’s favourite topics - People and the Weather!

Part Two - Population & Weather
Population - Do you like being around lots of other folks? Or maybe you prefer to be as alone and away from crowds as is possible ... either way, there are plenty of crowds and also millions of square miles desolation for you to enjoy in America.

Cities:

• Highest Population - New York City 8,213,839 people that all want to live together.
• Lowest Population - Maza, North Dakota with only 5 residents.

States:

• Highest Population - California - 36,457,549 - 12% of the U.S. population lives in California and it seems like all of them are on the road at the same time! Plan your travel, be prepared for the traffic, and you will have loads of fun with Mickey, on the beaches, in the redwoods and mountains, and don’t forget all that wonderful wine the state produces.
• Lowest Population - Wyoming - 515,004 - 0.17% Yes, less than 1/5 of 1% of Americans live with Cowboy Joe in Wonderful Wyoming! Besides all the sheep jokes, Wyoming is half high plains and half mountains, and home to the original National Park - Yellowstone - you could spend the whole summer in Yellowstone and never see it all.

Density:

• Highest Density State - New Jersey 1134 people/sq mile. It would seem the Garden State, as New Jersey is nicknamed, grows a lot people since it is the most densely populated state! But in spite of all its residents there are plenty of places to see and things to do.
• Lowest Density State - Alaska 1 person/sq mile. Definitely a state where you can be alone with your thoughts ... however, there are probably at least one bear, caribou, salmon, and king crab for every person so you definitely won’t be lonely in Alaska!

Weather - is often a consideration when planning a trip. Know the weather and climate of the area you will be visiting and pack appropriate clothing. People often want to go somewhere warm and sunny, even for their summer vacation. Others want cooler but still sunny pleasant days for hiking or mountain biking. And for some, it doesn’t really matter, they are going to spend their vacation in the air-conditioned comfort of their hotel room!

• Highest Annual Rainfall - 395” per year - Mt. Waialeale on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Think of the beaches, the lush rainforest of Waimea Canyon, and the waterfalls.
• Lowest Annual Rainfall - only 2-3” for the whole year - several areas in the southwest - Death Valley, Yuma, Arizona, parts of Nevada. Or how about Lake Havasu where you'll find the London Bridge.
• Highest Number of Sunny Days - 330 sunny days ... ?coincidence? ... lots of sun and very little rain, it’s Yuma, Arizona as the sunscreen capitol of the U.S. with about 30% more sunny days than either San Diego or Miami! If you want to get all your sunshine in just one day, head to Fairbanks or many other towns of central and northern Alaska on June 21^st (the summer solstice) and the sun may never set! Around midnight the sun usually just touches the horizon and the light dims towards dusk but it never gets dark as night. Conversely, around December 21^st (winter solstice) there are only about three hours a day of light as the sunny barely peeks over the horizon.
• Lowest Number of Sunny Days - less than 100 days of sunshine - Juneau, Alaska and Quillayute, Washington.

You're the top, you're the Tower of Pisa,
You're the smile, on the Mona Lisa
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom you're the top!*

Wherever you go, be it High or Low, this summer - Happy trails and happy travels, and enjoy yourselves, your family, the sites and sights, and of course your summer vacation!

Read the whole series!
Getting Lost In America ...
The Highs & Lows of Travel in America
Part One - By Elevation
Part Two - By Population & Weather

* Song lyrics from “You’re The Top!” by
legendary American songwriter Cole Porter.