I've been to all 50 states. These 8 are the most underrated.

I've been to Idaho twice and spent a total of about three weeks crisscrossing the state to go hiking, biking, kayaking, and whitewater rafting. I also explored its hidden hot springs.

Big City Boise blew me away with excellent food (including the best falafel I've ever had in the US at Tarbush Kitchen) and unique museums and historical sites (like the Old Idaho Penitentiary).

It also has loads of cycling trails and even rafting and tubing along the Boise River, which runs through downtown.

As an outdoorsy person, I headed to Hot Springs National Park (which has a great bathhouse-turned-brewpub nearby) and biked along the paved paths and gravel roads that blanket the state.

The highlight of my trip was the Buffalo National River International Dark Sky Park. I hiked, kayaked, and stared at the stars in some of the darkest skies I've ever seen.

Little Rock was also loads of fun, and I can't wait to go back.

My top picks were the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and the ESSE Purse Museum, which tells the story of women's rights, struggles, and accomplishments through the lens of purses and their contents.

It may known as the Dairy State (and you definitely should load up on cheese there), but Wisconsin is actually a divine destination for food, drink, culture, and the outdoors.

Milwaukee hosts dozens of huge music and cultural festivals yearly, many at the waterfront Henri Maier Festival Park (aka the Summerfest grounds).

The Milwaukee Art Museum has an impressive collection, though many people visit to take a picture outside with its world-famous "wings" that open and close.

Wisconsin's capital city, Madison, is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, and it has amazing international food as well.

To really experience Wisconsin, though, head to the northern part of the state that's blanketed with forests, lakes, beaches, tiny towns, and campgrounds that are especially picturesque in the fall.

I've lived in New York City for 18 years. It's amazing, but I also know how great the rest of New York state is.

North of NYC, the Adirondacks is home to the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park, which has some of the best hiking, camping, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing in the state.

Western New York is where you'll find gems like Letchworth State Park (known as the "Grand Canyon of the East") and Niagara Falls State Park.

It's also where you'll find the National Women's Hall of Fame, the Susan B. Anthony House, and the Harriet Tubman Home.

Sure, Minnesota gets very cold in the winter, but that just means it's a great state for snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating, and snowmobiling.

The state's also home to Voyageurs National Park, which has 100 miles of snowmobiling trails to ride in winter. Come summer, this water-based park is best explored by boat or kayak, and there's also good hiking.

Minnesota's North Shore, which borders Lake Superior, is a super scenic drive with eight state parks within a two-hour stretch.

Minneapolis is an excellent city for biking, so be sure to rent some wheels and ride the 7-mile Midtown Greenway, which is basically a mini highway for bicycles.

You can also learn about history at the Mill City Museum and the Somali Museum.

For food, try halls like Eat Street Crossing, The Market at Malcolm Yards, and the Midtown Global Market, where you'll find everything from Malaysian and Moroccan to Mexican and Hmong.

South Carolina's largest city, Charleston, is worth a visit, but you're not doing the state justice if that's the only place you go.

After educating yourself about the city's central role in the transatlantic slave trade at one of the many museums and trying some famous barbecue, get out and see the rest of the state.

I suggest visiting Table Rock State Park, which is nestled along the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Or check out Congaree National Park, one of the least-visited national parks in the US. It's unique with its towering cypress trees jutting out of swamps that are best explored by canoe.

West Virginia has built loads of tourism around its former coal towns.

There's a lot to do, whether you want to fly down the river in an airboat or whip through the woods on an ATV tour while learning about the area's famous Hatfield-McCoy feud.

I also suggest checking out New River Gorge National Park. I've enjoyed hiking through it and rafting along the nearby Gauley River and its many Class-V rapids.

Still, I think Monongahela National Forest is my favorite part of the state. I spent a few days hiking and camping here during my first trip to West Virginia, which was especially gorgeous in the fall.

Sure, while in Indianapolis, tour the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, consider staying overnight at an old hotel and eating in a massive food hall built inside a former Coca-Cola bottling plant.

While at it, join a Venetian-style canal boat tour and be serenaded through the canals downtown.

Indianapolis has excellent museums, like the enormous Children's Museum of Indianapolis (the largest in the country), the Indiana Historical Society, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Newfields Art and Nature Center.

Because the city and its museums are so accessible (and Indianapolis has an excellent accessibility guide), my family has taken several multi-generational vacations here that included my mother, who has advanced Parkinson's disease.

Elsewhere in Indiana, expect to find unique attractions like the painting studio of "Joy of Painting" icon Bob Ross.