Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So I've seen plenty of the threads about which states are the most geographically diverse and the usual answers came up of California, west coast states in general, Texas, Hawaii, Oklahoma, parts of the NE, etc. Size is a factor in this "statewide" discussion and creates unfair advantages (even though I still think some small parts of California are even relatively incredibly geographically diverse despite the state's overall absolute size).
I'd be more interested at this point about which specific areas of the US within a fixed radius (not bound by state borders) are the most geographically diverse? Like areas where within a 3 hour drive in various directions one can visit:
mountains
rivers
deserts
beaches
lakes
forests
grasslands
etc. (criterion can be expanded)
The size of the radius is up to your discretion, but I would recommend keeping it small (start with a 3 hour drive radius) or else the juxtapositions of the different geographic features become less appreciated/accessible if spread out over a larger area.
Obviously, I'd feel the area encompassing Hawaii would win in this regard given its small size yet extreme geographic diversity, but besides Hawaii what other areas come to mind?
Please give specific details as to the location of the region and examples of its geographic diversity.
To Keep this thread on-topic, I think either Los Angeles or San Diego or somewhere in Southern California might be some of the most geographically diverse areas in a three hour drive radius, especially in the difference in climate due to the fact that Southern California is like a valley that traps ocean air and has mountains surrounding it on at least three sides that keeps warm air from the desert coming into the region, and the desert is only about (maybe in good traffic?) two-ish hours away from Downtown Los Angeles. In Los Angeles and Its suburbs alone you have Canyons, Mountains, Beaches, a river or two, Cliffs, and an urban maze of geography that spans nearly the size of the state of New Jersey. Nearby are deserts and Mountains where you can go skiing, I don't know about grasslands or forests.
I am not 100% certain which one may be the most diverse, but either one the above areas along with any three-hour drive radii centered in Seattle, Spokane WA, San Francisco, Sacramento, Anchorage AK, Mauna Kea HI, Portland OR, and many more areas mostly in the West would easily qualify as the most diverse section of the U.S. as defined as at most as being a a three-hour drive radius.
Thing is, the vegitation is actually native to Savannah, it's not just found in a couple of people's front yards. But that same vegitation in Savannah, can not be found in Atlanta for multiple reasons.
Something like this won't, and could not be found anywhere in Atlanta.
Thing is, the vegitation is actually native to Savannah, it's not just found in a couple of people's front yards. But that same vegitation in Savannah, can not be found in Atlanta for multiple reasons.
Something like this won't, and could not be found anywhere in Atlanta.
Nothing in the midwest is going to beat California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and New Mexico
Beyond the west, the most impressive diversity I have seen is actually Alabama.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
