By Wendy Cartwright

Guest columnist

My friend Kim is my go-to for questions when I want to compare the Midwest with other areas of the country. She spent most of her childhood in Montana then her family moved to Indiana. She now lives in Michigan. I’ve traveled all over the country and so has she, but Kim has actually lived in different areas.

I asked her some particular questions about living and travelling to various places. The conversation went in a different direction than I had intended, but she brought up an interesting point.

Midwest states, as well as some others, draw visitors who are much more focused on outdoor activities than more populous locations.

I did some research.

There are some locations that I think of when I contemplate places that everyone should see. States like California, Florida and New York are a few. I’ve been to them all. I know what I wanted to see when I went to them and I was curious what the most popular destinations in these states happened to be. The results may, or may not, surprise you.

California has miles and miles of coastline, but the most popular place that people visit is Alcatraz. This was a surprise to me. More people go to the state to see a former prison than to visit the ocean or even to scout out movies stars. In my mind, a prison is about as “indoors” as it gets.

The most visited area of Florida is South Beach in Miami. But, guess what? It’s not for the beach itself. It is to go to Lincoln Road Mall. That’s right. People flock to Florida to shop.

Of course, people go to New York to see New York City. But, do they want to see Central Park? It is the most visited urban park in the United States. But, no. The most used intersection in New York City is in Times Square where you cross to get to the Broadway Theater District. I am in no way discounting the value of culture. (I am an English literature major at Indiana University Columbus.) But a play, again, is one of the most indoor activities that one can choose to experience.

In my research, I found the most popular destination in Indiana. It’s Indiana Dunes. What surprises me about this is the fact that people who choose to visit Indiana are more likely to visit a beach than the people who choose to visit Florida.

That, to me, is a true Midwest Wonder.

Wendy Cartwright hails from the North Vernon area and has lived there most of her life. She has a love of sharing her thoughts on growing up in the Midwest and other stories from her life. She spends her days reading and writing in the home she shares with her husband and chihuahua. Send comments to [email protected].