Minnesota

Politeness in Minnesota is genuine, not performance: holding doors, apologizing quickly, and chatting easily with strangers are everyday habits traced back to the Scandinavian families who settled the state generations ago. Winter tests that temperament every year, and Minnesotans meet it directly, through hockey, skiing, and ice fishing, rather than retreating indoors.

Hotdish, a baked one-pan meal, and the Jucy Lucy, a cheeseburger with cheese cooked inside the patty, reflect a practical, no-fuss food culture. The state’s more than 10,000 lakes, the source of its nickname, anchor much of daily and seasonal life here.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area offers a direct experience of that landscape, while the North Shore of Lake Superior lines the coast with waterfalls and cliffs.