States With No Destination Cities

I am in Connecticut this week at the Levanto beach compound in South Lyme. Earlier this week, my college friend Lauren and I were discussing the bad rap that New Jersey gets (she's from there). I must admit I know New Jersey in two ways: The large oil and gas containers that are alongside the New Jersey turnpike on the way to D.C., and, of course "The Jersey Shore."

Lauren and I think that New Jersey's problem from a PR perspective is the state really doesn't have a "destination city," or a city that people associate in a positive way with the state. Massachusetts has Boston. Maine has Portland. What does New Jersey have? Newark? You don't hear excitement when someone says: "I am going to Trenton!" And let's face it, Atlantic City just doesn't cut the mustard here.

Of course, Connecticut has the same problem. Hartford isn't really high on the list of vacation hot spots, and few realize that Connecticut's largest city is actually Bridgeport, and you don't want to go there.

Yet there's nothing really wrong with Connecticut and New Jersey. They are fine states. And those from each will talk passionately about them. Lauren says the water in New Jersey creates exceptionally tasty pizza, so much so that certain restaurants have their water imported. As for Connecticut, I must say there are many days in Boston when what I really want is a nice large Italian grinder to go, from a grinder shop in Norwich. But they don't deliver to Boston.

Ironically enough, in my adult life, I have more connections to New Jersey than Connecticut. Which is why there will be a day when I travel there, and venture off the New Jersey turnpike into the real New Jersey. Let's hope Snooki and her baby are out of state.