Best State Slogan (2014)

Aside from the fact that Texas is certainly big enough to be a whole other country (and actually was, for a brief period of history), the state slogan encompasses all the places, people and experiences found nowhere else in the world. Texas is a big state with a big attitude to match . . . but Texans would say "it ain't braggin' if you can back it up."

Kentucky's beautiful Bluegrass Country is dotted with more than 500 horse farms producing some of the world's best thoroughbreds. The state sits at the epicenter of the horse racing world so the slogan "Unbridled Spirit" gives a nod to the state's legendary equestrian status, but also speaks of the spirit of dreaming big and pushing past conventional boundaries.

Including in the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame, "Virginia is for Lovers" has served as the state's slogan since 1969, and it stuck like glue. Virginia isn't just for lovers in the romantic sense - it's for history lovers, beach lovers, mountain lovers and sports lovers alike.

In 1960, radios across the nation played Ray Charles, a Georgia native, crooning the words "Georgia . . . Georgia . . . the whole day through. Just an old sweet song . . . keeps Georgia on my mind." In 1979, the title of the popular song written by a native son, was adopted as the official state song, and has been closely associated with this gem of the Old South ever since.

Stunning desert sunsets, ancient pueblos, blue skies as far as the eye can see and one of the nation's best regional cuisines . . .  New Mexico's rightly called the "Land of Enchantment," and everyone from foodies and history buffs to nature lovers and art enthusiasts finds themselves enchanted by the state's cultural natural diversity.

Nature at its most pristine - with mountains, glaciers and wildlife just about everywhere you look - means that the reality of Alaska often outshines even the loftiest expectations. For many travelers, Alaska is that bucket list, "beyond your dreams" destination, yet it's within our borders ... no passport required.

Snowbirds, spring breakers and summer vacationing families alike flock to Florida for its year-round warm weather and plethora of beautiful beaches where the powdery sand, more often than not, is sun-drenched. While Florida's historic, natural and kid-friendly appeal certainly help, its slogan "Must Be the Sunshine" serves as a fitting explanation for why it's such a popular year-round tourist destination.

Anyone who's spent time outside of Montana's cities will know exactly why it's called "Big Sky Country" - views for miles in practically every direction. As beautiful as the skies are, it's what lies beneath them that makes Montana such a magical destination.

Famed for its Southern hospitality, South Carolina quickly acquaints visitors with the "Smiling Faces" half of its state slogan, and the second half, "Beautiful Places," soon follows. Just walk the historic streets of Charleston, hike the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains or island-hop along the South Carolina coast.

Colorado's state slogan, "It's Our Nature," seems to have a dual meaning. In the very literal sense, Colorado offers some of the nation's most dramatic natural scenery - everything from snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks to giant sand dunes and wide open plains. On the other, there's the pioneering nature of the live-loving people of the state.