6 Spots Where You Can Be In Two (Or More) Places At Once
Find yourself in several locations at the same time at these special destinations
Grab three friends and head to the Four Corners Monument, where you can each stand in a different state.
Is it possible to be two places at once? Outside of certain corners of physics we’re not going to get into, scientists would probably tell you no, but we’re going to tell you yes. Whether by accidents of nature, tricks of geography or man-made factors, there are corners of the U.S. where you get to be in two (or more) places at once. Next time you hit the highway, why not work one or more of these into your vacation?
Rolling on the river
Sail the Mississippi River for multiple multistate experiences.
The trouble with setting a state or national boundary at a river is that water has this pesky habit of moving. Take the Mississippi River, for example. This great waterway, among its many claims to fame, borders 10 states—that’s a fifth of the country! Sometimes when its course moves, the Mississippi leaves bits of one state on another state’s side of the river. A series of earthquakes in the early 1800s, for instance, changed the river’s course, putting a piece of Kentucky in Tennessee (where it remained). Further south, there’s even a tiny island in the Mississippi shared by Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. So perhaps you can start at New Orleans and work your way north up this great river, stopping at the weird spots along the way.
Split personality
This one is a prime example (and probably the most well known) of a major city that’s in two places at once. Together, Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, form the center of a metropolitan area that sprawls into both states. While the Missouri side is certainly the more predominant, the question of which side is better is up for debate.
That’s so dam cool
Hoover Dam is just over 30 miles outside Las Vegas at the border of Arizona and Nevada, but that’s not the only way visiting the dam allows you to stand with a foot in both states. Nevada is in Pacific Standard Time, while Arizona is in Mountain Standard Time, so you could even “jump back in time” by hopping across the border—just note, Arizona is in MST for half of the year only since it doesn’t follow daylight savings time. And if you’ve already been to the Hoover Dam, it may be time to go back. In 2010, the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which towers 900 feet above the Colorado River, was opened immediately downriver from the dam.
Fantastic four
It’ll take a little planning, but you could easily stand in not two, not three, but four states simultaneously at Four Corners Monument. In fact, the exact spot where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet is marked with an x on the ground. This remote destination is just under four hours from Flagstaff, Arizona, one of the closest large cities. Still, how many opportunities do you get to stand in four places at once?
A trip you’ll fall for. Get it?
Forget states—straddle countries at Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls is quite the sight to behold. It’s a staggeringly powerful force of nature—it drains four great lakes, and 3,160 tons of water flow over it every second! The falls straddle the border between the U.S. and Canada, though we absolutely recommend against swimming across. Please, please don’t try that.
Here’s the border—blink and you’ll miss it
Fun knows no boundaries! South of Charlotte, North Carolina, Carowinds amusement park straddles the North and South Carolina state line, with several rides skipping back and forth between the two. Fury 325, the park’s tallest ride, and the Carolina Goldrusher, the park’s oldest coaster, both cross the state line during their runs.
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